looseballjoints

I have an 85 SR5 Xcab truck, bone stock, and I'm wanting to make it more capable offroad while maintaining manners and functionality onroad, and Im cheap as hell. Prolly gonna weld the rear end, 4.88s, detroit in front eventually, 33 inch tires...35 inch max, flatbed, and trim sheetmetal rather than lift.

I've seen lots of posts on chevy spring swaps, but also seen a few mentions of doing a swap with springs out of an f150. I can't seem to find any links to this swap other than a couple that mention they are thinking about it. Have any of you done this swap, and if so, how did it turn out?

LTrunner

i did the f150 swap on my buddy's truck a few months ago...basically buy the chevy sawp kit from sky,weld the front hanger 11inches forward.for the ford u can use the factory rear hanger, or move the rear hanger forward.for the chevy's move the rear hanger back.
the chevy springs give at most 3 inches of lift ride smooth and flex nicely.
the ford springs give 4-5 inches of lift,give a better departure angle, flex and ride softer than the chevys.

i recommend chevys for IFS and 33s, if your going SAS and 35s i would say fords...i have the chevys now and will being going to fords after my SAS

dbcx

Ford parts will make other parts fall off your truck

looseballjoints

what did you do up front?

shaw_j

Don't mean to jack the thread here...

But what do you do with the front hanger with the fords?
[/Jack]

looseballjoints

You aint jackin the thread. I was wondering the same thing. How far forward to relocate the front hanger, and if the rear hanger needs to be moved or not. AND how much flex this swap will yield as compared to a chevy swap.

scuba

He says up there, Buy the chev swap kit with the hangers, then move 11 inches forward for the front

LTrunner

you are correct...for both fords and chevys move the front hanger 11 inches forward...
for the chevys you have to move the shackle hanger back...
for the fords you CAN use the factory shackle hanger, but it dosen't give the best shackle angle, so i would recomend moving the shackle hanger forward for fords

Ed H.

what year/s of truck on the ford and does it matter 2wd or 4wd? this seems like a better option for my truck its already lifted but i hate my rear springs chevy springs would not be tall enough without a block.

TrikeKid

87-95 2WD.
You have to move both hangers to keep the stock wheel base, Sky's swap kit comes with a new one though, it only moves back a couple inches. I didn't measure mine from stock, it's better to just set the springs on the perches with the hangars bolted on, move the rear hanger to get the angle you want and weld everything on. I've been running them for a year and a half, work pretty well, I'm going to be pulling the overload leaves out of mine as mine are a heavier weight rating (some sort of tow package I'm sure). The overloads on mine are about 5/8" and the axle just stops moving as soon as those hit.

looseballjoints

I misunderstood. I assumed that since they are different length springs, the front hangers would mount in a different location than the chevys.
Thanks for the info guys.

geoffgodley

I want to do this conversion. If i wanted to move my axle back an inch or two from stock wheelbase I would want to put the front hanger 9-10 in forward instead of 11in to give myself an in or two of extra wheelbase. right? and will that correct the rear shackle angle if i were using the stock mounts?

91diesel

I did the F150 springs and love em'. To me they seem a much better setup for toyota's than the chevy's just because they are not too long. I did a write up on them and what truck I got them from.

844x4

I wouoldn't weld the rear just put the detroit back there till you can afford something else for the front. I use the chevy 63" springs. Tons of how to's on Pirate board for that.

RogueYota

Could you measure how wide the springs are? At the bushings. Would be greatly appreciated.

yodercrawler55

Im doing the chevy springs just because Ive seen them in action and I want the long travel. Im not gonna buy a kit ill just make the front hangers myself, not that hard just gotta take good measurements

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Subscribed! Didn't know there was an alternative to Chevys - nice!!!

91 4Runner

I just finished the swap on my 85 X-Cab. I couldn't measure the spring eye/bushing but I did measure the inside dimension of the front hanger I made for it and it measures 2 15/16", so if you are making your own hangers just get some square tube with a 3" ID and cut it half diagonally.

There has been for years....

91diesel

just to add again here, the Ford springs mount at a different length than the chevy's. My front (rear) mounts are no where near 11in in front of the factory hangers, more like 3in horizontally, just enough to be on the flat part of the frame. Personally, if you are just going off of measurements (ford or chevy) that someone else gave you, without measuring your own truck, on a part that locates your rear axle, you're asking for trouble. On the other hand I do like when I'm going down the road and see a lifted truck crabbing due to the rear axle not being lined up with the front!

rattlewagon

Way to keep an old thread alive!

Pirate 4x4 f150 spring FAQ.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...150+spring+faq