Dana 60+ divorced t case?

[Austin86250]

Trying not to make this awfully long
86 f250HD 2wd king pins
Ever sense I had this truck it never returned to center for a damn never
Over the years I’ve been replacing everything in hopes
Rebuilt column, new rag joint in steering shaft, red head steering gear, tie rods, king pins, springs, shock, this Weekend I finished the pivot and radius arm bushings aswell as bearings and races
So that makes for literally every part replaced for front axle and steering

After all of that the caster is just very wrong which is without a doubt why it doesn’t return to center much THERE IS NO WAY TO ADJUST CASTER. Atleast that I can think of and I mean it’s just so disgustingly off it makes no sense
I have no idea what the next step is and I’m just tired of it

Had the realization that I pulled a Dana 60 out of a parts truck on Thursday so I have a late 80’s Dana 60 king pin 4:10 in great shape as they usually all are just sitting in the drive way

I cannot stand for a minute how horribly they ride but I hear a lot about a reverse shackle kit which it looks like if I where to buy it it would make the swap on my 2wd a lot easier and ride better than how they came on the old body trucks
I ain’t a stranger to Dana 60’s I’ve done a bit of work to them over the years so nothing new

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this reverse shackle kit, curious how much it need to bring the rest up to match the front 60 with 2” lift it says

If I am going to have a Dana 60 obviously want a t case, really really really I mean really shot myself in the foot becuase just not even 2 weeks ago I got a new 2wd t-19 spent 2k on it

I obviously don’t want to get rid of the trans I just got and my brain went to divorced transfer case np205? I think it is. Is that just a dumb idea or is it something that can be done with relative ease? I am very under knoledged on divorced transfer cases but to my understanding it’s just a 2wd trans a very short drive shaft that goes into a 2 case that’s by itself on its own cross member right?

I never planned to 4wd swap this truck at all becuase I have a 4wd 04 duramax if I need it, but it seems like it’s “falling in my lap” / “my only option”

 

[Austin86250]

Only let me attach 5 pictures

 

[u2slow]

The actual problem with the factory front shackle is how Ford built it. They recycled the TTB arrangement, which needs to pivot. With a monobeam (i.e. Dana 60) it doesn't need to pivot. Here's an alternative:

https://www.pirate4x4.com/threads/99-04-superduty-leafs-in-an-obs-without-a-rsk.2286946/

Consider that low pinion diffs were used with divorced cases, and pinion is tilted low for appropriate driveshaft angles. The Dana 60 pinion is rather high. It's going to make for some interesting ujoint angles, and clearance considerations for a long driveshaft.

Edit: I'm not sure about fuel tank clearance with the transfer case further back, and needing its own crossmember.

 

[Austin86250]

The actual problem with the factory front shackle is how Ford built it. They recycled the TTB arrangement, which needs to pivot. With a moonbeam (i.e. Dana 60) it doesn't need to pivot. Here's an alternative:

https://www.pirate4x4.com/threads/99-04-superduty-leafs-in-an-obs-without-a-rsk.2286946/

Consider that low pinion diffs were used with divorced cases, and pinion is tilted low for appropriate driveshaft angles. The Dana 60 pinion is rather high. It's going to make for some interesting ujoint angles, and clearance considerations for a long driveshaft.

Edit: I'm not sure about fuel tank clearance with the transfer case further back, and needing its own crossmember.

Interesting, well if there is one thing going for it it’s I have no front tank anymore

 

[Austin86250]

This came up on marketplace near me

 

[u2slow]

$400 should be able to get you the stronger/newer np205. (73-77?)

My Dana like that was $150 I think.

 

[david85]

Actually, there is a way to adjust caster angle on the TIB front end. You can install offset radius arm bushings. I think it adds up to 1 degree of caster. Having said that, I went through a similar experience with my truck when it was still 2wd. I didn't install a read head steering box at the time because I couldn't afford one, though I doubt it would have helped much with returning to center. I had some limited success by replacing the thrust bushing at the kingpin with needle bearings. They worked ok but were prone to corrosion, and didn't last too long before stiffening up again. Far as I can tell, ford seems to always put the absolute bare minimum of caster angles on their trucks. Even the modern coil spring front end Dana 60s can be prone to death wobble, partly because of this.

I when I converted to 4wd, installed a 1995 dana 60 balljoint axle and used all stock suspension parts. Only real advantage of this year axle is a slightly bigger brake rotors for 1994 up. Otherwise, the kingpin is probably still a better overall axle. Ride got worse, but a set of motorcraft shocks (rockauto) on all four corners softened it up nicely. I also have onboard air now, so if I'm on the dirt roads, I have no problem running 30 PSI and the truck easily soaks up most washboard and lighter potholes. With the shocks and airing down, I can say it rides better as a 4x4 than twin I-beam at 60 psi tire pressure. Much better, actually.

No personal experience with the RSK but many seem to like it. I won't use it because I don't want my truck any taller than it already is, but it all depends on how you use it. I'm not tall and I don't like having to lift things into such a tall bed. I tried running the correct 4" lift blocks on the rear (Avatar photo has this setup), but went back down to 2" blocks which bring the rear bumper down by about 3".

My advice would be to not use a divorced transfer case, unless you already have the parts and don't want to spend more (though I doubt it will turn out much cheaper after all the extra work that's required).

 

[Austin86250]

Actually, there is a way to adjust caster angle on the TIB front end. You can install offset radius arm bushings. I think it adds up to 1 degree of caster. Having said that, I went through a similar experience with my truck when it was still 2wd. I didn't install a read head steering box at the time because I couldn't afford one, though I doubt it would have helped much with returning to center. I had some limited success by replacing the thrust bushing at the kingpin with needle bearings. They worked ok but were prone to corrosion, and didn't last too long before stiffening up again. Far as I can tell, ford seems to always put the absolute bare minimum of caster angles on their trucks. Even the modern coil spring front end Dana 60s can be prone to death wobble, partly because of this.

I when I converted to 4wd, installed a 1995 dana 60 balljoint axle and used all stock suspension parts. Only real advantage of this year axle is a slightly bigger brake rotors for 1994 up. Otherwise, the kingpin is probably still a better overall axle. Ride got worse, but a set of motorcraft shocks (rockauto) on all four corners softened it up nicely. I also have onboard air now, so if I'm on the dirt roads, I have no problem running 30 PSI and the truck easily soaks up most washboard and lighter potholes. With the shocks and airing down, I can say it rides better as a 4x4 than twin I-beam at 60 psi tire pressure. Much better, actually.

No personal experience with the RSK but many seem to like it. I won't use it because I don't want my truck any taller than it already is, but it all depends on how you use it. I'm not tall and I don't like having to lift things into such a tall bed. I tried running the correct 4" lift blocks on the rear (Avatar photo has this setup), but went back down to 2" blocks which bring the rear bumper down by about 3".

My advice would be to not use a divorced transfer case, unless you already have the parts and don't want to spend more (though I doubt it will turn out much cheaper after all the extra work that's required).

I don’t disagree the 2wd set up doesn’t ride very well for what it is, been in a few dana 60 trucks and I find them to be pretty okay at best when everhbtjng is new that’s where the shackle kit May come in, it also sounds like it would make the swap easier.
Yes the height is a concern for me as well

 

[u2slow]

Yes the height is a concern for me as well

Review the link in post #3 if you haven't already. Keeps ride low, and abandons the unstable stock shackle.