Picked up my Dana60 in Oklahoma City

[marret]

Glad things are getting worked out ScrapIron. Front suspension looks great.

[ScrapIron]

Got the heavy duty hellwig swaybar installed. Much heavier than the factory unit i removed. I had one of these on it a few years back when it was still I-beam suspension and found it was far to stiff so i removed it and got rid of it.

But it feels just about right with the 4x4 axle under the truck at this point.

[ScrapIron]

I also installed another remanufactured steeering box on it. Is anyone running an F series drop pitman arm on the E series van?

[posplayr]

Originally Posted by ScrapIron

Got the heavy duty hellwig swaybar installed. Much heavier than the factory unit i removed. I had one of these on it a few years back when it was still I-beam suspension and found it was far to stiff so i removed it and got rid of it.

But it feels just about right with the 4x4 axle under the truck at this point.

Helwig shows the following Front and Rear respectively.
92-08 E250-E350 Single Wheel 7604 1-1/8" 7183 1-1/4"

I bought the Addco bars
Part Number: K1-548-0U-352 1 1/4" Front
Part Number: K1-697-0U-350 1 1/8" rear

These compare to the stock bar which I think is only 13/16" IIRC

I'm looking to optimize highway driving and stability not off-road. I've used Addco bars in the past had they have always been plenty without being too much (1969 Datsun 2000 and a 1984 VW Westfalia). On the VW the front was exceptionally good while the rear seems to do little with the front one.

What size bars are you using and do you think they are too much for highway use on a E-350 RB 2WD?

[ScrapIron]

The 92-08 bars are different than what i ordered. Mine has a dana 60 4x4 axle underneath the front. That said i needed the eyes on the end of the swaybar to be vertical for my setup versus horizontal like the ones you listed.

I can only share my own personal experience with the hellwig bar on my rig when it was still two wheel drive with I-beams. It was far to stiff for my liking even just on the hiways and streets around town. That swaybar was the larger 1-1/4th diameter.
I went to the salvage yard and yanked a factory bar off of an E-450 and used it instead.

Only you know what your preference is in ride quality, to me it was to stiff and my truck is heavier than a normal E series van. I will say it definately made the truck far more stable in curves and eliminated alot of the lean you get with an RV. But then again, now it has a 4x4 axle underneath it and the same diameter swaybar seems to be just right with the added lift.

[ScrapIron]

Sorry i had forgotten all about this post and didnt update progress. I got bad sick after my last post and was down for an entire year. I only started working on the truck again a few months ago.

Heres a brief update...

I installed Reid Racing front knuckles along with EMF ball joints and had another alignment done. That finished up the front axle pretty much. I also relocated one of the steering stabilizer shocks so that it is attached to the frame of the truck (huge difference).

[ScrapIron]

I then ordered some 6" inch lift rear leaf springs and removed the air suspension that was on the back of the truck. The springs are rated for 8500 lb. They raised the truck to match the front lift. Took me an entire day to get them installed as they weigh about 100 lbs each and i had no helper. I also swapped out front spring perches to lower the front 1" inch because it just sat to high for me. I will likely reinstall the factory running boards so i dont break an ankle jumping in and out of it.

I also had to remove the SuperSteer rear tracbar because the amount of lift from the springs exceeded the tracbars adjustment limitations. Once the springs were on i then proceeded to continue doing research on how i was going to install the matching Dodge wheels on the back of the truck.

I finally found the solution i was looking for and replaced everything on the rear spindles to complete the rear wheel swap without using wheel adapters, no cutting, no grinding, no welding involved. The tires are all 245/75-17 BFG KO2's now on front and back. Im still running the original 32 spline limited slip diff for now with 4.10 gearing front and rear but hope to upgrade to a 35 spline locker with maybe 4.30 gearing once the rest of the truck is completed.....

Needless to say the Ram center caps will be replaced with Ford center caps as soon as i find some nice used ones. Ford wants $100 each for plastic center caps. The last picture is how the truck sits at this stage. I still have to bleed the brakes, hook up new park brake cables.

The only complaint i have at this point is how quickly a brand new pair of $2000 leaf springs rusted. The truck hasnt been driven since the springs were installed and they are already rusted like they are five years old just sitting in the driveway.

I think the truck looks like it came with those wheels on it from the factory, that said im happy with the end result. Mainly i dont have tires sticking out beyond my rear fenders kicking rocks up against the side of that fiberglass shell and tearing up the paint and gel coat and possibly cracking the fiberglass.

[ScrapIron]

Next will likely be a new rear electric step. From the factory it came with an electric step with only one fold down step. Im going to need at least two steps on this thing so i dont have to jump out of it with a parachute.

At the same time i will likely just have a new 3 piece rear bumper fabricated for it to raise and relocate the spare tire onto a swingout so i can access the small trunk area still.

I will also have to fab up a new rear tracbar setup for more stability control. I did add a brand new Roadmaster rear sway bar but its just not enough on its own for this tall, heavy truck with this much lift under it.

[PDXDave]

Ours is an 06 RB50 with about 90k on the clock.
It's never towed anything besides a small utility trailer.
I feel like she might be sagging a bit and the ride is fairly bouncy.
I attribute this to the original OME shocks, but can't help but wonder if these rigs sag a bit with time and if there's a known source for replacement leaf springs?

Thanks

[ScrapIron]

Yes leaf springs do settle in a bit and begin to sag over time. I imagine its slighty worse on heavier trucks than it is on the lighter E-series vans. SD truck springs sells replacements, i bought my springs from weldtec.

I've never run a leaf spring designed to lift the truck before. I always just used lift blocks in the past. I love the difference in ride quality with these springs, but im somewhat concerned that it will be short lived, only time will tell. I have driven it around town a couple of times, but for the most part its remained parked in the driveway while i complete other projects on it.

Before im finished im hoping to try some King shocks on mine as well as try to incorporate portions of the self leveling air suspension i removed from it onto the truck to assist the leaf springs for when i tow and just to help prevent spring sag over time.