I have a 1974 F250 4x4 crewcab that needs tie rod ends pretty bad. It has a low pinion Dana 60 front axle (6CF according to Marti report). It seems that MOOG is the only one that makes both sides and it’s a 6-8 week lead time on parts because they’re coming from China.

In an effort to save some time and support American, I am considering having some made. I imagine this is common in the off-road world. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

Mwoj, most in the custom 4x4 world use chevy 1 ton tie rods that I've seen. On my 73 bronco I did that upgrade and needed to ream the knuckles to the correct taper.
in my 75 f250 highboy I'm building, I swapped to a 79 power steering box and 79 front end. Just for fun, I tried my tapered reamer in the 79 pitman arm. It is the same taper as the chevy 1 tons. I'm sorry I don't know what the taper is offhand. I haven't tried the taper in the axle knuckles.

 

Rock Auto has choices. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...e+rod+end,7428

7* is the taper I believe.

 

Is the front axle ID tag still present? It's located under two of the bolts that retain the inspection cover to the axle housing. If you have it, post the Ford ID number found on it.

I may be able to find NOS parts, but I need the tag number because there are several different tie rods ends.

 

I did the chevy 1 ton TRE swap using a 7* ream and just made the tie rod and drag link out of 1.5" ID DOM using some weld in TRE inserts that you can get from lots of 4x4 websites. It was pretty easy to do, I just copied the lengths over from the factory parts, cut the DOM, welded in the inserts, screwed on the TREs, reamed the holes out, and bolted them in and got it aligned. Now parts are plentiful and you can get several varieties of offset and high angle TREs from aftermaket if you lift it.

 

Thank you for the responses everyone. I was able to clean up the axle tag and got the following info:

4.10 D3TS-MA (the stamping on the last symbol is faint, it may be a 4 instead of an A)

603448-1

If there are no NOS parts available I will probably go the Chevy TRE route. It just feels wrong putting a Chevy part on a Ford truck

AS always, thank you NumberDummy for offering your help/resources.

 

The taper on tie rods are all the same for american vehicles that I know of. 1 1/2 inch taper per foot, My old memory thinks it is 7 degrees. Chevy tie rods are just drilled deeper than the fords. Ball Joints are 2 inch taper per foot. Here is a reamer.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...SABEgK_0fD_BwE

Here is a sleeve for the 1 ton gm tie rods. Just drill out to 7/8 inch and install tapered sleeve.
https://cavfab.com/products/flip-sle...iABEgLAxvD_BwE

A chart of tie rods by size, might be of some help to someone.

https://www.moog-suspension-parts.co...e_rod_ends.asp

 

Ford: D3TS-MA / Dana: 603448-1 = 1973/79 Ford Truck Parts Catalog ~ Front driving axle parts list # 30.5G

Right tie rod end only serviced with this assembly:

D3TZ-3280-B.. Spindle Connecting Rod Assy / Obsolete

NOS PARTS SOURCE in Olathe KS shows 1 (913-220-5746) but this guy never updates his inventory on websites.

So it may be gone, possibly as long as 10 years ago!
----------------------------------------------------------
Left: D3TZ-3A131-B .. Left Tie Rod End / Obsolete

NOS PARTS LTD in Waxahachie TX has 1 = 972-937-2201

GREEN SALES CO. in Cincinnati OH has 2 = 800-543-4959

 

Thank you so much! I emailed the seller on rearcounter.com and will call the parts dealers first thing in the morning. Fingers crossed they’re not a million bucks. I’ll probably buy them either way.

 

I dug up the phone number, plus I goofed, typed the wrong part number, corrected it, but you must have seen it before I corrected it.

Dealer in KS may have it, see my post again // Dealer in NY (Miller Auto Parts) doesn't have the correct number.

What can I say, haven't been on FTE for almost 3 years.

 

No worries at all. Thank you for the update.

 

Well the Kansas guy was only able to offer me an aftermarket MOOG part. So I will look into making a custom set. Thank you everyone.

 

What's wrong with Moog? They've always been considered one of the better replacement parts. I like modifying my vehicles, but If i don't wan or have to modify something and can get a decent bolt on part, that's what I'm gonna do.