Scary handling!

[Sweet-85']

Ok, opinions please...

Home brew 2.5 inch-ish lift on the bronco using 2 in blocks in the back and 2.5 inch spacers in the front, and a sway bar delete. I'm fine with the "roll over feeling" on corners from no sway bar, but when I'm just driving down the road, it wants to take off one direction or the other on bumps, and will want to wobble as I'm keeping it in a straight line after bumps. It's pretty nerve racking above 50 mph.

I did not use a drop pitman arm, and as a result the tie rod angle is not good. Could this be the cause of my problems? Also there is no longer any play in the steering wheel at all, I mean you make a steering adjustment with your pinky finger and you dart in whatever direction you chose...

What do y'all think is the root of my problem?

 

[Sweet-85']

Here is a pic of the tie rods...

Bad pic, but it gives you a good idea of the angle...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

You've made sure all the ball joints and tierod ends are good? Make sure the steering box isn't worn and check the rag joint....I had a f250 that the steering sucked until I replaced the rag joint.
But everything I've read points to the drop pitman arm, or lack....It makes sense since you are changing the toe on every bump and turn as the suspension cycles.

 

[enjr44]

Usually the problem you describe is a lack of caster. Kinda like a wobbly wheel on a shopping cart. Don't know how a lift affects caster. Know that if you raise the rear it decreases, raise front it increases.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

^^^ good point. Raising the truck without lowering the radius arm mounts would decrease caster.

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[85_Ranger4x4]

2.5" of spacer or 2.5" lift with spacers?

2.5" of spacer is a ton... it multiplies probably beyond being align-able.

 

[Sweet-85']

2.5" of spacer or 2.5" lift with spacers?

2.5" of spacer is a ton... it multiplies probably beyond being align-able.

About 2.5 in of lift with the spacers, enough to clear 31s but I think 32s would push it. Also, the truck does have axle drop brackets, so the alignment is pretty close to square. Would a drop pitman arm be a good place to start? The ones from superlift are only about $50...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Axle drop brackets will fix camber. Radius arm drop brackets will fix caster. Drop pitman arm will fix toe. I think it would be money well spent, as without it any alignment is next to useless.

 

[Sweet-85']

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I'll get the pitman arm and let y'all know the results!

 

[enjr44]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I'll get the pitman arm and let y'all know the results!

I don't think toe-in will not affect handling the way you describe it. It will wear the heck out of tires though.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't think toe-in will not affect handling the way you describe it. It will wear the heck out of tires though.

It can make it struggle to "find center"

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm not an expert but the way I look at it is that the truck will go in the direction of the front tire with most traction. In a straight line it may be fine but as soon as you hit a bump or turn slightly then off you go willy nilly. There is a good write up on site.

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[JerryC]

I've got a 2" spacer lift, the handling was frightening before I replaced the old sway bar bushings with poly's. Now I'd say it is just twitchy. I can't imagine driving it without sway bars.

I'm looking into the Tough Country 2" radius arm drop brackets;
http://www.jegs.com/i/Tuff-Country/444/20872/10002/-1
When my finances recover I'm going to give them try.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Here's a couple good articles;

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Alignment.shtml

 

[4x4junkie]

I don't think toe-in will not affect handling the way you describe it. It will wear the heck out of tires though.

If the steering linkage angle is askew like in the pic posted earlier, it creates bumpsteer of a toe-in/toe-out variety (when the suspension compresses, say through a dip in the road or due to vehicle loading, the driverside wheel gets steered left, while the passengerside wheel steers right, and vice-versa on suspension droop). This is probably what was meant by the pitman arm fixing toe. Indeed this fluctuation in toe wreaks havoc on handling as well as on tires.

And ×2 on caster. If the radius arm mounts haven't been dropped down, this can cause poor return-to-center, and a tendency to wander.