[ihc] RE: Knuckles for Joel

["Jim Grammer" <jgrammer@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 18:45:10 -0700
>From: Joel M Brodsky <jmbrodsky@domain.elided>
>Subject: [ihc] Ford outers, D44?

>Binders,
>      Ummm, okay, I've heard about this over and over, and now I'm really
>getting curious...
>The talk is that one could take some year Ford outer knuckle from a Dana 44
>front axle and swap
>them for the stock IH Scout outers, and then have a high steer setup with a
>higher mounted steering
>arm and shorter radius steering arm and drag link connection.

>Is this true?  Do the ford outers have two holes drilled in the steering
>arm for both the drag link AND
>the tie-rod placements?

Aren't *we* full of questions ;)

All the Ferd knuckles I've seen do not have double holes on the steering
arm, owing to their semi-proprietary 'droopy Y' steering linkage. A true
'high steer' would ignore the cast-in arms anyway, using flat-top knuckles
machined to accept aftermarket steering arms on top. At that point *you*
decide how long the arms are, within space(usually wheel/tire) limitations.

Ford 1/2 ton solid axle spindles(Bronco/F150) use a unique 5 bolt pattern.
TTB IFS trucks I've seen use the conventional 6 bolt pattern, but the front
of the spindle is not machined to index a GM style brake backing plate(Ford
caliper mounts go behind the spindle). The Ford spindle for the 'internal'
style wheel hub is longer than a SII, no hub interchange there.

I didn't notice if the Ford TTB knuckles were flat top. Some GM's are, but
not all. Some FSJ are, not sure if they all are. Some Dodge are, but on the
drum brake units beware of the 'off-clocked' spindle pattern that doesn't
put a stud right at 12:00 high. It looks to be about 15deg off. There's a
'7? Dodge W100 semi-stripped in front of the local wrecking yard, so I
stopped to check out the D44 front. Same spindle pattern clocking as the
IH-spec drum brake(full size) 44's. It's off *just* enough to prevent use of
a GM caliper mount :(. 33" spring centers, like the other Dodges I've
measured. 54.5" to the upper ball joint centers, same as a GM D44.

Anybody looking to build the narrowest full size D44 without cutting stuff?
Find a late '70's/early '80's(mine is marked as a 1980) Dodge full time D44
without the center disconnect. 52.5" upper ball joint centers, even narrower
than the IH's(53.5").

Jim