BORGESON SHAFT INSTALL

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The long slim box came in on the brown truck today.

I got the deluxe version #985, with the integral vibration damper.

I have read the directions twice and they still seem foggy.

Does anyone have a pictorial install posted somewhere??

Any advice, or suggestions, from those that have actually installed one of these, would be appreciated.

The overall quality of the Borgeson is impressive ; although, I was expecting U-joints something more on the order of something out of a twin-screw Mack, instead of the **** little numbers that are actually in this thing.

This is STEP #1 in my quest for eliminating that sick Ford "steering ain't connected to the wheels" feeling, that I have lived with for over half a million miles.

STEP #2 will be a RedHead steering gear.

STEP #3 king-pin straight axle and leaf-springs, either Dana 60 4WD front axle, or 2WD SuperDuty, whichever comes along.

Alternate STEP #3 if a likely front axle prospect hasn't turned up, I will proceed to spend a fortune on replacing all tie-rods, bushings, and joints on my Twin-I-Beam mess of crap; so that, a few days after I get it all like new, the perfect straight-axle set-up will turn up.

 

[dancrowley]

Steering shaft

Where did you get your shaft and how much did it cost?








Thank's. Dan

 

[The Warden]

Thank you for this post. If it's not too much to ask, PLEASE keep updating your progress on resolving your steering issues. I'm going to have to tear into my front end sooner or later, so I will be following your progress very closely. I wish a king-pin Dana 60 could fit into my budget.

Where do you plan to get the steering gear? Where did you hear about it? Seems like a much better bet than a parts store rebuild...

BTW, you have an '85 F-350...is it an early build? IIRC late '85MY F-350's actually have the Dana 60 already...?

Thank you again!!!

 

[Mr_Roboto]

2 wd trucks tend to not come with Dana 60's in the front.

I'm not so big on the TIB suspension on my tow truck either. They just don't seen to handle the front end being lifted (from a car on the hook). Too bad the last 1 ton 2wd Ford to have a straight axle also came with drum brakes.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

AT THE GETTING PLACE

Where did you get your shaft and how much did it cost?
Thank's. Dan

I got my shaft straight from Borgeson.

Part # 985 total cost = $286.88 UPS to my front door; and, for the quality, it is a BARGAIN.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

TWO WHEEL DRIVE TWIN-I-BEAM

If it's not too much to ask, PLEASE keep updating your progress on resolving your steering issues.

I plan to take tons of pictures, as nobody else ever seems to have did this in pictures.

After I get this done and the pictures in the computer, I am going to need someone more savvy than me to help me get the pictures together in an intense TECH ARTICLE on this job.

Where do you plan to get the steering gear? Where did you hear about it?

At REDHEAD STEERING GEARS, mentioned throughout this forum site in many threads about steering.

BTW, you have an '85 F-350...is it an early build? IIRC late '85MY F-350's actually have the Dana 60 already...?

Thank you again!!!

My truck is two-wheel-drive and has the notorious coil-spring TWIN-I-BEAM mess that is notorious for eating tires and wandering all over the road.

 

[The Warden]

2 wd trucks tend to not come with Dana 60's in the front.

Sorry; guess I missed the part in his first post or his sig where he said he has a 2WD truck...and, last I was aware, it's quite rare to convert one of these trucks from 2WD to 4x4, and somewhat more common to swap a TTB axle for a Dana 60. Considering that he was talking about swapping a D60 in and I didn't know how his truck is configured at present, it seemed like a reasonable assumption to me that he already had a 4x4 setup...clearly, I was mistaken. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

At REDHEAD STEERING GEARS, mentioned throughout this forum site in many threads about steering.

Thanks; guess I missed the previous threads. I'm so far behind on this site, it isn't even funny...don't remember even hearing the name before...

 

[Mr_Roboto]

It's kind of like puting a puzzle together.

The "conversion to leaf springs" was the giveaway since 2wd's come with coils while 4wd's come with leaves.

 

[The Warden]

I see...I thought he meant he was going to replace the leaf springs he already had (which is something I need to do on my truck; on a TTB axle, sagging springs directly affect the camber, which I imagine in turn affects the steering)...

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Too bad the last 1 ton 2wd Ford to have a straight axle also came with drum brakes.

Pray tell, what year was the last for straight-axle/leaf-spring fronts, and were they King-Pin??

I can probably build the disc-brakes.

Thanks.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

BORGESON is in the TRUCK


Out with the old and in with the new; the Borgeson shaft is in the truck.

I took a bunch of pictures of the whole process; and, as soon as I can get it figured out, I will post the pictures and do a write-up on the whole job, from start to finish.

The old shaft was so loose and worn-out that it was scary looking.

It is hard to imagine the tens of thousands of vehicles you meet at high speeds that have a steering wheel about to come off in their hands.

 

[The Warden]

Have you driven the truck yet? How noticeably different does the truck handle?

Sweet!!

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT

Have you driven the truck yet? How noticeably different does the truck handle?

Sweet!!

Although it is still a Twin-I-Beam Ford, a big part of the "steering wheel ain't connected to the wheels" feeling is gone.

Steering is much more positive.

Now, I will start looking toward RedHead steering gear, for the next step.

Hopefully, by the time I get that done, I will have found a straight front axle and leaf springs.