This is kind of an oddball, off in left field question, but, here goes anyway.
Buddy of mine has an 85 F250 diesel much like my 86, and desperately wants rid of his TTB. So far we've been coming up short on 60 parts, but, have found not one, but 2 70's F250 High Boy closed knuckle axles, one for sure is a 71, the other is separated from it's truck and I didn't look for the BOM.
I've done some digging, but, haven't really found what I was looking for. Axle strength isn't an issue, as the truck sees mostly highway and runs 285's, so, he doesn't really need a 60 under the thing, he hasn't broken the 44HD TTB that's in the truck as it is. From what I can see on Mr. N's site, it should be stronger than a standard 44 in the u-joint department with the external retaining ring, ala Dana 50 TTB, even looks like they use the same U-Joint.
But, what I want to know is how is that KP axle going to handle the weight of the diesel, and secondly, how hard would it be to put discs on it(tow pig...)?
If it'd handle it and discs aren't a huge issue, a free axle would sure beat buying a 60 for him.

This brings up the question as to why he wants to do a SAS? If he isn't breaking his TTB axle, and he isn't going bigger on tires, and it's a mostly a tow vehicle... Stick with what he's got. A straight axle 44 will lift higher / easier, and "articulate better" then a TTB, but this is a Diesel tow rig. If he absolutely has to have a 60, hang loose and watch craigs list. I've seen 3 in my area, know of one from an 88 F350 that I bought in the truck, sold to a guy, who is now selling it for $500. Oh and please don't cut up any 77-79 D60's and make them fit, us late 70's guys have a heck of a time finding proper front axles with all the jeep guys steeling our goodies.

As far as closed knuckle axles - Yuck Blech Ptewie... Better off finding a 44 with disks on it IMHO. You's have to see if the spindle bolt pattern from the TTB would match up with the 44HD knuckle... Make sure the axles are long enough to make it all the way through the hubs... not sure but somewhere in the late 80's there is a mutt year for bronco TTB outers where the axles et al are different lengths from every other year, might apply to all TTB???

Good luck with the edventure.

This is kind of an oddball, off in left field question, but, here goes anyway.
Buddy of mine has an 85 F250 diesel much like my 86, and desperately wants rid of his TTB. So far we've been coming up short on 60 parts, but, have found not one, but 2 70's F250 High Boy closed knuckle axles, one for sure is a 71, the other is separated from it's truck and I didn't look for the BOM.
I've done some digging, but, haven't really found what I was looking for. Axle strength isn't an issue, as the truck sees mostly highway and runs 285's, so, he doesn't really need a 60 under the thing, he hasn't broken the 44HD TTB that's in the truck as it is. From what I can see on Mr. N's site, it should be stronger than a standard 44 in the u-joint department with the external retaining ring, ala Dana 50 TTB, even looks like they use the same U-Joint.
But, what I want to know is how is that KP axle going to handle the weight of the diesel, and secondly, how hard would it be to put discs on it(tow pig...)?
If it'd handle it and discs aren't a huge issue, a free axle would sure beat buying a 60 for him.

Let me guess, you have no experience with leaf sprung TTB, and you also have no sweet clue where I am, there ain't no such thing as craigslist, and, you drive 5 miles out of town in any direction, and you're in the middle of the bush... I've been trying to piece together my spare 60(needs pass side inner and outer, caliper brackets and spindles) without dropping coin on new stuff for 3 years now...
Leaf sprung ttb chews up tires, rides like shit(a solid axle with proper springs rides eleventy billion times better,) and generally just plain sucks(It is not very much like the F150/Bko version.) Currently, his truck chews the RF tire for no apparent reason, I'm thinking it may be from bad spring eye bushings on that side, nothing else explains it, toe in and camber are within spec, balljoints and pivot bushings are good, shackles were recently replaced...

From what I can find about this axle, the only real drawback other than being low pinion is the drum brakes, for a pavement pounder, closed knuckle is of no concequence, and being a true 44HD, it does have larger joints and external retaing rings rather than c-clips.
I know the TTB spindles aren' going to be of any use whatsoever, D44HD TTB spindles are 8 stud...

The oddball year for the 150/Bko D44 TTB you're thinking of is 87/part of 88, for factory manual hub equipped trucks, they run a hat style lockout, like a RBV does.

And as for your 78/9 60's, I'll do whatever I want with the two I have :flipoff2:

So so sorry, I suck and you live in the middle of nowhere...

Spindle length and the knuckle side mounting surface on the disk '79 and a closed knuckle of unknown year are way different (yes I just looked at the ones sitting outside... look on bronco graveyard if you want a pic). 76 spindle might fit, looks to be 6 bolt. Trade one of the $900 D60 fronts you have sitting there with someone for a D44. There should be someone in Minesota willing to split the miles for that trade...

If you keep up with a leaf TTB they ride just fine. Dropped a leaf and replaced bushings in my 88 250, rotated the tires regularly, and never had an issue... Shrug... but what do i know...

:flipoff2:Back at ya:flipoff2:

Just had his truck apart, now we have no sweet clue as to why it's eating that pass side tire, bushings are fine... Weird.
Before I put the 60 in my diesel, The 44HD it wore tires ok so long as I kept them rotated... I'd put 'em on the welded rear to wear 'em back flat... LOL. No matter what I tried, I couldn't make it stop cupping the outside of the tires, it didn't do it very much, but, enough that it bugged me... Then I broke axles, and that was the end... LOL
They do ride OK, but, a 60 with springs for a solid axle truck rides much better(about half the spring rate.) Even without a shackle reversal.

The spindles on that 44HD are 6 bolt... Even if we don't end up running this thing in his truck, I've done enough digging on this axle now that I want to see it through, with the bigger u-joints and external retainers(exact same stuff as a D50 TTB) if there was a quick and easy solution for the 19 spline inners, it would be a cheap, pretty decent axle. D50 outers might work to get it to 30 spline on the outside, probably short though. For the inners, the DS is close, I'm not sure what points the the D50 measurements I have on hand are taken from...
I guess I'll just have to drag one of those home and see what will work and what doesn't... I'm really just curious if I've found use for the D50 crap I have laying around that's otherwise useless...

The KP44 holds the weight of my cummins just fine, but was a PITA to swap to disks, I modified chevy 1/2t backing plates, used dodge ram 2500 rotors, and chevy half ton calipers. I ground the knuckles and the calipers to fit, and machined the rotors down a little. It stops alot better than the drums, but still only has half ton calipers, and a poor turning radius. I plan to put a 60 or disk brake 44 in next time I revamp the truck.

The drums are the only downside I see, but there are ways around that. Also I'm beting the truck has a plow on it too, which the solid axle will be waaayyy nicer for.. those HD 44's are pretty neat axles, though I've only came across a few in my travels. And souix lookout may be out in BFE, but its not tthhaaaaat far from the border, nice area though, I was there about 8 years ago on the way to lac suel.

The only thing I'd be affraid of I have seen the spindle nuts pull through a few times on those old closed knuckle 44's in highboys, though im not sure if its an issue on the HD ones or not.

They do ride OK, but, a 60 with springs for a solid axle truck rides much better(about half the spring rate.) Even without a shackle reversal.



For what its worth...my truck rides like ass, but I have a major shackle angle issue.

Just had his truck apart, now we have no sweet clue as to why it's eating that pass side tire, bushings are fine... Weird..

Is the truck lifted at all?

Make sure his TTB brackets are still bolted solid to the crossmember... especially the pass side one. It is VERY common for the bolts to work loose, and alot of times part of them are gone. IIRC there is 4 bolts on each bracket, make sure they are all TIGHT and that the holes are not wallowed out.

Truck is 100% bone stock, like I said, he only has 285's on it.
The TTB brackets are bolted solidly, when we did the pivot bushings, we put in new grade 8 hardware, with lock nuts, and we loctited it, I've been there and done that before, everything is still tight from that operation. Robert is extermely meticulous with his truck when it comes to maintenance, to the point that he greases it daily and gives it a complete end to end inspection every Sunday morning. Mind you, he does 60K + miles a year.
He may have located a 60, but, even so, I'm going to play with that 44HD, could make a good mud race axle for one of my side projects that may or may not ever happen, but, mostly I just want to see if I can do something usefull with D50 TTB parts... LOL

Jrod: I might not be far from the border, but, I haven't the foggiest clue how to find my way there, I've never been down Fort Frances way, I'm from the east coast origionally, and, I haven't been across the border since 1998... LOL

Let me guess, came up here to slay some Walleye or Pike?

You should be able to bolt on 70's Chevy 8 lug disc brake parts from spindles on out and have disc brakes and 8 lug bolt pattern along with larger calipers. Sounds like a good swap for the TTB. I am looking for a dana 60 for mine just in case I decide to take it offroad in the future.

Certainly sounds like something is wrong with it, although if it's not obvious, I would agree it probably isn't worth the bother on a leafsprung TTB.

Something I remember about those old F-250 closed knuckle axles, the pinion angle is royally fawked up on those things, its something like a 12-15° angle on the u-joint even at stock height. That pretty much makes the 4WD useless above 30 MPH or so (as was the case on my dad's old '74 F-250).

If he found a 60 for it, use it.

There's a Craig's list for Thunder Bay and Winnipeg - you're pretty much in the middle.

Yah, there is; did you happen to take a look at 'em? They're basicly useless at this point, neither has been around very long, or is known about...
Yah, I'm pretty much in the middle, but, parts avalabilty is actually better here than it is in either city...

TTB eats out the tires.

Blackbird is a vendor here on the site. If you look in the vendors section they sell disk conversion kits for the closed knuckle 44/60s.

Kyle