97 F350 2wd to 4wd Conversion

[CaptainGates]

I am in the middle of a 2x4 - 4x4 conversion and need help with the track bar.

'97 f350 2wd... 7.3L... long bed crew cab... using sky manufacturing shackle reversal kit 5 inch... dana 60 axle didn't have a stock track bar... buddy welded on a custom bracket and bar.. but I'm thinking of replacing it with a professional product. Donor truck is '86 f250...

Any pointers?

Could you help me out with any advice? Where/how to mount brackets? I ain't no mechanic... just trying to make my truck better and make it run! Did all the fab for the frame... and nearly done with the conversion... just need to finish the axle mounts... connect steering linkage with drop pitman arm... and lift rear. Just this track bar has me stuck....

 

[79jasper]

The 86 had the Dana 60? That's weird. Should've been TTB.
Why not just get a aftermarket drop mount and bar?

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[IDIoit]

the stock ford track bar is actually not the best design.
the track bar you speak of is nothing more than a pan hard bar.
im going to be replacing the one in my F350 framed ranchero to a bar that mounts on the driverside leaf spring
via. a custom bracket, and travels to the passenger side frame rail. 1.5" tubing with threaded inserts and steering heims.
steering heims, or bushings does not matter. the only function for this on a leaf spring set up is to eliminate bump steer

 

[Dieselcrawler]

the stock ford track bar is actually not the best design.
the track bar you speak of is nothing more than a pan hard bar.
im going to be replacing the one in my F350 framed ranchero to a bar that mounts on the driverside leaf spring
via. a custom bracket, and travels to the passenger side frame rail. 1.5" tubing with threaded inserts and steering heims.
steering heims, or bushings does not matter. the only function for this on a leaf spring set up is to eliminate bump steer

that will make things 100 times worse. you need to mount to pass side on axle, driveside on the frame. needs to be same as the draglink

 

[IDIoit]

my apologys, and thanks for the correction dieselcrawler, i was bass akwards.

got up this morning and read this and thought to myself BULLSHAT!
slapped my sandles on, went to my shop and did the palm to face.
you sir, are 100% correct.

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[Dieselcrawler]

after doing 4 2wd to 4wd swaps, I should know. lol

 

[IDIoit]

after doing 4 2wd to 4wd swaps, I should know. lol

sweet, you should come over tonight and help me convert my soon to be new van to 4wd for me
bring axles, i have a divorced transfer!

a late 70's divorced NP205 work ok behind a 98 7.3?

 

[CaptainGates]

The axle had an '89' written on it in chalk or white marker paint... I checked the stamps on it and from what I could tell it indicates that it's a D60. I'll get the numbers off of it and type them in here for y'all to verify if you don't mind.

Gotta figure out a solution for the track bar... I think that's all I have left to figure the rest. I was planning for the transfer case and all be put in by a transmission shop here in town....

 

[Dieselcrawler]

I would do as stated. run a drop braket with the factory bar. sky manufacturing makes drop bracket

 

[CaptainGates]

The front shackle reversal kit came with a Panhard Drop Bracket… Would this track bar work with that?

http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=FORD-APB-001H

How do I mount the Panhard Drop Bracket? It's not the same as a stock 4WD is it? I thought I saw a thread discussing this.

Do I need to create a mounting bracket for the axle as well?

 

[CaptainGates]

Stamps are 620093R on the front and 9045 on the back end.

 

[CaptainGates]

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[CaptainGates]

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[CaptainGates]

There's an 093 on the rear housing as well.

 

[CaptainGates]

Okay… I have the rest of the story about the axle. My friend bought the axle off of an 89 F350 Dually. It had the bracket for that track bar on the axle… But he cut it off and made a custom one because he said he didn't fit 86 F250 that he was putting it on. Now I have to figure out how to restore that Dana 60 to the original condition with the bracket. Any pointers?