welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Gateway to the West
welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
To all those who dislike the TTB/TIB suspension, best of luck in your quest. For those of us who like it, We will keep our smoother ride and not lose sleep over it. TTB/TIB trucks for having such a "bad" suspension system under them are still the truck and suspension type of choice for many Baja and sand racers because of the incredible wheel travel you can get from it. I believe BAJA regulations limit trucks to 15" of wheel travel but getting 19+ from a TIB is not unheard of. Autofab.com is a prime testament to the TTB considering with their mods, even a TTB truck can acheive 16" of wheel travel. Not bad for such a "bad" idea.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
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welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
>>TTB suspension is a bad idea in general.
>
>I guess Ford engineers just stuck it under every fullsize
>half-ton for nearly 15 years because they figured they could
>get away with a "BAD idea"!
That's true actually. Ford put a lot of work into TTB, and didn't want to change. Besides, it was cheaper to keep doing the same old thing once on that track. It's the same way Ford managed to build Broncos with rain gutters that crack for 16 years, and dist mounted TFI modules that fail for what.......10 years or so throughout the entire Ford line-up (incl cars)??
Just because a vehicle manufacturer does something for 16 years does not mean it's a good idea........
>
>I guess Ford engineers just stuck it under every fullsize
>half-ton for nearly 15 years because they figured they could
>get away with a "BAD idea"!
That's true actually. Ford put a lot of work into TTB, and didn't want to change. Besides, it was cheaper to keep doing the same old thing once on that track. It's the same way Ford managed to build Broncos with rain gutters that crack for 16 years, and dist mounted TFI modules that fail for what.......10 years or so throughout the entire Ford line-up (incl cars)??
Just because a vehicle manufacturer does something for 16 years does not mean it's a good idea........
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 937
Likes: 0
welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
>It wouldn't be hard to add a track bar, but probably even
>easier to convert to leaf springs like the heavier TTBs use.
> You KNOW leaves can hold the axle in place - they obviously
>do on the REAR axle!
Steve's right. It makes much more sense to do this with D50 TTB like this guy did:
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jzettel73/TTB_Conversion.html
>easier to convert to leaf springs like the heavier TTBs use.
> You KNOW leaves can hold the axle in place - they obviously
>do on the REAR axle!
Steve's right. It makes much more sense to do this with D50 TTB like this guy did:
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jzettel73/TTB_Conversion.html
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 937
Likes: 0
welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
>I thought about putting leafs under my 78 Bronco, but the
>work that you would have to get involved in just isnt worth
>it.
Your '78 is the easiest of all to get front leafs under. Get the hangers from any '77ish F250 and it's nearly a bolt-on deal. You do have to box the front framerails and burn a hole for the rear shackle pivot.
But you're right - the issue becomes the steering arm clearing the leaves with those stupid Sag boxes mounted outside of the framerails. So steering will take some creativity and almost surely a different box.
>work that you would have to get involved in just isnt worth
>it.
Your '78 is the easiest of all to get front leafs under. Get the hangers from any '77ish F250 and it's nearly a bolt-on deal. You do have to box the front framerails and burn a hole for the rear shackle pivot.
But you're right - the issue becomes the steering arm clearing the leaves with those stupid Sag boxes mounted outside of the framerails. So steering will take some creativity and almost surely a different box.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 937
Likes: 0
welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
>To all those who dislike the TTB/TIB suspension, best of
>luck in your quest. For those of us who like it, We will
>keep our smoother ride and not lose sleep over it. TTB/TIB
>trucks for having such a "bad" suspension system under them
>are still the truck and suspension type of choice for many
>Baja and sand racers because of the incredible wheel travel
>you can get from it.
Have you driven many different kinds of solid axle trucks? For most uses the "smoother ride" thing is a myth. My leaf sprung SAS rides every bit as good as my old TTB, and handles better to boot.
You're right - the only application where TTB makes sense is in the desert, but keep in mind their TTB is nothing like what you drive daily......and those guys don't have to worry about tire wear due to bad camber and all the TTB alignment nightmares as they're rarely on pavement.
>luck in your quest. For those of us who like it, We will
>keep our smoother ride and not lose sleep over it. TTB/TIB
>trucks for having such a "bad" suspension system under them
>are still the truck and suspension type of choice for many
>Baja and sand racers because of the incredible wheel travel
>you can get from it.
Have you driven many different kinds of solid axle trucks? For most uses the "smoother ride" thing is a myth. My leaf sprung SAS rides every bit as good as my old TTB, and handles better to boot.
You're right - the only application where TTB makes sense is in the desert, but keep in mind their TTB is nothing like what you drive daily......and those guys don't have to worry about tire wear due to bad camber and all the TTB alignment nightmares as they're rarely on pavement.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 766
Likes: 0
From: Lakeville USA
welding ttb to make it a solid axle?
im doin it in a few weeks as soon as my dad brins ohme an arc welder. im gonna make a track bar and just use all custom made parts instead of buying all this other crap. hopefully it will be cheap and easy. Im just going to get two of those alignment levels and get them completely strait and weld her up. Just so you know the only reason im doing it is because im poor now after lifting my truck and putting on tires and this camber issue is really pissing me off.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,205
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From: Vancouver WA
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