Help!!! D60 steering knuckle, pass side

[89dieselbko]

Ok so while my bronco is down getting its 7.3 sleeved and complete bottom end rebuild... i found a truck

1995 F350 CC LB with a 351W for 600 bucks. I couldnt not buy it, bed was rotted, so i replaced it.

Been driving it a couple weeks, and noticed it needed alligned. So i took it in and they cant align it. The pass steering knuckle is ovaled, so it wont hold an alignment. I dont know how bad it is, i thought about using some quick metal stuff to keep it stiff for now.

So i have looked all over the damn place, called every salvage yard within 50 miles, hit all chain stores, even the stealership. Got add on 2 local classifieds + pennswoods.net and craigslist.

Cant find a used good one to save my life. Found a boat load of after market ones, that use chevy TRE and blah blah. but at 300 or so i cant afford that and keep moving on my 7.3 rebuild for the bronco.

Anyone happen to know of a place that sells them for a reasonable price? been looking for a solid 2 weeks with no luck. Heck anyone have a used one they would be willing to part with cheap?

Hell a better question to D50 outers match the D60? i have a D50, and i heard they are just a D44 with D60 outers.... so maybe they would work?

** i havent looked to see how ovaled mine is, but in PA it wont pass safety inspection with it loose. And a shop wont align it with any quick metal or equivalent in the hole to round it temporarily. I dont know of anyone local that could weld and re-drill it, as i assume its cast **

 

[riotwarrior]

NOT sure on legallity where you are....drill it straight out, install a heim joint steering setup?

Don't think the knuckle out fits the D60 but not sure...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=ford+dana+60+knuckle&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[War Wagon]

What exactly do you mean when you say "ovaled". i'm not familiar with that term.

 

[gonecrazyi]

Was the tie rod left lose egging out the knuckle where the tre bolts to? That happened to one of mine. I believe they sell sleeves for it. Or buy a reamer and use a Chevy tre.

 

[89dieselbko]

Yea old tie rod was loose bouhht a new one. 148 bucka took to shop for install and they found the problem. Trying to keep it cheap as i have the engine biild going too cant spair money to build new steering. Im looking for sleeve kit now but not having much luck. Ovaling is basically the round hole becoming egg shaped

 

[89dieselbko]

No such luck sleeves for it, ill try some chain stores tomorrow. Might even try the stealership. somewhere im sure this happened and maybe there is a service bulletin on it with how they fixed it. Hell maybe i can find something at the local hardware store that will work as a *sleeve* to PA state inspection standards.

 

[sassyrel]

quick metal,,file it down to clean surface,,a bit o paint,,throw some dirt on new paint,,then take to a diff align shop....if the quick metal is done right,,its tough stuff...

 

[89dieselbko]

quick metal,,file it down to clean surface,,a bit o paint,,throw some dirt on new paint,,then take to a diff align shop....if the quick metal is done right,,its tough stuff...

i never would of thought to *disguise* the repair with it. Guess thats what ill be doing this weekend i have used quick metal a few times with very good results. Had my wife send me a picture of the ovaling, and its not near as bad as the alignment shop said. top appears to be only around 1/4in oval, from what i can tell via pic the the bottem appears undamaged at all. I can see the tie rod would have a little play, but not much, pack the top with some quick metal, and bid my time till spring, and ill just run a hi-steer after my sky manufacturing shackle reverse on the front of this beast, throw some chevy TREs, re-ream it out. and be good to go.

Evening thinking i may put my 7.3 in this truck after its rebuild, and throw a 390 4V i have sitting in my cousins shed in my bronco. I love my bronco but it gets beat to hell working pipeline, maybe the bronco is due for a full resto and sunday drives.

For anyone that finds this thread in the future, there are a metric crap ton of chebbie TRE sleeves for fixing ovaled out steering knuckles. I cant seem to find a single one for ford. Broncograveyard.com (sorry for name dropping) does sell new ones that use chevy TREs for like 480 bucks. seems to be the cheapest aftermarket set i could find. A cheap fix until you either 1) rework steering or 2) hit it lucky in a scrap yard seems to be the *best* course of action for a short term repair.

Thank you everyone for responses, ill post back after the quick metal sets *gonna give it a week or so to ensure i dont jump the gun and have to repair twice* with if it is viable for this repair.

 

[MUDKICKR]

have you looked for anything like this? theres a lot of companies that sell these type of units, mostly for offroad rigs, which would be plenty strong enough for the street.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tie-Rod-Over-Repair-Bushing-Dana-44-Dana-60-8-Degree-/230301180790



best tool i have found for finding anything on the internet is google.com , give it a try sometime.

 

[89dieselbko]

Yes i have looked at those. The 8 degree is for chevy TRE ford uses 7.25 degre i believe it was when i checked. So they wont work for my application without redoing my steering. Im 1400 deep into parts and gaskets on my 7.3 with the heads and an ip to go. Dont have much left over for this poor truck

 

[MUDKICKR]

call the company and tell them what you need, just cause its not listed doesnt mean they dont make it.

better yet, call this company, they will be able to sell you what you need, or fix it for you.

http://www.the4x4store.com/steering

 

[89dieselbko]

Going to call that company in the morning, see if they can help me. I called my local machine shop and for 70 bucks they will make me a sleeve and install.

So 1) 5 bucks for quick steel for a halfass fix until a parts yard around here has a good knuckle
2) machine shop, bit pricey, but will be solid.
3) Maybe the above listed company can help me, and i can save money and install the sleeve myself, Not afraid to get a little dirty to save some money.
Option 3 seems a long shot, all their listed stuff is aimed towards the bigger, stronger, different degree tie rods. But as you said, just because it isnt listed
dont mean they dont have it. Thanks for the link!

 

[Optikalillushun]

I know of a guy locally who wheels and deals with drivetrain parts, he might have what you need.

 

[89dieselbko]

Would you mind putting me in contact with him? Im in cambria county PA, might not be to bad of a drive to pick up the part if he has it and i cant find by other means... machine shop is my last ditch effort in the event i cant find a cheap sleeve, and the quick steel doesnt do the trick

 

[Optikalillushun]

ok i gotta get his number from a friend.