[BigfootOne]

Ok, I have been trying to educate myself on axles to swap into my '79 Bronco, and have a bead on a nice set of axles from a late 80's F350, D60/Sterling 10.25. I have read in these forums (searched:goodfinge) that the spring perches on the sterling will bolt right up with the right U bolts. I have also read here that the perches will need to be relocated.

Which is right? I am going to go measure my Bronco tomorrow, but I think it is 32" spacing between the rear leafs, as opposed to 36" on the sterling. School me!!

Also, I found that the front D60 (leaf) will be 36". Has anybody leaf sprung a 78-79 with a later model D60? Help me out guys, I don't jump on here with dumb questions all that often and don't want to miss this deal if the axles will work.

BF

 

[BigfootOne]

Ok, I couldn't help myself and went out with a fashlight and measured. Looks like the front is 32" and the rear more like 42". I will be running 38x12.50 with 4" or 6" of lift if it matters.

BF

 

[hav24wheel]

you can make them fit... get them or you will forever be kicking yourself... the rear axle should bolt up if the pickup it came out of is a SRW. the front will take some fab work, all depends if you want leafs or keep the coils. but they will work for ya..

 

[KyleQ]

Impossible - it cannot be done...

Oh whoops - I guess we just did it

Drop brackets getting hacked off - new bushings in last night and tonight we make DOM arm exstentions and a new trans x-member.

 

[BigfootOne]

you can make them fit... get them or you will forever be kicking yourself... the rear axle should bolt up if the pickup it came out of is a SRW. the front will take some fab work, all depends if you want leafs or keep the coils. but they will work for ya..

Thanks for the reply. I was planning on running leafs up front for the sake of ease and cost, but we'll see I guess.

Impossible - it cannot be done...

Oh whoops - I guess we just did it

Drop brackets getting hacked off - new bushings in last night and tonight we make DOM arm exstentions and a new trans x-member.

Thanks for the pix Kyle. I thought there was a lot less room between the pumpkin and left axle end than your pic shows.

BF

 

[KyleQ]

Thanks for the pix Kyle. I thought there was a lot less room between the pumpkin and left axle end than your pic shows.

BF

No problem - I left it huge for the detail.

That is a 1986 Dana 60 - a 78 or 79 D60 will look exactly like your D44 (as for width)

Here is the rear -

I'm not sure what kind of modification (if any) it took to get it to fit like this. We got uber lucky and picked up the D60/Sterling combo that came out of a 78'.

 

[hav24wheel]

tonight we make DOM arm exstentions and a new trans x-member.

if i were you i would rethink the extentions. i did that to my arms and ended up bending them. i have a arm radius arm build in the tec section..
http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122054

also it looks like the rear was just a bolt in, so originally it must have beem a SRW vehicle..
so BigfootWannabe even if its not a SRW rear axle all you have to do is move the spring perch out about 2.5 inches on each side. thats what i had to do on my rear axle. the front axle is not all that hard, even with keeping the coils. just takes alot of time test fittin and grinder work.

 

[KyleQ]

if i were you i would rethink the extentions. i did that to my arms and ended up bending them. i have a arm radius arm build in the tec section..

We are only planning to extend them 4 or 5 inches (where it is mostly sleeved anywase) so we can get hiem joints on the ends of the arms. This is a fix until he gets Cage arms...

Think they will bend being so short?

 

[hav24wheel]

We are only planning to extend them 4 or 5 inches (where it is mostly sleeved anywase) so we can get hiem joints on the ends of the arms. This is a fix until he gets Cage arms...

Think they will bend being so short?

mine were(and the new ones i made) 6 inches longer than stock. if its just a short term thing it should be ok. it was about a year before i bent mine..

 

[KyleQ]

mine were(and the new ones i made) 6 inches longer than stock. if its just a short term thing it should be ok. it was about a year before i bent mine..

Ok - yeah, I dont think he will be running these for a year. I've got 3 spare arms sitting in the garage as well. It looks like the stock arms bent, not the extended arms - looks like it puts a lot more leverage on it then normal and causes the bend. Thanks for your input!

 

[hav24wheel]

ya the stock part of the arm bent. the dom didn't. he should be ok. like you said just short term.. i wheel my pickup pritty hard too so that had something to do with it.

 

[KyleQ]

ya the stock part of the arm bent. the dom didn't. he should be ok. like you said just short term.. i wheel my pickup pritty hard too so that had something to do with it.

Yeah - this should be beat on decently well as well. Thanks for your input.

 

[jopes]

no problems with my extended arms yet.

 

[hav24wheel]

i didn't have mine boxed like it looks like you did to yours.

 

[jopes]

what you see on the outside is only part of it....

-the last 3-4 inches of "I" beam by the stud was filled in with a piece of 3/8" plate then welded good
-the 2.25"x.25 wall DOM goes about half way up that filled in part.
-the plate is on the outside of the I beam it was 3 or 4" x1/4" thick. trimmed the excess after welding.
-inside the DOM on the stud are 2 big nuts welded to the stud then the inside of the DOM one at a time.
-topped off with a 1-1/4" heim.

so far they have been great. :toothless

 

[KyleQ]

Hehe - what was this thread about again?

 

[BigfootOne]

Hehe - what was this thread about again?

I don't remember...:goodfinge

Oh yeah, so considering the difference in width should I keep the coils or go leaf sprung? If I go leafs, do I build 2" offset shackels? Sounds ghetto fab to me? How about coils, the buckets will be 2" outboard of stock? I know I would have to weld wedges onto the axle tube, but I thought the pumpkin would interfere with the proper spacing.

I am getting the axles BTW.

BF

 

[KyleQ]

I don't remember...:goodfinge

Oh yeah, so considering the difference in width should I keep the coils or go leaf sprung? If I go leafs, do I build 2" offset shackels? Sounds ghetto fab to me? How about coils, the buckets will be 2" outboard of stock? I know I would have to weld wedges onto the axle tube, but I thought the pumpkin would interfere with the proper spacing.

I am getting the axles BTW.

BF

The offset works - we did it and the coil buckets are in the stock location. GO coils -

 

[gulfcrestinc]

the pumkin doesn't interfer. mine's a 88 d60. I ground the perch round then did a little trimmin to the leaf perch and it fit good. you will have to trim the c's a good fit. i'll get some picks of it up before i put it under my 79'

 

[BigfootOne]

the pumkin doesn't interfer. mine's a 88 d60. I ground the perch round then did a little trimmin to the leaf perch and it fit good. you will have to trim the c's a good fit. i'll get some picks of it up before i put it under my 79'

The pix would be appreciated. I hope to be starting the swap by summer's end. Thinking about using the Cage RA kit w/D60 brackets. But that =$$$$ so i'm really thinking it through first.

BF