Ford D60 Crossover Steering Advice

[JB]

I should have built beefy steering to begin with, but decided on the stock stuff. Katemcy had its way with the steering and I now need to upgrade. Problem is the balljoint front 60, so crossover steering becomes a little more difficult. The only option I have found is the ORU knuckle seen in the pic, but it is $750.

Making the tie rod should be simple, but I'm lost on how to hook up a drag link. I know how Austin did it on his 44, but I am running leafs, so the angle of the d-link would be too drastic, and I would prefer the d-link to go atop the leaf.

ANy suggestions, aside of welding an upside down pitman arm to the knuckle "Xtreme" style?

[bburris]

A guy here in Corpus did a SAS on a 98ish Chevy with a balljoint D60 and that ORU knuckle ended up being his only option for crossover. You send a core knuckle to them and they send you one of their back. The drag link went over the leaf springs like you want, too...

You might look around to see what Dynatrac does on their front 60s. Most of the ones they sell are balljoint axles so they may make or use something comparable to that ORU knuckle.

[eight]

Couldn't you just use a big drop pitman arm? Skyjacker makes an 8" drop arm for superdutys. A little hack saw spline cutting is required to fit either a superduty or 95 bronco arm to a jeep box, so it should be no more work than that to make the superduty arm fit.

[stx4wheeler]

cj is running the welded pitman arm to the knuckle on his jeep, i would try this or kopecki's idea cause it is alot cheaper than those new knuckles.

[eight]

A guy who does not offroad his jacked up dodge had a welded on steering arm and it fell off once, and cracked 2 more times. Last I talked to him the truck was parked and he was trying to convince himself to spend the big money and do it right. It was done by a "professional offroad shop" that's done many others.

[stx4wheeler]

ok well then maybe i shall shut up now cause you sure dont want it falling off at a crucial point.

[Ben97XJ]

Kopecki are you talking about the Big red dodge? He came too the meeting one time and was in one of my classes. He said it broke and luckily he ran into a ditch on a country road. But he alo drives around in 4-Low with no front drive shaft.

[eight]

Yep. I had forgotten about the driving in 4low thing.

[usmcagg02]

why the **** would he drive around in 4low?

[AggieTJ2007]

because w/ 44s and stock gearing you have to drive in 4lo to go anywhere

[usmcagg02]

because w/ 44s and stock gearing you have to drive in 4lo to go anywhere
not enough torque to get moving, is what i'm assuming you're implying?

[Shaggy]

i am gonna try and run my steering with a drop pitman arm... i havent really looked at it to see how it will clear the leafs... but hopefull you will have found my solution for me without spending the big bucks

[RCcola55]

that dodge lives in my complx he has it in the shop right he blow the slip yoke and the steering knuckle he finally decided to but beefer axles in so he is going with an 80 in the rear and a 60 in the front with 5.12's

[Shaggy]

that dodge lives in my complx he has it in the shop right he blow the slip yoke and the steering knuckle he finally decided to but beefer axles in so he is going with an 80 in the rear and a 60 in the front with 5.12's


could someone translate this jibberish for me

[Sharpe]

Yah I dont speak Boomhauer either.

[AggieTJ2007]

he said its in the shop right now because he broke the steering nuckle and the slip yoke. He plans to add a Dana 80 and a 60 front w/ 5.12's

[stx4wheeler]

it is at extreme and has been for a long time, first it was missing one tire now it is on jack stands sitting on the side of the shop with no tires and has been for like two weeks or more....

[Shaggy]

never take your rigs apart... like mine they will never make it back together

[Mud King]

its sitting on keg shells leaning to one side im waiting on the morning i drive by and see it laying on its side!

[bburris]

They're using keg shells as jack stands?? Someone PLEASE take a picture.

[JB]

Looked on Dynatrac's site, looks like they have the knuckle I need for $329. But I am unsure if I have to buy the Dyntrac "end forging" ($159) for it to work. ANyone know?

http://www.dynatrac.com/ Click on "parts & components"

[bburris]

"Outer Knuckles are machined, drilled and tapped for Dynatrac High-Steer arms (sold separately)"

and

"*Note: End Forging and Outer Knuckle can be purchased individually or as a set"

[stx4wheeler]

im gonna get a picture tomorrow i drove by today as well there are like four keg shells with jack stands on top of them that are at maxed out height, the truck is prolly setting high enough for my to drive the front end of the big nasty under the cab.

[agjohn02]

ah, keg stands. looked like 55 gal drums from the road. saw the extreme guy at napa today. its getting D70 rear and D60 front.

[JB]

Well, I talked to Dynatrac, and the knuckle that they offer (see link above) is cast for the chevy style 60, meaning that everything out would have to be converted to Chevy stuff. So that leaves me with going with the ORU knuckle, which is way overpriced, or figureing out other way to make it work.

I realize that a straight steering components are the best, but is a mild bent, say in the drag link(1.5" DOM), goin to be dangerous or severly weaker? I know steering is not a place you want to get cheap on, but I can not drop $800 for a ORU knuckle, and the stock steering has not held up.

[JB]

Here is the setup...
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/223910/fullsize/IM000568.jpg

The tie rod is just placed ontop of hte knuckles. There is about 3/4" clearance between the leaf and the TR. Will this be enough, or should I run the TR beneath the knuckle?

With this setup, could I just run the DL from teh pitman arm to about 6" shy of the leaf, to a mount that would hold the heim in double shear?

[uglyota]

looks like plenty of clearance btw tie rod and springs. As long as they don't touch, you're fine.
Doesn't a heim mounted as you described tend to twist the tie rod when steering?

[JB]

??

[Shaggy]

john just put it at full turn and go in about another inch or so and connect it there... it shouldnt be too bad of an angle i dont think