Yup, you read that right. Got the dana 44 high pinion today for $120. It's out of a '76 Ford F150 and has the radius arm setup with coil springs and manual locking hubs... so I could run a locker in it!

So while I was over at the guys shop I bought it from, we were looking under a couple of the other late '70s F150s he had on the lot and it appears as though I won't have to do a bit of welding to mount this thing... the radius arm mounts, coil spring towers, and shock towers are all bolted onto to the frame!! Thats how it came from ford from the factory, so that's how I intend on installing it under my truck!

Here is a picture of the axle...

DSCN0541.jpg?t=1259358008

I'm going to spend the next couple days cleaning the parts and then I think I'm going to POR-15 them.

 

Por is an excellent rust proventative. Uhhh.....not so great at scratch resistance.

Keep me updated. Ill help where I can.

 

Cool! Keep us posted with great pics! And all the details!

 

I have a couple suggestions for the rust proofing which may or may not work over the rust treatment you choose... I would think about using a spray can bedliner or spray on undercoating where you can and maybe a rust proof enamel paint where you can't.

 

That was a really good deal you got there, with all the suspension components it is going to make your life a lot easier.

As far as the POR15, I had to take an angle grinder to it with scouring disks to remove it from metal I didn't want it on, even hit it with a hammer and the stuff stayed on. I was only able to remove it by mechanical means.

 

On my 88 and 91 Dakota, the motor mounts are incorporated into the front dif. ( a retarded setup if you ask me ). If yours is the same, whats your workaround for that? Are you going to fab up a different motor mount?
Keep us posted.

 

The easyest answer is to get square tube and mount it where the front diff is. to support the motor.

 

Does it even need it?! The 2wds don't have any of that... they just have a mount on each side. I mean does the front axle actually provide any structural support, or does it just simply hang off those mounts.

 

I have definately been reminded today how much it sucks to try and remove old bolts! And bolts that have been in place for 34 years don't like to come out! Luckily I haven't snapped the head off any of them yet, but I'm going to let them soak all night in PB Blaster and try again in the morning.

 

So are you putting the axle on the 2wd? The 2wd has a giant cross member that the mounts are bolted up to.

I think it does need a center support. The motor is just on the end of the mount. So with out a middle support in between the 2 mounts it will want to dip down. Since the other end of the mount is a pivot point. I will have to take a look at it all again to verify my thought though.