i know i'm a doofus.... BUT

[Mulochico]

No, no, the true doofuses are 2WD guys like me... plz pardon the hijack, but would someone explain the term TTB? I do get the basics otherwise. LOVE the TTB look, as shown here.

Yeah, my experience level is stuck at: "Oooo, old Ford.... COOL! 4WD!!"

Twin Traction Beam

 

[idi_econoline]

Thx, Mulochico. I trust the TTB works as good as it looks?

Now, back to your normally scheduled programming, uh, thread....

 

[riotwarrior]

Twin I Beam is the stock 2WD setup....

Twin Traction Beam is the same basic suspension with a drive axle added thus..traction beam....

Hope that helps ya out...

Al

As for the Op, I'd suggest getting it looked at by a competent shop, or friend who knows these trucks and have a thorough examination of all the front suspension. All mounting brackets for cracks, missing rivets, elongated holes, all bushings for wear, because a TTB in a CC LB F350 is damn near at it's max capacity standing still with fuel and passengers on board.

Once you know what's what, you can start to build the plan of rebuild the TTB or drop it out and install a D60 n be done! Less moving parts, less problems with alignment, greater strength and weight capacity, over all simpler design.

Just sayin

Al

 

[Mulochico]

I trust the TTB works as good as it looks?

Would rather have a D60, but, oh well. When I discovered the bracket broke, the lift was the quickest, cheapest way to go. It pretty much does what I need. May upgrade at a later date though.

 

[WhiteMystery93]

Twin I Beam is the stock 2WD setup....

Twin Traction Beam is the same basic suspension with a drive axle added thus..traction beam....

Hope that helps ya out...

Al

As for the Op, I'd suggest getting it looked at by a competent shop, or friend who knows these trucks and have a thorough examination of all the front suspension. All mounting brackets for cracks, missing rivets, elongated holes, all bushings for wear, because a TTB in a CC LB F350 is damn near at it's max capacity standing still with fuel and passengers on board.

Once you know what's what, you can start to build the plan of rebuild the TTB or drop it out and install a D60 n be done! Less moving parts, less problems with alignment, greater strength and weight capacity, over all simpler design.

Just sayin

Al

haha i went to verizon today to get a new phone (have an upgrade waiting) and the ******** didn't have the iphone 4s in stock so it may be a few days, my digi is MIA. also i crawled underneath it today, the bossman decided to send two operators out to a job where there was only one piece of equipment? so let's just say i had some "down time " and it says clearly on the bottom of the hoghead "50" so i'm assuming i shoulda already known it was a dana 50? haha. i'm quite curious how the TTB ended up on my 350, though. either way, that's what's there and now it's time to figure out what's what. would it be easier to find a solid 60 and put that in? what about gear ratios? because i don't have a damn clue how to determine if they would be compatible

 

[riotwarrior]

haha i went to verizon today to get a new phone (have an upgrade waiting) and the ******** didn't have the iphone 4s in stock so it may be a few days, my digi is MIA. also i crawled underneath it today, the bossman decided to send two operators out to a job where there was only one piece of equipment? so let's just say i had some "down time " and it says clearly on the bottom of the hoghead "50" so i'm assuming i shoulda already known it was a dana 50? haha. i'm quite curious how the TTB ended up on my 350, though. either way, that's what's there and now it's time to figure out what's what. would it be easier to find a solid 60 and put that in? what about gear ratios? because i don't have a damn clue how to determine if they would be compatible

Ok on your Drivers door there should be a tag and the VIN and other truck info will be on that, including axle code, this is usually the rear axle. Report back here with that info and we'll confirm your gear set info, then you can check the tag that's on the diff too, it will be on the HOG HEAD but on the front side where it's all bolted in place.

I to wonder how/why you have a D50 TTB.

The investment in getting that TTB working well....the key is working well...vs investment of a good 60....probably close to one and the same.

I'm a die hard solid axle fan all the way. Others find the TTB ok...

JM2CW

Al

 

[WhiteMystery93]

i mean i'm not going to lie i would prefer a solid axle for obvious reasons, haha, it just so happens that i've got some crazy TTB stuff going on up front instead. hell idk, the truck was like that when i bought it, but i don't see how or why anybody would have done a conversion. at any rate, where in particular are the numbers you're looking for? does it say "axle code"? i'm about to go look now

 

[WhiteMystery93]

nvm axle code is c5

 

[The Warden]

The investment in getting that TTB working well....the key is working well...vs investment of a good 60....probably close to one and the same.

Agreed completely. The Dana 50 is not an inherently terrible axle, but by the time you've got everything renewed on it, you might be money ahead putting a 60 in.

As to why that truck has a Dana 50...I wonder if a previous owner swapped axles to use the Dana 60 on something else, or to sell it to earn more money? That's the best I can figure...AFAIK there were no crew-cab trucks with Dana 50 TTB axles built after midway through the '85 model year

 

[WhiteMystery93]

spring code is t4f if that makes a difference, aswell

 

[WhiteMystery93]

Agreed completely. The Dana 50 is not an inherently terrible axle, but by the time you've got everything renewed on it, you might be money ahead putting a 60 in.

As to why that truck has a Dana 50...I wonder if a previous owner swapped axles to use the Dana 60 on something else, or to sell it to earn more money? That's the best I can figure...AFAIK there were no crew-cab trucks with Dana 50 TTB axles built after midway through the '85 model year

and they could very well have done something like that, i dunno. maybe the axle effed up and they got a junker out of an older truck? for whatever reason, though, that's what i got going on down there haha. although i was under the impression you couldn't just "swap 'em out" for one another?

 

[The Warden]

and they could very well have done something like that, i dunno. maybe the axle effed up and they got a junker out of an older truck? for whatever reason, though, that's what i got going on down there haha. although i was under the impression you couldn't just "swap 'em out" for one another?

That's a possibility, and a Dana 50 would be much cheaper than a Dana 60...maybe they did it to save money? And you can swap between the two, but it's not a simple bolt-to-bolt swap...OTOH maybe whoever did the swap didn't know this and this is part of why you're having problems now?

That would make getting pictures even more imperative...I'm by no means an axle expert, but there are a few people on here who really know what they're doing in this department and can tell you if things look "right" or not...

 

[WhiteMystery93]

i know, i know. i'll get pics as soon as i can.. my free time is usually extremely hard to find, plus by the time i get off work this time of year it's dark and i've been working 7 days a week, which is complicating the hell out of getting ANYTHING done, much less some decent shots of my trucks goodies haha.

 

[Fordsandguns]

Maybe the body was swapped onto an older frame with the running gear still under it. Here in tx they go by the vin on the cab so it would still check out as a 93 even if the frame was an 83 or 84-85.
You could put a chevy frame, engine and axles under an f250 body and it will register as a ford f250.

 

[WhiteMystery93]

Maybe the body was swapped onto an older frame with the running gear still under it. Here in tx they go by the vin on the cab so it would still check out as a 93 even if the frame was an 83 or 84-85.
You could put a chevy frame, engine and axles under an f250 body and it will register as a ford f250.

lol i don't think people do that kind of stuff around here. these are cheap old trucks and around here most people that even have them have them sitting in the backyard it's quite sad. hell in the town i live in i've only seen ONE other IDI and one SUPERCLEAN OBS psd truck, people around here do the 98+ trucks mostly. what i mean by what i'm saying is that i kind of doubt anybody would take the time to do something like that around my area. although it is a possibility and i appreciate your input.