converting to 4wd

[redneck5150]

have a 72 international pickup has a 2wd solid front axle with leafs. was wondering if there are any 4wd axles with disks that would fit without having to cut and weld on spring perches i thought maybe a scouts axle would fit but i'm not sure. wondering if you guys know of any common axles that bolt in.

[Chief yelling alot]

and dodge chev and probibly ford axel axel will bolt on but you should know ther is a spring leagth difrance on the 2wd from the 4wd

[Munchies]

Bolt in? You cant convert an entire drive system to turn two more wheels, by just. bolting shit in. UNLESS you can find the appr INT parts IF there are no differences between 2wd/4wd

[Afireinside]

Actually you can make it four wheel drive by just bolting stuff on.You didn't say what lug pattern but a chevy front axle will bolt right in and there fairly cheap.Find the IH transfer case and it will bolt up you can prolly even find drive shafts out of a fullsize IH that will bolt in but I'll let you figure that out.
The the two wheel drive springs are longer than the 4wd but I would try and re use those too because longer equals better flex.
Good luck

[littlemeck]

I recently bought a73 with furd 3/4 axles and divorced 205 looks almost factory
345 2 bbl, 727, 4.10 8 lug
44 front w/dics standard rotation
60 rear ff

[bobo68]

It's actually very easy to convert any IH leaf spring truck from 2wd to 4wd or back.

The only 2wd trucks that are difficult to convert are the 2wd torsion bar front end trucks. The front frame is totaly different on those trucks compared to any of the leaf spring trucks.

IH used the same frame for it's leaf sprung full sized 2wd trucks as it did for the 4wd. All the bolt holes and mounting surfaces are the same.

IH used a divorced transfer case in it's full sized pickups and Travelalls.

For your pickup any 4x4 IH pickup or Travelall will give you every bracket, nut and bolt, the axle, Tcase, that you need.

If you get a donor truck up to 73 it will be a D44 drum brake front axle that will most likely be a closed knuckle.
If you get a donor truck that is a 74 or 75 it will be a D44 disk brake front axle that will be open knuckle.
That's a nice upgrade and if you get a donor truck it will have the master cylinder and the proportioning valve that you need for disks. The only thing that you might need to buy would be the flexible rubber brake lines as the truck sides might be different between the disk truck and the drum truck.

Both the 1/2 ton 5 lug and 3/4 ton 8 lug axles will be D44's
If you get a heavy 3/4ton or 1 ton non dually donor truck it might have a D60 front axle but they seem to be pretty rare anymore.

The donor truck will have the transfer case bracket that will bolt right into your 2wd.
it will also have the 3 drive shafts that you need, Engine to Tcase, Tcase to front axle and Tcase to rear axle.

The spring spacing for the 2wd will be the same for the 4wd.
The 2wd straight axle is mounted spring under the axle.
The 4wd axle will be mounted spring over the axle.
This will give you about 3 inches of lift compared to how the truck sits now.
You can then level the truck with simple lift blocks in the rear. I would suggest prowling the junk yards for oem blocks from any make so that they are heavy steel instead of the whatever kind of metal the aftermarket ones are made of, just a personal prefference.

If you have a flat place to work where you can park the trucks next to eachother and if you have access to air tools it can be accomplished in a long weekend.

Again the best way to do this swap is to find a donor truck that is too rusty to save. There's plenty of them out there.

Hope this helps.

Bill

[bobo68]

Just reread your original post and noticed you mentioned Scout axles.
The fullsized IH pickups used a standard width axle front and rear.
The Scouts used narrower axles front and rear, therefore they will not bolt in to the pickups.

Bill

[Old Scout]

Do not waste your time putting in IH axles. The brake parts are a joke!

[Creepy196]

Both the 1/2 ton 5 lug and 3/4 ton 8 lug axles will be D44's
If you get a heavy 3/4ton or 1 ton non dually donor truck it might have a D60 front axle but they seem to be pretty rare anymore.



I think the IHC pickup D60 front axle is a myth born from an error in the Dana BOM# list. I've never talked (or e-chatted) with ANYONE who has actualy seen one in a factory-origional IHC pickup.

EVERY one ton IHC 4X4 pickup I've ever seen or heard of has had a closed knuckle D70. They're certainly big and strong, but still have drum brakes and a CRAPPY turning radius.

Personaly, I'm holding out for a Chevy or Dodge D60 to swap for my 'big ball' closed knuckle D44HD in my Travelette. Either I'll get a sweetheart deal (that always happens to people OTHER than me) or I'll get the going rate saved up, whichever comes first...

[Diesel Smoke]

I think the IHC pickup D60 front axle is a myth born from an error in the Dana BOM# list. I've never talked (or e-chatted) with ANYONE who has actualy seen one in a factory-origional IHC pickup.



No, I haven't seen one, but I have a book published by Dana in 1978 for the Model-60 Axles/Front for IHC 1975. BOM's 603624-8 &-9, -1 &-4, -2 & -5, and -6 &-7. For year 1975. So, either they were planning on it for future truck production and never got around to it, when they dropped the pickups, or there is a few floating around, not every IH enthuisast has seen every IH truck. I do find it odd, that if no axles were ever purchased from Dana for this application, 3 years later they still felt the need to print the literature.

[Diesel Smoke]

have a 72 international pickup has a 2wd solid front axle with leafs. was wondering if there are any 4wd axles with disks that would fit without having to cut and weld on spring perches i thought maybe a scouts axle would fit but i'm not sure. wondering if you guys know of any common axles that bolt in.


My buddy Colin did it with his 69 pickup and you can read all about it here, it's acutally quite a complete little write up.-->Link (http://www.binderbulletin.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32149)

However, he is still dealing with issues, specifically as OS mentioned, brakes. He has commented he sometimes wishes he would have just built an axle out of anothe truck with more current parts, as it would have been easier. But now you have the info, do with it what you will.

[redneck5150]

since the chevy 44 will bolt in the front do you know if a 12 or 10 bolt will bolt into the rear. that way i could just use a chevy donor.

[Creepy196]

A Chevy 10 or 12 bolt rear will require relocating the spring perches. 1/2 and 3/4 ton Chevy rears have a 42.5" center pin to center pin spring perch width. 1 ton Chevys AND ALL INTERNATIONAL PICKUPS and TRAVELALLS have a 40.5"CTC spring perch width. If you want a 'bolt in' chevy, go ONE TON. That means an Eaton, Dana 70 or 14 Bolt FF rear.

[RustoleumWhite]

The spring spacing for the 2wd will be the same for the 4wd.
The 2wd straight axle is mounted spring under the axle.
The 4wd axle will be mounted spring over the axle.
This will give you about 3 inches of lift compared to how the truck sits now.
You can then level the truck with simple lift blocks in the rear. I would suggest prowling the junk yards for oem blocks from any make so that they are heavy steel instead of the whatever kind of metal the aftermarket ones are made of, just a personal prefference.


The D60 thing was already mentioned, so I won't point that out, but FYI the front beam axles on full-sizes are SPRING OVER, they are just a drop axle hence the need for 3" blocks in the back.


Also the IH's use a slightly narrower front axle than a Chevy 69" unit. So it might look a *little* weird. Probably a little better with the 1/2T unit (67").

Add Ford/Dodge outers and you can keep your D44 rear (sounds like your a 1/2T). Or just swap Chevy 3/4T D44/10B or 10B/14B combo and you'll be set. You might need to adjust the pinion/perch angle a little bit to get things perfect, depends on the springs you use as well (4wd or 2wd). Bolt in the t-case and mount from a IH 4x4 (I have atleast one that I'm probably going to sell soon), shafts and your now 4x4.

easy :D

[Harvester of Sorrow]

The D60 thing was already mentioned, so I won't point that out, but FYI the front beam axles on full-sizes are SPRING OVER, they are just a drop axle hence the need for 3" blocks in the back.


Also the IH's use a slightly narrower front axle than a Chevy 69" unit. So it might look a *little* weird. Probably a little better with the 1/2T unit (67").

Add Ford/Dodge outers and you can keep your D44 rear (sounds like your a 1/2T). Or just swap Chevy 3/4T D44/10B or 10B/14B combo and you'll be set. You might need to adjust the pinion/perch angle a little bit to get things perfect, depends on the springs you use as well (4wd or 2wd). Bolt in the t-case and mount from a IH 4x4 (I have atleast one that I'm probably going to sell soon), shafts and your now 4x4.

easy :D

Mark...

I have been talking with a certain fellow and I think that I am going to be be "building" my tow rig from a 2wd 3/4T Camper Special. It is an Air Conditioned truck...1973...and the price is right.

Thinking of making a package deal with all of the 4x4 conversion parts too...probably paint it red, throw some nice tires on it...slap some matching flames...then buy a trailer with the money left over:)

Merry Christmas....ho ho ho....

[Urban Wheeler]

HoS, weren't you going to do a write up or post some pics of your modified low profile windshield latch? I'd be interested in seeing it.