2wd front ibeam axel swap question. NOT 4WD*

[Cainon]

I see a lot of 4x4 swaps. I want to keep mine 2wd. What front axel do I need or get away with. If I take it off I can put it back. I'm on my cell phone searching and welp, hopefully someone can just answer this. I want to get rid of this ****** I beam hell. I also want to stay 2wd. Is this simple or is there a lot involved? I've removed the rear and reassembled. Done all the work on this myself except bottom end and injection pump. Pump was pro rebuilt and I removed and re installed myself. Did all the bushings and **** on the I beam now. Alignment myself and holds up. motor... Well needs love and nobody around me wants to help or knows what they are doing lol.

Just looking for what 2wd axel swap I need and do I need anything special equipment wise. Thank you for your time

 

[u2slow]

Most dropped i-beam axles are going to need leaf springs, just like a 4x4. Study an F-superduty or classic a-class motorhome for reference.

 

[Nero]

Won't they be 10 lug though?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Don't F350 4x2's have a solid axle with coil springs? I think that at least some do.

 

[KansasIDI]

Don't F350 4x2's have a solid axle with coil springs? I think that at least some do.

Mine was Twin I Beam, that’s the only config for the 2WD trucks that I’ve seen in the 80-97 era, except for F-Super Duty trucks, which are 10 lug. They have a solid front axle, kingpins, leaf springs, large disc brakes, and a high weight rating. And a very stiff, yet somewhat bouncy ride…

 

[Cubey]

I'm guessing ??-91 van axles can't bolt up. They're king pin too, but coil spring and 8 lug

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

I'm guessing ??-91 van axles can't bolt up. They're king pin too, but coil spring and 8 lug

That's funny, I was also thinking "maybe a van setup?" but figured there was some issue with them I didn't know about. I've never had a van myself. Are they narrower?

 

[Cubey]

That's funny, I was also thinking "maybe a van setup?" but figured there was some issue with them I didn't know about. I've never had a van myself. Are they narrower?

They might actually be wider, frame wise.

12 or so years ago, I bought rear disc brake conversion plates for a Dodge van (sold for trucks).and I found that the leaf springs were closer to the drums, making the plates not usable on vans. I had to send them back plus the calipers and all related stuff.

Van frames are wider set, up front for sure, due to the engine tunnel. That's why it's supposed to be easier to do IDI oil coolers on vans, there's no frame in the way, unlike on pick-ups that have the frame barely wider than the engine.

 

[Cubey]

From a YouTube video of an IDI getting pulled from a van:

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The video:

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[franklin2]

I see a lot of 4x4 swaps. I want to keep mine 2wd. What front axel do I need or get away with. If I take it off I can put it back. I'm on my cell phone searching and welp, hopefully someone can just answer this. I want to get rid of this ****** I beam hell. I also want to stay 2wd. Is this simple or is there a lot involved? I've removed the rear and reassembled. Done all the work on this myself except bottom end and injection pump. Pump was pro rebuilt and I removed and re installed myself. Did all the bushings and **** on the I beam now. Alignment myself and holds up. motor... Well needs love and nobody around me wants to help or knows what they are doing lol.

Just looking for what 2wd axel swap I need and do I need anything special equipment wise. Thank you for your time

If you think you have problems now getting a alignment on a twin-I-beam, wait and see if you find a solid front axle. To get those aligned the shop has to take chains and a hydraulic jack and bend the axle to get those in alignment if they have king pins.

 

[Cainon]

If you think you have problems now getting a alignment on a twin-I-beam, wait and see if you find a solid front axle. To get those aligned the shop has to take chains and a hydraulic jack and bend the axle to get those in alignment if they have king pins.

No shop around here will do an alignment on the I beam and I'm going through a tire a week. They are rubbing raw on the outside. The things I've read up on it says there is no solution for it. Is there one?

 

[u2slow]

E350 is also twin i-beam.

One of the alignment aspects is suspension height. Taller or shorter coil springs is effectively your camber adjustment.

Around '87+, the beams use balljoints instead of kingpins. This allows for an offset bushing to dial in both camber and caster.

While there are some 8-lug single-beam axles, (like early 70's dodge, and older) they're going to have drum brakes, so that's another thing to deal with.

 

[Cubey]

E350 is also twin i-beam.
Around '87+, the beams use balljoints instead of kingpins.

My 89 has king pins. Go look on RockAuto too, no ball joints are listed for 1989 E350, only king pin.

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[franklin2]

No shop around here will do an alignment on the I beam and I'm going through a tire a week. They are rubbing raw on the outside. The things I've read up on it says there is no solution for it. Is there one?

u2slow is correct, if your ride height is too high then that will pigeon toe the tires in at the bottom, out at the top, and make them wear on the outside edge.

I assume you have also checked the toe? There are many ways to do it, but you need slide plates to do it correctly. Or have a flat spot and be able to back up and then come forward again and then re-check the toe after an adjustment. If you can put a tape measure on the center tread on both sides, the front measurement needs to be slightly less that the rear. Go as high as you can on the tire in the rear without the tape measure hitting the suspension and engine underneath, and then copy that height on the front measurement.

It usually takes several tries, but you can get it close with a tape measure on the toe. If you find your ride height is too high you will need to find a method to change the ride height.

 

[u2slow]

My 89 has king pins. Go look on RockAuto too, no ball joints are listed for 1989 E350, only king pin.

Interesting. I wrecked out an '88 f250 diesel 2wd with balljoints. My point is the newer stuff could probably be swapped in and have easier alignment potential. Go to 95-97, there's better brakes too.