coil springing a D60 front

[LCAM-01XA]

I'm putting a D60 under my 2wd dually. 2wd runs coils to support the weight, I-beams to locate the suspension side to side, and radius arms to locate it fore-aft. D60 has the trac bar for side-to-side locating, and the leafs do both weight carrying and fore-aft locating duty. What if I modify the top plates of the D60 to accept the 2wd coils, then cut the leafs off in front of the axle? Then I'll have the coils carry the truck weight, the trac bar will still locate the axle side to side, and the rear parts of the leafs will only locate the axle fore-aft.

This is on a truck that uses factory sized tires (around 32" diameter) and is geared at 3.54/3.55 - so no huge axle twisting torques will be applied in 4x4, however if that is a concern a torque arm can be easily added from below the axle to further back on the frame to remedy the situation.

Your thoughts please?

 

[freebird01]

you end up with a lot more twisting force on the leafs do to that. you could get away with building radius arms that would use rear leaf spring mounts. building radius arms are not hard to to at all. especially if not not too concerned with major suspension flex

 

[67-7THREE]

Use f100 radius arms from a 4wd, and weld wedges on the axle housing.

 

[crashnzuk]

I'm with the post above, I'd use radius arms with weld on wedges like the factory did. There are companies that sell stuff to make this happen, try some of the Bronco places like James Duff and the like. This will give you the "give" you need to articulate without a trip to scary truck fab land.
Travis..

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Use f100 radius arms from a 4wd, and weld wedges on the axle housing.

I'm trying to avoid structural welds to cast steel like the plague tho. Mild steel to mild steel I can weld safe and strong all day long, welding to cast I'd rather not learn on such a major thing like the front suspension... Basically the idea is to use as much of the stock parts as possible, with just minor additions where needed. For instance the torque arm axle mount will bolt on to the bottom of the driver-side U-bolts plate. The coils will bolt to the plates that clamp on top of the leafs, after majorly reinforcing said plates. Everything will be removable should the need for it arise at some point in the future.

 

[67-7THREE]

I'm trying to avoid structural welds to cast steel like the plague tho. Mild steel to mild steel I can weld safe and strong all day long, welding to cast I'd rather not learn on such a major thing like the front suspension... Basically the idea is to use as much of the stock parts as possible, with just minor additions where needed. For instance the torque arm axle mount will bolt on to the bottom of the driver-side U-bolts plate. The coils will bolt to the plates that clamp on top of the leafs, after majorly reinforcing said plates. Everything will be removable should the need for it arise at some point in the future.

Not talking about welding on the diff housing. The axle tubes..

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Not talking about welding on the diff housing. The axle tubes..

Aye, I know, but the wedges you're talking about are cast.

 

[67-7THREE]

dont see why you wouldnt wanna do a 4x4 radius arm setup.. much better than leaf springs cut in half. leafs that are cut will give you the worse ride and axle wrap. its unsafe.

only option you have is to stay leaf sprung, 4x4 radius arm setup, for a 4 link.


radius arm setup flex pretty darn good. alot of people still use them.

 

[67-7THREE]

Aye, I know, but the wedges you're talking about are cast.

you can get the welded style wedges. that are made to be welded to the tube.. alot of people have done it.

 

[freebird01]

LCAM...

look up Wristed Radius arm for more flex.... a radius arm will flex plenty for a stock vehicle that doesnt see any wild offroading (look at the 78-79 F150/Bronco Suspensions...no special joint).... when you want max articulation guys go to a wrsted setup where one radius arm either has a hinge or some sort of slip joint on one side of the arm.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

LCAM...

look up Wristed Radius arm for more flex.... a radius arm will flex plenty for a stock vehicle that doesnt see any wild offroading (look at the 78-79 F150/Bronco Suspensions...no special joint).... when you want max articulation guys go to a wrsted setup where one radius arm either has a hinge or some sort of slip joint on one side of the arm.

The '70s halftons do have a rubber bushing between the radius arms and the axle tho, that's exactly the setup 67-7THREE suggest that I copy. Which I agree is a good idea, but just way too much work... And I guess I should have specified, my concern with solid-mounted radius arms is not so much about the axial twist (the rubber bushing in the frame end will absorb that, but more about vertical bending when the suspension is flexed - looking at the axle one arm will want to bend up and the other down, without some sort of bushing setup between the arms and the axle things will tear...

Unless I'm totally misunderstanding you, and you're telling me to do like 67-7THREE is telling me to do, and copy the '70s setup with the C-wedges ad bushings and all.

 

[freebird01]

Pm me your number....i got a coil setup on a samurai axle you should see...i can txt you pics

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

'05+ super duty front axle assembly is all you need(for the most part ). let me try and find you some info.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

http://powerstrokenation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5098

http://powerstrokenation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99269

 

[GOOSE]

I'd get some tubing, heim joints and plate steel, build a 4 link set up. Smooth flexibility and the threaded heim joints make alignment a breeze. I do agree, the 66-79 1/2 ton 4x4 front end is among the best factory engineered design out there. The old I beam radius arms make the newer superduty ones look quite odd and the short stamped steel ones from 80-96 are wimpy. My '74 F100 with a 4" Rancho lift and poly bushings rode great. I do believe that the tv adds boasting independent front ends was ridiculous, solid axles all the way.