I've heard that the 70's 2wds had what was esentially just a tube version of
the 4wd front axle. I'm getting really tired of replacing parts on the front end of my 89 not to mention destroying expensive tires.

 

My neighbor has a pristine early-70s (??73-I think??) 1-ton DRW Dodge that does, in fact, have a genuine straight-tube front axle with leaf-springs.

According to him, and I have no reason to believe other-wise, the knuckles, bearings, etc. are the same as a 4x4 Dana-60.

It has been a long time since I have seen it with a front wheel off and I can't remember if it has disc or drum front-brakes.


I know one thing for sure, there aren't one-tenth as many pieces on the front-ends of our 4x4 trucks as there are on the wife's 2WD.

I would not hesitate to swap on a straight-axle/leaf-spring set-up.

 

I do remember the micrfiche of the early trucks showing a straight axle, but I never paid much attention to them. I do know that the early '94 and '95 2nd gens had a straight axle option - it looked like a D60 without the pumpkin in it.

 

Many years ago, a friend had a truck that was an ex-forest service 3/4 ton 2wd. It had a tube axle under it, basically a Dana 44 (I believe) without a pumpkin. He had plans to convert it to 4wd, but I never knew what happened to that truck. It had leaf springs, too.

 

I've always wanted to get the front (beam axle) and rear from a late 90's early 00's ford 2wd superduty and replace evrything under my D350 with it leaf springs and all. I don't really have the need for 4x4 but would like a little lift and the superduty's that I've seen had 19.5's as well and I think the newer ford rear ends have disk brakes as well. I know it wouldn't be a complicated build I just cannot come up with the money