problem with lift kit.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Roseburg OR.
problem with lift kit.
Maybe this should be in the suspension forum but our moderator has gone awol so we can just go crazy here if we want
Just kidding Monsta
I will be sad to see you go and hope your replacement will be as easy going as you are
My question: How do you go about replacing the front track bar bracket bolt. On mine the little keeper thing went south on us but we could get some needle nose pliers on the top of it and got the nut started on enough that we could then move the pliers to the exposed threads at the bottom and put the nut the rest of the way on.
On my brothers truck they had to torch the bolts off and weren't able to replace the front bolt. (I don't know why I wasn't there) He now has only the 2 other bolts and the bracket moves a little if you sit and turn the tires back and forth at a stop. It kinda sucks that he just got his truck lifted up and got some 35's on it and he can't really enjoy it because I know that's bugging him. I would like for him to be as happy as I was when I got to drive mine lifted for the first time.
Any responses would be great.
Just kidding Monsta
I will be sad to see you go and hope your replacement will be as easy going as you are My question: How do you go about replacing the front track bar bracket bolt. On mine the little keeper thing went south on us but we could get some needle nose pliers on the top of it and got the nut started on enough that we could then move the pliers to the exposed threads at the bottom and put the nut the rest of the way on.
On my brothers truck they had to torch the bolts off and weren't able to replace the front bolt. (I don't know why I wasn't there) He now has only the 2 other bolts and the bracket moves a little if you sit and turn the tires back and forth at a stop. It kinda sucks that he just got his truck lifted up and got some 35's on it and he can't really enjoy it because I know that's bugging him. I would like for him to be as happy as I was when I got to drive mine lifted for the first time.
Any responses would be great.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: IN FRONT OF YOU
problem with lift kit.
Im assuming you mean the front bolt on the driver side frame rail.
Only thing I can think of off the top of my head, is to tack a piece of welding rod ,or something like that to a nut, and feed it through the access hole that is behind it. Use something that you can bend, but will be somewhat ridgid.
To dark and to tired to go look now, maybe someone will have a better idea.
Only thing I can think of off the top of my head, is to tack a piece of welding rod ,or something like that to a nut, and feed it through the access hole that is behind it. Use something that you can bend, but will be somewhat ridgid.
To dark and to tired to go look now, maybe someone will have a better idea.
Last edited by Yeti; Jun 6, 2003 at 11:01 PM.
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From: Roseburg OR.
problem with lift kit.
Yeah the front bolt on the drivers side frame rail. The bolt extends down from inside the frame. The nut goes on the bottom. I can't figure out how to get another bolt in there. Maybe if you take the steering box off? I'm sure this has happened to someone else here. It's been a problem on both of the only two lifted SD's that I've had something to do with so I know it can't be that uncommon.
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From: Roseburg OR.
problem with lift kit.
No he's still driving it with one bolt missing from the bracket. I was hoping to hear from you and Donahoe, Abendx, RichCT, 1bad.. and others that have lifted trucks. I know some didn't do the lift themselves but some like RichCT did.
Maybe more folks will be here Monday.
Thanks I wanna acetone the emblems next but I'm a little chicken.
Maybe more folks will be here Monday.
Dam, Iwas just looking at your gallery again, I like your rig a lot
Last edited by RRMike; Jun 8, 2003 at 10:44 AM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,438
Likes: 11
From: IN FRONT OF YOU
problem with lift kit.
Well, luckily I didn't have that problem when doing mine, all I can think of is the fish method , like I said, tack a rod onto the nut and fish it through the rectangular access hole.
Worse comes to worse, could allways lay down some weld, can always be grinded off if you wanted to return it to stock. I had to do that on my 93 with IFS.
Worse comes to worse, could allways lay down some weld, can always be grinded off if you wanted to return it to stock. I had to do that on my 93 with IFS.
Last edited by Yeti; Jun 8, 2003 at 10:51 AM.
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From: Roseburg OR.
problem with lift kit.
Oh I'll get a bolt back in there come hell or high water
I know Ford didn't fabricate the frame around a bolt. There has to be access from the other side or enough room to put a bolt down the frame from the access by the back bolt.
I know Ford didn't fabricate the frame around a bolt. There has to be access from the other side or enough room to put a bolt down the frame from the access by the back bolt.
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Stratford, CT
problem with lift kit.
I didn't have that problem with mine. Getting the track bar upper mounting bracket off was one of the easier steps of the install, but all trucks seem to be different.
What about welding a stud (threaded) onto the frame rail in the place of the bolt that "went south"? Then you would be able to thread the nut onto the stud and the bracket would now be secure. Just a thought, not exactly sure if it will work.
-Rich
What about welding a stud (threaded) onto the frame rail in the place of the bolt that "went south"? Then you would be able to thread the nut onto the stud and the bracket would now be secure. Just a thought, not exactly sure if it will work.
-Rich
FTE *******
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 609
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From: McAllen, Texas
problem with lift kit.
RRMike,
It is not an uncommon problem. On older trucks the bolts will sometimes snap off inside the tab and you have to torch them out because there are sleeves that the steering box bolts run though which will not allow the tab to come out with the remainder of the bolt sticking through. More often the nuts will spin inside of the tab. The easy fix for this is to pull the tab out and tack weld the nut to the tab. Also, be sure that the holes in your track bar bracket are oriented properly. It is not uncommon for these to require die grinding to get the bolts to go in straight. Hope this helps.
It is not an uncommon problem. On older trucks the bolts will sometimes snap off inside the tab and you have to torch them out because there are sleeves that the steering box bolts run though which will not allow the tab to come out with the remainder of the bolt sticking through. More often the nuts will spin inside of the tab. The easy fix for this is to pull the tab out and tack weld the nut to the tab. Also, be sure that the holes in your track bar bracket are oriented properly. It is not uncommon for these to require die grinding to get the bolts to go in straight. Hope this helps.
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From: Roseburg OR.
problem with lift kit.
The easy fix for this is to pull the tab out and tack weld the nut to the tab.
FTE *******
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: McAllen, Texas
problem with lift kit.
RRMike,
I don't believe I've ever seen an SD with track bar bracket bolts which extended down through the frame. Every one I remember has a tab with two nuts which is inserted through the access hole on the side of the frame and is bolted up though the bottom.
I don't see how you could get a stud down through the frame as there are tubes which span across the inside of the rail which house the steering box bolts. There is very little (1/8" maybe) clearance between the nuts and those tubes which would make inserting a studded tab just about impossible. Never the less if yours is different what you could do is buy the tab and bolts I describe from your Ford dealer and knock your stud up out of the hole and replace it with tab and bolts. Hope this helps.
I don't believe I've ever seen an SD with track bar bracket bolts which extended down through the frame. Every one I remember has a tab with two nuts which is inserted through the access hole on the side of the frame and is bolted up though the bottom.
I don't see how you could get a stud down through the frame as there are tubes which span across the inside of the rail which house the steering box bolts. There is very little (1/8" maybe) clearance between the nuts and those tubes which would make inserting a studded tab just about impossible. Never the less if yours is different what you could do is buy the tab and bolts I describe from your Ford dealer and knock your stud up out of the hole and replace it with tab and bolts. Hope this helps.
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From: Roseburg OR.
problem with lift kit.
I don't know myself how my brothers setup was before they took a torch to it. I just know that mine has a bolt down through the frame. I don't know how it got in there but it's there. Maybe mine has been changed. I will look around and see if I can find a replacement for the whole thing. Clip and 2 nuts and redo his if I can.
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Okinawa Japan
problem with lift kit.
I snapped the same bolt off during my install and had to take it to a off road shop to install since I didn't want to take a torch to it. The got it off and to a small rod like a welding rod and tacked it to the bolt and tightened it all up. They said it was normal on older ones (99 model)