Trooperthorn

I thought you were running the 37" military Goodyear OZs...

simplysmn

after having reg steering on my crewcab and then going to crossover hand's down I will never go back to anyother type even with 38's I could steer it with 2 finger's without troubles .

Crossy's son

I just wish I could make the ratio better, like driving my old Chevy Sport truck with the quick ratio box. 12' to 3' o clock position would get you around a 90* turn from a stop......

PapeCAT

Sold those years ago. Sold all my trucks last year as it were...

I have a new to me 92 W350 with 215s (tow rig) and a Toyota rock crawler with Ford Courier body...

You're right about pinky steering though. The '72 crew cab even with the cummins was a pinky steering rig. Even with the 37's and reverse rotation box it was very forklift-like. (and had good turning radius with no lift)

NJTman

Thanks for creating this thread.


Picked up most of what I needed today. I was fortunate to have found a boneyard truck that just had it's PS gear replaced, just prior to being junked. The one on the truck was pristine, and the one in the cab was good for a core, so I took both.

Have to follow that other thread to see what's involved, as the knuckle mount on the D60 is different than the D44. Hopefully it won't take any real re-engineering.

PapeCAT

Nice find! The Stock Draglink from the 44 will bolt right in on the D60. Did it on my '72 Crew when I replaced the D70F with D60 and did it on my '74 Ramcharger when I swapped the D44 in lieu of the D60F. (Both had The Stock reverse rotation setup of course) I did buy a new stock drag link when they were on clearance at rock auto for 25 bucks...

NJTman

I have to buy another draglink as the one I got today was toast. This donor truck is a 1977 and I just looked up the draglink from RA, and it's $120....

looking at both axles, and I think I may understand as to why they perform so differently..

The D60 has the arm on the steering knucle, just 90* off the rotor / knuckle assembly. This limits it's travel of the axle.

The D44 has the "horseshoe" steering knuckle sector bolted to the top of the Knuckle, which allows for a greater turning radius..

Am I correct in my assumptions ?

EDIT: Word of warning

Make sure if you go to buy these parts from a scrap yard that you get the correct parts. I made a mistake, but salvaged myself by being selfish...

If you look at the attached pic, you will see the two gear boxes. The one on the left, I spent 2 hours taking off, when in reality I didn't need it. I had not known that the gear that was on the truck was the "wrong rotation" . Luckily, I found the other gear inside the truck on the cab floor.

Turns out that the one on the truck (left grey one) has a standard rotation to the gear..... which makes no sense to me as to how the truck was even drivable.

When you rotate clockwise (as if you were turning the steering wheel to the right) the input from the steering shaft the gear turns the pitman spline clockwise, which pulls the draglink forwards, turning the truck's wheels to the left. Considering you're turning the wheel to the right, that must have been difficult to get used to driving this truck.

The one on the right, when you turn the input clockwise (similarly turning the steering wheel to the right), turns the pitman splines counterclockwise pushing the draglink rearwards in the truck, thereby turning the wheels to the passenger side.. the way it should be...


Don't make the same mistake I did....



T.

Trooperthorn

Maybe thats why it was in the wrecking yard..."got to the end of my driveway and turned leftRIGHT into a tree..."

NJTman

There's a distinct possibility you're correct.... in the sense...they changed the box, drove it, and it was wacked...... (meaning that the driver couldn't handle the strange new sensation ....


T.

james1

Just to clarify, in your experience:

1. The reverse rotation steering gear is a worthwhile modification to make to a First Gen CTD?
2. Your reverse rotation steering gear setup performed better than your crossover steering setup?

TIA.

Trooperthorn

Hmmmm.

1 (discussion). I never thought about trying the reverse set-up on my 91.5. I may do it with an extra box and bracket I have. My 91.5 w350 has a terrible wobble i have not tracked down with stock tires and horribly sagging springs. My experience with the older set-up is on 1975-1977 gas rigs which all have been dreams to drive compared to my 91.5, which is undoubtedly worn, out and on my 1977 ramcharger ctd conversion. My ctd crew conversion has not seen the pavement yet.

1 (answer). So my answer is , maybe, but I am not sure.

2 (discussion). I drove my ramcharger again yesterday. It had been a couple of weeks. This truck is a bit twitchy. The wheelbase is about 6 inches less than a short bed truck, 24 inches less than a standard cab with an 8 foot bed. The truck only weighs about 5300# with only 1400# on the rear tires. It sits on 15 year old gas truck 5" lift springs with no rear block. It has 37 inch tall tires on 10 inch wide 16.5 inch wheels. So, I think it probably qualifies as a poster child for twitchy.

That being said, I had high hopes for the cross-over. After yesterdays drive, I think I will contradict my old post and say things have settled down a little with the steering as compared to my old set-up with the reverse rotation steering. I am, however, disappointed overall. This may be due to setting my expectations too high. Also, any improvements that may be there are masked by the increased effort it takes to turn the wheel. At the same time I installed the cross-over and welded in the boxing brackets, I replaced the power steering pump (not because the conversion called for it, but because my old one was toast, which definitely added to the twitches). When I swapped the pumps, I did not change the spring and plunger in the back of my core. I was told to always do this. I got lazy. I regret it and my dad is spinning in his grave.

I won't know if I am sold on having the reverse rotation set-up on my crew until I drive it. It has the same wheel base as a club cab long box, stock non-saggy springs, new kingpins, bearings and races, new tie rods, new rotors, and smaller tires.

2 (answer). So my answer is, no, the crossover works better on Mr. Twitchy, but I think the reverse rotation will work excellently on my crew.

Another thing to consider, though, is lift. Without lift, there is not much room between the frame and the leaf spring where the drag link end of the pitman arm lives.

If you made it through this long post, back away from the computer and get yourself a beer. Eric

NJTman

Ok, I'm done with my beer. Are you buying the next round ? I can get the one following that ....

Thanks for the insight ... Most appreciated.

I'm converting my truck to reverse rotation as soon as I get all the parts in one place.... or when the imaginary snow season ends here....

The Pressure hose must be fabricated by my local hose shop, so that entails taking the 1992 hose and the 1977 hose there and have them do their combination magic. The return line won't be that difficult to do. as it's just a couple of fittings and a stock section of PS hose.... or I'll have them fab me a new one of those if it's not real costly.

More importantly,

Can't wait to take that piece of junk steering plate and throw it in my scrap pile and lose that popping gear I have now.

Also looking forwards to the peace of mind knowing my gear will remain where it's bolted.


T.

Trooperthorn

Swing by. I have a nice wood-aged, bourbon porter homebrew in the fridge right now.

You can change the fitting in the back of the pump to get the 77 hose to work. Just use the 1977 fitting, plunger and spring.

bobva

I located a W200 somewhere near my house.
Not in a picknpull Thank god those places are well lets say a toilet in some cars.
So I guess I'll be pulling parts this weekend, Also ordering a Drag Link from NAPA.

Trebor

Did you try my earlier suggestion of removing the pressure fitting from the old style 77's pump and installing it in your diesel pump? That should save having a "special" hose made. I haven't tried it yet and that's why I'm asking. That is my plan when I resume work on my crew cab project.