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From: owner-61-79-list-digest ford-trucks.com (61-79-list-digest)
To: 61-79-list-digest ford-trucks.com
Subject: 61-79-list-digest V3 #476
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61-79-list-digest Monday, December 27 1999 Volume 03 : Number 476



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Ford Truck Enthusiasts - 1961-1979 Trucks and Vans
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In this issue:

FTE 61-79 - Starting front axle rebuild - Steering ?'s

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Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 23:47:52 -0800 (PST)
From: draco pacifier.com
Subject: FTE 61-79 - Starting front axle rebuild - Steering ?'s

I am off work for the coming week, so am going to attempt rebuilding
my front axle. I currently have the axle assembly out with the axles
removed and diff. cover off.

This is what I have:
- - 1/2 ton '74 F-100 (coil springs)
- - Reverse rotation Dana 44 with open differential and 3.50 ring &
pinion
- - Broken teeth on the spider gears - side gears, ring, and pinion
look good so far
- - Disk brake spindles installed by a previous owner
- - Original, funky ram type power assist setup leaking badly

I am going to have a lot of questions during this process since I
have never done this before. To start with:

1) When I disconnected the tie rod ends from the steering knuckles,
there was some shim stock wrapped around the tapers. Also the
Castle nuts screwed down too far so the cotter pin didn't really
engage the cutouts in the nuts. I remember someone saying the
tapers are a different size between drum brake and disk brake
knuckles.

Is it possible to identify the year truck that these knuckles came
from? The only numbers on them are 620170L and 620169R.

If I get a tie rod for a '79, Will it work with my existing drag
link?

Should the tie rod length be the same irregardless of whether
the axle housing is a '74 or '79?

Can I use the drag link from a '79 with the afore-mentioned tie
rod with the existing manual steering box? I would toss the ram-
assist stuff until I could get an integral box mounted.

2) All of the rubber bushing material on the radius arms need
replacing. The truck is stock height.

If my concerns are cost and longevity, where should I get them?
Should I consider polyurethane?

I noticed poly C bushings with a 2 degree offset for stock height
to 2" lift. Anyone know of aftermarket springs that would give
me the 2" lift with close to stock spring rate?

3) With everything disconnected and the spindles removed, one
steering knuckle is very easy to turn by hand and the other is
pretty stiff. I don't feel any play in either one. Should I
replace the ball joints on the stiff side, or just replace them
all?

4) Anyone near southwest Washington state have a '78 or '79
F-150 with stock steering components I can take a look at?
Maybe let me take some measurements and pictures?


Mark in Southwest Washington
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.pacifier.com/~draco/Truck.html
- --
'74 F-100 Ranger XLT 4X4
temporarily in live mode

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

End of 61-79-list-digest V3 #476
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