Ford 83-94 6.9 and 7.3L General Discussion of 83-94 6.9 and 7.3 Liter Ford Diesels

Twin Traction Beam Questions

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  #1  
Old 08-18-2012, 08:21 AM
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Default Twin Traction Beam Questions

I have a 83 F-250 with the Twin beam front end in it. I want to level the truck by lifting the front end by like 1 to 2 inches. how would i go about doing this?
 
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Old 08-18-2012, 09:07 PM
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Is it 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive? If it is the two wheel drive If I remember correct they sat a little lower in the front so the best thing to do is buy a set of lift coil springs. Or for the cheaper way you can go to an alignment shop and get a set of spring insulators. They came in different thicknesses and If I remember right they had a 2in. If its a 4 wheel drive they sat pretty level from the factory so I would start looking for worn out parts (sagging coils, worn radius arm bushings, shocks, etc) or a combination of several worn parts.
 
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Old 08-18-2012, 11:39 PM
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it is a 4x4 and the front leaf's are like arched backward compared to what a regular set of springs look like in the rear of the truck or any other truck
 
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Old 08-19-2012, 08:49 PM
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I remember some of the older trucks used to come with negative arched springs, I don't rember if your year and model was one. Or is possible they are just wore out and sagging. There are a few things that you can do. You can get a 2in add a leaf for the front, probably cost you around a hundred bucks (can usually be found at any truck accessory shop), or you can get a set of 2 in lift springs for the truck, would be around 200 maybe 250 depending what brand you buy. You can also find some one that makes leaf springs in your area and either have them make you the 2 in lift springs or talk to them and see if they can re-arch your existing springs. They will usually do it for around 80 dollars, but it doesn't usually last but a couple of years and the arch is gone again.
 

Last edited by dukes-78; 08-19-2012 at 08:51 PM.
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Old 08-21-2012, 11:04 PM
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Another thing to look for are f350 springs. If I remember correct not only did the f350 have the d60 instead of our twin I beams, but I believe it had stouter springs up front. Has the truck ever had a plow? Plows absolutely demolish trucks, and one of the biggest complaints it reversed springs because of the repeated flexing. If you have a plow, f350 springs and an add a leaf would probably eliminate 80 % of plow squat, and they should still be stiff long after the truck is dead

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

In the end, the duke is more than likely completely right in saying that it could be a combination of suspension components being the culprit. Remember, our trucks arnt exactly fresh from the show room, and If yall load up and beat down your trucks anything like me, that's where you really feel the stress. I made a 50 yr old seasoned mechanic almost faint when he saw the alignment #s and rear leaf mounts on my old k5 mudder. He said he's seen crash test cars with less dents and better alignment
 

Last edited by Kickin IdI; 08-21-2012 at 11:04 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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Old 08-27-2012, 07:34 AM
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The TTB equipped trucks had flat springs (when not loaded, AKA out of the truck) therefor they flexed backwards, and are commonly referred to as negative arch. The F350 springs while rated to hold more do not have as high of a spring rate because they were meant for a solid axle not a ttb (the ttb is a lever that gives the tire more leverage over the spring).
Worn axle pivot bushings can also cause the front to squat a little.

Fair warning, tire alignment with a TTB is dependent upon ride height, it is probable that if you just use add a leafs and such to raise the front of the truck 2 inches it may not be possible to re-align it with out some drop brackets.
 
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