Off Roading NON Ram Axle Questions

[biggy238]

Since this is the Offroading section... . maybe this is fair game



I have an 85 ford bronco that I swapped '86 F-250 gears under.

D60 rear (stout enough) and a "Light Duty" Twin Traction Beam Dana 44 with 8 lug hubs. I already blew the d44 spyder gears playing on a railroad gravel pile. It's strong, but I wonder if a D44 is enough.



I need a stright axle front to go on with my project... I did the axle swap and lift while I was in highschool... limited budget style.



What do you all recommend for an axle upgrade? It has 3. 55's right now.

I'm talking junkyard parts here. . nothing extravegant... .



I'm planning to cut the top off (body rot had claimed the cabs integretty anyway) with a full cage to the rear, rock slider bars and a set of 39 inch swampers with rock stomper bead locks.



I just need this axle worked out. If any of you all have anything I could look at for refference or info I would appreciate it. It's killing me not being able to wheel.

 

[towner]

go to www.pirate4x4.com/forum but be careful there a ruthless bunch

 

[JMalliet]

For 39. 5 tires, you will want a D60 front. Ford F350's came with them. Some king pic, some with ball joints. The most desired is the '78-'79 king pin, high pinion D60. I ran a locked D44 straight axle with 36's under my Dakota, and broke lots of axle shafts. Stepped upto a king pin D60 and 39. 5's and not having any problems. The axle will not bolt in though, there will have to be some fabricating done.

 

[Nate]

Yup, D60 in the front... and I'd look at something other than the D60 in the rear. It's "ok" but I've seen enough break that I wouldn't trust it too much.

 

[BDeArmon]

If you are running any sort of power through it, you will want the dana 60. A dana 44 will live with 39" tires if you are running quality alloy shafts and keep the shock loads to a minimum... . but you are really pushing it.



Prepare to pay for the 60 though. Down here in the southwest, a ford HP 60 will fetch over a grand for a "in the rough" axle..... IF you can find one. I hear prices are more reasonable in the south... .

 

[biggy238]

They get close to a grand here too. .





The D60 rear... I like it... . I flogged the hell out of it with those tires... . hopped it pretty bad... . and it never broke a sweat.



Also, the front has leaf springs now due to the heavy TTB conversion. I intend to rework it for the new axle though.



think maybe all cummins owners think heavy duty by default?



I'll continue my search. .

 

[willysrule]

what style wheeling do you do?

 

[JMalliet]

I didn't know you swapped in the leafs with the F-250 TTB. Then the F-350 D60 might bolt upto the leaf springs then. Then do cross over steering instead of using the cheesy ttb setup. I think heavy duty cause I know half tons don't cut it when wheelin hard.

 

[Mtngoat]

Def a Dana 60. Check the older Dana 60's from Dodge 1 tons. They were, I think 6 inches narrower that late models, and that might be just right for your Bronco. .



Robin

 

[JMalliet]

Old Dodge D60's had passengerside differentials, he needs a driverside diff.

 

[Mtngoat]

Thats right, I wasnt thinking clearly yet. I know you can use one on a Jeep, just have to cut the long side. Makes a perfect wider than wide track front end for a Jeep. My bad!!



Robin

 

[biggy238]

A Picture

Here are some pictures of the current setup.



http://kydtr.com/iboard/index.php?showtopic=5862&hl=





Like I said... I hacked the front setup just slightly. I didn't think it was too bad for a 18y/o with no prior experience.



I want a D60 up front but finding one has proven to be a PITA.



When I do this, the spring hangers will be in the front with the shackles in the rear, probably with something similar to the teraflex "revolver" piece for jeeps.







My wheeling style... . I call it Strip Mine wheeling because that is most of the offroading to be done here. Mud of all depths (vehicle eating mud in some places) sandrock and some boulders (grubbed out of the ground by mining operations) trail riding... nothing excessive (yet) "Jump Up" or stepped rocks on several trails.



I have a place not even a mile from the house, a mining job, that has a strip of boulders arranged in about a 100 yrd long pile. Everything to small rock up to the size of minivans.



I blew a tire the last time I tried to crawl on them and haven't done anything with the bronco since. I want to revamp it and get back into the hobby.

I want to use this thing as a runabout in the summer months, so keeping it with SOME road manners is a must.



I put some thought into it, and I think 36X14. 50 IROKs are my target tire. I've seen them run at Jellico TN Erocc and Uroc and they are great tires for the local terrain.



Right now, I'm thinking the only donor option I have is a 2nd gen dodge front of the ford fronts... . dodge being the least desirable because of CAD axles.





Keep the suggestions coming... I'm open to design input...

 

[biggy238]

Oh yeah... It's a 300 stright 6 (nice torque motor) with 4 spd borg warner T18 "bulldog" and an NP208 tcase. Nothing powerful. . shouldn't need a whole lot for around here.





If I get this setup like I want. . it has a cummins 4b in it's future.

 

[MarkMiller]

There have been a few companies over the years that offer a straight axle conversion kit for 1/2 ton fords. Fabritech was around a few years back and had one. I have no idea if they are still around. Thats fabritech, not fabtech. fabritech was in Virginia I think.



Basically it is not rocket science. You will need spring mounts which are easy to fab from some flat 3/8ths plate steel. Steering wise it is easy too, the saginaw box came in everything under the sun. For linkage call Offroad Design www.offroaddesign.com they made my steering links for my psycho Jeep. I use 3/4ton balljoint linkage rather than heims because the balls last longer in mud and muck.



your only problem is the type of axle. If I were you I would source a balljoint style 60 from a ford 350 or chevy 1ton coversion van (the 4wd chevy vans typically use a drivers drop 60 from what I have seen). A 44 is a good option to make it cheap and would live under moderate use. It would also make your setup easy to swap in a 60 front if you got tied of the 44. As far as desireable years for the 60 the 78, 79 years are only desireable if you have set up your front axle spring perch center to center width the same as the 78-79 f350 or any year chevy (32. 5 inches I believe for the 78-79 ford and all years of chevy). In fact if you found a front end from a mid 80's- mid 90's the offset of the driveshaft yoke would be better. The offset changed over the years from the passenger side to the drivers side. I am not talking about the pinion drop, but the location of the pinion relative to the center of the axle. You will have to set up your spring mounts to use that mounting width though.



Some of the ford front ends are high pinion though which may be desireable for you. It depends on the year though. For the absolute in knowledge on the front 60 though, check out Billavista's article: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/



He knows his stuff and that is the definitive article.



As far as using a dodge CAD stye: DON'T!!!! I hate mine and am drawing up plans for a leaf spring conversion as we speak. 4 link can suck my .....

 

[BWillard]

A buddy of mine did this swap. He used an '86 Ford D60 and leafs. The only thing he had to do is change the TTB cross member to an '86 F350 crossmember. I guess the '86 is a direct bolt in. No sweat and he loves it.

 

[Mtngoat]

Try looking here, about anything you want can be found here.



http://www.car-part.com



Robin

 

[MMiller]

The 60 rear will be fine, but I would upgrade to 1. 5" 35 spline axels. The factory shafts are not going to like 39" tires. The spindles will have to be opened up to accept the larger shafts, and then the spider gears will have to be switched, or order a detroit locker for the 60 with 35 spline axles.



I second the 60 front also. I could not keep a 44 together for anything. $1000 for a dana 60 is not bad, considering the $$$ you'd put into the dana 44 front in shafts, locker, real good ujoints, and lockouts, and even then you will be on thin ice. I would shuck spider gears like nothing, and my buddy could not keep shaft u-joints in. The 60 will be a good piece, and for some $$ upgrade to 35 spline outer shafts and lockouts or drive pucks, and it will live.



Michael

 

[biggy238]

A buddy of mine did this swap. He used an '86 Ford D60 and leafs. The only thing he had to do is change the TTB cross member to an '86 F350 crossmember. I guess the '86 is a direct bolt in. No sweat and he loves it.

It would have needed the spring hangers... . That has me curious though because the way mine sits, it doesn't need the crossmember changed unless i'm thinking of the wrong one (under the engine).



Maybe there's one at the frame ends behind the bumper on a 350.



I did find an axle. . I forgot what model year, it's a ford 60... <$500



Waiting out my tax return.

 

[Mtngoat]

Look here for Dana 60 axles. .



car-part.com