Late 80s king pin Dana 60 under a bump

[RedneckTexan]

So I've been searching for a long time for highboy running gear for my F250 and keep comin up dry, there are gobs and gobs of 85-91 F350 4x4s around for cheap, I know the front axle springs are further apart then the bump frame, anyone know of a good way to get around this to mount a 80s d60 under a bump frame?

[eggman918]

I'm at the same place as you are and I'm planning to shorten the tubes and buy new axle shafts..............

[Ranchero50]

So I've been searching for a long time for highboy running gear for my F250 and keep comin up dry, there are gobs and gobs of 85-91 F350 4x4s around for cheap, I know the front axle springs are further apart then the bump frame, anyone know of a good way to get around this to mount a 80s d60 under a bump frame?

Cut the perches off and relocate them? Do a 10.25 swap with big U joints at the same time and the wheel base should look OK.

[eggman918]

So I've been searching for a long time for highboy running gear for my F250 and keep comin up dry, there are gobs and gobs of 85-91 F350 4x4s around for cheap, I know the front axle springs are further apart then the bump frame, anyone know of a good way to get around this to mount a 80s d60 under a bump frame?

Cut the perches off and relocate them? Do a 10.25 swap with big U joints at the same time and the wheel base should look OK.

That is the other choice, but won't the tires stick out too far ?

[RedneckTexan]

So I've been searching for a long time for highboy running gear for my F250 and keep comin up dry, there are gobs and gobs of 85-91 F350 4x4s around for cheap, I know the front axle springs are further apart then the bump frame, anyone know of a good way to get around this to mount a 80s d60 under a bump frame?

Cut the perches off and relocate them? Do a 10.25 swap with big U joints at the same time and the wheel base should look OK.

I already got a GM 14bt Full Float for the rear installed in the truck rear end is good this is all for the front end... 80-97 trucks had wider frames In the front then the bumps, so the spring perches are too wide, passenger can be easily moved, driver side perch is literally cast into the housing... No way to relocate it... I was just seeing if any of y'all had figured out a way to make it work

[RedneckTexan]

I'm at the same place as you are and I'm planning to shorten the tubes and buy new axle shafts..............

Why? Are you talking about The front or the rear? You would need to lengthen the drivers side tube if anything to make it work?

[eggman918]

You are right the drivers needs to be shorter and the passenger longer i misspoke we just did one for an early bronco and i got a bit

[Ranchero50]

Ditto, I'm not familiar enough with those year front diffy's to offer beyond generic advice. Maybe some offset perches? Post up some pics.

[RedneckTexan]

After even more reading, I've come to learn I can use my F250 2wd frame, and a 76 F100 4x4 Dana 44, buy cutting out the 2wd cross member and welding in the 4x4 one, then install 4x4 radius arm brackets and 4x4 coils I the 2wd spring buckets, and put 44HD outer knuckles spindles and hubs to match the rear, will the coils hold up ok under a F250? I'm only running 35" tires and a 300 six/np435 for a power plant

[Ranchero50]

After even more reading, I've come to learn I can use my F250 2wd frame, and a 76 F100 4x4 Dana 44, buy cutting out the 2wd cross member and welding in the 4x4 one, then install 4x4 radius arm brackets and 4x4 coils I the 2wd spring buckets, and put 44HD outer knuckles spindles and hubs to match the rear, will the coils hold up ok under a F250? I'm only running 35" tires and a 300 six/np435 for a power plant

Cool. I'd love to go 4x4 on my dually since it's worthless in wet grass with an aluminum bed on the back. Dad's '03 F250 has a solid front axle and I'd thought about going that route even if I had to run standard rims up front.

[Lone Ranger]

That seems like an awful lot of work for basically a dana 44 HD axle. I've seen new front 60s for like 1500 bucks.

Ranchero your diesel 350 would be so cool as a 4x4 dually!!

[RedneckTexan]

Lone Ranger, I'm in the process of Retubing my 86 Dana 60 into a 79 Dana 60 spec axle I'm gunna post the updates in the project update section

[Lone Ranger]

Awesome I'm curious about this whole process. Were the 79s beefier?

[RedneckTexan]

No sir, 78-79 d60 front diff was 3" closer to the pass side of the truck, the 80+ trucks had a wider frame in the front... so your leaf spring lands on top the pumpkin, so I'm shortening the long tube 3" and replacing the drivers side tube with one 3" longer to bolt it up under my bumpside, my father in law is a damn good machinist and has all the equipment to do it so that's this weekends project!

[Lone Ranger]

Cool you should take lots of pics and make like build thread for it. I'm sure lots of people are curious how to do that. If my 44 ever breaks I'd like to upgrade to a 60 as well.