Steering options for a HP D60

[bmyohn]

I am bringing home a '78 HP Dana 60 this weekend and am trying to get plans set to swap in this axle in place of my HP D30. I am looking at putting in the TnT Truss with coil buckets, trac bar mount, LCA mounts, etc but it is $600 so I may just drop the truss idea and do the mounts seperately to save money. As I debate the mounts, I also have to keep in mind what I want to do with my steering.

What is the most common thing to do with the steering on a HP D60? I am running OTK steering now, but I hear that it is fairly common to run a crossover steering on a D60. This also would allow me to run a Hydro-assist system as well. But I would like to hear comments about what is common to run for steering on this big of an axle.

Thanks!

 

[Jump This]

If you are running full width I've seen them run with the original stock set up from the Ford you got the axle from.

 

[XJLI]

the TNT truss blows. you can do steering however you want. one of my friends runs OTK with tie rod ends, inverted T, hydro assist. another runs the ballistic setup with heims, inverted T, hydro assist. another crossover, TREs, hydro assist. whats your lift height? fullwidth? what do you plan on doing with the rig? hydro assist will work pretty much any way you set up the steering.

 

[RCman]

the TNT truss blows. you can do steering however you want.

Those two points pretty much sum it up.

Any conventional steering setup can/will work unless you push the axle far enough forward where the pitman arm from the box no longer works. At that point your only option is full hydro.
The easiest option? Grab a high steer arm for the pass side and run the drag link to that, then run the tie rod in the stock location. That assumes your wheel choice will allow it.

What you want to spend is the big question that will determine what you end up with for steering.

 

[bmyohn]

I plan on running it full width, I would like to run hydro assist as I believe the ram will be cheaper and will allow me to "legally" run it on the road. After talking with macgyvr high steer arms seem to be the way to go. I would just have to figure out what size heim's i want to run, how to tie in a drag link and how high to mount my trac bar.

 

[RCman]

I plan on running it full width, I would like to run hydro assist as I believe the ram will be cheaper and will allow me to "legally" run it on the road. After talking with macgyvr high steer arms seem to be the way to go. I would just have to figure out what size heim's i want to run, how to tie in a drag link and how high to mount my trac bar.

The ram may be cheaper but when to take into account no tie rod or drag link it's pretty much a wash. That's assuming everything else stays the same.
If you're running rod ends and high steer there are only a few options. Basically going to have to see what fits and what doesn't before you can nail down a geometry. A double holed pass arm might not work if you are running coils and a front stretch so that leaves a pair of single holed arms and the tie rod/drag link rod ends on the same bolt on the pass side.

I'm running 7/8"s rod ends w/ full hydro, but 5/8"s would probably be fine. Your panhard mount will come last once you get the drag link, just be sure to keep it in mind when you start putting things together

 

[bmyohn]

The ram may be cheaper but when to take into account no tie rod or drag link it's pretty much a wash. That's assuming everything else stays the same.
If you're running rod ends and high steer there are only a few options. Basically going to have to see what fits and what doesn't before you can nail down a geometry. A double holed pass arm might not work if you are running coils and a front stretch so that leaves a pair of single holed arms and the tie rod/drag link rod ends on the same bolt on the pass side.

I'm running 7/8"s rod ends w/ full hydro, but 5/8"s would probably be fine. Your panhard mount will come last once you get the drag link, just be sure to keep it in mind when you start putting things together

Perfect, thank you for the info. I am a SCM (Logistics) Major so trying to figure out in my head what has to happen and in what order will keep me up nights.

Is a front stretch a common thing to do when doing a full-width swap? If that is something I can consider, I also have to see what type of adjustment is left in my Y-link suspension set up.

What type of ram are you running for your full hydro setup? With your set up can you run it off of your factory power steering pump?

 

[foxwar71]

Dont bother with the TnT truss, build your own if you feel like you need/want one. Here's a picture of the steering on my 60. Crossover high steer, tie rod under the arms and draglink over. 1.5"x.250" DOM and 7/8x3/4 rod ends all around for the steering and trackbar. I could of also done like RCman suggested with the tierod mounted OTK on the factory steering arms, but I wanted my tierod higher up outta harms way. I put it under the high steer arms to help with trackbar clearance and to be able to mount my assist ram off of my truss.

 

[RCman]

Perfect, thank you for the info. I am a SCM (Logistics) Major so trying to figure out in my head what has to happen and in what order will keep me up nights.

Is a front stretch a common thing to do when doing a full-width swap? If that is something I can consider, I also have to see what type of adjustment is left in my Y-link suspension set up.

What type of ram are you running for your full hydro setup? With your set up can you run it off of your factory power steering pump?

It's really not the hard part, you've just got to get it underneath and see what will fit with your setup.

Pretty common, mostly due to the larger tires and clearance issues (and the front approach gain).

I'm running a PSC SC2212K 2.5" cylinder that I had limited to the correct throw when I ordered it. Works well. I can't comment on the stock pump I "bought the kit" and it was worth it not to have to piece mail and hope everything worked together. If I was to guess I'd say no the stock output is probably not enough.

I'm not advocating full hydro on the street, while I'd have no problem running it, it would bother others (and possibly local laws). Assist is fine if setup correct. Do yourself a favor and buy the quality parts from a place like PSC or do it yourself, don't buy from some hole in the wall backyard mechanic that sells 10 boxes a year that he "ports" with this hand drill. It isn't worth the hassle I've seen some of my local wheeling buddies go through.

 

[Exxon Valdez Jeep]

Those two points pretty much sum it up.
The easiest option? Grab a high steer arm for the pass side and run the drag link to that, then run the tie rod in the stock location. That assumes your wheel choice will allow it.

I have the T&T truss, wouldnt go that route again. tracbar bracket isnt quite the right hieght, and its pricey as hell one you add crap onto it! I have the passenger high steer arm, and then the tie rod otk. Ballistic tie rod set with chevy TREs. Works good and I havent had any pronlems hitting the tierod in the rocks. My axle is pushed forward about two inches also.

 

[Ghost]

I ran an Ironman4x4Fab Tierod flipped on top of the stock location and a Ballistic Fab High steer arm for the drag link. Hydro assist to a home built bracket bolted on top of the diff cover ties into the tierod.

 

[knucklehead 61]

is this a street / offroad rig or a pure trail rig?
what size tires are you going to run?
i had hydro assist on my '79 d60 on 39.5 iroks.
it was running rustys long arms (junk) ballistic hi steer arms, & bulletproof steering links with 3/4 heims, coil springs, & 12" 5150 bilsteins.
i took off most of that & went with a 3 link that i fabbed up using ruffstuff brackets & 1.25" heims, psc full hydro steering, & fabbed up some trussing & mounts in my shop.
you can see the progression in my crap-tastic blog / build thread here:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1042976

 

[bmyohn]

is this a street / offroad rig or a pure trail rig?
what size tires are you going to run?
i had hydro assist on my '79 d60 on 39.5 iroks.
it was running rustys long arms (junk) ballistic hi steer arms, & bulletproof steering links with 3/4 heims, coil springs, & 12" 5150 bilsteins.
i took off most of that & went with a 3 link that i fabbed up using ruffstuff brackets & 1.25" heims, psc full hydro steering, & fabbed up some trussing & mounts in my shop.
you can see the progression in my crap-tastic blog / build thread here:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1042976

This will mostly be a offroad rig that will see the occasional road time. I would like to run 38s when all is said and done.

I will definitely be going through your build thread in the near future.

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

Ried Knuckles, Balistic arms, 1.25 5/16 wall DOM direct tapped for 3/4 3/4 ruffstuff hiems, WJ pitman arm, tie rod is now mounted underneath the arms to clear the wj pitman arm

 

[bmyohn]

I have been looking at high steer arms, is there a preffered brand? Or is one manufacturer's arms no better than another's?

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

I have been looking at high steer arms, is there a preffered brand? Or is one manufacturer's arms no better than another's?

i was looking into poly performance and a couple others but had the balistics pop up on pirate in the for sale section for real cheap, i keep an eye out there, deals can be had

 

[RCman]

I have been looking at high steer arms, is there a preffered brand? Or is one manufacturer's arms no better than another's?

I don't like the ones that keep the stock kingpin caps as they seem like they don't have a lot of material around the bolt holes. They could be fine, but I didn't want to risk it, especially with hydro or hydro assist.

I can't comment any further than that. I made my own from some 4140 stock.

I also had to mount my short tie rods from the ram UNDER the high steer arms so I had oil pan clearance with the ram. Still not the greatest clearance but it works and yields me about ~4" of up-travel, fine for most of the stuff I do.

 

[rockclimber]

I don't like the ones that keep the stock kingpin caps as they seem like they don't have a lot of material around the bolt holes. They could be fine, but I didn't want to risk it, especially with hydro or hydro assist.

I can't comment any further than that. I made my own from some 4140 stock.

I also had to mount my short tie rods from the ram UNDER the high steer arms so I had oil pan clearance with the ram. Still not the greatest clearance but it works and yields me about ~4" of up-travel, fine for most of the stuff I do.

those look really good!

but I vote you flip those bolts over... don't want to XXXX the threads and never be able to get them off...

 

[RCman]

those look really good!

but I vote you flip those bolts over... don't want to XXXX the threads and never be able to get them off...

Thanks.

I can't. I run stock backspaced H1s and wide tires and it just barely clears the top head of that bolt as it is. If I were to flip it over and the sidewall flexed I'd have issues. Good idea though.

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

but I vote you flip those bolts over... don't want to XXXX the threads and never be able to get them off...

angle grinder+cutoff disc=bolt removed