How do you Cut and Turn a Ford Dana 50 TTB?

[Pearl_Diesel]

Okay, here it goes. I've got a 1990 F250 HD formerly with a 7.3 (now 6.9 because 375,000 and a teenager's right foot don't work well together, and this one's out of an international bus) It is 4x4, but I tore up the front end and now I'm swapping a new one under it, out of an 86 Diesel F250HD. My original is a Dana 50, but i'm not sure, but the 86 may be a 44 HD. Everything will bolt up fine though, if I replace everything. My question is, how hard is it to cut and turn Dana 50 TTB beams, and could you show me were I can get a tutorial or a diagram to do it? Also, what problems does this cause If I do cut and turn them. I can just about fabricate anything I need, I just need pictures and a little bit of guidence.

 

[Agnem]

Cut and turn? I have to admit... this terminology escapes me. I have not a clue what you mean. As for the Dana 50 and 44, the 44 has smaller hubs, and was found usually only on standard cab trucks, where as the extended and crew cabs had the 50.

 

[Pearl_Diesel]

What I mean by Cut and turn is, instead of getting Lift kit center drop brackets for the front that cost money and could potentially break, there's a way you can take the front end and cut the I beams and angle them up so many inches to re-adjust your front end. I've seen pictures of finished work on Rangers and fullsize broncos, but I didn't know any of the finer points to doing it

 

[Pearl_Diesel]

Thank you for confirming my suspicions about the DANA 44. The truck i'm pulling the front end from is a regular cab and has the smaller hubs.

 

[Pearl_Diesel]

Umm, one quick question, do you know anything about the limited slip used by ford in it's 3/4 ton trucks in the mid 80's, like what kind of additive and anything to watch for?

 

[jperecko]

This is not really the forum for this kind of question. Check out some desert-racing stuff as they do this for prerunners all day long and I really doubt anybody here has done it. Racedezert may be a place to start.

I have to ask why though... unless you are going to be racing the thing and need some long- travel setup, I cannot see this really helping. You will also need to setup either coil springs or coilovers as the leafsprung TTB will simply not work.

The task itself is pretty simple though... cut lower and middle part of beam, bend top part to angle you want... re-weld and reinforce.

 

[jperecko]

If all you are going for is lift, you might want to just get a drop bracket for the crossmember...

 

[Pearl_Diesel]

Yeah, I just needed it for a 4 inch lift, but I don't have the cash to buy the brackets, and It's easier for me to cut and weld the beams. I didn't know whether it would work with leaves or not. I can get hold of 4" lift springs easily and cheaply, and the center adjustment was all I needed to finish a front end lift. Thank you anyways, though

 

[jperecko]

Then why not weld up a drop bracket?

 

[Pearl_Diesel]

I need some examples or technical drawings to do so, and I don't have either. I googled but nothing came up that was any good, I thought. So instead I found some articles on cutting and turning and wanted to look a little more in depth of it. Do you know of any articles on the drop brackets?

 

[jperecko]

Usually they are just bought... my truck came with a trailmaster drop bracket that I chopped off when I want to a Dana 60. Apart from the bracket, springs,shocks, and pitman arm, I do not think you really need to change anything. From memory the bracket was pretty simple and should not be hard to recreate... or you could just chop the stock one and add some material. No I do not have any specifics but like I said earlier The desert racing folks deal with TTBs a lot more and they have plenty of posts with pictures of them mod'ing and they have more knowledge as well. You just need to look a little. I know on pirate4x4 there was a guy that did a long travel setup on his avalanche with a D44 TTB... all fancy like cut and turn. That would maybe be one place to start.

 

[Pearl_Diesel]

Thanks, but by what you said, I think I'll stay away from it and get the brackets, or maybe just extend and brace some factory ones. I'm not sure if i'm going to need the lift or not, I've got factory suspension and 33" tires, and I think I'll have plenty of room if I trim the bottom corners of the fenders for 35"s

 

[Mat J]

you can weld up drop brackets pretty easy if you can cut and weld steel. iv even see people take the stock ones cut them add in some length and weld them up. you need to know what your doing though these take alot of weight and stress.

 

[hesutton]

The only info I've ever seen on "Cutting and Turing" a Dana TTB 44 is on pre-runner Rangers. HERE is a place that sells the modified arms. The price is stagering!!!! You may find more info at The Ranger Station. There is some "how to" stuff there. It looks like a big mod to me.

Heath

 

[Fullsize4life]

Well. Dont cut and weld on something you are going to run on the road. Make a drop bracket or save your cash and buy one. I see no point in cutting up your front axle. Not worth it in my mind. Put the lift springs on and see how it sits and then build a drop bracket