Need Help with Fullsize TTB: Need to know my options

[Ranger44]

It's not really my problem, but my friends:

He just picked up a Sterling 10.5 and what we believe to be a Dana 50 TTB front. Both have 4.10's.

He has a TTB 44 up front. We know the rear axle will go in with little to know trouble, but the front is leaf.....

This leaves us with a few options.

Use the leafs and make custom mounts to frame.

Modify D50 to use the coils and RA's

or if it is possible make a bastard axle combining both.....

I know the D44HD and D50 have things in common, but what can be done with his plain jane D44 TTB?

The Dana50 has awesome brakes and looks tough as shit....

but man TTB with leafs, seems so bass ackwards?

What can I/WE do? I'll appreciate any replies, and well, so will he. Thankyou.

 

[JohnnyU]

The TTB 50 was really nothing special. I would hold out for a solid axle D44 at very least. I really don't believe in swapping from TTB to TTB. It's not worth the effort really.


But that's also my personal opinion, which is that TTB is junk. That's been much disputed and debated around this place for a LONG time. I'll maintain my opinion.

 

[4x4junkie]

Who thought leafsprung TTB is good?

Leafs definitely don't belong on a TTB, period. Someone at Ford had their head up their ass when they thought that a leafspring (which moves straight up/down) would be a good idea on an axle that pivots in an arc

(edit: maybe you were saying TTB in general is junk? in which case I maintain my opinion that nothing could be farther from the truth (TTB steering can be more quirky though, I'll give you that... it's not very forgiving at all of bad angles).


.

Ranger44, is this a half-ton (with coils) swap to ¾-ton? or it it already ¾ ton? If it's the latter, the 50 should just bolt in.
If it's the former, then I would keep the 44, and swap out the center slip-joint shaft on it with the one from the 50. If he wants the bigger brakes, then you'll probably want to look into lengthening the beams so it fits into the frame brackets properly, and fab up some radius arms for it.

A D60 solid axle would be a better idea still (and would also have the same brakes).

 

[bobbywalter]

he needs a 60


otherwise you may want to find the one piece 50 lift setup and incorporate that, iirc sj made that unit.

 

[Ranger44]

The 89' F250's axles need to go onto the 93' F150. The frames are just a bit different. The F250 was junked. He cut the frame, so we have the axles, and the parts of the frames they were attached to.

The biggest advantage of him buying these axles is the 4.10 gearing.

He's not making this into a big ass lifted truck.....mostly just stock with a little bigger tires and increased pulling capability.

So junkie, are you saying that I can swap over the center section?

His D44 TTB is 3.55 gearing......

At first I was a little confused on what he was buying. He could of swore he was either getting a solid 44 or 60. Showed up and could tell right away it was a TTB 44 or 50, and leaf sprung, eww.

I'm trying to convince him to drop the leafs, and stick with coils....not only because it's better, but because I could get a free set of those F250 shock mounts to extend my mounts, mentioned in the tech library, most likely for free.

But right now the gearing is most important.

 

[bobbywalter]

well if thats the case then you can still stay coil and use the 150 stuff. its not the best but it can work. iirc you need to drill a hole in one side of the beam and get the right length 3/4 nut and bolts and use spacers to set the arms where you want them. that was real easy to do.



the hard part is the k member and mounting the 50 beams. a lift bracket for a d44 can be modified to make that work. it was over 12-13 years ago when i did that, but thats the basics.

truck still drove shitty though. it was a 2wd to 4x4 conversion as well.

 

[CopyKat]

I remember hearing that the D50 pig will bolt to teh D44 beam. The spline count is the same between the D50 and D44 side gears.

The D50 pig is physically bigger than the D44 unit.

Doing this you don't get the advantage of the D60 sized outer U-joints, and 8 lug outers. But the 8 lug D44HD outers should bolt up with minimal effort. Youd have a D44/D50 hybrid.

 

[Ranger44]

See he's gonna need the 8 lugs up front, because that sterling's going in the rear......

The bolt patterns for the pig look very close and are both 10 bolt.

shit.....

 

[kevinsranger]

maybe you can do a knuckle and stub shaft swap similar to the 35/44 swap

 

[CopyKat]

See he's gonna need the 8 lugs up front, because that sterling's going in the rear......

The bolt patterns for the pig look very close and are both 10 bolt.

shit.....

http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13107&highlight=d50+swap

http://ylobronc.users.superford.org/lift/8lugswap.html

 

[Ranger44]

Damn, that's great to see!

 

[4x4junkie]

I remember hearing that the D50 pig will bolt to teh D44 beam. The spline count is the same between the D50 and D44 side gears.
.

I've heard this too.

It'd be a quick way to use those 4.10 gears, if nothing else.

 

[bobbywalter]

the 50 dont have d60 size or strength ujoints, but is better then a 44.


if you mod the 35 beam and run a 30 spline 35 carrier you can use it and custom alloy shafts to make a 35 an 8 lug as well.


now thats the elite level of turd polishing there.

 

[Will]

now thats the elite level of turd polishing there.

Heh.

Is Ford staffed by Dana lovers or what? Why would they require five different front axle capacities for three levels of pickups? I think three would be better. In a given year you can buy a D25, 35, 44,50,60. Finally after years of cratching their ass and losing thier collective shorts and shirts, the can decide on the 35, 44 and 60. But is that really cost effective? Why not a single unit that can work on all three? It might take a few more instances of brilliance, but I know that a 60 pumpkin isn't that much larger than a D35 pumpkin and they could make it work. One assembly line, less bullshit, one part. A D60 isn't a heavy-duty truck part--it's stil a light-duty truck part. It can be made to work in all of the markets.

 

[raiper]

this isnt even my thread and im lost....if your going to keep the TTB go to coil and if not just keep it leaf and go to SAS in the front. I just put a full size 8.8 and D44 TTB under my b2(btw Johnny it went from a 28, 35, and now a 44TTB...u can call me a believer ) anyways u using it for Hauling or wheeling?