tjs88yj

I've got a 1996 Ford 60 in my shop, I started checking things out on this swap (knuckles out), and I found that the tie rod end taper is different on the Ford. It is a larger diameter taper than the Dodge, so the Dodge tie rod ends won't fit. It's not much of a difference ~.060" or so, but enough that the Dodge tie rod end goes right through the hole until the head of the tie rod end hits the knuckle. I'm still checking on the brake caliper hole to banjo bolt compatibility.

Anybody have any ideas on how to overcome the TRE situation? I checked the Ford TRE that came with the Ford 60 and the shank looks like its the same thread size, but the shank is a couple of inches shorter than the Dodge.

Also, the overall width WMS to WMS will be 1.5" wider with the Ford knuckles.

Tom

mr.mindless

Thank you!

I'd consider the steering an easy fix, just build a new tie rod with large taper joints and run the drag link into it, and shorten or make a new drag link. gets rid of the retarded inverted Y setup as a bonus.

This is the setup I run on my Dakota. Requires reaming the hole in the ES2233R for a larger taper. You could probably run the stock Dodge TRE at the pitman arm and save the effort of removing the arm and reaming that hole.

random vendor selling it as a full "kit" - probably with the 2233 already reamed out

tjs88yj

Looks like the hole for the banjo bolt is the same diameter and the thickness of the boss is also the same on both brake lines, you need to use the Ford banjo bolt as the Dodge is a coarse threaded caliper and the Ford is a fine thread.

Still mulling the tie rod/drag link issues, on my '98 I have the 'T' style setup and is quite beefy, probably .125" larger diameter than the ford, but the Ford is the same basic 'T' style setup, might be able to use a combo of both?

Not real sure of using the 'kit' stuff as I'm unsure of clearance issues with a straight tierod, although that setup worked well on my YJ with 60's and a high steer setup.

Tom

mr.mindless

I don't know about the newer Ford axles but I can tell you for sure that with a stock diff cover, a 1.5" straight tie rod just touches the cover at full lock with the steering over the knuckles on a '79 Ford D60. I don't know if the knuckle heights match though, I think the newer kingpin Ford knuckles may have lowered the arms a bit, and if I recall right the stock tie rod location is under the arms. With as low as the Ford arms supposedly are, the tie rod may end up under the biggest bulge in the cover. Without seeing them side by side I don't know though.

tjs88yj

I ended up just modifing the Ford spindles to match the Dodge knuckles, used the Ford hubs, stubs, locking hubs, and rotors from a '78 Ford F250 with a Dana 60 axle, went together pretty easy, it's basically the EMS kit, but with used parts. Added 3/4" to width on each side 1.5" total.

Tom

Mcmopar

Tom,

Do you have any pictures? What did you have to modify on the spindle? Do they use the same U-joint?

pappyscrapster

Afternoon, reading up on this swap out deal, of spindles, brake parts, etc. how can I make the call on my rig, ie weather or not this would work on my rig?
Any chance I can find one of these pages with a collated total of all parts, procedures, etc etc?
If not, would authors be interested in compiling something tried and true for everyone?
Thanks for the expended efforts to date.
Pappy

mr.mindless

Here's a writeup on doing the swap. If that isn't 100% proof I don't know what is

http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=11245396