Will I need that funky double knuckle drive shaft for my D60 front?

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

All our F350's here have a funky double knuckle universal thingy on the front drive shaft at the transfer case. Im wondering if I will need that with my D60 conversion, or if I could get away with a standard F250 style drive shaft?

 

[sle2115]

I had to use it on mine, but I raised the front end as well. I wanted the truck level, so I used the F350 springs and an add-a-leaf. The F250 shaft hit the crossmember, but the F350 shaft cleared fine with the double-cardon joint.

 

[hesutton]

Yup, my F250 shaft hit the tranny crossmember:

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But with the F350's crossmember (it dips down on the drivers side) I didn't need the F350 driveshaft:

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But, my 1345 died last fall and I used (and still using) the F350's 1356 and it's driveshafts (both front and rear).

Heath

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Thanks for the pics Sutton! I didnt know there was a difference in the tranny cross member. I have the F250 drive shaft, just no 350 one. I wont be using true F350 front springs with my D60 if i get the one Im looking into getting now. I'll have to use me rearched and releafed F250 springs. They have 5 leafs on them and are positively arched. But I doubt they sit as high as a 350 set.

 

[sle2115]

The F350 I had (1985 F350 Cab and Chassis) did not have a dip in the crossmember, it used the double cardon setup. Personally, I would use it before fighting the crossmember anyway! You just have to change the yoke on the front of the transfer case and it's bolt in. The cab and chassis I had was also different in many ways, for one, the rear frame was MUCH narrower than my F250, like 4 inches. It also had the double boxed frame and 11 leafs per side on the rear X 2 1/2 inches wide, not the 5 leaf by 3 inch wide on most other trucks I found. At any rate, there is always more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[BigRigTech]

I used a double in mine with a custom crossmember made of 1/4" wall 2"x2" square tubing. I needed it to cure the driveshaft angle issue.

 

[forcefed]

I used my stock f250 shaft out of mine. I do not have any clearance problems with the crossmember. Got lucky I guess. You will want to pay attention to your length on the front shaft though. Make sure you have enough slip in the shaft so you do not bust your transfer case.

 

[Pipeliner_86]

I didn't have to use a double cardin joint in my old 86 crewcab when I built my shackle reversal setup. I have a double cardin front shaft from a 88 F350, if you need one.

 

[tractorman86]

the double cardon is better setup anyway, you can pick them up cheep at junk yards.

 

[RKOCH]

the double cardon is better setup anyway, you can pick them up cheep at junk yards.

Keep telling yourself that.... I blew up several.. This is what started the build of Rockwells and so forth.

 

[tractorman86]

yea if it is doing a job it wasn't intended for then no it wont hold up, i said it is better not best.IIRC you have 53" tires and a lot more power than was intended to be put through that driveshaft if you had the f250 driveshaft you would have had even more trouble. why do you think they used the double cardon on the 1 ton and a normal universal on the 3/4 ton?

 

[RKOCH]

I had 36" hummer tires on 4 inches of lift. D60 front and they would hardley ever make it through a good mountain trip. That is when the Rockweels and big tires came out then it was balls to the wall because I was tired of breaking stuff @ every pull and 4 wheel adventure. The the double cardin was giving out under less than rated load in my opinion. I switched to a standard shaft after busting 3 DC joints and only broke 1 u joint but had too much angle.

 

[93turbo_animal]

my 250 has the double cardon joint already but I'm thinkin less moving parts the less to replace

 

[BigRigTech]

So far so good with my DC....This is where it's worth spending the dough for good U-joints...Spicer comes to mind. These shafts were not built for 36" tires and offroading in the mountains...Put them on a back road with mud and 4000-5000lbs in the bed and they will last just fine...Or with an 8ft blade on the nose pushing snow....It's all relative to what the intended use is.

 

[tractorman86]

So far so good with my DC....This is where it's worth spending the dough for good U-joints...Spicer comes to mind. These shafts were not built for 36" tires and offroading in the mountains...Put them on a back road with mud and 4000-5000lbs in the bed and they will last just fine...Or with an 8ft blade on the nose pushing snow....It's all relative to what the intended use is.

yup, if you are going 4wheeling and things of that nature expect factory parts to break or go buy the expensive stuff just once an don't worry about it again.