I need a dana 60 and a transfer case

[Gravel Rat]

I'am thinking of converting the F-450 to 4x4 :dizzy:

Been cutting firewood on the neighbours property I got 1.5 cords bucked and split it was time to pick it up. The road is covered in grass and it has a fairly mild grade. Took my Stihl brush cutter and cut the grass real short and scalped it down. Back down and try pull ahead empty nope no way wheels just spun. I have a locker and both duals spun.

Well got a cord and half to load on about 5000lbs try get back out of the place I was backed into :rolleyes:

I couldn't beleive it I got stuck but eventually got myself out. The freaking tires spun like I had nothing on the truck. Of course when you have a locker the rear end likes to slide sideways and it did.

I was planning on getting pulled out I would phone my brother and he could pull me out with his F-350 4x4.

Usually with that kind of weight you don't have traction problems.

Looks like I will be looking for a wrecked F-450/550 I can get the Dana 60 out of and the transfercase. Supposidy its a easy bolt in swap maybe not the transfercase I have a 6spd manual.

[mudmaker]

I have been looking for a good priced 4x4 450 for a while, but was wondering what it would take to make a 2wd into a 4wd as 2wd's go cheap. It is not nearly as tough as it would be on a 350 or smaller. You may need a different tranny, not sure on the manuals, but I was told the autos are different.

[Gravel Rat]

The reason why I bought this 2wd F-450 the truck is in excellent shape and second 2wds are cheaper and easier to find. As I said I do have a locker it does help I also have heavy lugged drive tires.

Changing the 99 to 2004 F-450/550s to 4x4 is easy because the 2wd front axle uses the same springs as the 4x4. There is a hole pre punched in the floor for the shift lever.

The only thing I don't like about the pre 05 4x4 trucks is the front brakes. The 4x4s use smaller brake rotors they are for a F-350 so you have a heavy truck with undersized front brakes. You check out the aftermarket they know of the problem and offer drilled rotors and high friction brakes to try solve the small brake problem.

In 2005 with the new suspension they fixed the small brake rotor problem.

Not sure if I want to deal with warping rotors and dealing with the bad brake fade.

Most of the time a F-450/550 truck sinks in soft ground before the 4wheeldrive does anything. Where I go it is steep and slippery roads I rarely have problems sinking. I have considered a 15,000lb winch.

[tmf lawn care]

bro go with dana 70 axle it stronger

[Danny Boy]

Proper of-road tires will make a huge difference and for a fraction of the cost of a nice conversion.

[ksss]

If you want the conversion, go to a military surplus dealer that has some parted out CUCVE's these are the mid-80's 1.25 ton pickups used in the military for years. I cant remember the military designation of these anymore M1008 or something like that. The fronts are Dana 60's the transfer cases are NP 205 which are gear driven, hard to beat that. There is or was a company that did these conversions for the military as well. The US Army had tons of the 450 4X4s. Might find one parted out or wrecked if you research it.

[Gravel Rat]

Proper of-road tires will make a huge difference and for a fraction of the cost of a nice conversion.

I'am running the most aggressive 19.5 you can get my previous tires would pack up with mud and become racing slicks. The Ohtsu's I have now don't pack with mud. It was dark when I was trying to get out of this place I couldn't see what the aftermath was.

Looked at the load on my truck I'd say I got a good 1.5 cords on the truck maybe a little more weighs around 5500lbs.

I still can't beleive with that much weight the tires spun I sat in one spot and both sides spun. Tires burned through the grass and spun in the dirt.

I'am still learning what a truck with a locker can do I never owned a truck with one all my other F-450s have been 1 wheel peal.

One of the auto wreckers in Vancouver has lots of F-450 and 550s but they have been in front end collisions the front axle is usually damaged.

Would be looking at a easy 1000-1500 for a complete hub to hub front axle need the driveshaft and rear driveshaft that would be 200 bucks and the transfercase maybe 500 or more.

I still have another couple cord of wood to get off the neighbours property I will have to make sure my brother is around with his F-350 to give me a pull.

[hvy 1ton]

a dana s110 would be the best fit for a 4/5 class truck

[tnmtn]

wait, is this from the same guy that said 4wd is not needed if you have "someone who knows how to drive a truck" behind the wheel. since you are able to go to places us mere mortals from the states can go with our unneeded four wheel drives i would look instead for a good winch for the front to pull you out the once in a blue moon you need it.
good luck,

[Gravel Rat]

I went to go have a look why in the h*ll I had so much trouble. Holy crap I chewed the crap out of the road. I can't beleive it with that much weight the tires dug and sunk. I got a little too close to the edge of the road if I slipped over I would be upside down. The road was put in 5 years ago so its hard but has a layer of moss and grass on it now.