D50 TTB out of 88 f250 in 89 f350 2wd

[Sieg Contracting]

Ok, so im sure this has probably been covered so my apologies in advance. I didn't find anything that fully answered my question.

I purchased an 87 f250 4x4 parts truck with the dana 50 ttb, will the axle bolt to the engine cradle in place of the 2wd ttb on my 89? I know i will have to swap the coils over to the leafs, is there anything else that i should know before i try? Im well aware of the advantages of a d60 but i already have the d50 in hand. Any replys welcome

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[mblaney]

You said 'any replies' so...
Since you have both (at least the front half) then you should have everything. I don't know about the engine cradle specifically but I don't think there's a difference, and if you need to swap it helps to build character. The leaf spring perches are well away from the cradle - I am not sure about the TTB center pivot.

Spend some money on the TTB before you install it, might as well re-stuff all bushings, ball joints, etc.

P.S. I assumed you checked the gearing of your new axle?

 

[Clb]

@IdIot

 

[Sieg Contracting]

.

 

[Sieg Contracting]

@mblaney Yes, i checked gearing, both are 3.55, and the ttb will get a good going through, the u joint's are looser than loose, the ball joints feel tight. Thanks for the answer! As long as the engine cradle is the same it should be fairly easy from what i am seeing

 

[mblaney]

@IdIot

Don't bring him here! IdIot will have him welding the two cabs together for some 4-door 6x8 freakshow

 

[Big Bart]

Nice tow rig, do you tow for a business or just for personal, friends, and family?

I wish every tow company had a couple of these for those of us who offroad and one in a while breakdown on the trail. (It can cost a bundle to get a tow, they know your in pain, and charge like it.) Most tow companies are unwilling to come off road (Or some even down a dirt road.) to get you. Yet other folks have made a business out of towing stranded off roaders in offroad mecca's with a rig like yours. Some cool off road recovery folks now turned youtubers are BSF Recovery Team (Uses a old GMC 4x4 gasser similiar to your rig.) and Matts Off Road recovery (Does not use a wrecker off road, just a Frankenstien Jeep Cherokee with a bungee style pull rope.)

 

[Clb]

Twin steers???

 

[david85]

If you were doing this with the F150 platform, it would have been a bolt-on deal. I-Beams are the same length between 2wd and 4wd F150s. And both use coil springs. Overall, the TTBs worked really well on the F150 and ranger platforms.


F250 leaf sprung TTBs are another story...

The length of the I-beam is different between the F250 2wd and 4wd. I know for sure the driver's side traction beam (the one with the diff) is SHORTER than the driver's side I-beam from the 2wd. I think they may also have a different height offset at the pivot brackets. So to make this work, you will probably have to swap over both pivot brackets from the 4wd frame into your 2wd frame. Take lots of measurements to get the location right. It's possible the pivot bracket for the passenger side beam will be in the right place, but not sure. Even if it is, the offset may not be right so you may still have to swap that pivot bracket.

Then you have to swap over the leaf spring brackets. None of these holes will be drilled for you, so again take good measurements.

Then there is an extra boxed reinforcing on the passenger side front frame rail that the 2wd is missing. Some don't bother with this, but I welded mine in just like it were installed at the factory.

The leaf spring hardware is the same between the TTB and Dana60. Doing the swap this way is actually more work than going straight to the Dana60, but people generally don't give those away for free, so I understand wanting to use the D50. Just make sure it's a Dana50, because some regular cab F250s came with D44 front ends. The D44 TTB is fairly weak for the F250, especially if you plan to work it hard.

 

[Isaac Ristow]

All I'm going to say is I owned a 2wd f350 DRW that 2 owners before me pulled the 2wd front Ibeams and put in dana 50ttb beams. He used the trac bars that were on the 2wd I beams and welded them to the 4x4 ones and welded up a bunch of crap to mount the coil spring to it. I owned it for 5 months never drove it other than home and it didn't drive terrible. It had no tcase shifter or front shaft in it so I couldn't test on the 4x4 and the throwout bearing was almost non existent lol. If I was doing it I would use the leafs for sure I like TTB myself allot smoother than a D60 and they aren't nearly as bad as people make them out to be especially with tight ball joints, center pivot joints, springs that aren't sagged out etc. And honestly I know of the kid that did that crazy swapping to it and I believe the 2wd and 4wd I beams are the same length but I can't confirm

 

[franklin2]

and I believe the 2wd and 4wd I beams are the same length but I can't confirm

I can confirm, they are not the same length. The 4x4 f250/350 ttb beams are shorter. Like was mentioned this can be done, but will take a lot of measuring and hole drilling, it's not a bolt in.

After you get it in, you need to find some of the Ford rotors/adapters so you can run all the same wheels.

 

[david85]

After you get it in, you need to find some of the Ford rotors/adapters so you can run all the same wheels.

Good point, I overlooked the dually part.

 

[Sieg Contracting]

@Bradd Barmettler
At the moment i am working on getting the wrecker fully installed and running and then i hope to do some off road recovery with it.

And yes, i watch both BSF recovery and winders towing, i love bsfs rig!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Sieg Contracting]

If you were doing this with the F150 platform, it would have been a bolt-on deal. I-Beams are the same length between 2wd and 4wd F150s. And both use coil springs. Overall, the TTBs worked really well on the F150 and ranger platforms


F250 leaf sprung TTBs are another story...

The length of the I-beam is different between the F250 2wd and 4wd. I know for sure the driver's side traction beam (the one with the diff) is SHORTER than the driver's side I-beam from the 2wd. I think they may also have a different height offset at the pivot brackets. So to make this work, you will probably have to swap over both pivot brackets from the 4wd frame into your 2wd frame. Take lots of measurements to get the location right. It's possible the pivot bracket for the passenger side beam will be in the right place, but not sure. Even if it is, the offset may not be right so you may still have to swap that pivot bracket.

Then you have to swap over the leaf spring brackets. None of these holes will be drilled for you, so again take good measurements.

Then there is an extra boxed reinforcing on the passenger side front frame rail that the 2wd is missing. Some don't bother with this, but I welded mine in just like it were installed at the factory.

The leaf spring hardware is the same between the TTB and Dana60. Doing the swap this way is actually more work than going straight to the Dana60, but people generally don't give those away for free, so I understand wanting to use the D50. Just make sure it's a Dana50, because some regular cab F250s came with D44 front ends. The D44 TTB is fairly weak for the F250, especially if you plan to work it hard.

Good to know, thank you! And I'll definitely check to make sure its not a 44, if thats the case i might as well put a straight axle 44 under it

 

[chillman88]

I've got a wheel lift I'll be pulling off a parts truck hopefully this summer. Not sure what it might need but if it's anything you're interested in shoot me a PM.