87 Crew Cab Project

[LCAM-01XA]

Ah, gotcha. A tip I remember reading on a 4x4 site, newer Superduty trucks have larger output shafts, IIRC it's 34mm vs. 32mm for what we run. Memory is a bit fuzzy on model years, I seem to recall 2002 as the break, but I'm not 100% certain. Also only the big boys (4x4 F350 PSD, likely dually) will have the stronger box. Something maybe worth looking into?

 

[freebird01]

i will have to post pics later as photobucket is doing some site maintenance...

*EDIT* Now with pics

but today was pretty successful. I got all the brackets cleaned up and painted. removed the 2wd ZF5 spd trans... got both front and rear spring hangers drilled and bolted in temporarily with some cheap fasteners until i can get some good ones from fastenal.

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for now I rolled the axle under the truck and its sitting on it and off the jack stands! WOOHOO! thats a big step!

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I need to make some 3/4" spacers (or maybe just use some washers) because the 2wd frame does not have the dimple in the side of it for the shackle bolt like the 4x4 frame does. also means i need to get a longer bolt for the spring shackle.

next step will be getting the 4x4 trans and t-case set in place and swapping out all the inferior fasteners with good ones.

Also on saturday I managed to swap out the bumper on my new to me daily driver...the tube bumper was ok but i had to get the bumper and brush guard off the dually out of the way to move the frame so i could work on it...so i decided to just put it on the F150...

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[LCAM-01XA]

Another random tidbit of info on pitman arms, the F-Superduty ones are identical to 4x4 F350 ones, down to the E5TA-3590-CA part number. So if one needs a D60-specific pitman arm, and can't find a D60-equipped truck in junkyard, but there are F-Superduties present there, grab the arm off one of those - it's the same thing. Also, appears new arms are available for around $50 by AC Delco on RockAuto, if you wanna go that route.

Thus, Jason, it seems that if you can't find a junked 4x4 F350, you can grab the box and arm out of a F-Superduty instead, and you'll still end up with the correct parts for your conversion. That's what I'm running in my truck, works like it should.

 

[freebird01]

thats good to know. i was seriously just thinking about buying a new one. im going to replace all the steering linkages too before it sees the road. they e all rusted petty bad and some of the TRE's are missing their zerks. not to mention the axle was buried in mud for an indeterminate of time in a junk yard before i got it lol. ive already rebuilt the KP's. and ill need to order new rotors to go with the dually hubs...

 

[LCAM-01XA]

I was about to buy a new arm as well, but figured what the heck, let's check the F-Superduty arms... Turned out to be what I needed, so I grabbed one. It's a non-wear item and it was easy enough to remove, plus I tend to trust factory castings a bit more than aftermarket ones.

Yeah good call on the steering linkages and the kingpins. I saw my axle in the donor truck before we pulled it and tires sat nice and straight and wear pattern was perfect so I didn't mess with my KPs at all, just swapped gears and gave it new seals and one u-joint. Well, and steering linkages. Lucked out pretty good, it had new calipers already, and even the shocks were good!

Are you thinking of tilting the shock towers like I did, or run them straight vertical?

 

[freebird01]

ill prolly just run them straight so they dont bind with the factory mounts. i can always redo them later if i go with an RSK or something

 

[LCAM-01XA]

It's not so much to do with the mounts, as it is with the spring geometry - I was looking and mine and cause of the slight negative arch they move the axle up and aft upon compression, plus the rear mounts are lower than the fronts from the factory too so the shocks tilt back a little when disconnected from the towers. So at this point it made perfect sense to me to tilt my towers aft as well and position them parallel to the shocks and perpendicular to the springs instead of the frame... Would have worked either way, this just seemed like a better setup for me.

 

[GOOSE]

Looks good, Jason. I wish you were still in PA, I would have sourced that ext cab frame from you by now. Oh well, thats how it goes, I guess.

 

[freebird01]

It's not so much to do with the mounts, as it is with the spring geometry - I was looking and mine and cause of the slight negative arch they move the axle up and aft upon compression, plus the rear mounts are lower than the fronts from the factory too so the shocks tilt back a little when disconnected from the towers. So at this point it made perfect sense to me to tilt my towers aft as well and position them parallel to the shocks and perpendicular to the springs instead of the frame... Would have worked either way, this just seemed like a better setup for me.

i understand what your saying completely, however i argue that the movement in a stock F350 suspension isnt significant enough to warrant that. its not like a rock crawler where everyting moves in a large arc and in large distances. your talking small enough movement that the bushings will take up any of that movement. the suspension cycles what...3 maybe 4"? unlike a jeep or even my samurai with will move closer to 12"

 

[LCAM-01XA]

That's true, I get 3.5" compression till axle hits bump stops, and about the same in droop. But I was drilling new holes anyways, so I figured what the heck, let's try it. Overall I'm very happy with the ride now, I honestly doubt the tilt actually it helped that much at all, but who knows... and who cares, it works, don't care why or how as long as it does

I'd like to see a build on the Sami when you get to working on it more. Don't know much about them, other than they can be made into great offroaders.

 

[freebird01]

i'm not saying its wrong by any means. as long as it works and they dont bind its all good. lol

here is an old thread from when i painted it...

http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,94110.20.html

once the dually is done, the samurai will be moved to the garage to get suspension #4 put under it along with an auto trans and some motor work.

 

[tjsea]

Don't forget to tighten the king pins. lol. The f-150 looks good with the new bumper. Are you gonna use the tube bumper on the dually? It was off of an 85.

 

[freebird01]

Yep the kingpins are on my list. I will probably use the tube bumper for awhile just till.i get the time to build my own bumper for it

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Pics of said tube bumper? Curious minds wanna see

 

[freebird01]

its a black smittybuilt

*EDIT* here is a pic of it

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