So I figured I'd post up my latest project for entertainment. It's been a big project so this will be a LONG post. I've had my front axle on stands for the last couple of weeks while I mess around with it. My original plan was to build a double CV driveshaft to deal with the nasty angle I had but I lost my mind and decided to just turn the knuckles. "Just turn the knuckles" is the funny part. It ended up being a LOT more involved project than I anticipated but I learned a few things in the process that may help anyone else stupid enough to attempt such a procedure. Pics are in my gallery and more are to follow: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=15356

First things first. Ideal pinion angle is to have it pointed directly at your T-case. This is easy enough in a truck with a divorced case, even with a huge lift. If you have a married case the front driveline is short and it means your pinion is pointed way up. This requires either degree shims or turning your perches. Aluminum shims suck. Steel shims can be purchased and are what I had originally planned to use. But when I was given a $70 price for the pair I said forget it and decided to turn the perches. The tough part on a front axle is that your driver's side perch is cast into the pumpkin. So what I did is removed the passenger's side perch with a grinder. I then positioned the axle under the truck with U-bolts off and weight on the axle, allowing the loose perch to spin in place on the axle. I put a jack under the pinion and jacked it up until it was at a zero angle with the driveline. This means the passenger's side perch was angled where I wanted it so I spotted it in place and then removed the axle and finished welding the perch in place. I then welded a piece of 1/4" plate to the front half of the driver's side perch and ground the back half of it, using an angle finder to match it to the passenger's side. It took about 20 minites to build up the driver's side perch and get it even with the passenger's side. Not too bad really AND I saved $70.

 

You can only turn the perches so far before you screw up caster. If you go too far the steering becomes downright dangerous. So to correct your steering you need to turn your knuckles to achieve proper angle. I'm always screwed up on which way is + caster and which is - but basically you want the top of your knuckle to be slightly back and the bottom slightly forward. 4 degrees seems to be a minimum caster angle and 7 is about max. If you have too little angle your steering will not correct itself when you come out of a turn and it can even cause the wheel to unexpectedly turn hard. I have no friggin clue what would happen if you went too far the other way but I would venture a guess that it would be hard to turn at speed and you'd increase tire wear.

There's a couple ways to go about turning the knuckles for proper caster. You can turn the tubes at the pumpking but this looks to be a major PITA. You can cut the tubes and sleeve them and then weld it all back together. My fear is that your tubes just won't be strong enough. I researched it carefully and found the easiest (relative term) and best way was to turn the cast C's that the knuckles mount to. What this involves is removing the weld material that holds the C's on the tube, pounding the C's off with a hammer, and then re-installing the C's with the proper angle. To start you need to remove the hubs, spindles, shafts, and knuckles. Once these are off you're ready to go to work.

To remove the weld I used the trusty 4.5" angle grinder. This takes a little patience. I started with the passenger's side and made the mistake of grinding a little deeper into the tube than I needed to. It wasn't a big deal because I filled it back in but avoid doing this if you can. You shouldn't need to cut more than 1/8" into the tube itself. You really just need to push the grinder sideways into the C until all the material is removed. Keep an eye out for a hairline crack appearing. It's HARD to see so you have to look carefully. Spraying WD40 makes the crack appear more easily. Once you can see the crack ALL THE WAY around you're ready to start the fun part: Pounding the C's off. Before you start, use a punch and make a mark on the tube and the C to use as a point of reference when you turn them.

For removing the C's you'll need a hammer. Not just any hammer . . . not even a BFH. Get yourself the biggest nastiest sledge you can find. I used a splitting maul sledge thing . . . 12 pounds worth. It was really too small, but that's what I had. Be smarter than me and don't settle for what you have. Go buy a proper sledge because you're gonna need it. I spent 5 hours straight, slamming the living $%^%$ out of that C. I was afraid it was going to break but it didn't. I pounded the lower side much harder than the upper as it's about twice as thick. The lower edge flattened out and looked all funny but it didn't break and the C wouldn't move. Then I got smart so listen up . . . this will help BIG time. I bought some dry ice, $3 worth to be exact, and placed it in the end of the tube. I let that sit for about 5 minutes and then took a little propane torch to the tube. The propane torch wasn't much heat but enough to get that thing moving with the help of the dry ice. After a lot more pounding it came off. Now I've heard a couple guys say that they pounded the C's and got them to turn so they didn't have to take them off. I don't see how the hell this is possible (I tried) but it MAY be if you try what I did with the driver's side. Now THIS is the ticket! Next day I started early in the AM and bought a few more pounds of dry ice. I took the axle to my dad's place where I had access to a proper torch. I packed the tube with dry ice again and used the torch on the C but I only heated the sides. They are thin and expand quickly with heat. I could actually hear the C popping loose from the tube. Started bashing with the sledge again and I had the C off in less than an hour total time. The dry ice with good heat made a HUGE difference. Once the C's were off I cleaned up the tube with emery cloth to take any rough edges off of it and prepared for installation. But I'm tired of typing now so tomorrow I'll tell you how to put them back on!

 

When I removed my dana 70 knuckles, I wailed on them with the sledge for a while, then tried my 20 ton press- it started to bend the steel framework of the press!! Took it to neighbors place and tried his 50 ton press-nothing!!! went home and brought my torch back, after heating the knuckle for about 20 minutes it finally started to move!!!

 

Cool writeup. The magazines talk about it, but I haven't heard of anybody but shops doing it. Hope it works out well. The grinding made me think of when I shortened my driveshaft. It is hard to get the hairline without removing too much metal. Fortunately, driveshafts are thin

 

With the pinion pointing up at such an angle, do you think the pinion bearings will get enough lube? I know this is common practice, but I have always wondered how the pinions survive.

 

This was my original concern Tom. I posted about this a while back in the offroad forum: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=335486 General concensus was that I will not have oiling issues and I believe this to be correct (if not I'll know it in a hurry here). Looking at the design of the high pinion D60 there are two passages in the case that run back to the pinion bearing, one at the bottom and one at the top. With the ring gear spinning forward it will EASILY force the oil up the lower passage. I do plan to overfill the case a bit. I just need to adapt a new plug high in my diff cover. I tried to have the guys I bought the cover from install a higher plug but they're all pre-stamped so they wouldn't do it. More fabrication for Ivan! Shouldn't be hard though, I'm just waiting on the cover.

 

harder to turn at speed, and you lose turning radius....tire wear won't change.

 

What style driveshaft are you going to run? I thought for ujoint dshaft...you want pinion angle parallel to the tcase? For cv joint, I thought you wanted it directly at the tcase. Not criticizing at all, just trying to sort it out in my little brain. Cool writeup.

 

I'm running a CV at the T-case. It's necessary with the angle I'm running. Even with the CV it's almost maxed out. Eventually I'll have Jess build my a front driveshaft but for now I'm wildly spending money on booze and loose women. If you're not running a CV you can have the pinion angle parallel to the t-case (or it can be pointed straight at it) but with my pinion down like that my driveshaft would be about 40 degrees which is too much for pretty much any u-joint. I think the 1410's max out at 40. Then if you're flexing in a postion where you have the driver's side drooping you would grenade it for certain.

 

Ok, I gotcha now...the way it was written I thought you were running a ujoint. CV is the way to go for sure...I've lifted a Jeep YJ and trying to fight it without a CV is dumb.

I'm going to go 1410 on the driveshafts/yokes on my '76 as they break. The NP205 in my M715 has a 1310 yoke...how scary is that, it's out of a 77 1ton Chevy.

 

Looks like you got more money to spend than this guy! Looking good!

Sorry to hijack your post, but how does a guy replace the pinion seal on a rear Dana 60? Mine is leaking.....

 

Nope, just more credit cards and less patience. The fab work costs nothing. The axle upgrades are a little pricey but I'd rather do it right the first time and not risk destroying the axle when I really need it most. For expenses:

ARB- $700
5.13's - $170
Steering Ram - $50
Inner axles - $150
CTMs - $500
Superior Stubs - $600
Premium hubs - $200
Diff cover - $160

I padded one of those numbers a little but I won't tell you which one. Someone screwed up so I got a steel of a deal and just listed retail for it. But it's about right because I also didn't list all the little junk that is needed along the way. This includes the install kit for the R&P ($50-$100), inner seals ($30), wheel bearings if you should need them ($70 per side). So all in all about $2500 or so into that D60. That part hurt so to make myself feel better I go over to Pirate and read about Camo and his $10,000 D60 front. Suddenly I feel better about the whole thing. Good news is it should be pretty damn bullet proof now. Weak points as I see it are my inners and knuckles. If I snap an inner (doubtful) I'll go to Superior. If I break a knuckle it'll be time for Dedenbear or Crane which is about $500 for a pair. Since I'm not jumping this truck I should be fine.

 

Great write up ivan, its good to see someone attempt this without the help of a shop and then do a write up on it, i might be in the same boat as you with having to turn the c's when i lift/sas my truck as the front driveline got shorter up about 6" when i swapped the busted 208 for the 205 (but luckily i have a f-350 to rod the shafts from).

That idea with the dry ice is awesome and by heating up the sides of the c's must be a lot easier on the c as less pounding is involved. Can't wait till you get to go and test the cap'n out, get pictures too.

EDIT:

A jewel in the rough, hummmmm i think you've been adding to your rep under other names .

 

And all so useless without any sort of front driveline....

 

It was my understanding that Crane knuckles would not work for a Ford application, is this true???

What brand of diff cover are you using? I am thinking of going with a Crane cover on mine. Its a bit expensive at $215.00 though.