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Dana 60 in Bronco

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
Yup, know Spidertrax well.

Two new D60 Spidertrax unit bearings - $740
Two new D60 Axle bearing/seal kits - $120

I'll respectfully agree to disagree. ;)

Just saying - Spidertrax uses them in their housings, with fabricated knuckles and housings. If a spindle was the hot shit, they would set it up with that.

The spidertrax stuff is factory F450 stuff for 35 spline, F350 is 30 spline. It's factory Ford gear that they modify for 8 on 6.5 -

The old axles are cheap in certain areas and more difficult in other - the newer axles are more or less of a trade off.


As for 4 linking the front - do it, use the link calculator and go to town. It's simple to 4 link - you want the most triangulation you can get with the most vertical separation you can afford to fit. It's that simple - there is nothing mysterious about it...
 
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rhinobuggie

rhinobuggie

Jr. Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
123
I drove on the HWY at 65 plus nice and straight down the road . First time a drove it was an eye opener / butt cheek closer !! Lot more body roll than ever before , Had the tires at 5 psi from ice race'n back in Feb back at 20 psi made a big difference . Alot more flex than ever before . If I were going to stay with coil springs i would have made to axle 2 inches wider so the springs are angled outward more but that was not in the long term plan . Upper links are 1.25 dom 1/4 wall lower links are 1.25 1/4 wall sleeved with chomloly . The center mount does 2 thing's , It's a skid plate for the t case and link mount Plus if i ever go to 4 link in the rear that mounting area is already there .

Jay
 

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
are your upper and lower links equal length? It looks like your uppers may be shorter than your lowers - how is your pinion angle when the axle is dropped?

I actually cant tell if your uppers or lowers are the triangulated ones... and then the the other set of links are just straight, right?

would you be able to get any more pics of where the links attach on the frame? I can see the triangulated links attaching to the crossmember but I cant see where the othe links attach.

thanks,
dan
 

OX1

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 26, 2003
Messages
3,458
I added some pics of the build that may help answer some question
http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae249/Rhinobuggie/Dana 60 build/?start=0

Upper links are 32 inch lower's are 41 inch
Jay

I like the concept. I was originally going to go 3 link again, but I've had major problems keeping the wrap in check from only one upper link. Every 4 link setup I see has at least one drawback to what I have now, usually some form of the lower links being in the way of something.
 

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
I like the concept. I was originally going to go 3 link again, but I've had major problems keeping the wrap in check from only one upper link. Every 4 link setup I see has at least one drawback to what I have now, usually some form of the lower links being in the way of something.

What kind of wrap issues have you had? Bent links or joint issues?
 
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rhinobuggie

rhinobuggie

Jr. Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
123
I had dual exhaust before , it had to go , just no ez way to route the link bars . My headers where 20 plus years old and the driverside pipe was run up over the T case . The Y pipe is now 2 1/4 inch and the tail pipe is 3
 

OX1

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 26, 2003
Messages
3,458
I had dual exhaust before , it had to go , just no ez way to route the link bars . My headers where 20 plus years old and the driverside pipe was run up over the T case . The Y pipe is now 2 1/4 inch and the tail pipe is 3

Yeah, I've resided myself to a large single exh with shorties (probably same sizes you have). Would like to see more pics of how you routed exh........
 

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
hey was just noticing your drag link is at quite an angle in at least one of those pics. How is your bump steer?

I've been studying your pictures intensely trying to figure out if this is something I should/could/can do.

i noticed blue torch fab has some link brackets that might work really well for this. The lowers are angled in

http://bluetorchfab.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=104_108&products_id=132

tri_lower_pop.jpg


they are 90 bucks but look like they would be perfect - just add on some coilover mounts somewhere
 

DanWheeler

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
2,549
Loc.
Kirkland, WA
I used these from Ballistic Fab. They are also ~$90 and have the bracket for coilover integrated into it.

fbcoiloverradius1.jpg

i've had my eye on those for a while but to my surprise, when I went out and measured the axle tube on my 89 Dana 60 I was disappointed to find that I didn't have the 3" necessary to mount these.

I can still make them work but I'll be welding to the C and a little bit on the housing which I guess is tricky. I have exactly 3" between the C and the housing so the weld bead around the C is in the way and with it being so tight between the C and housing, I can't weld on the outside of the bracket.
 
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rhinobuggie

rhinobuggie

Jr. Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
123
On the old axle I had the drag link and the tie rod end on the same bolt on the passenger side. This setup the drag link is about 6 inches higher than it ever was before , this is why I had to bend it some to clear the frame plus shorten it too . I the link mounts are Ballistic , for coil spring . i per drilled the mount for coilover's to be bolted in later , just cut the plate the spring is sitting on I was asked to post pic's of the spring's near frame . i can almost get my finger between the spring and the frame

http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae249/Rhinobuggie/Frame spring/?action=organize

Jay
 
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rhinobuggie

rhinobuggie

Jr. Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2008
Messages
123
I got a scream'n deal on 14 inch Bilstein coilover 's so the the last part of the axle upgrade got done earlier than planned . Realy helped the flex on the front axle . Springs are 200 and 150 , but I'm going to try a 185. It's just a little to soft with the 150's . That is the realy nice thing with coilover , you can change the spring rate so ez and dial it in to what you need , soft for rock's to stiff for go'n fast and jump'n
http://s976.photobucket.com/albums/ae249/Rhinobuggie/Dana 60 build/ I added pic to the axle build album

Jay
 
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