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[486] said:
fuck maybe it was d44 knuckles onto ranger beams that was just the lower that needed to be fucked with
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D44 onto Ranger requires reaming new tapers and that's about it.

www.therangerstation.com

Dana 44 Knuckle Swap On To Dana 35 - The Ranger Station

Written By Todd (Forum Member) Part numbers for upper and lower Dana 44 ball joints. Also a set of off set 44 alignment cams are needed. First the proper ream must be obtained to re taper the lower ball … Continued
www.therangerstation.com

The only thing that can be done AFAIK with just the bottom ball joint is a basic cut and turn.

The D50 knuckle is taller though so normally it would put the axle shaft centerline too far down if your ran it using the stock upper ball joint location. Perhaps if you do just the right amount of cut and turn (i.e. move the lower joint out at the same time) you can make the D50 knuckle work on the 44 beam. I've never measured but I've been told and I've handled the parts and my eyeball has reached the same conclusion.

If anyone's ever put a D50 knuckle onto another beam without fucking around with both the top and bottom I don't know about it and I would be very interested to see a reference.
 
Its not freezing cold out anymore, so time to start working on this again. Step 1, remove the muffler that was wedged in between the frame and the starter. I dont know if it was dented by the starter or dented to fit by the starter but either way its gone. The manifold to "y pipe" nuts actually came off with no issues, that has to be a record for a mid 90s truck from New England.
 
The muffler was precision dented to fit there with clearance.

Those manifold studs are about 3yr old and are some random NOS 7/16 studs I got on eBay and the nuts were installed with anti-sieze. Those manifolds were surfaces to within 1.5thou and installed with sealant.
 
Beams are pulled. Need to power wash them and get started on the lower balljoints.

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Diff and locker look good.
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small update. I started to clean up the engine bay and give it a tune up. Plugs, wires, replace radiator hoses ect. Clean up the interior a bit today. Pulled the old seat cover off because that red seat is too good to hide.


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Beams are wire wheeled and stripped. Going to plate and move the lower ball joints next.

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Broke out the Chinese plasma for the first time. I'm a little annoyed its been sitting in the box as long as it has been, because it beats the pants off using a cutoff disk.

Started to cut plates for the beams.

this first one will get a bend by the end of the vice grips to meet the beam.
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This one needs some grinder work to get the fit right.
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Mine got a new lower ball joint today. What a PITA, but it's done.
 
Passenger beam balljoint is done. Two more plates to cut for this beam and it will be done. Going to plate the rear from the C to the window and the bottom to strengthen the window section for any future trimming I have to do to clear the axle shafts.

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Driverside beam box is tacked in. I had it cut already, so I stuck it in my ghetto press brake to get the angle for the end.

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I was about to ask if you were planning a cut-and-turn on the beams but that LBJ move looks like it does the trick! Did you maintain the same spacing between the mounting surfaces? I'm not familiar with TTB ball joint/knuckle layout so I'm not sure what has to line up...

I'm really digging this truck as well. TTB is overlooked but it's a cool system to run within its strength limits.
 
Yotota said:
I was about to ask if you were planning a cut-and-turn on the beams but that LBJ move looks like it does the trick! Did you maintain the same spacing between the mounting surfaces? I'm not familiar with TTB ball joint/knuckle layout so I'm not sure what has to line up...

I'm really digging this truck as well. TTB is overlooked but it's a cool system to run within its strength limits.
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The spacing is essentially the same. the lower ear just slides out a bit. I'm doing 3/4" on both beams based on the recommendation of a few here and some other research. With the adjustable upper bushings there isnt a really a need to hit it right on the mark, Ill just adjust from where ever it ends up.

I wont lie, I used to be one of the usual suspects telling people to ditch the TTB and go solid axle. That being said I have changed my tune, I am excited about it. Actually more excited about this TTB build than my 1 ton F250 that is in progress as well. i think your right about being within its limits. I think 35's and a decent suspension setup will be a really fun rig, plus I think it will be fun to show what it can do, since most people throw crappy bracket lifts on and then get mad and tear it out.
 
Toreadorranger said:
The spacing is essentially the same. the lower ear just slides out a bit. I'm doing 3/4" on both beams based on the recommendation of a few here and some other research. With the adjustable upper bushings there isnt a really a need to hit it right on the mark, Ill just adjust from where ever it ends up.

I wont lie, I used to be one of the usual suspects telling people to ditch the TTB and go solid axle. That being said I have changed my tune, I am excited about it. Actually more excited about this TTB build than my 1 ton F250 that is in progress as well. i think your right about being within its limits. I think 35's and a decent suspension setup will be a really fun rig, plus I think it will be fun to show what it can do, since most people throw crappy bracket lifts on and then get mad and tear it out.
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Hmm, I'm curious to see how the knuckle ball joints line up and torque down. If the bottom mounting hole is moved away from the top mounting hole, the spacing between the tapered shafts at full seated/torqued position has lengthened. The lower ball joint will seat and torque down well before the upper ball joint even begins to seat. Or the act of torquing the upper will bend the mounting ears closer together. Maybe. In theory. I could be completely wrong.

I have a dream build of a TTB full sized Bronco on 37s with a moderate go-fast build. It would be fun to bomb logging roads and forest service roads, snow and sand wheel, and do moderate but not crazy trail wheeling. A single cab short box pickup would do the job too.
 
Yotota said:
Hmm, I'm curious to see how the knuckle ball joints line up and torque down. If the bottom mounting hole is moved away from the top mounting hole, the spacing between the tapered shafts at full seated/torqued position has lengthened. The lower ball joint will seat and torque down well before the upper ball joint even begins to seat. Or the act of torquing the upper will bend the mounting ears closer together. Maybe. In theory. I could be completely wrong.

I have a dream build of a TTB full sized Bronco on 37s with a moderate go-fast build. It would be fun to bomb logging roads and forest service roads, snow and sand wheel, and do moderate but not crazy trail wheeling. A single cab short box pickup would do the job too.
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I've test fit the knuckle with no issues, I didn't torque it but everything fits fine currently, the other thing to remember is with the upper ball joint design the camber bushing can account for those small changes. Ita not going to try and pull the C together it will just tighten the bushing in the bore, what ever depth it is at.

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Yotota said:
Hmm, I'm curious to see how the knuckle ball joints line up and torque down. If the bottom mounting hole is moved away from the top mounting hole, the spacing between the tapered shafts at full seated/torqued position has lengthened. The lower ball joint will seat and torque down well before the upper ball joint even begins to seat. Or the act of torquing the upper will bend the mounting ears closer together. Maybe. In theory. I could be completely wrong.
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upper BJ is more like a kingpin than a ball joint, the shafty bit slides in and out quite a ways
 
[486] said:
upper BJ is more like a kingpin than a ball joint, the shafty bit slides in and out quite a ways
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Oh nice, sounds like Ford designed it to allow for a bit of distance variation.

Should be good to go!
 
Yotota said:
I have a dream build of a TTB full sized Bronco on 37s with a moderate go-fast build. It would be fun to bomb logging roads and forest service roads, snow and sand wheel, and do moderate but not crazy trail wheeling. A single cab short box pickup would do the job too.
Click to expand...
RBV guys have been doing that for years on 33-36" tires.
 
Yotota said:
Oh nice, sounds like Ford designed it to allow for a bit of distance variation.

Should be good to go!
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It doesn't matter much. There is a ton of flexibility in where the bushing mounts (more in the upward direction than down). There is nothing other than friction locating the stud/bushing in the beam vertically. As you screw the nut down the alignment bushing gets pulled into the bore until it's engaging the taper at which point it's spread outward and friction works its magic.
 
arse_sidewards said:
RBV guys have been doing that for years on 33-36" tires.
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Yeah I've seen the various RBV builds (what's the V stand for?) and many are rad. My thought was to find a half ton rig with a 5.8L, D44 TTB, and 9" rear axle to avoid the need for any drivetrain swapping. Just deal with suspension, gears/lockers, maybe a crawl box, and armor.

arse_sidewards said:
It doesn't matter much. There is a ton of flexibility in where the bushing mounts (more in the upward direction than down). There is nothing other than friction locating the stud/bushing in the beam vertically. As you screw the nut down the alignment bushing gets pulled into the bore until it's engaging the taper at which point it's spread outward and friction works its magic.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a cool design, I've never messed around with TTB but one of these days I probably will.
 
Yotota said:
Yeah I've seen the various RBV builds (what's the V stand for?) and many are rad. My thought was to find a half ton rig with a 5.8L, D44 TTB, and 9" rear axle to avoid the need for any drivetrain swapping. Just deal with suspension, gears/lockers, maybe a crawl box, and armor.
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ranger
based
vehicle

Yotota said:
Sounds like a cool design, I've never messed around with TTB but one of these days I probably will.
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that's how it is on all solid axle knuckle type stuff near as I know

would be awfully bind-y if it weren't
 
[486] said:
ranger
based
vehicle



that's how it is on all solid axle knuckle type stuff near as I know

would be awfully bind-y if it weren't
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Ya know, it's been so long since I've worked with a ball joint front axle and I've been in the land of Yota trunnions and/or Kingpins so I forgot about that. 😅
 
Yotota said:
Ya know, it's been so long since I've worked with a ball joint front axle and I've been in the land of Yota trunnions and/or Kingpins so I forgot about that. 😅
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ah right way back up there when I said "kingpin" I meant 2wd kingpin, not 4wd "roller bearing and tapered bushing" wierdness
 
[486] said:
ah right way back up there when I said "kingpin" I meant 2wd kingpin, not 4wd "roller bearing and tapered bushing" wierdness
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Haha yeah I'm swapping my Trunnion bearings for an eliminator kit which is just weird kingpins. So that's what just popped in my head instead of the more common 2wd setup.
 
Have been busy with work and trips so havent had a ton of time. Didn't have enough time to work on the beams lately, so I pulled off the thermostat housing and custom tensioner setup and degreased the stock power steering pump/tensioner that arse gave me with the truck, so it can go on.
 
Anyone know what thread these 4 boss' are threaded? I cleaned them up and they appear to be all the same size, but the bolt that threads into the lower two doesn't fit the upper two. Wanted to check before I run a tap down them.


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Power steering and A/C bracket and also front mount for industrial engines that use a mount up front. I forget which is which. They should all be the same thread size, 3/8 coarse, so run the tap.
 
I found my thread checker. They are 7/16 coarse thread. Which of course I don't have the right length on hand. But I ran a tap down them and cleaned them up.
 
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