cutting and turning

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

Those bushings are not gonna help you at all. They are stiffer and have less give/flex. You may want to try to find another set of beams and just move the ball joint, there's alot less to it.

sorry, not the energy bushings. I was referring to the alignment bushings, at least I think they're called bushings.

[baja-chris]

1980-1982 F350 4x4

finished welding, just need to install. couldn't find any center Dana 50 Ujoints at the jyard.

does anyone know the exact years the dana 50 TTB came on? F350s? I searched a lot of F-250s but they all had dana44hd

yes I clocked the differential.

I have no idea if I have the angle right, I'm hoping the 2 piece bushings will make up for the amount of error. but I have 4" rancho springs, and i'll swap to deavers in the future.

[Rmc]

The beam end is a bushing, the little upper ballpoint thing I believe your referring to is an alignment cam. It's to correct your camber at ride height. I agree with the consensus shit can the beams and start over. Assemble everything, get out the trusty sawsall cut the underside just behind the lower ball joint and bend it out till camber is half ass correct at ride height. Fill in the pie shaped opening with plate. Place on its own weight and adjust camber with the alignment cam. Don't reinvent the wheel bro. Everyone would be doing it like u did if it worked. You'll jack up the u joints, diff, bearings ect. The viehicles weight is gonna apply load that's invisible to the naked eye. Imagine that a force u can't see but it's there. Like not being able to see the wind but its there. I don't mind u damaging your truck but its a shame bro. Do your self a favor also remove the balljoints before welding next to them. heres another invisible force, a grease fire inside a joint adding pressure until it explodes launching the balljoint like a bullet. it WILL go completely through your head body ect. Good luck springer.

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

can't can the beams, i needed to finish them quick to move the truck off the property. I'm crushing my house and building a new one.

I have the force and I'll be inspecting the bearings and everything when in 4wd.

I still couldn't find any dana 50 u-joints so I replaced the dana 44 joint with a precision forged and grease-less u joint. I also ground one of the shafts for more articulation.

everything is ready to be installed

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

weilllllll I made a small miscalculation. rather than cut the bottom of the ttb and pivot at the top, I notched a triangle out of the top and cut the bottom so the pivot was in the center. I figured this way it wouldn't move the axles outward as the axles drop for the higher lift. What I forgot, is that the axles don't share the same bushing pivot point and that they actually cross, so as the axles drop they move closer together, meaning you NEED that extension of the axles when the cut pivot is at the top.

so what's my dilemma? my axle hits the cap of the center Ujoint before I can put the bolt through the bushing pivot. I have to cut about 1/2" to a full 1" off the axle spline to get it to slide in further. The good news is I probably won't have to use a spring inside the center joint. The bad news is I won't know how much torque is my limit until the splines strip. But I'm sure the ujoints will break first anyway...

I might cut a little off the center differential spline too, just where the c-clip goes to save surface area on the other splines

[Rmc]

I'm loving it!

[Kel Fab Creations]

I'm loving it!

Haha, me too.

"It doesn't fit and I don't wanna redo it right so I'll just trim it and hopefully it'll work". Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to be mean Cpt Springington, I hope it works for you. It makes me smile when I see someone with such a positive attitude doing something the unconventional way but determined to make it work. Thanks for the updates. Keep em coming!

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

meh, it's only metal and it gives me that much more experience.

I cut the ends off, now i go install

[Rmc]

I imagine that took u a few. Hardened parts... Make it work.. Why not. U definatly have drive.

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

It's getting more interesting. Looks like everything is going to be ok... maybe

[Jbfab]

Did you cycle the suspension without the springs?

[AussieRod]

Did you cycle the suspension without the springs?

Is that relevent?

[AussieRod]

meh, it's only metal and it gives me that much more experience.

I cut the ends off, now i go install

I can see that axle popping clean out on any reasonable suspension compression. (Aside from the flux core bird shit welding of a major suspension component).

[Jbfab]

It is but figured i would ask. Also aussie I guess you didnt see the nice beefy angle iron. Should make for nice rock ramps in the event it makes it down the trail.

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

I'll cycle the suspension after its driving, in the ditch out front...

also, how much do ttb's normally cost from the junkyard? or what's a good price?

[CPT. SPRINGINGTON]

I found a complete front end for $100

I want to cut the lower BJ on them and redo it. But if you cut the lower joint, that mean you don't clock the differential right? is there enough room from the center ujoint to allow the the axle to droop? I'll probably stick with the 4" lift rancho springs.

[AussieRod]

I guess you didnt see the nice beefy angle iron.

I did, thats what frightens me.

[Rmc]

U can pie cut or cut a square around the ball joint. I've seen both. Search the threads I'm shure there's plenty of pics to chose from. When in doubt google that shit:)

[Rmc]

FYI there's a guy selling a drop bracket kit on race Dezert.com for 100$ just consider it as an option.

[ESHALLBETTER]

Is there any weight on the suspension in that pic? Camber looks close to zero on what appears to be drooped out suspension. How is it at ride height?