78/79 Bronco f150 knuckle swap ?'s

[66broncofan]

Ok - I may be doing the mid year bronco / F150 knuckle swap due to my tie rod dust boots rubbing on the wheels and the knuckles knocking off the wheel weights.

I can't seem to find the info I need. Some posts say all I need to do the ford disc conversion is the knuckles from a 78-79 bronco or 73-79 F150 others say everything from the knuckles out (mind you I already have a 76 disc D44.)

A few questions for those in the know.
1. In addition to the knuckles, do I need the spindles from the mid year broncos or F150 too? Or will my 76 D44 disc spindles work on this swap?

2. Will I need to replace the ball joints or will the ones I have work on the swapped knuckles. Mine are in great shape!

3. I think the rotors, caliper and caliper hangers will work but correct me if I am wrong.

 

[broncodriver99]

You only need the knuckles. Everything else is the same. The ball joints would work buy you would have to uninstall them from your old knuckles and install them in the new ones. I would buy new ones.

 

[TwoDalesDad]

Why not use spacers...if you already have 76, Disc's.....would be lots easier

 

[frenchy]

I used 1/4 inch spacers on my 77 to solve that problem. The knuckles are all you need. but you'll also have to buy spacers for the tie rods if your runnig stock. Full size knuckles have a larger taper I think. Also the tie rod arm on the full size is lower than the 76-77 Bronco knuckle if that would be a concern for you.

frenchy

 

[66broncofan]

1/4 spacers would do the trick but I'm uncut front and rear and stuffing 33x10.5. I need to cage my tie rod and drag since I was running a dana 30 - so a change in that was expected. I don't think that would necessarily be a problem for the front but would it be odd to run spacers in the front and not in the rear?

Why not use spacers...if you already have 76, Disc's.....would be lots easier

 

[Apogee]

... but would it be odd to run spacers in the front and not in the rear?

Pretty common really. A lot of guys on here are running much larger than 1/4" spacers up front with stock width rears for tie-rod end clearances.