'05+ Ford Super Duty Dana 60 Axle Tech & Info

[Doubleud]

Safe enough for my wife to drive at hwy speeds and tough enough for me to party in the rocks.
Tall order I know.

Also, if this is your end goal then perfect ackerman angle is not a deal killer for your build. Yes it'd be nice to have everything work out perfectly, but a slight variation from perfect in Ackerman angle is not going to affect hwy driving or partying in the rocks. If your caster and toe are set within acceptable numbers its going to work just fine. Only thing you'll notice with less than perfect Ackerman angle is tire scrubbing in parking lots. But keep in mind that any vehicle with taller than stock tires or non factory offset wheels suffer the same issue without anyone noticing.

 

[Bebop]

OEM superdutys don't have perfect Akerman anyway

Doubleud Rusty said he didn't want to weld on his knuckles somewhere in the thread. I don't know of any company offering machined arms with a geometry like you're showing.

 

[Doubleud]

Guess I just assumed a guy building a custom axle with SD outers and a 9" center wouldn't give up because no companies offer a machined arm that will work without modification. Also the Barnes 4x4 arms pictured above are most certainly weld on.

 

[RustyC]

Guess I just assumed a guy building a custom axle with SD outers and a 9" center wouldn't give up because no companies offer a machined arm that will work without modification. Also the Barnes 4x4 arms pictured above are most certainly weld on.

The photos I posted of the Barnes4wd arms were from my buggy build. I have no problem with them at lower speeds on the trail. I desire something "better" for street use to protect others and myself on the 609 I am starting on now.

Not giving up for sure, just need a few more parts and time.

 

[DMANbluesfreak]

Also, if this is your end goal then perfect ackerman angle is not a deal killer for your build. Yes it'd be nice to have everything work out perfectly, but a slight variation from perfect in Ackerman angle is not going to affect hwy driving or partying in the rocks. If your caster and toe are set within acceptable numbers its going to work just fine. Only thing you'll notice with less than perfect Ackerman angle is tire scrubbing in parking lots. But keep in mind that any vehicle with taller than stock tires or non factory offset wheels suffer the same issue without anyone noticing.

OEM superdutys don't have perfect Akerman anyway

Totally - they tend to have have less Ackerman than the longest wheelbase they offer would need. But its the same from a regular cab long bed all the way to the longest Cab & Chassis they offer.

The photos I posted of the Barnes4wd arms were from my buggy build. I have no problem with them at lower speeds on the trail. I desire something "better" for street use to protect others and myself on the 609 I am starting on now.

Not giving up for sure, just need a few more parts and time.

It might be worth reaching out to the companies that offer bolt-on steer arms for machined knuckles. They may be able to send you blanks with more material added (for a cost, obviously) and then you can drill your tie rod holes wherever you want. Worth a shot, anyway. I dig your idea and hope you end up doing something with it.

 

[Bebop]

It might be worth reaching out to the companies that offer bolt-on steer arms for machined knuckles. They may be able to send you blanks with more material added (for a cost, obviously) and then you can drill your tie rod holes wherever you want. Worth a shot, anyway.

I like

 

[CDA 455 II]

It looks like 17" rims are offered every year ('05 to '24) for the F-350 4X4 SRW.🤔

 

[fl0w3n]

Yup, at some point Ford upgraded the UJoints going in the new Super Duties, but didn’t change anything else. So then parts supply just made the larger 1550 assemblies backwards compatible and superseded back to 05.

i thought the 1550 upgrade in 250/350 length was a part number from a specific 550 platform with narrower front end, am I incorrect?

Sounds like you’re saying at some point all 250/350 came with 1550

 

[arse_sidewards]

Sounds like you’re saying at some point all 250/350 came with 1550

That's exactly what it is. 2017 maybe. IDK the exact year.

 

[fl0w3n]

That's exactly what it is. 2017 maybe. IDK the exact year.

Oh interesting, that makes more sense than a narrow track 550

Thanks

 

[Grendel]

That's exactly what it is. 2017 maybe. IDK the exact year.

I think 2013, when they went with the bigger brakes on the F250/F350.

 

[fl0w3n]

Just made it through every post over the past few days. Great info.

At what point do the factory radius arm setup not keep up, even with one arm unbolted? I see WFO preach frequently that their radius arm kits flex well enough. Are we talking buggy territory?

For a street driven full bodied rig it seems not worth it to spend time hacking off all the stock mounts and dealing with the casting, just run a set of radius arms.

 

[Grendel]

Just made it through every post over the past few days. Great info.

At what point do the factory radius arm setup not keep up, even with one arm unbolted? I see WFO preach frequently that their radius arm kits flex well enough. Are we talking buggy territory?

For a street driven full bodied rig it seems not worth it to spend time hacking off all the stock mounts and dealing with the casting, just run a set of radius arms.

I did new radius arms on factory mounts.

(This is me agreeing with you, 2 years ago)

 

[CDA 455 II]

Can SRW brakes be bolted to DRW front axle?

The reason is I may want SRW brakes if I want to run 17" rims, but want the width of DRW Dana 60.

OR

Can I bolt the DRW extension on a SRW Dana 60 axle?

 

[Bebop]

Can SRW brakes be bolted to DRW front axle?

IDK, but I don't see why not

Can I bolt the DRW extension on a SRW Dana 60 axle?

That I can absolutely say yes.

 

[CDA 455 II]

IDK, but I don't see why not

That I can absolutely say yes.

Thanks; very good to know.

 

[Grendel]

Can SRW brakes be bolted to DRW front axle?

The reason is I may want SRW brakes if I want to run 17" rims, but want the width of DRW Dana 60.

OR

Can I bolt the DRW extension on a SRW Dana 60 axle?

There's not much difference between a SRW and DRW F350 front axle. Course thread on the wheel bearings and those goofy adapters.
I took the adapters off, used SRW front wheel bearings (fine thread studs) and whoila, SRW.

 

[CDA 455 II]

There's not much difference between a SRW and DRW F350 front axle. Course thread on the wheel bearings and those goofy adapters.
I took the adapters off, used SRW front wheel bearings (fine thread studs) and whoila, SRW.

Thanks for the info.👍🏽

Do you still have said adapters?

 

[Grendel]

Thanks for the info.👍🏽

Do you still have said adapters?

No, that was a few years ago.

 

[Domer]

Just made it through every post over the past few days. Great info.

At what point do the factory radius arm setup not keep up, even with one arm unbolted? I see WFO preach frequently that their radius arm kits flex well enough. Are we talking buggy territory?

For a street driven full bodied rig it seems not worth it to spend time hacking off all the stock mounts and dealing with the casting, just run a set of radius arms.

As for flex, I have no problems going full stuff and full lock on mine. I have Radius arms with a pin for passenger top arm. I'm full bodied and street driven.

 

[CDA 455 II]

As for flex, I have no problems going full stuff and full lock on mine. I have Radius arms with a pin for passenger top arm. I'm full bodied and street driven.

nOOB question:
What's the passenger top arm pin for?🤔

 

[665.0coupe]

nOOB question:
What's the passenger top arm pin for?🤔

When you want it to flex, you take the pin out so you don't get the bind of a traditional radius arm setup. The driver side arm still hold the axle.

When you want to drive on the road you put the pin back in.

 

[CDA 455 II]

When you want it to flex, you take the pin out so you don't get the bind of a traditional radius arm setup. The driver side arm still hold the axle.

When you want to drive on the road you put the pin back in.

So the pin side allows the flex for both sides?

 

[Domer]

So the pin side allows the flex for both sides?

665 is correct. I pull the pin when I get to the trail head. I welded a little catch under it so it doesn't get jammed. The driver side holds the axle at the pumpkin. Put pin back in and drive it home. Having this setup acts like a large sway bar. My truck doesn't have any. Super easy to drive, runs down the freeway at 75. Now, is it right... to each their own.. but it works great for what I built the truck for. Also, if you cut castings off, you need a truss. I don't have room for one.

 

[CDA 455 II]

665 is correct. I pull the pin when I get to the trail head. I welded a little catch under it so it doesn't get jammed. The driver side holds the axle at the pumpkin. Put pin back in and drive it home. Having this setup acts like a large sway bar. My truck doesn't have any. Super easy to drive, runs down the freeway at 75. Now, is it right... to each their own.. but it works great for what I built the truck for. Also, if you cut castings off, you need a truss. I don't have room for one.

Very interesting.🤔

Thanks for the insight.

 

[Rangerrod]

nOOB question:
What's the passenger top arm pin for?🤔

Search “wristed radius arm” popular 15 years ago in bronco community. Has some handling quirks. Some people say they don’t exist.

 

[Cameronswmp9]

665 is correct. I pull the pin when I get to the trail head. I welded a little catch under it so it doesn't get jammed. The driver side holds the axle at the pumpkin. Put pin back in and drive it home. Having this setup acts like a large sway bar. My truck doesn't have any. Super easy to drive, runs down the freeway at 75. Now, is it right... to each their own.. but it works great for what I built the truck for. Also, if you cut castings off, you need a truss. I don't have room for one.

How would your truck drive on the road without the pinned arm in place? I know it's kind of like a parallel 3 link (ish) without. I get the sway bar effect with it all in place, just curious on a real world experience, if you have any.

 

[Domer]

How would your truck drive on the road without the pinned arm in place? I know it's kind of like a parallel 3 link (ish) without. I get the sway bar effect with it all in place, just curious on a real world experience, if you have any.

Yes, I've driven it with out the pin. It causes alot more dive on the right front when braking. And more body roll as well. It's not terrible, just definitely noticeable.

 

[WaterH]

How would your truck drive on the road without the pinned arm in place? I know it's kind of like a parallel 3 link (ish) without. I get the sway bar effect with it all in place, just curious on a real world experience, if you have any.

Yes, I've driven it with out the pin. It causes alot more dive on the right front when braking. And more body roll as well. It's not terrible, just definitely noticeable.

I have this same basic setup and I agree with Domer. (I have 11,000 miles on it now)

Unpinned, it doesn’t have to move much for alot of flex.

 

[gozuki]

Does it just flop there, or it's pretty secure?