1967 F-250 Front Dana 44 Disc Brake Swap

[heep70]

As far as I know there is not a conversion for the old closed knuckle D44. The only conversion to get to disks is to swap the whole frontend out.

[roachrider]

Darn. I appreciate the info though. I won't spend a bunch more time searching now.

In that case, what sort of donor vehicles should I look for?

The requirements would be:
-- Disc brakes
-- Same width or a couple inches wider
-- Hopefully a truck with PS so I could do that whole conversion in the process...
-- Hopefully 4.56 or 4.10 gears so I wouldn't have to regear the rear end($$$). Currently 4.56, my other truck is 4.10. I could use either rear.
-- Cheap?

Dana 60 would be a nice upgrade, but honestly, I don't do enough offroad to justify anything like that and a D44 would be just fine. Are there specific years/makes/models to look out for or avoid?

[willowbilly3]

The 76 and early 77 F-250 4x4 front axle is what you want for a bolt up swap but you do not want the power assist steering off one of those trucks. You will want an integral power steering box from a 78-79 or possible one from a 75-79 F-150 4x4. There is also some conversions that used a 2wd box and those work fine too.
Any swap can end up being a frame off resto if you don't know where to stop and plan the whole thing, but if I was doing this swap, I would take the oportunity to switch to a high pinion front axle and a married transfer case. I know that is a bunch more work but you gain several inches of ground clearance, and the front driveline isn't as exposed to all the things that they seem to get bent on when off roading. Then you also get the more friendly U-joint angles so you aren't replacing them every 10,000 miles.

[roachrider]

Awesome. Thanks for the info. I will start looking.

If I want to keep the NP-435 and go to a married T-case, are there vehicles that had adaptors from the factory? What T-case is decent? NP-205? My NP-435 has the 2wd tailhousing, I know the 4wd tailhousing had a different bolt pattern. Does the housing have enough material to drill and tap holes for the 4wd tail?

[heep70]

I am not sure about converting your 2x 435 over to a 4x. I know the gearing in a 2x 435 is different. The F100 and Broncos had the married t18/205 and the 435/205. Check out this site for reading on the 435.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/np435.htm

[willowbilly3]

I have a 4x4 435 with the adapter. I am not sure about the output shaft. I'll try to remember to get a picture of it tomorrow.

[roachrider]

Awesome. I appreciate it.

[willowbilly3]

I got an email tonight from a guy who wants to buy the 205 and not the tranny, so I could probably sell just the parts you need off it. It doesn't have much value here because not many Texans stir their own gears anymore and fewer still have old 4x4s

[72hiboy4x4]

I have a 435 with a married transfer case in the garage I could let go, if you still need 'em.

[roachrider]

I actually ended up buying a set of axles off a J20 at the last swap meet so I'm looking for a divorced passenger side drop NP-205, Dana 20, etc or a married granny tranny and T-Case combo. Thanks for the offer though!

[willowbilly3]

Dodges used the divorced T-case with the drop on the wrong side up to about mid 70s. One off a corn bunder might work too, I can't remember which side those were but they were right side if I remember right.

[roachrider]

Thanks for the tip. What sort of things should I look for when buying an NP-205? Anything I should check before handing over the money?