How do I correct this coil spring bow?
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,505
Likes: 5,563
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
what did you do with ball joint angle?
with the axle being tilted like that, the steering geometry will be all screwed up giving you a caster and camber that will never be rite.
the proper way to do it is to have the ball joint angle 90 degrees to the road, then put the spring perches on the axle. then you also have pinion angle, you want no more than around 30 degrees or you will constantly eat universals.
so when doing a large life you need to first figure out and set your pinion angle, then cut off the axle tube ends so you can properly clock the balljoints, and then finally mount the lower spring perches. then drop the radius arm brackets, and make a set of radius arms to lock it all in place. once that is all done, you can mount it in the truck and you will not have to worry about it.
with the axle being tilted like that, the steering geometry will be all screwed up giving you a caster and camber that will never be rite.
the proper way to do it is to have the ball joint angle 90 degrees to the road, then put the spring perches on the axle. then you also have pinion angle, you want no more than around 30 degrees or you will constantly eat universals.
so when doing a large life you need to first figure out and set your pinion angle, then cut off the axle tube ends so you can properly clock the balljoints, and then finally mount the lower spring perches. then drop the radius arm brackets, and make a set of radius arms to lock it all in place. once that is all done, you can mount it in the truck and you will not have to worry about it.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 506
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From: mid-MO
You say you are putting in a Dana44 front axle. Is it a Twin Traction Beam axle? Because if you got it off an 87 Bronco 2 it is. I am not aware of any that came with a solid axle. If using TTB axle I think you have your work cut out for you as they are a different animal from what I have seen. Especially when converting from 2wd to 4wd.
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Joined: Feb 2015
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The first pic is the day I got it, the second is right after I got the front axle in. It looks good in the pic but none of the steering is hooked up and the radius arms are clamped to the frame. The drag link was also coming off the front of the gear box so when I turned left the tires turned right.
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