Leaf Sprung Conversion On 88 Bronco?

[broncoxlt4x4]

I have a 88 Ford Bronco xlt fullsize. I have a 302 fuel injected v8 with a manual transmission out of a 79 Ford F150. Its got a 6" spring lift, 2" blocks in the back, and a 3" body lift on 35" Super Swamper Boggers. I converted the front axle to a solid coil sprung Dana 44 with 4.11 gears and the Back rear is a Ford 9" with 4.11 gears. I already got perches to weld to the axle to flatten the top out so i can lay the leaf springs on them and use u-bolts to hold them down. Pretty much its a chevy blazer front end. I just want to know if anyone knows what kind of shackles i should use to hold the springs into place. Should i use shackles off of a F250 or should i get ones off of a Chevy blazer and use them? :blink: :huh:

All this seems like a big mess but its not that difficult. It will be so nice once its done. thanks for any help guys!

 

[davids78bronco]

So let me get this straight - you want to weld spring perches on a 79 D44? If that's your intention, you're going to be in for a surprise when you grind on the axle. Do you recall the fat section, for the radius arm? The axle tubes are pressed into both sides of that. IOW, any removal, or grinding on that, will ruin the axle. I'm trying to find a picture, to show you - maybe later

Because you seem bent on having leaf springs in front, look thru here, so you know what you'll be up against - http://www.superford.org/registry/vehicles...s=14787#content If I were you, I'd sell that '79 D44, and all the parts that go with it, and buy a leaf sprung D44

 

[azrockrat]

might i suggest if you are **** bent on having a leaf spriong front end look into getting the front end from a f-350 that already has all that good stuff.

 

[89 bronco]

:huh: You put a chevy d44 in your bronco? Isn't the diff. on the wrong side? :wacko: Maybe I read that wrong...If I were going to swap to a leaf spring set up...which I plan to do soon. I would buy the shackle reversal kit for an F350. This comes with pretty much everything you would need. Then I would use Ford leafsprings...how ever tall you want to go.and save up for a dana 60. If you wanted to stay with a d44 then i would stay with a coil spring set up.

 

[Txquadhunter]

I'd do like the others stated. if going leaf sprung. ditch the D44 and go D60. by the way you sound once you do the swap your gonna go bigger. plus running boggers you'll want the added beef in axles to handle them. You can easily sale a 9" with those gears to cover the price of a good 3/4 or 1ton sterlin rear. you might even be able to sale your frontend, rearend and lift for enough to cover the price of 86 to 97 F350 wrecked donner truck to get the D60/sterlin combo. Then sale the parts you dont need. ya might even come out ahead in the pocket this way. be like building the rig of your dreams for free this way.