Springs for a ford kingpin 60.

[rebar]

I'm just about to buy a 89 ford dana 60. The guy also has a 78 kingpin but I would have to move the perch's..

I understand the super-duty leafs are 27.6" front spring eye to center pin. When I eye ball that, it looks like the eye would be in front of the bumper plate. And moving the axle forward for 35's would further complicate it.

What springs are being used and are shorter up front? Or is lengthening the frame and covering the mod with a bumper a better approach?

Thanks

 

[Toolman]

Keep the kingpin for the rock crawler, also if you use a later model super duty axle you won't need to move any perches with the UJOINT hangers and leafs in place.

 

[VANMAN]

I have an 89 Ford kingpin in my Van WFO kingpins and crossover steering works great...Id use the axle....I have coils on mine...with custom fabbed 4 link...and johhny joints...

 

[Toolman]

I have an 89 Ford kingpin in my Van WFO kingpins and crossover steering works great...Id use the axle....I have coils on mine...with custom fabbed 4 link...and johhny joints...

got any pictures of the four link ?

 

[dentedvw]

I have seen a few vans with four link. I even saw one with coilover$. The last one was at Joshua Tree. It seems to me that any decent off road fabricator/shop could put one together for you. It might ride better than springs, but I don't know if it will cost less than UJOR.

 

[rebar]

I told myself.. " Which ever axle you find first, 86-91 or 99 and up, use it"

From what I understand, these aren't very easy to find.

 

[philos]

Devil's advocate...
Why not sell that axle for a profit and then buy another 99-04 D-60?
Pretty sure you could make that axle work with a couple/few calls to some leaf spring mfgs.....

 

[rebar]

Devil's advocate...
Why not sell that axle for a profit and then buy another 99-04 D-60?
Pretty sure you could make that axle work with a couple/few calls to some leaf spring mfgs.....

It will be a year or more before I install a axle, so who knows who else will answer my craigslist ad.

But right now, I think this king pin D60 front, D80 rear, are the best choice's under my 1st gen 6bt but it all comes down to the kingpin vs ball joint debate..

 

[IdaSHO]

Your on the right track.


Balljoints always fail. Just a matter of time.

Kingpins seem to last forever.


Of all the KP D60s I dug out of the junkyard for swaps, not one needed new kingpins.


These rigs are heavy. I see no reason to add another point of failure.

 

[rebar]

Balljoints always fail. Just a matter of time.

Kingpins seem to last forever.


Of all the KP D60s I dug out of the junkyard for swaps, not one needed new kingpins.


These rigs are heavy. I see no reason to add another point of failure.

Amen...

Unit bearings prevents you from buying separate parts = more expensive

Why would axle builders use ball joints if kingpins are superior?

Because the new balljoint D60 knuckles are more readily available..

 

[ujoint]

You can buy new Kingpin knuckles all day long.

http://www.reidracing.biz/off-road-products/dana-60-knuckles

 

[IdaSHO]

I completely overlooked the wheel bearing portion.

That is another HUGE benefit to king pin vs the newer ball joint D60s (early BJ D60s still had traditional bearings)

Unit bearings are easily replaced, but they seem to need replacement quite often. And talk about expensive! $400 per side??

Ive NEVER done a set of front bearings on a f-series with traditional (non-unit) bearings. It simply isnt an item that wears to the point of needing replacement.

the set of bearings that came off of my truck (d50 TTB) had 250k + miles. Nothing wrong with them.

It seems that you are lucky if you can get more than 85k out of a set of unit bearings. Personally, Ive seen failures at less than 30k.

 

[ujoint]

Unit bearings aren't as bad as the rep they have. When they 1st came on the scene everyone hated them because they were so damn expensive! And only available from Ford. Since the aftermarket has caught up you can now get cheap ones in the $150 range and a good piece is ~$300. (Moog)

We go both ways. Our RSC axle upgrade uses traditional bearings with balljoint knuckles.

 

[why3zx]

That is a high pinion unit too isnt it ?!?

 

[rebar]

Yes.

I understand why not many run the kingpin axles. There aren't to many left.