Front end swap

[newguy]

I am swapping my '73 stock front end for a stock '76. Do I need to also swap the rear end or are the gears the same? Any thing else I should be aware of?

Thanks.

 

[Bully Bob]

"------are the gears the same?---"

Good job...!

That is something you need to know/find out

Counting the revolutions of the dr. shaft (or yoke) per 1 revolution of the wheel is the best way.

 

[S_bolt19]

you are also going to have to take all the steering linkage off one or the other to mount back up. They will not interchange. The 76 uses inverted y and the 73 uses t linkage. If it is all going on the 73 then use that steering set up so you don't have to change your steering box.

 

[Pericon]

Im planning on changing axels of my 76 from axels of a 79. As i read 79 axels gives a better configuration for off road. Good points more length of axels, fron axel high pinion, rear 31 splines. Please correct me and give me your opinion on this.

Somebody know what kind of modifications do I have to do in order to install these axels?

 

[S_bolt19]

Other than possibly changing spring locations and maybe the steering box, it is a good swap. They are wider and are a bit more stable. I don't know much about the big Broncos, so I don't know if the steering linkage will hook up to the 76 steering box.

 

[NE WEAR]

Not quite clear which vehicle you are keeping. The "Inverted 'Y' " 76 steering linkage has atrocious geometry and makes it have a tough and strange feel on the steering wheel. I swapped my '77 linkage for a '79, but that requires a couple of mod's.

jeff

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[Broncoholics]

Yeah, the 79 HPD44 is the axle you want. I was going to run this but found a HPD60 since I snap D44 axles like twigs. GOing to D60's cost lots more than I thought but I also added suff I didn't need. Thats a usual problem when upgrading, why stop there when you can have this!