Dana 60 Swap Track bar too short! stock springs no RS kit. - Diesel Forum

MattLingo · 09-15-2007, 03:47 AM

Hello all,
So I'm 99% finished with a dana 60 swap into my 1997 F-250.... I'm doing a direct swap with no RS kit or SD springs. The donor truck was a 1992 F350 diesel and from that I'm using Everything.... axle, springs, sway bar, track bar and bracket, and whatever else I am forgetting. Everything is under the truck and I'm about ready to go, but the track bar is about an inch too short. I personally dissasembled the donor truck and everthing lined up perfect. My track bar is roughly 21 inches between the centers of each hole. If I compress the spring until its a straight shot and the shortest distance possible between the bracket on the crossmember and where it mounts to the axle, I'm still about half an inch too short..... It's driving me crazy, not too mention I've got about twenty straight hours into this thing, just to get hung up at the last minute. Either I'm really tired and stupid, or there is some kind of dimensional difference between these two trucks. I'm hoping its the first option. Can I drive the truck temporarily without the track bar? any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers-
Matt

STurbo90 · 09-15-2007, 04:15 AM

You can drive without it, the steering will probably just feel a little mushy.

since you have the donor truck, can you see any differences? was your truck 4x4? or are you converting?

you want the track bar to bolt in when the truck is at rest. If you have to compress the suspension, it will bind the suspension travel.

You may just have to make a spacer to relocate the track bar bracket.

MattLingo · 09-15-2007, 05:07 AM

no conversion here. The other truck was a dually though..... but I think it was a conversion, because the 60 didn't have dually hubs, just spacers on the srw hubs.

Briansshop · 09-15-2007, 10:29 AM

Yea,that's a head scratcher. I'd prob get the truck at ride height and take some measurements to see if the axle is centered under the truck or not.If it is you can cut the track bar and lengthen it by sleeving it w/the right size pipe and welding.FYI,although I think it's better to use a track bar,I'm not running one on mine.It was just too much a PITA to fab up w/the lift.I do have a SRK though.Been that for about 25,000 miles.

BadDogPSD · 09-15-2007, 01:03 PM

I just measured my track bar, it's 20.75 center to center.
Is everything lined up & centered? I'd do as the others suggest and put the weight on the wheels and see how it lines up.

bosefes · 09-15-2007, 01:12 PM

You are not trying to use your F250 springs are you? They will cause some missalignment of the track bar and they will be wayyyyy to stiff and bouncy.

Pike · 09-15-2007, 01:18 PM

With the truck on the ground with tires on under its own weight just as if you were going to drive it, turn the steering wheel half a turn right or left. Then go under the truck and see wich way your axle shifted. After a few tries you should be able to get your trac bar holes to line up. This is how I do mine. Also if you haven't done it yet energy suspensions makes some nice bushings for the trac bar. Good luck.

Dave

caryt · 09-15-2007, 02:24 PM

I have been telling everyone that you must get a adj track bar when you do a d60 swap with or without a RS kit! Anytime you raise a truck you will need to account for the new length of the track bar. Sometimes a drop bracket will work but not very often hence a adj bar.

Do you have to use one ..no, just get a comealong and pull the axel over [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif[/img]

Cary

Briansshop · 09-15-2007, 09:17 PM

So,caryt,you're saying a stock truck needs an adj track bar?Because that's what he's putting together,a stock truck.

gnxtc2 · 09-15-2007, 10:54 PM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: caryt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been telling everyone that you must get a adj track bar when you do a d60 swap with or without a RS kit! Anytime you raise a truck you will need to account for the new length of the track bar. Sometimes a drop bracket will work but not very often hence a adj bar.

Cary </div></div>

Cary

How is the trac bar suppose to be installed? Truck resting on the ground with all the weight on it or with the trucks front suspension hanging?

The reason I'm asking is because I have this thumping noise going over washboard roadways in the front of my truck. When I did my conversion, the trac bar holes was off by 1/2". I was able to get the bolt in. Now I'm wondering if I am binding something in the front end.

And yes, I checked my ball joints and they are fine. The only other thing I noticed was the tie rod end to the pitman arm was real loose. I don't know if the tie rod is bouncing when I go over the bumps?

There are some pics of the angles of the steering component under the truck section in my Pictures at the bottom of my sig. I think I need a drop pitman arm.

Thanks

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

**DIESELDUTTON** · 09-15-2007, 11:49 PM

When I did my install last week, the track bar was the last thing I installed and I did it with all of the weight on the axle, it lighned up perfectly, I did use the drop bracket that came with the kit. I believe I need a drop pitman arm, because every bump I hit, the steering wheel moves (bump steer) I was told to get the drag link as close to parallel with the tie bar as you can. I will do that this week and see what happens.

Frank

MattLingo · 09-16-2007, 05:36 AM

Ok, well I got it figured out. Turns out I was just really tired. Once the truck was sitting on the ground, the track bar went right into place. Thanks for all the help everyone! It may still be the stock springs and no RS kit, but it sure rides a lot better than that dana 50 with blown out ball joints and riding on the bump stops...

BadDogPSD · 09-19-2007, 08:06 PM

Cool. Glad you got it figured out!