1969 Ford Crew Cab / Cummins Project

[HRDROKN]

Alright......

She finally sits on her own four feet again! And of course for all you pic junkies.....

[dcbullet]

Mother...of...God...

What a monster!

[RedneckTexan]

AWE-SOME!!!!!!

When your done, will you build me the twin to this truck?

[HRDROKN]

Just attempted to swing my NV4500 into place so that I could get to fabricating the new cross member, but it didn't go! It appears that the input shaft is bottoming out on the end of the crank. Taking a measurement showed that the Input shaft is approximately .750" too long. Input shaft total length is 7.750" and the bellhousing depth to crank end (no pilot bearing) is 7.000" .

My only guess at this point (and My question) is that the bellhousing adapters are different between automatics and manuals??? Or is it that my adapter being a 1993 is too shallow??? Are 1994 and up deeper???

Looks like my adapter is about 1.250" deep... if that helps.

I found an 03-06 adapter that looks to be right about .750" deeper... any known problems with a later model adapter??? Starter???

Thanks!

[averagef250]

89-93 adapters are different from the 94-02 adapters.

You can buy a conversion bellhousing from AA to make the NV4500 work with the 89-93 stuff, you can machine an adapter plate to make the NV and old adapter/bellhousing work together or you can go to a 94-02 adapter, flywheel and clutch.

I don't know about the 03-06 stuff. I know commonrail block adapters are machined to seal the rear of the cam with an O-ring.

The thing to keep in mind with the 03 and up dodge cummins stuff is that when cummins went to commonrail in '03 they also switched every engine they make other than the dodge engines over to rear geartrain. Knowing that, there's a good chance the 03 and up dodge stuff is not like anything else.

[HRDROKN]

Thanks Dustin!

[HRDROKN]

So on to other stuff then....... while I look for a new bellhousing adapter.

I have decided to eliminate the springs in the steering knuckle with these pieces. They use a set screw and heavy washer to pre-load the nylon cone.

[HRDROKN]

The tie rod ends for the drag link are from a Cheby application and were used in place of heim joints due to the angle from the pitman arm and steering nuckle...

[HRDROKN]

I'll use 3/4" heims for the tie rod... drilled out the 5/8" taper to 3/4"...

[71PA_Highboy]

Remind me to stay away from you when you are driving that truck.

SRE (Heim joints) have no place on a street vehicle in a single shear application. A hard hit and you are gonna pop that heim and have no steering.

The Chevy 1 ton TREs would have been a much better choice.

JMHO.

Eric

[averagef250]

Eric's got a good point. I'd want tie rods for the street too.

What is the purpose of eliminating the kingpin taper spring?

[HRDROKN]

Eric's got a good point. I'd want tie rods for the street too.

What is the purpose of eliminating the kingpin taper spring?

What I'm hearing is that running poorly balanced 38's to 44's can cause the "death wobble" or shimmy due to the unbalanced weight compressing the spring each rotation. Seemed to make sense from theory, really don't know if it is a real problem with big tires? On my jeeps, running big 35x14.50's I have not even had to balance the tires as the rotational speed is quite a bit slower at speed. Of course I don't run my jeeps at 80+ either. I'm certain this truck will see more than 80 mph on occasion.

[HRDROKN]

Eric's got a good point. I'd want tie rods for the street too.

IMO... It would seem to me that if heims can handle the forces of big tires on the rocks with hydraulic steering rams attached to the tie rods, then it would seem to me that street duty wouldn't be an issue?

Hmmm.... looking at the desert racers it looks like they are using heims for control arms as well as steering geometry.... and those boys launch those trucks!!!

[1971ford]

Hmmm.... looking at the desert racers it looks like they are using heims for control arms as well as steering geometry.... and those boys launch those trucks!!!

yup, heims are everywhere on desert racing trucks. and they obviously take a horrible beating. ive never heard of anyone breaking a heim on the forums or at the races.

[rjewkes]

Heim? what is this? will i need it on my 70 crew 4x4? most 4xing will be on ice and snow and occassional mudding/rock crawling.