[IronBenderII]

Alright guys, I know I belong in the Ford forum, but by buddy (71FJ40) is ready to do an engine swap and needs some sense knocked into him.

I'm trying to convince him that a 4.3/350/3 speed toy case is the way to go. Light, powerful and compact. He wants a 350 because he's looking for balls a plenty. I think it's too heavy and you don't need that much power in such a light rig.

What do you guys think? He want's a take-out with fuel injection and the works. The 5.3 that is in the for sale section would be sweet, but I don't know about transfer case options. I like the 4.3 or the 5.0 (which I have) which are light, good power, lots of documentation, after marked support and they're everywhere.

He will be running 37 MTR's and has toy axles (front has birfield eliminator). What are your opinions???

-Jack

 

[Mark '73 FJ40]

Who has a light Cruiser

350 weighs less then the F that came out.

 

[IronBenderII]

I guess light is relative. In comparison to my Bronco, it's light. I'd say they are light compared to most rigs except sammies.

350 weighs less, but a 5.0 is a hundred pounds lighter. Then a C-4 compared to a 350, forget about it!

-Jack

 

[proffitt'scruisers]

If you're a Ford guy, I'll sell you a rebuilt 302 / C4 to a Cruiser case for $2000 complete and you can convince him to do that.

 

[IronBenderII]

Cool, but if you're going to go 302, you might as well do 5.0 so you get the roller cam. 50 HP right there.

-Jack

 

[rfrey]

Do the 5.3 in the for sale section. Tell him not to run a winch or extract the heater, remove the floor and put in expanded metal. Run with the power. Not for squeeling the tires but for highway speed...passing people...and that 5.3 sounds like a sweet deal...don't let him pass that up!

 

[IronBenderII]

I have that 5.3 in my Silverado and even with that heavy assed truck I can keep up with Mustang's on acceleration. It has an aluminum block, heads etc. Kick ass!

The only problem with it is what about the transfer case. Probably not many options...

And no way I'd say not to run without a winch. A V8 is shorter than the straight six so he should be able to mount it in the same place as the six is (from the front) and fit it no problem, right?

Jake, where you at? We got some shopping to do bitch! :flipoff2:

-Jack

 

[ROCK HUGGER]

I would not put in a 4.3 with 37" tires I have a TBI 350 with 36" tires I would like more power.
I don't know how much your Bronco weighs but I dought it's much hevier if any than a Cruiser.

 

[MVANDYKE]

Cruiser light???? Well I guess if 4800 lb is light before you start adding things like cages, winches, ect. is light then O.K. ! Go with the chevy converstion as there is much more aftermarket support for the 350 converstion the any ford conversion. As for power to weight ratio the balance of a 305 tbi or 350 tbi can't be beat. When I had my 75 fj40 the 350 in it would run Rubicon at an idle and keep up with traffic on the freeway. One of the guys in my old California club had a 305 and it didn't climb a hill on the pavement nearly as well, but did good on trail.

If your buddy wants to keep his toyota axles then t-case options are Model 18, toyota 3 or 4 speed case or a split case as both axles are offset to the passengers side. Before your buddy starts his swap have him do a search of this forum and go to www.Ih8mud.com and he will get lots of opinions there.

Cheers :beer:

 

[IronBenderII]

4800 lbs!!! How could that be? The body is a lot smaller than mine and it isn't double walled, the frame isn't boxed and the rear bumper is integrated. Crazy!

I thought that he was a lot lighter than that, maybe a 350 is the way to go. My built 302 does great on hills and everywhere else. Of course I'm still going to go with a stroked 351 with nitrous, but that's just for passing multiple big rigs uphill fully loaded running 42" tires @ 110 mph.

Thanks guys!

-Jack

 

[GloNDark]

the frame isn't boxed - YES IT IS

and the rear bumper is integrated. SO??

My cruiser without the top, doors, windshield. With a full cage, front tube cage, 350/465/205 and chevy axles weighs in just a tad over 4000 pounds. Start adding things like a winch and my new cage and I will be to 4500 real quick like.

 

[MVANDYKE]

AS Glo said the frames is boxed and rivited. As for double walled that doesn't mean much when you compare the thickness of the body panels. No offence but of the Broncos I've seen over the years their frames flex and twist far more then a cruser farme and the cruiser axles are much stouter, except for the berfields (sp) . As for the bumpers being intergrated that makes them one less thing to hook on when you come off a rock. Lastly crawl under a cruiser sometime and look how the the frame is built and you will see the weight real soon. Tell you buddy good luck on his build up.

 

[IronBenderII]

Well, I'm not trying to get into a cruiser vs bronco thing here, but I have to say your wrong.

his frame is channel and boxed in a few key places (good design, saves weight).

His hood dispaces 3/4" on flex where as I don't see any signs of body flex on mine (not that it isn't there just not as noticable).

Cruiser axles stouter than a 44 and big bearing 9"? The stock axle shafts up front are weak (while stock) but the 297 joints and larger shafts slide in with no mods.

I like the bumper design! I'm not trying to talk shit here, I'm just saying that's one less thing to weigh it down!

I've spent as much time under his rig as I have my own. I don't see the weight but I'm not argueing that it isn't there.

Anybody know a good place he can pick up a TPI small block for a reasonable price?
-Jack

 

[Jason M]

Well, I'm not trying to get into a cruiser vs bronco thing here, but I have to say your wrong.

his frame is channel and boxed in a few key places (good design, saves weight).

His hood dispaces 3/4" on flex where as I don't see any signs of body flex on mine (not that it isn't there just not as noticable).

Cruiser axles stouter than a 44 and big bearing 9"? The stock axle shafts up front are weak (while stock) but the 297 joints and larger shafts slide in with no mods.

I like the bumper design! I'm not trying to talk shit here, I'm just saying that's one less thing to weigh it down!

I've spent as much time under his rig as I have my own. I don't see the weight but I'm not argueing that it isn't there.

Anybody know a good place he can pick up a TPI small block for a reasonable price?
-Jack

Cruiser frames are boxed 75% of the total length.
Frame flex is due to the revited design, add a couple of welds her and there and you are set.

Big bearing smig bearing. Stock BB9" axles are like 27 or 28 spline. Those are weaker than the Cruiser shafts.. However the pinion is stronger

The Bronco 44 is a joke. tiny shafts. Yes you can even replace them with 33 spline units but you do not want to pay for the locker for one of those. As for slide in. The longfields make a cruiser front diff stronger than a 44. and at a much smaller cost than a warn/ctm price (the only way to make a D44 stronger than the cruiser axle and longs) Plus the ring gear on 44's is not as strong.


Look up the weight on a cruiser. it is there. Mostly because Toyota used heavier duty parts than necessary..

Check out your local junkyard for the FI motor

 

[MVANDYKE]

First let me say that this comparision has nothing to do with wheelin' ability as what ever junk you build up is what you wheel the best. I don't know if your right about the frame flex on a bronco is less, but using the hood to judge makes no sense as the cruiser hood does not sit inside the fenders like an eb but on top. The eb's I have wheeled with seemed to have more flex in their frames then my cruiser, but I never got out a tape and measured it .

The 9" axle is a good axle and I know may a cruiser that has one in it so they can run something besides a cruiser tcase, but as Jason said the spline count on the cruiser is higher then a stock shaft on a 9", but the cruiser pinion is it's weak link. Also remember we were talking about stock options not aftermarket.

Just courious why a tpi and not a tbi? In my experiance torque was more important then hp and there is more aftermarket support for the chevy tbi's then tpi's. That is not saing that a tpi can't be used, buy why?

As for a good price well fi = $$$$

 

[GloNDark]

I've had em both, a bronco and a cruiser. And honestly my bronco frame flexed about the same as my cruiser. After I stitch welded the frame though, it was no comparisson the cruiser was much more solid. As it should be, cause it's a big ass heavy bastard.

 

[65fj40]

350

Nah, go with the 350. Its about the same price to rebuild as a 4.3, (or less) more parts are available for it, It has more power, which is a good thing since theyre taking their time with lower geared cases and a 350 is lighter than the original 6 cylinder. Much cheaper than a ford engine in the long run, too. Realistically a little weight on the front end doesnt hurt, Ive got a buddy with the 2f and its amazing what he can climb with that gigantic chunk of steel holding the front end down. The 350 puts out more torque than the 4.3, and thats what you want, if youre smart, is torque, not horsepower! Ive got the sm465 tranny behind my engine, with a 2.3 case behind that. Thats 63 to 1, not great but not bad for a simple set-up. autos are nice, but I filled the 465 with oil, I know I'll never break it, I dont have to worry about overheating it, and Iknow the fluid will never run away from the pick up tube! simple is better sometimes.