Plastic radius arm spacer keeps splitting.

[holyford86]

I've been running a 6 inch skyjacker lift with extended radius arms for over a decade and I've been having issues with the plastic radius arm spacers cracking (factory ranger part). I've had hose clamps wrapped around them for almost as long as I've had the lift installed and they still crack on occasion. Has anyone come up with a better way or a different spacer to install? Other than this and the shock mounts on the arms cracking, I've had good a good experience for about 13 years and 140k miles with the setup.

 

[4x4junkie]

Hose clamp is what has worked for me and a buddy of mine. Are you able to tighten the clamps tighter?

Probably could make ones from slice of 1- 7/8" I.D. x 2-1/4" O.D. (I think would be the size) steel tubing (would have to come from a metal supply shop, they might have something in their scrap bins you can use).

(couple suggestions anyway)

If you're using the spacers in the position Skyjacker suggests (behind the RA bracket) rather than as a means to push the axle forward, you probably could just forgo them completely, I don't think they're really that important when in that position.

Hope that helps

 

[holyford86]

I think I'm going to try swapping to a better hose clamp and see what happens there, if I tighten the ones I am currently using any more, they will strip. I know there are higher torque versions out there that may help the issue.

I've considered making a spacer out of aluminum or steel, glad to hear I wasn't the only one with that idea in my head, I have access to a lathe so that's no problem.

I've also considered taking a piece of thicker wall exhaust tubing and expanding it so there's a slight press fit and pressing a new spacer in to try that.

The lift is un modified with the exception of the home brew shock mounts on the arms and is installed per their instructions. Thank you for the insight, I'll start with the easiest first and go from there.

 

[Curious Hound]

I ditched those spacers long ago. I have a miscellaneous piece at the forward end of the threads to try to push the axle forward. But it’s only 3/16” or 1/4” thick. If I remember, I’ll take a picture later this evening when I get home from work. Thought there was a picture in my build thread. But I don’t see it.

 

[Curious Hound]

Here's a picture of my driver side. No plastic spacer.

 

[svtcards]

Here's a picture of my driver side. No plastic spacer. View attachment 83028

is there play in there? Doesn't look to secure?

 

[svtcards]

I've been running a 6 inch skyjacker lift with extended radius arms for over a decade and I've been having issues with the plastic radius arm spacers cracking (factory ranger part). I've had hose clamps wrapped around them for almost as long as I've had the lift installed and they still crack on occasion. Has anyone come up with a better way or a different spacer to install? Other than this and the shock mounts on the arms cracking, I've had good a good experience for about 13 years and 140k miles with the setup.

Just replaced mine a few weeks ago on my lowered 1st gen.Didnt know them splitting was really N issue until this thread.

 

[Curious Hound]

is there any play in there? Doesn't look to secure?

I noticed when I took the picture this morning, that the bushings aren't compressed much. I'll revisit that over the next week or so. It has been working fine. I wouldntwant it overly tight because that may inhibit droop in my suspension. I like suspension travel. So, they need to be tight enough to hold position. But not so tight that things don't flex.

 

[holyford86]

Ended up swapping my cheapo hose clamps for high torque versions (Napa 7051521) that are tightened a bunch more, I'll report back with how that goes.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Ended up swapping my cheapo hose clamps for high torque versions (Napa 7051521) that are tightened a bunch more, I'll report back with how that goes.

So… did that work?

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Have you tried rubber bushings? Maybe it just needs more give/flex overall.

I was a polyurethane fanboy until later in life, now I opt for rubber.

Not to side track but are your radius arm brackets removable?

I am currently replacing my stock radius arm bushings and am having a heck of a time at the pivot arm end, thinking to grind the rivets to remove the crossmember and just replace w/ bolt and nut after....

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Have you tried rubber bushings? Maybe it just needs more give/flex overall.

I was a polyurethane fanboy until later in life, now I opt for rubber.

Not to side track but are your radius arm brackets removable?

I am currently replacing my stock radius arm bushings and am having a heck of a time at the pivot arm end, thinking to grind the rivets to remove the crossmember and just replace w/ bolt and nut after....

I can’t speak for anyone else, but my F-150 I’ve run both rubber and poly bushings for the radius arm and I’ve blew out a few of those plastic rings. The Ford ones lasted the longest, but any you get now are so old they’re starting to get brittle anyway. Doesn’t seem to matter if the bushing is rubber or poly.

I ground the rivets and removed the radius arm crossmember in both my Choptop and 88, except I never put the bracket back, both got long arms. That’s going to be my move when I rebuild my F-150. Ballistic Joint from Ballistic Fab for the frame end. Adjustable, rebuildable, greaseable and replaceable. Check and Mate.

That all said, yes, you can replace the rivets with bolts and keep stock form. The cheap lifts have you grind the rivets and remove the crossmember to put a spacer in between the crossmember and frame. My 88 I didn’t need to long arm it because I only did 2” lift/level coils, but it’s supposed to improve ride quality and suspension performance even in stock form which makes sense because it allows much freer movement of the axle beams over factory. I haven’t got to test it out with my 88 yet because, well, it’s still a pile of parts. Pretty happy with the long arms and 5” suspension lift in the Choptop though.

 

[holyford86]

So… did that work?

So far, I haven't split one since. I've done a few pretty tough trails since as well. The plan is to work out an adapter to weld onto the skiyjacker arms to adapt either ballistic joints or Johnny joints to them. The biggest issue I've found with the kit so far is the bottom of the left side beam pivot hooks on stuff and bends.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I can’t speak for anyone else, but my F-150 I’ve run both rubber and poly bushings for the radius arm and I’ve blew out a few of those plastic rings. The Ford ones lasted the longest, but any you get now are so old they’re starting to get brittle anyway. Doesn’t seem to matter if the bushing is rubber or poly.

I ground the rivets and removed the radius arm crossmember in both my Choptop and 88, except I never put the bracket back, both got long arms. That’s going to be my move when I rebuild my F-150. Ballistic Joint from Ballistic Fab for the frame end. Adjustable, rebuildable, greaseable and replaceable. Check and Mate.

That all said, yes, you can replace the rivets with bolts and keep stock form. The cheap lifts have you grind the rivets and remove the crossmember to put a spacer in between the crossmember and frame. My 88 I didn’t need to long arm it because I only did 2” lift/level coils, but it’s supposed to improve ride quality and suspension performance even in stock form which makes sense because it allows much freer movement of the axle beams over factory. I haven’t got to test it out with my 88 yet because, well, it’s still a pile of parts. Pretty happy with the long arms and 5” suspension lift in the Choptop though.

If you ask me, stock radius arms are too short from the factory. They just look disproportionately small. Even an inch longer would have made more sense. Full droop they look maxed out on stock suspension.

 

[bobbywalter]

If you ask me, stock radius arms are too short from the factory. They just look disproportionately small. Even an inch longer would have made more sense. Full droop they look maxed out on stock suspension.

back when i was doing these regular in the 90s


i ran e series or f series arms with the stock radius arm brackets moved back to the body mount bracket hole and shimmed down to keep caster good.

that combined with 150 springs and 3 degree bushings was a very effective lift for 100 bux you could jump 60 feet and not have a care in the world.....as long as you had good shocks. usually used shock extenders when poor boying it or the donors from the junk yard which limited travel..

kind of lost tech these days