bidibronco
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If I get a solid axle from a 78/79 bronco is it more or less a "direct" swap or what? What would be the mods I need? Thanks all!
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Broncobill78
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I've looked into it with a few of my 80-96's but never gone further than that because the trucks always got stolen or fell thru the ice & disappeared or something like that.
You'll need more than just the axle. If you can get a parts truck that would be the way to go. You'll need the whole coils spring setup, meaning the upper coil mounts as well as the cups & all for the axle. Having the 78/79 radius arm brackets would help but I'm sure you could modify the existing mounts (replacing what you have w/78/79 mounts will also give you the opportunity to drop the bracket so you're not stuck using offset C-bushings because they're really only a partial fix). You'll have to fab a trac-rod mount so getting the one from the 78 will help because at least you can modify it and not have to start from scratch.
Once you have the coils mounted, a track-rod bracket & the radium arms brackets where they need to be you can pretty much slide it under. Not having a 78/79 in the yard to look at I forget what steering mods need to be made but it's nothing crazy.
You'll need more than just the axle. If you can get a parts truck that would be the way to go. You'll need the whole coils spring setup, meaning the upper coil mounts as well as the cups & all for the axle. Having the 78/79 radius arm brackets would help but I'm sure you could modify the existing mounts (replacing what you have w/78/79 mounts will also give you the opportunity to drop the bracket so you're not stuck using offset C-bushings because they're really only a partial fix). You'll have to fab a trac-rod mount so getting the one from the 78 will help because at least you can modify it and not have to start from scratch.
Once you have the coils mounted, a track-rod bracket & the radium arms brackets where they need to be you can pretty much slide it under. Not having a 78/79 in the yard to look at I forget what steering mods need to be made but it's nothing crazy.
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cowboydan
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it's cheaper to buy a parts bronco 78/79. up here you would pay 700 min for a dana 44. for 300 bucks, you can get the complete truck and possibly some hard to get seperatly parts that you could sell and offset the cost more. just an idea though
bidibronco
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Well, a fellow in the area had a 44 strait axle out of a 78 with the arms and the steering for $75 but the gears were 4.XX and someone else snagged it before I did anyways. There is a 79 at the junkyard and the whole axle goes for like $200 but I'll build my engine better first.
Broncobill78
New member
Well, I gotta agree with the Cowboy. It's always easier/cheaper to buy yourself an entire donor truck. More often than not you can take everything you need (and you have the advantage of having the truck right there to grab *every* freaking nut, bolt & bracket you want) and then you can usually part it out for at *least* as much as you paid for it (as long as your wife is patient enough) and wind up doing the swap for free or making a few bux. Just my random thoughts.
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