Dana 60 at last

[13fist]

Finally got myself an '06 front axle. I'm pretty excited about this project. I've been putting it off for too long. Going to be taking my time cleaning it up and rebuilding it. I'll try to get pics as I go along.

Any downsides to having a truetrac up front? I installed one in the rear a few years ago and love it. Inside my head it sounds like a good idea.

Once it's ready to install, I'm thinking 4 link. But whats up with this track bar? I'd like to fab up something to do away with the ball joint here. Education on getting the geometry correct to do this would be a big help.

Need schooling on coil springs. What is a good coil spring?

Thanks!

 

[Connor M]

Unless you have a real special reason for getting rid of the ball joint I just keep it for an on road truck ball joints are much better than heims. Heims squeak and they’re overkill for a street truck.

 

[13fist]

I disagree on hiems. I've had the PMF track bar for years now and never heard anything. if it was compatible with the new axle, I'd keep it.
The solution doesn't have to be hiems joints, just not a balljoint.

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[Lt.Dan]

Been running heims with no noise. A good quality heim that is kept clean and lubed should not make noise.

I hate ball joints too...

 

[13fist]

I would really like to never ever have this fight again.

This one Ball joint took the crown as worst ever.

On a good note, this axle looks great on the inside.

Going through the tearing down and cleaning process. I found 1 inch lift pucks under the spring mounts. None of the seals appear to have been compromised.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Ball joints on these d60s are a bear. I broke a vice AND ball joint installer/removal tool on my 02' D60, I cursed at it for 2 days!

 

[13fist]

Can anyone tell me about the differences in the 10.5 between 01 and the 05+ years? Specifically the caliper brackets and the mounting bolt spacing. It looks like swapping hubs would work.
What I can't find out is will I need to change the anchor plates to install the bigger brakes. Not sure it matters as i can't find part numbers for the anchor plates anyway.
Hoping to get the correct backspacing without resorting to spacers. Fabricobble may be necessary.

Parts are gradually coming in for the D60. I missed a few minor things like caliper bracket mounting bolts that I need to order.

Decided to go with the truetrac. Shimming that thing is a pain. Made setup bearings and all that, but getting it in and out of the center section while trying to hold the races on is a finger eater.
While doing this I noticed it looks like I messed up installing one of the inner seals. Not sure how, but a sliver of rubber was loose between the inner & outer part. Like it was pinched off.

I also chose to treat myself to RCV axle shafts. Since I'm keeping this rig forever, other than cost, I could see no down side.
Those should be here Friday. I am a bit excited about the ability to steer in 4wd without binding ujoints.:rockon:

 

[Addicted4]

Why aren’t you just swapping the rear axle to a newer one for the width and brakes?? Also rcv axles are great for an off-road application but a set of 1550 u-joints and axles would give you more strength over stock and turning at a 1/10 the cost. Never had an issue with u joints binding while turning just saying.

 

[13fist]

I've done 1550s before, they are beefy, but absolutely bind like all ujoints do. RCV is pricey, but other than that, I can't find a single reason not to.

as for the rear. I already have it built up like I want. The width of the newer axles is from the wheel flange being further out on the hubs. every thing else is the same. I just can't find info on the brakes.
I guess I'll get a cheap brake from a box store and do a mock up.
much easier to swap the outer parts than deal with a whole axle imho.


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[13fist]

I'm finally getting it done. she should be drivable tomorrow. All that's left is the drag link and master cylinder swap.
I need to adjust the links for caster an axle location. I could be wrong but it looks about 1-1.5 inches too far back. The tops of the sway bar links are leaning forward too much for my liking. Priority was get it done, then adjust.

Shout out to PMF for the quality parts. The 4 link is beefy. the spring buckets are beefy. Seriously I could dub Ministry "Jesus built my hot rod" to "PMF built my truck". Will always be my first stop for this kind of thing.

Very special thanks to Baja customs for the tracinator. I researched every option on the market. Being a fair hand at dipping tungsten, I strongly evaluated going DIY. In the end the tracinator won. Glad I went this route.

Anyone in MT want a D50? only 375k on it

 

[ComVet42]

Any chance you can take more pictures of the whole setup?


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[13fist]

I'm trying to organize the pics and information.
kinda kicking myself in the backside. I forgot the front drive shaft is too long to use with the D60.
I'll need to shorten it about 2 inches from the looks of it.

 

[13fist]

A few more pics. I'm going to have to retake a bunch as the originals taken during the project got lost in the sauce.
Between work and returning wrong parts multiple times, this entire project took 15 times longer than it should have.
Couple shots from below.

For the rear axle I did things a bit differently. I rebuilt my rear not long ago, bearings, seals, truetrac, etc.. everything except the parking brakes.
I really did not want to do it all over again if I did not have too. The axle shafts for the 10.5 are the same. I cannot speak for the '08-up.
but the '05-'07 is the same width as the 99-04. The wider stance is all in the hubs.

Here is a shot of the rear being mocked up with the '06 caliper bracket.
Bolt spacing and alignment is the same, just need to ream out the anchor plates to fit the 16mm bolts. As seen here, it's just resting on the old bolts.

Chasing it out with a 5/8 bit barely takes a shave off the ID, and the new larger bolts are a slip fit.
And here is the extra width with fresh paint, shoes, and springs.

The parking brake kit I got from ford almost nothing looked like the old parts other than the shoes. Quite the puzzle first time around, but it seems to work.


On the front end, PMF shock towers are just wow. One thing to note is the shocks sit a good bit back away from the spring at the top compare to the bottom. I'm guessing this is to allow for larger shock bodies.
there is a noticeable slant.

I'm still reusing the old shocks for the time being. Fox makes a great shock, but these are valved for leafs and it shows. Leaning toward bilstein 5165's.
I'm thinking these bits from ruffstuff will work to even out the spacing.

It wont take much to fit these up and Tig them on.
Added bonus of better access to the lower shock hardware.
Not a fan of the fiddly hidden nut that ford uses down here.

Took a chance on the Long arm 4 link. I was 90% sure it would fit. The frame mounts did require trimming the trans crossmember.

Both front and back sides on the crossmemeber needed about 3/8 - 1/2 removed. the variance is in the lap joint and how much overhang there is.

I've got about 600 miles on so far. about half of that is just daily commute.
Could not be happier with a truetrac in both ends and the RCV shafts up front.
4WD is buttery smooth turning lock to lock, and she just pushes and climbs over everything.

 

[13fist]

A few more terrible pics. I tried to get the baja customs tracinator in better detail.
orange boot goodness

I don't think track bar & draglink could be more "on the same plane" than this.

No bump steer, no wobble, no shimmy. NO BALLJOINT!!

I don't have steering stabilizers yet and she handles better than to old setup did with a dual stabilizer.

Drag link & Tie rod will get swapped with PMF... eventually.

 

[13fist]

Well just spent half a day trying to help a buddy do the swap on his 2001 f250 and the rear brake swap didn't line up. Not sure whats up.
The caliper bracket lines up with the bolt holes, but not the rotor.
Fortunately, we were doing a mock up and the only loss was a hub seal. We were both certain all the 10.5s were the same.

 

[lincolnlocker]

A few more terrible pics. I tried to get the baja customs tracinator in better detail.

orange boot goodness

I don't think track bar & draglink could be more "on the same plane" than this.

No bump steer, no wobble, no shimmy. NO BALLJOINT!!

I don't have steering stabilizers yet and she handles better than to old setup did with a dual stabilizer.



Drag link & Tie rod will get swapped with PMF... eventually.

What track bar setup is that?

live life full throttle

 

[13fist]

That is the baja customs tracinator.
Found here,
http://www.bajacustoms.com/trac-inator.html

I was originally going to fab up my own, but this was so close to what I had in mind, and I didn't get as much time for the project as I had planned.
It is expensive, but well worth it.

 

[rescuejg]

On the front end, PMF shock towers are just wow. One thing to note is the shocks sit a good bit back away from the spring at the top compare to the bottom. I'm guessing this is to allow for larger shock bodies.
there is a noticeable slant.

I'm still reusing the old shocks for the time being. Fox makes a great shock, but these are valved for leafs and it shows. Leaning toward bilstein 5165's.
I'm thinking these bits from ruffstuff will work to even out the spacing.

It wont take much to fit these up and Tig them on.
Added bonus of better access to the lower shock hardware.
Not a fan of the fiddly hidden nut that ford uses down here.

.

Do you have any more details and pics of what you did to the lower shock mount?

And what parts from Ruff Stuff that you used.

Thanks

 

[13fist]

I haven't had the time to do this yet. It still annoys me every time I see the shocks. I've just been too busy fixing planes.

https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/SBSIDEMT.html

I was planning on narrowing the stock mounts so these would slip over, then run a pass all around. The shock bolt would go through the original hole, putting the nut where the shock used to be.

In my mind, this should work.

 

[rescuejg]

13fist,

Were there any instructions with the PMF parts, such as the front spring towers?