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05+ Suspension and Dana 60 into Bronco/OBS

16K views 36 replies 14 participants last post by  mwalsh9152 
#1 ·
well I had at it this weekend and have a good majority of the work completed. Since TomS asked me to do a write up on it with pictures, here you go. I will update it as I go. Thankfully we had three different prior installs to reference.

After pouring over all the pictures I had compiled we decided to start in the back.

First I trimmed the back of the body mount brackets, and then got the radius arm mounts to where we decided they worked best. The frame at that point angles in a bit on its way forward, and also up...for added fun. We positioned them to where we thought they fit best, along with a little help from Dave Lotts pictures. I then marked the holes and drilled them all up to 1/2"





As I said the frame at that point is running up and in, so I ended up with 2 grade 8 1/2" washers between the bracket and the frame at the forward bolt hole which you can see above, and then a piece of what looks to be 1/4" flat stock (I was out buying supplies when this occured) between the bottom of the frame and the bracket



After the rear brackets were installed we then moved the axle into place and bolted the radius arms to them and made sure everything looked right up front. Once we confirmed that it was where we wanted it we then went back to the pictures and also looking at what was in front of us to help decide where to mount the spring buckets, then marked and drilled.

The bottom of both buckets sat on top of one of the engine cross member rivets, so we marked them and torched the spot so they would sit flush on the frame, then bolted them into place.

They dont sit flush against the frame, so after I tightened them all I went around and retightened and found that many of the bolts were loose, so I went through them all again, and then a third time to ensure all was well.

I forgot my camera that day so I didnt get progress pics, but this was the end result. The Springs arch forward slightly, but not enough to cause any alarm.











My axle and suspension came out of an 07 F-350, it appears that at some point they changed the trac bar mount. Dave Lott has components from an 05 in his Bronco, and was able to utilize the factory mount. I fought with mine but there is just no way that it would fit correctly in mine.

I still have a few things left to do. Ineed to fab the trac bar mount, the base is the red angle iron you see held in by the steering box bolts. Then fab the Steering stabilizer mount and ream the taper in the Pitman arm to accomidate the larger drag link end on the new suspension.

I probably should replace the bent tie rod and ball joint from when it fell off the forklift when I was moving it from where it was buried too :doh:

I'll update this as I complete it, but as of now its sitting outside in the spot I drove it into!
 
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#3 ·
Please take some photos as you go. Thanks

Tom
 
#9 ·
Cary, I was thinking of that but wanted to get everything in and done first to make sure that it was ok.


Dave, thank you for the new pictures, they answered a lot of our questions. I was correct, my 07 trac bar mount is completely different than yours. Yours looks very similar to the one that they used on the leaf sprung super duty that I looked at yesterday.

maybe one of you can answer this, on my trac bar, the hole where it mounts to the joint on the axle is oblonged and I can feel a ridge in it. We're guessing that maybe it left the factory loose and just devoured itsself. I took a picture of it that I can post later. I assume that both of yours had a nice circle hole? :doh:
 
#8 ·
My axle and suspension came out of an 07 F-350, it appears that at some point they changed the trac bar mount. Dave Lott has components from an 05 in his Bronco, and was able to utilize the factory mount. I fought with mine but there is just no way that it would fit correctly in mine.

I still have a few things left to do. Ineed to fab the trac bar mount, the base is the red angle iron you see held in by the steering box bolts. Then fab the Steering stabilizer mount and ream the taper in the Pitman arm to accomidate the larger drag link end on the new suspension.


I'll update this as I complete it, but as of now its sitting outside in the spot I drove it into!
I actually welded a mount to the frame for the stabilizer.



and bolted on the trackbar mount.


 
#12 ·
thanks Dave! I got the trac bar mount in tonight. Just need to make a brace from it to the cross member, and get the hole for the bar drilled wider because the biggest we had was a 1/2" then I can get it in and welded.

Drove it around the building to park it tonight after we finished, first time that its moved and I wasnt scared the entire time, even though there aren't brakes yet
 
#13 ·
Did you need to get differnt u joints or did the ones that were on your truck before work out? what about brake lines? I am assuming something was differnt since you said you had no brakes
 
#14 ·
Brake lines..I sell SS custom for ea application.

I used the stock steering box as my '97 only had 90k when I did this mod. Just retaper the hole for the '08 tierod

I used a conversion U joint easyest solution.

Cary
 
#15 ·
I have no brakes because for one I swapped the master cyl and booster from the donor into the Bronco, and two because I ripped the abs system out and am just going to run all new brake lines since most of them were in poor condition. I also only have one caliper on the front axle right now as that is all it came with and I just held out on buying one untill I needed it.

as for the U Joints, I havent attempted to put the front shaft in yet, and I wont have the rear axle untill probably this week. From what Ive read you will need to have your shafts shortened, but Im unsure and honestly havent been concerned about the U Joints. My friends shop where we are doing this portion of the project is a driveline shop, so I have access to everything I could possibly need to make that work. I will let you know once I get them installed though.

I have Cary's brake hoses to put in it when the time comes, he has great prices too.

I looked into getting the reamer to retaper the hole in my pitman arm, but for what it cost I decided to just pay a friend of a friend who owns a machine shop to do it for me. I should have that done wednesday along with getting the holes in the trac bar mount cut to the proper size
 
#16 ·
Well, its been done for a while, I just finally got some pictures taken and uploaded

here is how we ended up bracing the Trac Bar Mount, I couldnt get a better picture without taking the wheel off, so this will do for now. The Brace goes from the back of the mount, to the back of the cross member, with two 45 degree bends in it.




finished product







 
#27 ·
no, I dont have a pic of that. What exactly are you looking for? The tie rod threads into the drag link, it has about a 3-4" shaft which goes down through the knuckle, and then through the crossover, and then you put the nut on.

If you are looking for the tie rod its self, its a dealer only part. And about $150

let me know what exactly you need and I will try and help you out
 
#28 ·
I was just trying to see how the tie rod and drag link were tied in. I wish I could come up with the extra $$ to have sky turn my knuckles into high steer knuckles. I had thoughts of making a heavy duty tie rod and drag link, but think im gonna have to go to the stealership on it.

Thanks!!
 
#29 ·
so how does it drive?
i dd a 6.4 with that suspension and it rides like a dream.
comprable results?
 
#32 ·
I didnt see this thread bumped, Cary, I desperately need to get a set of those 8 spoke 20's! I think they would totally finish the look of mine.



for a one ton? Like a dream, just like yours. A little too stiff in the rear for my liking, I'd like to maybe put a softer rear spring since it will likely never tow heavy, but thats pretty far off on the list. Im currently picking away at bodywork on a new cab that will be swapped onto this chassis.

I initially planned to put the axles and suspension out of the 97 F350 donor in it, but then I realized that I didnt want to finish it only to remember I hate the buckboard ride and probably sell it.
 
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