Hi, I just traded some old sound PA equipment for an old 1988 1/2ton chevy ext.cab 2wd auto with 305. The door bottoms, rockers, and fenders are rusted bad but I can TIG in some 1/8" diamond plate quite easily. This is going to be a work truck to haul my Lincoln Ranger 9 gen. welder and my plasma cutter, grinders, drills, tools, steel etc. It needs to be able to get out through loging roads, skidder trails, farmer's fields, forests, etc. I can do all the fabrication and work myself but have almost no money to work with til I get this truck going and bringing in some money. I have a Dana60 with 513's and 13" wilwood disks and wide5 hubs out of my old stock car, I also have the 13" wilwood disks and wide5 hubs from the front (has hole for front axle shafts but stock car didn't have front axle). I also have 5 brand new BFG MT 35x12.5 on 15x10 aluminum rims off my 89 Tracker trail rig (before it rusted away to nothing, BOO HOO) But they have ford/suzuki 5bolt pattern. I do have a wrecking yard 2 miles down the road that has lots of farm, delivery, and work trucks for parts and owes me so I can get alot of factory parts for free. I have my own welding/ fabrication/ machine shop so I can weld/fabricate what I can't get from the wrecking yard. The 305 smokes a little and I'll probably swap it for a 350 or 454 down the road once the truck starts making money. I'd like to switch the tranny to 5-6spd manual when I swap to 4x4. Would it be easier to put in a 88 3/4-1ton 4x4 IFS swap to switch it to 4x4 or should I find another dana60 and a 1ton 4x4 donor for SAS to get 4x4? This will not be a hard thrashing trail rig but a work truck that has to haul 1.5-2ton of tools and steel out through ruff skidder trails and farmers fields etc. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks, Robin.      

solid front axle over ifs all day and tomorrow  

Putting in the the 3/4 ton IFS is almost as much work as a solid axle.

If you plan to beat this thing on logging roads with 1000+lbs in the bed all the time, and on 35" tires, you definately want 1 ton solids axles.

Find that other D60! You can pretty well source it from whatever model of truck, since you have no current t-case to match it to. Just keep in mind when you are at the boneyard, that you will need a t-case that has the front driveshaft on the side to match your front diff. 

Sounds like a good project. I like trucks that are worked.

Good luck!

While IFS may not be the most durable, the majority of the load would be on the rear axle, so that is not really a factor! However, since it hs nothing right now, a sas would probably be best! You can even get a divorced mount t-case to help w/ driveshaft angles and not need to modify your tranny!  

The scap yard has quite a few front D60's, which would be best, Ford with the king pins or GMC or Dodge, what years and type 1ton, 2ton, or 3ton delivery or farm truck should I get the front D60 out of? should I use the spring packs, steering and mounts out of the donor truck or should I Fab up a custom 4-link suspension in the front and the rear? What is the best steering box that I should use and what vehical and year do they come in? What type of T-case is best, NP205, are they all the same or do different makes, models, and years have different versions and which is best? I would like to have a manual tranny in this work truck also(I find them a hell of alot more reliable and consdering where I'll be with it I want to make sure it'll get me home) is the sm456 the best or does GMC have a 1ton 5 or 6 speed manual tranny and what vehical would I find one in? Thanks, for the help. Robin.