HPD60 Install, Can't fit c-wedges on drivers side

[68 Broncoholic]

I picked up a high pinion D60 king pin out of a 89 F350 real cheap.
I'll see if I can take a photo tonight to better explain but the pumkin is so large there is only 3" at most available to install c-wedges on drivers side. Obviously not enough room for radius arms. The driverside spring perch is cast into the housing/pumkin. Passenger side perch is welded. I think I'm better off doing a 4 link in this situation. Anyone use the johnny joints instead of heim joints with good luck?



Or I can try cutting off some of the driverside spring pearch but it seems to be part of the reinforcement of the housing. How far do the tubes go in if I cut some of this back?

 

[crawln68]

That’s' why most people will look for the 78/79 D60. The diff is father to the center, leaving enough tube to mount the wedge on the driver’s side. I have seen people that have cut into the cast spring perch a little and cut into the wedge a little, enough to mate the two together so you can mount the radius arm to it. 3 or 4 link might be the way to go. Or call Jim at CAGE, he has developed a mount that goes around the axle tube to mount the radius arm to without using the wedges. It is much thinner, therefore taking less axle tube to mount it. Just some ideas.

 

[68 Broncoholic]

Yeah, I had a 78 HPD60 also available but he wanted $1400.
I got this one for $800. I'll talk to Jim and see what he says.

Here's the photo of that part.



seems like this is the way to go but now we have to buy thru a dealer and its probably not worth paying out for the cage arms anymore...
Thanks!

 

[crawln68]

Yeah, I've been checking into buying some CAGE stuff and the local dealer's prices are quite a bit more than when we could buy direct. :-[ But that is the part that I was referring to and you are correct, you need to be using his arms in order for those to work.

 

[welndmn]

Notch the C and the spring pad.
They fit, just takes a lot of grinding.
Those cage brackets are very nice, but all $$$

 

[68 Broncoholic]

Here's a photo for kicks.


So you think I can grind off enough of the casting/spring perch to get the c-wedges to fit? It seems like overkill on the axle tube reinforcement but maybe it needs it? The part thats welded inbetween the knuckle and pumkin is the stock sway bar bracket. I'll cut that off. But with that out there is only 2 3/4" of space.
I called a few "Cage Dealers" listed on their web site and most don't know what Cage is and think if you want that stuff its gunna cost ya.
I remember when Jim said he would hook me up but I guess I waited too long. I'm thinking 3 or 4 link now.

 

[jmaples]

Johnny Joints

A friend of mine runs jjoints in his buggy. I believe one nice thing about them is they are greasable through a zerk, and when they get to full of junk you can take them apart and clean them (I think you need a small press).

I picked up a high pinion D60 king pin out of a 89 F350 real cheap.
I'll see if I can take a photo tonight to better explain but the pumkin is so large there is only 3" at most available to install c-wedges on drivers side. Obviously not enough room for radius arms. The driverside spring perch is cast into the housing/pumkin. Passenger side perch is welded. I think I'm better off doing a 4 link in this situation. Anyone use the johnny joints instead of heim joints with good luck?



Or I can try cutting off some of the driverside spring pearch but it seems to be part of the reinforcement of the housing. How far do the tubes go in if I cut some of this back?

 

[crawln68]

Here's a photo for kicks.


So you think I can grind off enough of the casting/spring perch to get the c-wedges to fit? It seems like overkill on the axle tube reinforcement but maybe it needs it? The part thats welded inbetween the knuckle and pumkin is the stock sway bar bracket. I'll cut that off. But with that out there is only 2 3/4" of space.
I called a few "Cage Dealers" listed on their web site and most don't know what Cage is and think if you want that stuff its gunna cost ya.
I remember when Jim said he would hook me up but I guess I waited too long. I'm thinking 3 or 4 link now.

Here is a pic of what I was talking about. I think that you could even grind more of the spring perch off in order to move the wedge inward a little more.

 

[68 Broncoholic]

Looks easy enough. But that will sure push the radius arms outward. I figured "d have to push the lower coil buckets inwards from the arms. Otherwise the coils will be / \ if I attach straght above the arms like stock in that location. What did you do there?

Also how close does that pinion get to the frame when flexing?
A buddy runs the DPD44 and his pumkin stuffs right between the frame and engine perfectly.
The HPD44 pumpkin is 4" or so further to the passeger side than mine.
Thats why I wonder if the pumpkin is gunna hit the frame being further to the drivers side.

 

[68 Broncoholic]

More ideas. I'm thinking either mounting the radius arms off the sides of the frame instead of underneath due to the width mounting problem on the axle.
Doesn't seem right to mount radius arms out so wide. I'm thinking its gunna mess with articulation.
A 3 or 4 link seems way easier and cheaper. I've helped build a few and I remember the only tough part was keeping the pinion from changing anlge
as the suspension cycled. took a few extra bars to get it right but does anyone know whats the best method? I've heard measuring from center hub to ground is the difference between the upper and lower bars?

 

[68 Broncoholic]

After talking with Cage, I'll run their arms with the special axle bracket. The arms have the bends so mounting out wide shouldn't be a problem. These brackets will allow more articulation than the C-bushing style arms can and is the same price as if buying standard arms. Oh except they are in stock where the cast c-bushing style is back ordered.

 

[74BroncoCO]

For future reference, check out these orbit eyes from Alcan Spring
http://www.alcanspring.com/orbit-eye.htm

They said they are tougher than a JJ and take side loads better. I think I might design my front suspenion around these. Unless they really aren't much stronger than a JJ.

J.D.

 

[crawln68]

Mmmmm, those look interesting. Looks like they have the same effect as the BC spring rockers. I wonder how the body roll is driving on the road? Do you know what the cost is for an EB?

 

[74BroncoCO]

Don't know the cost, but yeah, they do the same thing a spring rocker would. I saw them on my buddies FJ-40, but since he broke on our first trail in moab, I didn't really get to see them work. He said he feels like he has more body lean now and it looking into making some type of lock that will make them solid until he gets to the trail.

J.D.

 

[68 Broncoholic]

Yeah, those are the same as the JJ but named differently. Many 4x4 shops supply them for leafs or to do a linked suspension. I have almost the same photo...



here's an article when the oibit eye first cam out years back.