Steering conversion idea?

[Cr33p3r]

Here is my idea of how to remedy my dilemma with the new 1 ton cross over steering kit I purchased, the main problem is that to use this kit you need to do one of two things to make it work on a Ford.

1) buy a 3/4 ton TRE for the drag link to connect on the passenger side of the tie rod ( trouble indicated in below drawing
2) buy new aftermarket knuckles which run $250/ side and the top plates are another $250 for a total $700 +S&H

What I am thinking is slotting the DOM tube and placing 1"thick plate threw the tube and either A) fully welding it to the DOM or B) doing the previous + doing full wrap around gussets and fully welding everything to the DOM.

How well do you guys think this will work?
I have heard some guys are welding gussets to the TRE to strengthen it but do not like welding to forged parts to much especially steering components! I am looking at all this due to the way my luck runs, I do not want a breakage while either on the trails or driving at speed or above down the highways!

Since the picture is so small and non readable here is what the type is reading;

1) The 2 upper drawings is showing running 1" thick plate(in red) threw the DOM tubing and fully welding it to the DOM and drilling and reaming a hole in the plate to connect the drag link.
2) The 2 lower drawings are the same but adding full wrap around gussets(the blue areas) for added strength and fully welding everything
3) picture of the 3/4 ton TRE w/ red arrow pointing to the weak area

[Brody]

You didn't mention how thick the DOM tubing is. That would seem to be the weak link no matter how you welded the plate.

If it were me, and depending on how thick the DOM was, I would be inclined to do a through mount of the plate, then add some gussets of one kind or another to that. What the hell, it isn't like you are having to weld all this up with it on the car and you are going to be welding it all on your workbench. What's another 1/2 hour welding? There has been enough breakage on the forum from people not taking the time to weld something up well enough, or simply doing shoddy welding/fabrication work because they got into a hurry or grinding all the welds off because they wanted it to look "pretty". It also isn't like you are in a big rush to get this done...

You could also sandwich the area where the plate passes through the DOM with another piece of tubing and weld all that together for extra strength.

[Cr33p3r]

You didn't mention how thick the DOM tubing is.

My bad, here it is;1.5" OD.250" wall tube for tie-rod 58" long


I would be inclined to do a through mount of the plate, then add some gussets of one kind or another to that.

That is the idea of what I was going to do with using the 1" plate


you are going to be welding it all on your workbench.

Yes most definitely I will be welding this on the work bench, no reason to take chances with bad welds when it comes to steering!

[Cr33p3r]

Here is another option I have found but am not too sure about using the kit due to where you have to drill and bolt the kit to the knuckle creates another weak spot in the 3rd photo

[Popsgarage]

Sean, I should know this, but what axle are you using.

[Popsgarage]

Never mind, found it. D44. With unit bearings? Or are yours just not flat tops?

[Hypoid]

Or are yours just not flat tops?
That is correct, he has Ford knuckles.

The pics in post #4 look like D-30 knuckles.

[Hypoid]

How well do you guys think this will work?
I think that if you weld the fixture to your tie rod, you are hosed for getting the toe set. If you weld that fixture to your drag link, you wind up with y-link steering.

I think I've read something about using a Chevy knuckle and spindle to mount a Ford hub. The Chevy knuckle can be machined, drilled and tapped for the high steer arm.

[Popsgarage]

Check out this guys pages on steering knuckles. And I think Mike is correctamundo. http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html

[Brody]

Sean, I should know this, but what axle are you using.

HA....I should've taken a better look, too. I had just assumed that he was using Dana44 knuckles with a Dana44 axle assembly. Now I am all confused.... I thought you had gotten all the junk from the same ford Bronco/truck donor rig, Sean...

[Cr33p3r]

Okay lets back up guys:lmao: The axle is a D44 from a 78 FS Bronco and the radius arms & coils came from a 79 FS Bronco, Steering gear box is from a mid 80s F150, Steering kit is from Ballistic Fab. its their 1 ton Chevy kit; here is the link to the page that has it http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Steering-Kit-Chevy-Tie-Rod-Ends_p_1338.html. The knuckles I have are regular bearing knuckles. What I am trying to do w/o goong deeper into my pockets is figure out a way to connect the drag link to the tie rod also w/o going down to the Chevy 3/4ton tie rod end that has the hole already in it due to them breaking where the hole is. I will take pics when I get home and post them up of everything to give everyone a clearer picture.

[Brody]

What about a 'sandwich' style tube clamp, the ones with the bolts that are supposed to anchor it to the tube, and then a couple of small tack welds to hold it in the right place? You can pick these up in town at High Country 4x4, just need the right OD of the tube.

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/OD-Tube-Clamp_p_1474.html

These are Ballistic Fab's, but High country sells the BDS version of the same thing.

[Cr33p3r]

Thanks Pete. I did not even think about those as I never really thought they would be strong enough for an application like this but I see they can even be used on a full hydraulic system.

[Popsgarage]

I think I saw a couple FSJ's at the yards a couple weeks ago and I do have a buddy that has a couple flat tops for a Chevy he might be willing to sell and I do believe the knuckles will interchange and the FSJ's have the small bearing six bolt spindles you need to run the Ford 5 on 5 pattern wheel. Wish I'd known about this 4 weeks ago, I just sold the last pair of spindles I had. That is the hardest part to find.

[Cr33p3r]

Jonathan my ford D44 has the 5 bolt pattern unlike the Chevy 6 bolt here is the Ford knuckle in the pic below. If I was to adapt the Chevy knuckle I would have to get new wheels again due to the different bolt pattern, plus rotors and calipers or have a adapter machined that would allow me to bolt up the ford spindle to the chevy knuckle. I have seen that done, no idea what a machine shop would charge to fab those up. But Thanks for the info!

The one on the left is the ford and the one on the right is the chevy.

[Popsgarage]

Sean, all you'd have to do is find an FSJ 6 bolt, small diameter spindle to use with the Chevy or Jeep high steer knuckle, assuming you're using the Ford 5 on 5.5 wheel bolt pattern. I paid $40 at U Pull and Pay on 64th.


http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/Mr.N44.htm He does a Chevy knuckle swap and still retains the Ford wheel bolt pattern.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Dana44.htm Here is another tidbit of info.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php Another one.

http://www.csc.cs.colorado.edu/~brandon/auto/HP44.html (http://www.csc.cs.colorado.edu/%7Ebrandon/auto/HP44.html) Another one.


Like I said, this is assuming that you are using the Ford 5 on 5.5 wheel bolt pattern. This is what I typed in to the search. Ford Dana 44 to Chevy/Jeep knuckle conversion keeping the ford rotor