TTB extended radius arms and crossmember...

[88_Eddie]

you could, but why? the stock ones are already the correct distance apart and pretty beefy. i think it's 3/16" material that they're made from. boxing them is too easy

 

[4x4junkie]

I think they're thicker than 3/16", maybe between 7/32" and 1/4", if not actually a full 1/4".

Building arms from scratch can be done (check out nooch450's thread, he built some pretty nice radius arms), however modding the stock ones IMO works just fine, and is waaaaaayyy easier to do.

 

[Beef52751]

you could, but why? the stock ones are already the correct distance apart and pretty beefy. i think it's 3/16" material that they're made from. boxing them is too easy

I think I am going to make mine like these, but how did you figure your caster??? how much should i build into them??? is there any reason to???

Edit:
Notice these (sasquatchryda's) dimensions are different than 88Eddies??? What is better or does it just matter how i mount my brackets???

 

[4.0B2]

i gotta start working on my arms to..
i'm gonna use round DOM i believe.. i just gotta figure out how you build caster into them and if you need to or not....

 

[Beef52751]

i gotta start working on my arms to..
i'm gonna use round DOM i believe.. i just gotta figure out how you build caster into them and if you need to or not....

the pics above show caster built into them, i'm just not sure how you know how much to put in or if it is needed

 

[4.0B2]

yeah, that's what i meant lol. i know what caster is and i understand how you'd build in caster.. but how much? and should i?

 

[scotts90ranger]

that and time are what are holding me back. I think I have mine figured out I just need to make the measurements and draw some things up. Basically you want the axle to be perpendicular to the ground (the front or rear face that is), take measurements to set the radius arm where it needs to be, point the tubing at where you are going to make your mounts then start fabbing. With me having to do my work outside and it's been raining or snowing every time I have time or energy to work on the truck I haven't been able to get mine done. Getting my tires to hold air is more important though for right now, as it is the radius arm project is getting moved to like May...

 

[88_Eddie]

i have no idea how much i built into them. more than sasquatch for sure.

i welded the threaded stud into the tube, then hooked up the cool and the cut up part of the factory arm and set everything up at ride height. then i clamped the tube into the factory arm and tacked it in a few places. then took it all apart and welded it up solid.

i wanted the frame backets to be as close to the frame as possible.

 

[4x4junkie]

Make your radius arms so that the top/bottom of your axle beams are parallel to the ground with the beams positioned for normal ride height. This should give you approx 4-5° caster angle at your ball joints. Any minute corrections from there can be done with the camber/caster bushings.

 

[Beef52751]

Make your radius arms so that the top/bottom of your axle beams are parallel to the ground with the beams positioned for normal ride height. This should give you approx 4-5° caster angle at your ball joints. Any minute corrections from there can be done with the camber/caster bushings.

Correct me if im wrong, but you are saying that the upper balljoint is far enough ahead of the lower to give me 4-5* of caster with the beams straight parallel to the ground???
Thanks for the insight guys

 

[dogboy]

Correct me if im wrong, but you are saying that the upper balljoint is far enough ahead of the lower to give me 4-5* of caster with the beams straight parallel to the ground???
Thanks for the insight guys

I've read that if you take the rotor, hub, bearings and spindle off, two of the five bolts that hold the spindle on, are perpendicular to the ball joints. This angle on my truck (found with an agle finder) was ~2 degrees (not quite enough caster). The front face of the beam next to the sway bar mount was ~3 degrees angled forward. Thus goving a 5 degree difference. So like Junkie said if the front of the beam is perpendicular to the ground, it should give you 4 or 5 degrees caster.
And for what it's worth, the upper ball joint is behind the lower ball joint, not infront.

yeah, that's what i meant lol. i know what caster is and i understand how you'd build in caster.. but how much? and should i?

What I'm doing for my arms, is make the frame mount, cut the ends off the arms, cut the tube to length, and start mocking everything up. With everything mocked up, I can rotate the i-beams untill I get the caster angle I want, then tack the tube in place in the radius arm, then take it out to do all the welding.

 

[randallmain]

when beam is at right angle to ground, upper ball joint is located at corret caster angle. Caster is built right into the axle beams. I had no offset at all on my radius arm to axle beam mounts and have perfect caster angle....even with extended lower ball joints. my arms are angled up with threaded heims for fine tuning w.b. and caster.