All the 250 and 350 four wheel drives use leaf spring front ends.
If I remember right the zf5 is a cast aluminum housing that the bell housing doesn't separate from so you have to find a diesel one.
Lastly yes the rear springs are the same with different blocks possibly, they might be the...
55 Handyman wagon. The guy we bought it from had it since he was 15, had been sitting in his garage for 20 years. Gonna be a full resto-mod, something nice yet drive able and reliable. ls or efi small block with an overdrive tranny.
You will need to use the yoke off the rear diff. I used my front drive shaft and a conversion u joint. You can flip the rear rubber line over, I used an adapter on mine. Yea, I can get some pictures tomorrow. Of course use all new u bolts.
Before- 305/70r16s
Axle swapped- 285/75r16s, sat pretty level
Put a box back on, sits tail high
Where I want to go with it- Jake White of White's Diesel Performance
As Cobra stated in 02 all the trucks went to a d60. I did the exact swap you are talking about. I had a d60 with a matched 4:10ls rear axle with a 4" lift. It rode horrible. I bought a set of 02 axles that were actually in an obs. So for $1350 I got axles, v code front springs, sway bar...
If ya want to do it. Spend the money and get em before they are gone. Some have used 05, I've seen 08 dually axles get used and I know obswiz has used 2011 axles as well. Dive in. I did 02 on mime and I think eventually I am gonna go to 05+ axles.