Pivot Brackets for TTB Lift

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

Both of the sets of extended arms that I built were extended to the transmission crossmember area. Unfortunately the company I bought my joints and stuff is no longer in business, so I can’t recommend there. But I cut the factory radius arm to fit a 2x2x0.250“ bit of tube. The second set I got some 1/4” plate bent in a 90* to wrap the outside and under the frame and in far enough to attach something for a trans crossmember. I used factory holes in the side of the frame rails (may not be there for everyone, this is an 88 B2). Welded a bracket for the joint to that L plate on the bottom, got my front axle positioned how I wanted it, and connected the dots. I’ll have to look around for photos or video.

Is it relatively easy to build new radius arms? Or is it cheaper to buy them? If you could provide pics of yours that would be great

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

Ugh… there’s a lot I don’t like about the cheap lift kits…

Supposedly the drop plate for the passenger side beam was redesigned not to poke holes in the D-35. I still don’t like the drop plate design.

IMHO, the stock radius arms are too short for even stock applications. They really aren’t any good for a lifted application unless you hate flex. If you want flex in the front, you need extended arms. You can either buy or build them.

Lift blocks are garbage. They contribute heavily to axle wrap because they provide a lever. Axle wrap breaks things. It’s when you have enough traction and put enough power to the rear axle that the leaf springs bend into an S shape.

I’m not a fan of what Add-A-Leafs do to a leaf pack either. They are super stiff to combat the effects of a lift block bending the pack, but that also ruins flex.

I guess cheap lift kits are fine if it’s a pavement princess, but personally I’d rather have something better. My Choptop I bought lift coils and axle pivot drops. Everything else wasn’t from a kit.

So if you were in my shoes and wanted to lift it 4 inches for about 1200 bucks, what would you do?

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

Where did you pick up the info that those BDS brackets poke holes in the diff? I can't find it.

In the tech library for 93-97 ranger suspension

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Is it relatively easy to build new radius arms? Or is it cheaper to buy them? If you could provide pics of yours that would be great

Those are some tricky questions since I don’t know your skill level. For me, I think I learned some things because I made some changes to how I did the second set that I think improved them. But for me, no, I don’t think they were that hard to build. A whole bunch of measuring and you need to be a decent welder or know one. I may actually make a set for my dump truck in the relatively near future but I haven’t got to the point where I’m ordering parts yet.

Parts-wise, building your own is cheaper other than your time. So how valuable is your time? The other thing with buying them is that all the work of measuring and making sure all the angles and bits end up in the right location has already been done for you, just bolt them on and go.

At the moment, only one of mine is here, the older set. I should have pics somewhere of both and I thought for sure I had some video of the second set. There’s been a lot going on around here lately so you’re gonna have to give me a bit. I’ll get to your other question later as well.

 

[Curious Hound]

Is it relatively easy to build new radius arms? Or is it cheaper to buy them? If you could provide pics of yours that would be great

There are 3 main points that I see. (And dozens of minor ones.) I have not built my own.
1. Get the overall length right.
2. Get the geometry so that caster angle is right. Yes. Caster is adjustable with the camber adjustment. But not by much. The radius arms have to get you pretty close.
3. Overall shape to allow maximum turning radius without the tires hitting the radius arm.

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, the picture with the two brackets on my original question is what I was referring to. I understand that the drop brackets used can poke holes, I was asking if I buy the lift kit, then buy the two brackets separately in the picture and just swap them out could that work out?

I'm confused... Why not just buy the Skyjacker kit?
By the time you buy that BDS kit, then buy those Skyjacker brackets separately, you're going to spend much more $$$ than if you just buy the Skyjacker kit in the first place.

134RHK-N - 4 in. Suspension Lift Kit with Nitro Shocks - Skyjacker Suspensions

4 in. Suspension Lift Kit with Nitro Shocks.

skyjacker.com

 

[Shran]

How much lift do you want?

The 3" Duff lift is really hard to beat for the price and it's really good quality stuff. You probably do need a drop pitman arm for it though. Blocks or add-a-leafs are fine in the rear, you can always get new springs in the future... just don't go crazy with blocks... about 4" is the most I would ever run... and don't ever stack them.

3″ Suspension Lift for ’83-’97 Ranger | James Duff Inc.

The progressive rate coils and matched 70/30 shocks provide a higher quality ride, improved handling and between 2.5-3″ lift (depending on vehicle), giving clearance for larger tires.

dufftuff.com

If you need 5-6" then I would suggest the more expensive Duff lift first, and Skyjacker second.

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

I'm confused... Why not just buy the Skyjacker kit?
By the time you buy that BDS kit, then buy those Skyjacker brackets separately, you're going to spend much more $$$ than if you just buy the Skyjacker kit in the first place.

134RHK-N - 4 in. Suspension Lift Kit with Nitro Shocks - Skyjacker Suspensions

4 in. Suspension Lift Kit with Nitro Shocks.

skyjacker.com

I may just buy the tuff country kit. That skyjacker kit doesn’t even include the extended brake lines or pitman arm.. that’s my only thing about that.

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

How much lift do you want?

The 3" Duff lift is really hard to beat for the price and it's really good quality stuff. You probably do need a drop pitman arm for it though. Blocks or add-a-leafs are fine in the rear, you can always get new springs in the future... just don't go crazy with blocks... about 4" is the most I would ever run... and don't ever stack them.

3″ Suspension Lift for ’83-’97 Ranger | James Duff Inc.

The progressive rate coils and matched 70/30 shocks provide a higher quality ride, improved handling and between 2.5-3″ lift (depending on vehicle), giving clearance for larger tires.

dufftuff.com

If you need 5-6" then I would suggest the more expensive Duff lift first, and Skyjacker second.

That’s really not bad. Only thing is getting extended radius arms. I think I need new ones. It comes with the bushing, tuff country sells a kit that has all that as well as more so I may go with that and it’s around the same price.

 

[Shran]

That’s really not bad. Only thing is getting extended radius arms. I think I need new ones. It comes with the bushing, tuff country sells a kit that has all that as well as more so I may go with that and it’s around the same price.

If you are only going with 2-3" of lift then you really do not need extended radius arms. Just FYI - the Duff 3" kit is almost an exact copy of the Ford STX "high rider" lift, the main difference being the coil springs. The Ford springs are only good for 1.5" of lift. I have the STX parts in an Explorer and the Duff kit in a Ranger... I am pretty happy with the ride quality with stock radius arms. Suspension travel is what it is, IE, not a whole lot.

If you are not concerned about having a lot of suspension travel and your caster is in spec with short radius arms, then run those. Long radius arms may actually hurt your caster measurements with 2-3" lift height because they are designed with 5-6"+ in mind.

Think of it this way... longer radius arms and shorter coils will increase caster, shorter radius arms (without drop brackets) and taller coils will decrease caster. You need drop brackets with short ones to fix that...but with tall coils your ride quality & suspension travel will suffer. Long radius arms are OK with short springs but there may be no benefit if the coils don't allow for suspension travel. Since those are designed with tall springs in mind, your caster may be so far off that the radius arms will need adjustments.

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

If you are only going with 2-3" of lift then you really do not need extended radius arms. Just FYI - the Duff 3" kit is almost an exact copy of the Ford STX "high rider" lift, the main difference being the coil springs. The Ford springs are only good for 1.5" of lift. I have the STX parts in an Explorer and the Duff kit in a Ranger... I am pretty happy with the ride quality with stock radius arms. Suspension travel is what it is, IE, not a whole lot.

If you are not concerned about having a lot of suspension travel and your caster is in spec with short radius arms, then run those. Long radius arms may actually hurt your caster measurements with 2-3" lift height because they are designed with 5-6"+ in mind.

Think of it this way... longer radius arms and shorter coils will increase caster, shorter radius arms (without drop brackets) and taller coils will decrease caster. You need drop brackets with short ones to fix that...but with tall coils your ride quality & suspension travel will suffer. Long radius arms are OK with short springs but there may be no benefit if the coils don't allow for suspension travel. Since those are designed with tall springs in mind, your caster may be so far off that the radius arms will need adjustments.

I’m not quite sure about the radius arms. I have some play in where they mount next to the bushings. But now that I think about it I should just do JD and call it a day. Especially if I’m keeping this thing for a while. Rather do quality lift and only have to do it once. I do keep seeing these single steering stabilizer shock looking things everywhere, should I get one of those?

 

[franklin2]

Unless you are driving high speed on some really rough roads, you should not need a stabilizer. Some people use them as a band-aid to cover up other problems with the steering, but besides looking cool, they shouldn't be needed.

 

[4x4junkie]

I may just buy the tuff country kit. That skyjacker kit doesn’t even include the extended brake lines or pitman arm.. that’s my only thing about that.

Whoops, I didn't realize Skyjacker took out the pitman arm (I seem to remember they used to include it in all but their 2" kits).
However I don't see brake hoses on the BDS listing either (I don't think many kits include them, however some do provide drop-down brackets for where the stock hoses are attached at the frame and/or axle).

JD is quality stuff, but they too don't include a pitman arm for their 3" kit. You'll certainly want one if longevity of your tires is important.
Agreed on the steering stabilizer. Unless you had manual steering (as opposed to power), there should be no need for one.

If any hard 4-wheeling is in the cards, I'd also steer clear of Tuff Country. Their axle drop brackets are not in the same class as SJ and JD.

 

[Shran]

Yep, steering stabilizer shouldn't be needed. I am running one on my solid axle swapped truck, it seems to help a lot on the highway with unbalanced tires and DIY alignment but that is the only time I've felt it was necessary. I have driven a bunch of lifted TTB trucks of various heights and none of them felt like they needed one.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Ugh… there’s a lot I don’t like about the cheap lift kits…

Supposedly the drop plate for the passenger side beam was redesigned not to poke holes in the D-35. I still don’t like the drop plate design.

IMHO, the stock radius arms are too short for even stock applications. They really aren’t any good for a lifted application unless you hate flex. If you want flex in the front, you need extended arms. You can either buy or build them.

Lift blocks are garbage. They contribute heavily to axle wrap because they provide a lever. Axle wrap breaks things. It’s when you have enough traction and put enough power to the rear axle that the leaf springs bend into an S shape.

I’m not a fan of what Add-A-Leafs do to a leaf pack either. They are super stiff to combat the effects of a lift block bending the pack, but that also ruins flex.

I guess cheap lift kits are fine if it’s a pavement princess, but personally I’d rather have something better. My Choptop I bought lift coils and axle pivot drops. Everything else wasn’t from a kit.

Build radius arms eh? I do have welding machines, cold chop saw, grinders, band saw, torch, calmps/vise, measuring devices etc...and some fabrication ability...are you saying I can go grab some chromoly tubing and make my own?

Not to sound sarcastic or hijack a thread, but IDK why I never though of that...now I'm thinking just template off a manufactured one or dig up some specs off the google. I got just a leveling kit up front but may add an few inches lift later to clear 33"s...which if I did, I would do proper. I like my rangers factory ride.

+1 on not a fan of pivot brackets. If I had more confidence I'd build new TTB arms too.