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Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

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BARRYS83F100

Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Ok Members I think I am going to hunt 4WD bullnose truck and pull everything out to convert my 1983 short bed F100 to 4WD first off my F100 is 5.0 AOD Auto trans with 3.55 rear any particular years I need to look for ? stay away from ? I will be removing front rear, trans case and have all that stuff gone through and rebuilt prior to install I want to run a 31x10.5 tire so may need modest lift, I know in a perfect world I need the 4WD AOD but I can convert mine if needed. I have rebuilt engine to go in my F100 this spring and my trans works great now, I was going to rebuild while engine out but since I am changing to 4WD I can rebuild mine and add conversion or if I am lucky I can find truck with correct trans, I know I could buy another truck but I really like this one and I have alot of things in first class shape and has very min amount of rust which I will have fixed & painted after install. let me hear your thoughts I am located in Hagerstown , Md if anyone has leads on a parts truck Thanks in advance.

salans7

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

I would try and stick to an 83-86 donor, as that will keep you close to your truck and allow you to order parts for your year of truck. The transmission crossmembers (and transmission mount) for 4x4 trucks changed in 85, but they'll bolt up the same way. There are also differing slide pins as the early trucks had a formed metal strip that was retained in place by a bolt and the later trucks had traditional spring style slide pins. The 80-82? trucks had a bolt-in style slip yoke, while the later trucks had a c-clip style slip yoke.

Overall the axle housings are the same from 1980-1996, I had housings from a 1995 in my 1980. But there are little things that changed along the way which is why it is best to use a truck close to your year as a donor. Piecing the swap together is possible, but not something I would want to do again.

Gary Lewis

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Administrator

I agree with Shaun. And especially agree with getting a whole parts truck. You will save money by doing so, and can probably swap parts onto the donor and then sell it.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Ford F834

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Administrator

In reply to this post by BARRYS83F100

I have done this swap, and I will +1 to the suggestion of buying a whole donor truck. It will be cheaper, you will have everything you need, and you will have it to refer to along the way. You will need to decide whether to drill out the rivets and change the rear spring hangers for the 3” wide leafs the in the back, or use the narrower 2wd leaf springs. Even if you keep the narrow springs, you will need the taller 4x4 lift blocks for the rear axle. Those will require the wider U-bolts and plates. You may be interested to read the axle swap portions of my build thread:

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/1981-straight-six-manual-4x4-project-td1312.html

Edit: I had a thread started on FTE before this forum existed. There are a few more details in it including how I got the pivot bolts to line up:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1486376-1981-straight-six-manual-4x4-project.html

SHORT BED 4-DOOR DIESEL: 1986 F350 4x4 under construction-- 7.3 IDIT ZF5+GVOD

STRAIGHT SIX 4X4: 1981 F150 2wd to 4x4-- 300 I6 close ratio diesel T19, hydroboost brakes, Saginaw steering

BIG F: 1995 F-Superduty under construction— converting to 6.9L IDI diesel ZF5+DNE2

myrl883

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

I wish you weren't on the right coast. My son and I have a couple of F150 4x4s, and both have the roof rusted out above the windshield. I'd love to unload one or both for cheap!

Ford Parts Monkey since 1985
1981 F100 Flareside - Black, 302-4V Roller/AOD
1986 F150 Flareside - Medium Fire Red 302/AOD
1989 F150 Standard Cab 4x4 - Dk Shadow Blue 302/AOD
1993 F350 4x4 Crew Cab - 7.3 IDI/ZF-5
I think it's a sickness...

BARRYS83F100

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

I guess I should not rule out Bullnose Broncos ? I found a 1982 V8 Auto 4WD for $500 local would this be a canidate ??? Thoughts Members Please share your input.

salans7

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Broncos are an option as well, but you'll still need a driveshaft.

Gary Lewis

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Administrator

Yes, and the driveshaft would be a problem. If I remember correctly, the Bronco's have a different yoke on the rear output of the transfer case since they use a double-cardan u-joint. (Basically two u-joints back to back.) That's because the vehicle is so short that it causes the angle of the driveshaft to be steep in order to get down to the differential.

Pickups don't use a double-cardan joint there, so you'd either have to have a u-joint made with a double-cardan joint or change out the yoke to a regular u-joint yoke. As the yokes can be taken off and replaced w/o opening up the transfer case, that's the better and less expensive approach.

I think I paid about $75 for a yoke recently, so add that plus a different driveshaft to the cost of using a Bronco.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

BARRYS83F100

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Members located a bullnose 4wd on my way to fathers house sitting in yard 1984 f150 XLT 302 4spd [ was auto trans ] 3.55 axle ratio truck pretty much toast owner has farm tag on it to haul wood once in great while so he says said 4WD does work and runs with out you seeing this he told me to make offer as he has another truck he can use to haul his wood any ideas ? I was thinking $400 not much good on it I really don't want to hurt his feelings let me know your thoughts I am going back to look it over good as it was pooring rain will transfer case work on AOD from Manual trans ? I know I need the shaft & extension housing.

Gary Lewis

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Administrator

Barry - I had a really hard time understanding your post. But from what I do understand you are thinking about buying a 1984 f150 XLT 302 4spd and are wondering if $400 is a reasonable price. The truck apparently runs, but is in pretty bad shape?

A few years ago I bought a truck that was in pretty decent shape from a rust standpoint, but the rear axle was broken. I paid $600 for it.

As for the transfer case, they are interchangeable.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

BARRYS83F100

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

ok located AOD trans / NP208 Transfer case with shifter from 1992 F150 I know the new AOD is upgrade for the early ones so that a no brainer I will rebuild everything before install NP208 from 92 Work ? its being thrown in with deal along with shifter let me know your thoughts.

salans7

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

The problem you're gonna run into with that new of a setup is with the output of the transfer case, the speedometer cable, and the transfer case shifter. Newer trucks featured a slip joint style transfer case, which means no output yoke like the older trucks. You'll need a driveshaft from a newer truck as well. The newer trucks feature an electro mechanical speedometer, which may not accept an older style speedometer cable (speculation). And the newer trucks (88+) feature a shifter that comes through the side of the transmission tunnel, and not the top like the bullnose trucks. This means that the shifter assembly is completely different, and I don't know if you can run an older style lever on the newer style extension housing (the piece that goes between the transmission and the transfer case).

BARRYS83F100

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

Thanks Shaun i will tell him it's a no go on transfer case I am more interested in the late model AOD trans. Which is better than early model, it's tough to find truck with AOD trans and 4WD

BARRYS83F100

Re: Need Advice on adding 4WD to 1983 F100

update I have purchased 1985 f150 4wd 351HO C6 auto trans , also picked up AOD with 4WD adapter so I think I am set. if anyone needs something hit me up 351HO is running has good oil pressure does not smoke or knocks with orig Holley carb on, C6 seemsto shift fine drops right into forward & reverse and fluid is cherry red, truck has short tube headers on but truck is pretty toast none A/C truck.