hey guys, im kinda new here to FTE and would like to take this chance to say hello.....
now im currently changing out the front axle on my 77 highboy, putting in a HP dana 60 from a 79 f350 and i was wondering what is the best way to set up the steering. i would like to do away with the hydro assist and go crossover but im not sure how to go about it. i have the steering box from the 79 350, just not sure how well it will mount to my frame seeing how it is obviously different if it will even work at all, ive heard you need the box from a 2wd but thats about where i get lost. also the axle has 4.88 gears, detroit, 39.5 tsl's so it needs to be strong.

thanks in advance

mike

 

Welcome. Here is an article to read on this matter.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...r_Highboy.html

Also, you have the 79 F350 box, so setting this up is some work, but not bad if you can weld. I did the steering conversion on mine. I don't have the Dana 60, but the steering setup is pretty much the same from 78/79 F250 4x4 and the 79F350 4x4. You can check out my gallery to see how I did mine.

Edit: There is another FTE member 75F350 who did the crossover setup on his truck and knows alot about steering setups and whatnot.

 

This steering box that you have is a 4wd steering box right? You do not want to use a
2wd box. The 2wd box is a tall box and is a pain to use.
You want to use the box that came from the donor truck. This is a 4 bolt steering box, and will have to be mounted on the inside of the frame rail. The catch here is that you have a different crossmember and this wall have to be cut to accomodate this steering box. This means that you will require some welding and general fabrication skills.
Fortunately you have a nice steering box, and the sector shaft has splines all the way around so you can simply re-index the pitman arm to swing from left to right.
You then have to decide whether or not you are going to use spherical rod ends or tie rod ends, and make upa drag link.
Then you purchase a steering arm and bolt that up. The rest is fairly straight foward.
Now, this would be if you want to use the F250/350 box from the 79. It carries some value and can be sold for a decent price. This money can be used to install a different style box and may require less fabrication.
Here is one of my rides with a 3 bolt F150 box:


Here is my other ride using a saginaw 4 turn 16:1 box:


each uses x-over steering and each steers great. each one was not difficult at all to modify, and can be accomplished in the driveway.

 

LOL.....75F350 already posted as I just edited mine to give you his name....I knew he'd chime in here.

 

I was waiting for you to post up Buck. I was looking for the pics of your install. How funny is that???
Your install is as clean as it gets. Great job again.......

 

Thanks. I was lucky enough to have a steering box and a drag link for nothing and also to have just a clean chassis to work with when I did mine. Also, a brother who helped me weld it all together. I did the torch work, temporary mounting of everything and he ran the welder. I would have been almost impossible to do with everything else mounted. Definitely my other choice would have been what you did. Talk about a nice setup. The other thing that needs modification is some notching out of my core support to fit up to the steering box on my setup.



Also, 75F350, where did you get all the parts needed for your setups?

 

My junk comes from salvage yards. Heak the entire red truck came from an old farm here in So Ca. This truck was just a cab, and rolling chassis. No fenders or anything. A goat used to live in it, and some chickens had some stake in it. Still think I smell the chickens once in a while, lol.

Anyway, I visit the salvage yards from time to time, and have learned how to eyeball some parts. A little experience can go a long way.
Other times I find old rolling chassis, and junk vehicles, that can be parted out. Pating out vehicles helps to pay for my dirty habits.
Other coll places to visit is aviation graveyards and surplus places. I can spend hours roaming these places.

Hi-jack complete.......

 

im so jealous, "heres on of my rides with big lift, big tires, bulletproof drivetrain, then heres the other cool vehicle......" i knew a guy near me had a 67 olds cutlass. it was his pieced together car. beautiful car. the other two had won olds nationals for restored cars. i also wish our winters didnt destroy everything around here within 10 yrs.

 

hey thanks buck and 75f350 for the wisdom, i really appreciate it, yes the box is from a 4x4 and i think i can make it work it just terrifies me to start cutting on something without some kind of idea on which way im going with it. do you have any pics of the crossmember. the driverside needs moved back a few inches i know but ive only got one shot at it so i need to get it right. also what about that wierd looking "lip" on top of the frame on the highboy...should i just cut that off and brace the hell out of it....thanks again

mike

 

If you check out my pic"s in my gallery you will see a box on my hi boy from a 1979 F-350. Cut out a spacer, torch off top of frame,drill holes and add bolts. After c-clamping it to the frame turn it to make sure steering arm clears the frame, first one I did 10 years ago I had to grind the a little off the top of the arm, as I just slid under the truck and removed old and clamped the spacer and box to frame attached steering arm, and column, then drilled holes and 5 hrs later driving down the road. The current one I took a little more time with and it clears ok. It does not look as nice as all the other one but it does the job.

Gool luck with your project.