What year do I NEED?? For swap??

[crewcablover]

Hello All-
It's been awhile since I was last on!! Been busy...... Anyhow, I need to know what year truck would be best for me to do some upgrading on my 1972 4x4 F250 crew cab.

I want to add power steering and the better heavy duty front brakes to my truck. I understand that I should get atleast a F250 or F350 to have the heavy duty part taken care of.

I would like to just buy a whole truck and pull what I need off of it. Any help would be great thanks to all.....

[Doug Comer]

I would look for a 78-79 f250 4x4 as a donor vehicle. You will get the p/s, dics brakes, and open knuckle dana 44 front end from that truck. I used the same parts on my truck.

[460 crew]

You might even score a D60 front axle. I'd just drop your cab on the 77.5-79 frame unless your stuck on the highboy setup with the divorced Xfercase and in the way front crossmember, and in cab tank.

[heep70]

Here is what I did. Works great.

http://www.fordification.com/powersteering4wd.htm

[wrc4]

I noticed in the article that heep70 provided it states,

"On a side note, if you can find / afford the ’78-’79 4wd sector definitely go this route with the conversion, as it is almost a direct bolt on to the Highboy."

Like crewcablover, I too have a 72 F250 with closed knuckle, manual drum brakes, manual steering d44 front axle. However, right before Christmas I was fortunate enough (very fortunate, actually) to obtain a '79 F350 with an open knuckle d60 front end with power disk brakes and power steering.

Regarding the quote from the article, can anyone shed some light on the "...almost a direct bolt on..." part? Here are the items that I'm pretty sure will not 'bolt on':

1. Power steering pump mounting brackets.
2. Proportioning valve (I haven't looked, maybe it will...)
3. Front drive line. When I measured things it looks like I'll have to shorten the '72s.

Are there other items that I should be aware of (e.g., master cyl. vacuum booster)? Does anybody know of any tech articles on doing this swap. I really want all of my ducks in a row, so to speak, before I start turning wrenches.

[FORDification]

I believe he was saying that the steering box itself was the bolt-on, not the front end.

You didn't say what engines were in the '72 or the '79, but probably not the same. Therefore you'll have to get power steering pump brackets from an engine which is the same as the '72.

As far as the booster, it'll be a bolt-in. Just unbolt the master cylinder from the firewall without disconnecting the brake lines, remove the master cylinder pushrod (you won't need it since the booster has one built in), then just slide the booster into place and bolt it in, then bolt the master cylinder to it. Hook the booster up to a vacuum source on the intake manifold and you're all set.

The proportioning valve from the '79 WILL have to be used with the disc brake setup, replacing the drum-brake distribution block. You might have to do a little minor brakeline fabricating, but I'm not sure on that.

[460 crew]

Front driveline will have to be shortened like 2 inches with a HP D60, The proportioning valve will mount with an additional hole drilled in the frame, was an easy fit. Your power steering I'm not sure of because I have the 460 and have a custom bracket combo that holds my A/C compressor and saginaw pump. Only concern is that it might sit too close to the PS box other than that running a normal FE PS setup you should be fine.

Your hard lines that run to and from the propotioning valve will need to be re routed with different bends, I had to use my smaller booster that I had on the truck before the upgrade and use the 78-79 MC because the larger 78-79 booster would hit my valve covers. Soon I think i'll be adding a hydrobooster setup and rear disks, and ditching the setup I have now. if you need pics of the swap or anything let me know.