so guys, i will admit this will probably be a really slow thread after i get the first stage done. i am gonna need to save up some serious cash to make it to the next step. but as for right now, i am swapping in a 14 bolt chevy axle. seems to be the best pick because of the cost and high supply of parts for them. the axle i am getting has 4.10 in it and im getting it from a buddy of mine so i know it has all new seals, races, bearings, ect. gears are fairly new also. so the axle should be in great shape.

one of the things that are bothering me is the fact that it is disk brakes. sure thats great and im glad i am getting disk brakes for the ease of use and servicing, but i have drum brakes on the truck. will my master cylinder be able to handle the disk brakes? i am hoping it does, but if not, i should be able to get a master cylinder from a newer f150 that is bigger for the disk brakes all around.

so my next issue is the u joint. from my research, the u joint on my truck is the same as the axle...is this true or possible to be true? from what i have found is that my u joint is the 1350 series...does anyone know if thats true for a 1997 f150 4.6 4x4? i know the axle is a 1350 series. if the 2 are the same that will make my life so much easier!

i bought the wheels for the 8 lug today. they came with tires so i am giving my buddy the tires that were on them. i am selling the rims that are on the truck right now (so if anyone wants them, let me know!) and putting my tires on the 8 lug rims. so that is my solution to the rims. and FOR NOW i am buying adapters for the front so i will have 8 lugs all the way around. oh and if anyone has the center caps from like a f250 please let me know cause i will buy them!

the only other thing with this rear axle is the ABS. i have heard there is somewhere that i can get the thing that cancels the light on the dashboard. does anyone know where i can get that? its not a crucial detail but it would be nice to get rid of the light.

so the reason i said "FOR NOW" on those adapters is because...hopefully not too far away, i am going to do a solid axle swap in the front with like a dana 60...not quite sure yet because i havent done too much research on that yet. so if anyone has any suggestions or ideas for that, feel free to comment because i am open to anything.

so anyways, this is all that i can think of right now. so if anyone knows anything about those couple of questions, please feel free to enlighten me but if yall also have anything that you think should be done different, please let me know. me and my buddy are going to try and do this swap on wednsday i think. hopefully it will be as we have it planned so it wont take longer than a day.

 

wow no hits on this? haha its all good...hopefully someone will find this useful eventually. haha

anyways, here is an update for any of yall that might be watching... we did the rear swap and i finally got my adapters in...it has been a while but i havent had time to get on here the rear has been done for a couple weeks now but the adapters just got put on this weekend. so i will start at the beginning:

we started by obviously taking out the old small axle. was actually pretty easy.

then we put in the new axle...took some time but we wanted to make sure to get it nice and centered in there and everything. worked out realy good and not too difficult...just gotta think about EVERYTHING. after that picture we had to go get brake calipers and a couple other things and it was ready to go. we did this whole swap in one day...pretty good for 2 guys in a driveway
here are some pictures of it done


that axle definetly fits the truck better than the other one. very pleased with it and amazed at what just a little bit of gearing helps. it has 4.10s in it right now...the ultimate gearing will be 4.88s but that wont be for a while probably.

so about a week after that, we had to change the pinion seal ( as expected because the axle had been sitting for a while)
i still have a little oil leaking out of the ends of the axle onto my rims but it isnt much so i am not too worried about it at this point.

but then the adapters for the front came in!

only thing i am dissapointed about is the fact that they are 2" each...so now my truck is 4" wider in the front. not that big of a deal...looks kinda goofy i guess but it is what it is for now. definetly looks better with all 4 rims the same now. wasnt too bad to put them in except the fact that i had to clearance the fron calipers a little to allow them to fit. wasnt too bad though.
the first piece bolts onto the truck like this

then the second pieces bolts on to that one with 8 bolts

that is what it looks like completely bolted on. right now i do not have any pictures of the truck complete. i will try and get some soon so yall can check it out.

but all in all, i am very pleased with the rear situation, and content with the front. I am saving (and will be saving for a while lol) for the SAS in the front. that will make me complete with my drivetrain. Well almost because i will put 4.88s in both once i have them in. but after that, i will be unstobable! hopefully i am thinking about a Dana 60 for the front. that will be a much more extensive job getting that done. havent done all my research on it but i am learning...little by little. so if anyone knows about SAS in these trucks, please please please enlighten me on any help or suggestions you may have.

if anyone is watching this thread, please feel free to leave me comments or suggestions.

 

oh and i am still debating whether i should get new leaf springs or just a traction bar for the rear...i am thinking i will get leaf springs with a small block. my springs probably arent gonna last too much longer anyway. lol

 

looks good buddy, someone FINALLY took my advice.

ive looked all over the place for ABS dummy plugs and cant find anything, ive found some rubber plugs that you can stick in there but they just keep dirt/ mud out not actually take the light away.

The only person i can imagine having or being able to make a dummy plug would be TROYER, try him out. All the SAS guys i know (about 10 of us) have just left the lights on. Except for the 2 that used superduty stuff so they just plugged the abs back in. im sure theres a way to get the abs from a sterlin axle to work with a GM14 bolt but i dont know it, and it would require some custom work.

What happened with the u-joint, they were the same size correct? Im pretty sure they are. Id recommend upgrading to a 1410 u-joint before you are totally finished with the drive train.

Farmboy Fabrications kit is the only one out there for SASing a 97-03 F150 its the kit ill be using on mine when it gets redone. Since the rear is done it wouldnt cost you too much to convert to SFA, price of axle, price of front kit. Then some steering parts (not sure what all is offered in the kit. Im fairly sure that the trac bar and trac bar mount are offrered but not sure about the tie-rod. The kit also comes with the 4' Drop Pitman arm or can be added, you will need this.

Call or email Jesse when you are ready he will set you up nicely

 

how big is your current block?

Id personally get the shackle flip from Farmboy Fab + a set of traction bars. This will keep the ride soft and prevent the axle wrap. Big springs are stiff.

if you want to do springs on the cheap, give competition leaf spring a call. They have some that will bolt in the stock location (just give them measurements) their springs are pretty soft so id still recommend traction bars eventually.

 

yeah i was worried about the stiffness of the springs also...but is it that bad?

and they have shackle flip kits for our trucks? you wouldnt happen to have the link to it would you? but how much will a shackle flip give me as for lift? the block (if i remember right) is a 5". the other thing i was worrying about with shackle flips (cause me and my buddy were thinking about doing a custom one) would be where it puts the spring at...like will the center of the spring where the axle goes still be in the same spot or will it move it forward some because of the drop of the spring?

thanks for the help.

 

My springs were HORRID.. but they were also 16" leaf springs in the front and 12" leaf springs in the back.

(the stiffness reminded me of the truck on 36's with t-bars totally cranked)

im getting you a link for the shackle flip

 

here you go, now if im not mistakin by doing a shackle flip it will rotate the axle. The pinion will be rotated up (helping in pinion angle) but if its too far up then you will have to shim the rear end till its at the pinion angle you desire. Offers 4.5" of lift over stock

https://shop.farmboyfabrications.com...-flip-kit.html

 

i was looking at the competition springs and they look decent priced...it would be 500 for me to get the rear 10". but the problem is i only need 8" springs. i sent them an email thing asking if they have 8" springs...8" springs shouldnt be that bad...not near as bad as your 16 and 12s. lol

 

CALL them they will give you better prices on springs over the phone.

 

ok i will take a look at that...so if it adds 4.5", i should be able to just leave that big block out? then i would have one small block, and my 2" add a leaf to put me around 7.5". which i am at 8 right now...not too much of a difference....that may be something i need to consider rather than springs.

 

haha they really do? i dont have time to call now but i will call soon.

 

i bought the 12" leaf springs from them about a year about... online htey wanted close to a grand for them. Plus i had to pay shipping.

I called them up told them my measurements springs length plus width. They said we got a set 550.00 to my door.

remember you will need bushings for the springs they dont come with them.

 

wow i completely missed this post. haha. and thanks man. as for the ABS light, mine is still on...honestly i could care less if it is on...it would be one thing if i was trying to show the truck and make it look completely clean but obviously im not doing that. haha and yes the u-joint was the same. why would you recomend changing it? just extra strength?

how much do you think it would cost in total to do the front? $400 for the kit, $1000(?) for axle, then some leaf springs, and steering parts...so upwards of 2 grand probably?

and is Jesse with Farmboy i assume then? lol

thanks again for all your help man. its great to have your truck as a kind of "model" for mine knowing that most of what you did to yours, im doing to mine...on a smaller scale obviously. lol

 

oh wow that is a big difference. lol