Radius arm drop brackets
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Radius arm drop brackets
Hi all,
The PO of my truck (78 F150 460 4x4) lifted it about 3" but never installed radius arm drop brackets, so my front coil springs bow forward.
The way I see it, my options are:
1. Get the drop brackets (anyone know a good source?).
2. Weld a tube onto the frame to lower the stock bracket.
3. shim the spring pad to get the proper angle to straighten the spring.
I have more time than money so fabbing stuff up would be my first choice. I'm also not real excited about moving ANYTHING closer to the ground unless I have to. That leaves me with the shim idea which would be something like this:
I guess I'm looking for any pros/cons to this or any other options I may have.
Thanks in advance!
Kevin K.
The PO of my truck (78 F150 460 4x4) lifted it about 3" but never installed radius arm drop brackets, so my front coil springs bow forward.
The way I see it, my options are:
1. Get the drop brackets (anyone know a good source?).
2. Weld a tube onto the frame to lower the stock bracket.
3. shim the spring pad to get the proper angle to straighten the spring.
I have more time than money so fabbing stuff up would be my first choice. I'm also not real excited about moving ANYTHING closer to the ground unless I have to. That leaves me with the shim idea which would be something like this:
I guess I'm looking for any pros/cons to this or any other options I may have.
Thanks in advance!
Kevin K.
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From: Florida Hill Country
INMHO, the best option is to go with extended arms and move your stock brackets back. The second best option is to use drop brackets. Shiming the spring pad could be disasterous. I under stand about funds being tight. 
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From: American Falls, Idaho
Couldn't sleep, but as I was tossing & turning, I thought of another way to fix your problem. Bronco Graveyard has replacement C-bushings that would rotate your front axle back to proper alignment.
http://broncograveyard.com/products/cat/18/114
http://broncograveyard.com/products/cat/18/114
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C-bushings wont do anything for bow in springs though. Do the extended radius arms- theres no downside and you can build your own-I always do.
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Thanks guys!
If I get the extended radius arms, won't I still have to lower the brackets? Or is that accounted for in the design of the radius arms?
Kevin K.
If I get the extended radius arms, won't I still have to lower the brackets? Or is that accounted for in the design of the radius arms?
Kevin K.
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From: Florida Hill Country
Originally Posted by kjkozak2
Thanks guys!
If I get the extended radius arms, won't I still have to lower the brackets? Or is that accounted for in the design of the radius arms?
Kevin K.
If I get the extended radius arms, won't I still have to lower the brackets? Or is that accounted for in the design of the radius arms?
Kevin K.
Edit: Take a look at this thread on the remarks about the Bent & Twisted radius arm extensions for your stock arms. Thread/Radius Arms
Last edited by rlh; May 26, 2004 at 12:12 PM.
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I called Ron Boggs at www.sierrabronco.com he sells sims like in your picture but they only fit the pre 77 bronco, He said if you give him the measurements he could make some for the fullsize bronco, He also said he has been running these in his bronco with 38" tires for the past 5 years and no problems. I went to a local machine shop and had some made they fixed my coil bow and I havent had a problem with them yet.
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
rlh & destroyer,
I think the radius arm extensions are exactly what I want. Do either of you have some dimensions for them? I knwo some people that can make them for me if I have the sizes.
For the rear brackets, it looks like he just moved them back and only used the 4 bolts to the side and bottom of the frame since there's no cross member back there. I wonder if he came back later and bolted a piece of steel to the cross member/frame where the brackets were. I think I would.
Thanks again guys!
Kevin K.
I think the radius arm extensions are exactly what I want. Do either of you have some dimensions for them? I knwo some people that can make them for me if I have the sizes.
For the rear brackets, it looks like he just moved them back and only used the 4 bolts to the side and bottom of the frame since there's no cross member back there. I wonder if he came back later and bolted a piece of steel to the cross member/frame where the brackets were. I think I would.
Thanks again guys!
Kevin K.
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From: Florida Hill Country
I think they are 12" in length and the diameter of the thickest part is 1.5" but thats the best I can tell you on dimensions. I don't know if that is before or after installation.
Here's a pic of someone installing one. It slides done over and this one is almost all the way there.
Here's a pic of someone installing one. It slides done over and this one is almost all the way there.
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The extentions I had threaded on to the radius arm then you have to weld them in place I did not do this so mine broke, they were 12" long and 2" thick, If you do go with the extentions weld them and sleeve them so you dont have to come home on a towtruck like I did. After you move your brakets back for the extentions go to the junk yard and find a 79 f250 get the cross member bracets to replace yours. My coils still bowed out with the extentions but I have a 6" lift they might fix your bow with your 3" lift. I also have the 7* C bushings and that will not solve the bow. The shimes or the drop down brakets are the only why I know that will fix this and I dont like the idea of anything hanging lower then it is now.
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From: Cleveland, WI USA
Thanks Destroyer!
When you say 12", is that a 12" extension plus the threaded piece on the end, or is that the overall length of the piece?
Thanks!
Kevin K.
edit: What did you have them made out of? Did you start with a solid rod and bore/tap it out, or did you use a thick wall tube and weld a big stud into the end?
I'm just trying ot think of what to use to make my own.
When you say 12", is that a 12" extension plus the threaded piece on the end, or is that the overall length of the piece?
Thanks!
Kevin K.
edit: What did you have them made out of? Did you start with a solid rod and bore/tap it out, or did you use a thick wall tube and weld a big stud into the end?
I'm just trying ot think of what to use to make my own.
Last edited by KJKozak2; Jun 2, 2004 at 03:05 PM.