2wd vs.4x4 frame

427blackpearl · Post by **427blackpearl** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:15 pm

i found a 4x4 70', the frame is hacked up. i have a 67' 2wd frame that is good
can i swap the front susp. in to the 2wd frame?

averagef250 · Post by **averagef250** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:27 pm

They are completely different, nothing interchanges as far as frame/suspension goes.

spartman · Post by **spartman** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:42 pm

I know this thread is a little old but I have a question.

What really are the differences between the 4x4 frame and the 2x4 frames?

If possible could you show pics as well?

averagef250 · Post by **averagef250** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:50 pm

The steering is completely different. The frame is different height and completely different shape from the firewall forward. The 4x4 engine crossmember is further forward and the frame behind the crossmember is boxed. On a 2wd the front bumper bolts straight to the frame on 4x4's there are brackets to mount the bumpers. All the crossmembers are different and 4x4's have an extra one in the front and a t-case crossmember if F-250.

The only exception to this stuff is the F-250 4x4 frame and the F-350 2wd frame. These are almost identicle. The rear section is actually 100% identicle as far as I've been able to tell. The F-350 2wd front frame rails are the same shape as the F-250 4x4 frame. If you can get the crossmembers and brackets from an F-250 4x4 you can carefully cut and drill the F-350 2wd frame to fit everything.

The F-100 and 250 2wd frames are much different though. They are a bit thinner too.

spartman · Post by **spartman** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:53 pm

I see.

Just always was wondering what the main differences between the two.

Would you or anyone else here have some pictures of the differences?

Would help me to visualize it better.

Sadly 4x4 bumps in my area are very scarce.

RedneckTexan · Post by **RedneckTexan** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:17 pm

averagef250 wrote:The only exception to this stuff is the F-250 4x4 frame and the F-350 2wd frame. These are almost identicle. The rear section is actually 100% identicle as far as I've been able to tell. The F-350 2wd front frame rails are the same shape as the F-250 4x4 frame. If you can get the crossmembers and brackets from an F-250 4x4 you can carefully cut and drill the F-350 2wd frame to fit everything.

So your sayin that with a few mods (any welding?) I can make my 68 F-350 a 4x4?

averagef250 · Post by **averagef250** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:58 pm

I'm saying with tons of modification, lots of careful measuring, having a complete F-250 4x4 frame to rob parts from and tons of welding you can make your F-350 2wd frame look and work exactly like an F-250 4x4 frame.

Not really worth it. It can be worth it in certain circumstances though. Say you want a crew longbed 4x4. It was never made. You can make it though with a crew longbed F-350 2wd.

RedneckTexan · Post by **RedneckTexan** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:08 pm

averagef250 wrote:I'm saying with tons of modification, lots of careful measuring, having a complete F-250 4x4 frame to rob parts from and tons of welding you can make your F-350 2wd frame look and work exactly like an F-250 4x4 frame.

Not really worth it. It can be worth it in certain circumstances though. Say you want a crew longbed 4x4. It was never made. You can make it though with a crew longbed F-350 2wd.

Yeah, that's what I wuz thinkin, either convertin a crew or a 135" w.b. truck to a 4x4. Would a F-250 dentside Hiboy frame work with a 67-72 longbed crew?

I know there the same width but they are 2" longer.

ford4x4fun · Post by **ford4x4fun** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:56 am

Maybe this is where I am confused on my question, but my Bumper on my 4x4 bolts directly to the frame. I have took it off and used the bumper off the 2wd body when I did my cab swap. Not to question your info, but I know for a fact my bumper has no brackets

I have all the parts for the 4x4 frame, and going through these posts, I am getting some mixed info on what I do know to be true on my truck attleast. I can't look at a lot of the pics because the military blocks almost all photo sharing sites. So getting this figured out is becomig kind of a pain. On my internet in my room it is so slow it takes like 5 minutes to load 1 image. I should have lined the frames up side by side when I had both of them stripped down. That would have been the tail tail sign of what I was up against.

Wes · Post by **Wes** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:48 am

I just went and looked, would have done a picture but won't work for ya ford4x4fun. My f250 4x4 has a bracket between the bumper and the frame. Maybe Dustin was talking F250 4x4. I haven't noticed a bracket or not on any f100 4x4 I have looked at.

ford4x4fun · Post by **ford4x4fun** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:04 am

Well if my F100 4x4 is suppose to have one it is missing... I pulled up the schematics that Keith has listed for the two frames, they are real hard to read. I had both frames down to nothing at one time I should have set them side by side when I did it.

ford4x4fun · Post by **ford4x4fun** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:08 am

When I get home, I have to take the 4x4 back down to the frame anyhow, I will just set them side by side than, and take good pictures and document everything and mark the differences. That is a real bummer if that much stuff is different.

ford4x4fun · Post by **ford4x4fun** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:08 am

Ok this is what I have found. I took Keith's pictures and pretty much made an overlay of the two frames and put them on top of each other. according to that the only difference in the frames are the front three crossmembers on the 2wd, vs the 2 crossmembers on the 4wd. I woul post the picture of the overlay, but I had to cut up some of Keith's watermark, so I don't really want to post his work all cut up. but here are the pictures of the two frames and the differences.

http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... _frame.jpg
http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... _frame.jpg

RedneckTexan · Post by **RedneckTexan** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:02 pm

Dustin is correct, (I know for a fact cuz I own a F-350 2WD,)

The F-250 4x4's and the F-350 2WD's frame rails are perfectly straight, and they have bumper brackets.

The F-100 2WD, F-100 4x4, and the F-250 2WD don't use bumper brackets, they have "frame horns" and the bumper bolts to them

averagef250 · Post by **averagef250** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:56 pm

Oops, sounds like I was wrong about the F-100 4x4 bumper brackets. I've never pulled the bumper off one, just assumed the front frame was the same as the F-250's since the engine mounting stuff is the same.

I think you're going to be very suprised just how much is different between 2 and 4 wheel drive.