Re: Dana 60 front on 47 PW? Has anyone tried it?


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Posted by Charlie on December 29, 1998 at 22:46:21:

In Reply to: Dana 60 front on 47 PW? Has anyone tried it? posted by Kodiak on December 29, 1998 at 21:12:42:

Tim Peterson in Waukesha Wisconsin did a beautiful M37 with Dana 60 front and Dana 70 rear. Or was it a 70 in the front? But your question is steering. Try my solution: get a drag link from a Ford F600 or 700 which is a hydraulic actuator/valve. It has 4 ports, 2 for to and from pump, 2 for to and from ram. It's been done, one was done recently on a W200 or 300 in PWA (Power Wagon Advertiser magazine) ~1-2 years ago with pictures. The hole in the steering knuckle arm needs to be enlarged, still with a taper, to take the end from the F700 link ( still leaves enough metal for strength). The drag link needs to be sortened, the best idea is a turnbuckle that locks with a couple of smallish (3/8" bolts. One end is normal rotation threads, the other reverse, just like the adjustable part of a tie-rod. The size of ball (at the end of the pitman arm) in the proximal end is serendipitously the same. The 90 degree curve in the end of the pitman needed to be straightened so it hangs down vertically. With this arrangement, the original column, box and most of the linkage is unchanged. Extra stress is added at the end of the linkage - axle/tie-rod. BTW, the ram attaches to the axle on one end and the tie-rod on the other. I haven't done that last step yet (this week - that's a job for a professional welder). The attachments will be sturdy: the clevis holes in the ram are 1.00" diameter, also 1.00" thick. There are disadvantages: I think there's a slight delay in boost, there's more hoses which move and need to be super quality. I strongly suggest adding 4 degrees of caster with any PW or M37 PS project. Since I swapped the springs out for a set of 6 leaves/0.320" with ~3" lift over new stock (4-5" over current), I had to have the steering arm cut and raised 3", also done very heavy duty/overkill by professional welder for obvious reasons.
Don't forget the caster. Wedges are fine, as long as spring center bolts have extra long heads. DO NOT use aluminum wedges, they disintegrate after a few years. Steel is best, bronze is probably adequate.
You could check my article in the 11/97 PWA re PS in M37.
Charlie
52m37@alaska.net


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