• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Upper control arm issue


55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
Points
43
Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
My 98 Ranger's front suspension makes use of tubular upper control arms,
everything that I've come across as new replacements for the upper arms is a cast arm. (when DID Ford drop the tubular arm?)

Does anyone know if the dimensions of both arms is the same with respect to the distance thru the centerline of the bushings to the center of the ball joint?

I ask because I've just discovered that my left (driver's side) arm seems to have a problem of being too short?? to get the proper camber adjustment that is needed.

Now I Have lowered the truck, there is approx 1 coil missing from the fronts, but I don't have a problem with the right side getting the camber to *-1.25*. The left arm adjustment in the supports maxes out & I can't past *-1.75*.

Now I'm taking the position that the arm is bent in some manner & that is causing the lack of proper adjustment.

Before the truck was lowered I did have an alignment done years ago & the tech at that time who did the job mentioned something about just getting the camber needed on the drivers side. I really didn't give it much thought then.

Are the cast arms exactly the same as the tubular arms where measurement is concerned?
My tubular arms have a curved slope along the length of the arm thru to the ball joint whereas the cast arms appear to be flat thru their length...

it seems I need an arm that has an additional 3/16" in length to get what I need

anyone have any insight on this?
 
Last edited:


pjtoledo

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
5,341
Reaction score
2,914
Points
113
Location
Toledo Ohio
Vehicle Year
20002005199
Make / Model
Fords
Engine Size
3.0 2.3
the ball joints are different sized.
there are 2 styles of uppers for 98+,,, the suspension system of either coils or torsion bars make the difference.

coils have smaller ball joint studs, torsion (both 2 & 4wd) have a larger ball joint stud.

I think the two are of different lengths. either will bolt to the frame.


I am very interested in the dimensions of your tubular upper arms, they may allow me to install the larger Sport Trac steering knuckles. that would give my coil spring 2wd '05 the larger 12" front rotors.
 

55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
Points
43
Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
I'm familiar with the different uppers depending on what the front suspension is designed about....

there are three? different upper possibilities?

this is what mine looks like...the arm on the left is the OEM arm, (disregard the arm on the right) you can see that the arm is not flat thru the length of it's design

https://www.ranger-forums.com/attachments/snapshots-69/49576d1344239183-some-camburg-some-btf-some-bilstein-some-oem-2012-08-04_19-55-51_922.jpg

there is the cast aftermarket arm that looks like the direct replacement for the tubular, it is flat the length of it

https://storage.googleapis.com/apgimages/og/OG_GK80052_Fro.jpg

there is this arm which is for the 2wd torsion bar front suspension

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d6/ca/d2/d6cad21c4597ef46b9429cb7fb83d061--ford-motor-ford-ranger.jpg

and there is this design which is for the 4wd (torsion bar?)

http://andy.nowickinetworks.com/images/Pictures/offroad/other/balljoint_RH_stock.JPG

this is a pic of the 2009 2wd coil front with the cast arm that looks to be what I'll have to get to replace my tubular, it appears to be exactly what the aftermarket is supplying to repalce the tubular arm

http://image.trucktrend.com/f/41388379+re0+ar0+st0/1301mt-09%2B2009-ford-ranger%2Bupper-control-arm.jpg
 
Last edited:

pjtoledo

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
5,341
Reaction score
2,914
Points
113
Location
Toledo Ohio
Vehicle Year
20002005199
Make / Model
Fords
Engine Size
3.0 2.3
very interesting. does the round one that appears forged has a replaceable ball joint?

all the aftermarket ones have an integral ball joint that cannot be replaced on the coil type control arms. my '05 had the same from the factory.

the right side 2 piece arm was also used on 2wd Explorer Sport Tracs for 2001.
 
Last edited:

55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
Points
43
Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
Yes, if you're referring to the tubular arms,

the ball joint in my arm can be pressed out & replaced.
 

pjtoledo

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
5,341
Reaction score
2,914
Points
113
Location
Toledo Ohio
Vehicle Year
20002005199
Make / Model
Fords
Engine Size
3.0 2.3
wish we were closer, I would like to stop by and compare suspension parts.

I may still have old parts from an '00 4wd and '05 2wd coil to compare. I did compare them a few years ago, fairly certain the 4wd arms are about 1/2" longer.

when I test fit a 2001 2wd sport trac spindle on my '05 coil spring truck I need to switch over to the 4wd type arm because of the larger ball joint stud. that combination pushes the top of the wheel out past the camber adjustment range.
 

55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
Points
43
Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
Hmmmmmm.......

I think I see where you're going with this....

you want to install the sport trac spindle on your 2wd for the sake of the brake upgrade.

by using the older tubular upper arms & the 4wd ball joint you manage to keep the camber geometry where it needs to be?

Are both ball joints 2" dia?
 

55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
Points
43
Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
Well the issue with my front suspension geometry is behind me now,

if what I went thru is the *norm* I have to believe that anyone else who has lowered their 98 or later coil suspension truck has to go thru the same.

Seeing as I did not want to lay out money on a set of DJM upper control arms (and I could not get any info on just how much longer they actually are) I went in another direction.

After mildly dropping the entire truck 4 years ago the front end camber caused me fits, the local alignment shop could NOT get the camber any closer than -1.75 degrees on one side, before the drop the alignment shop could only JUST get the camber to -.25 degrees (factory is -.5), and keep the caster to OEM. That lack of amount of + direction of movement had us both baffled. There was just too much - direction for the arms.

I ended up replacing both uppers with new cast units, to get the proper adjustment with the truck sitting as it is there was only one thing for me to do...I relocated the forward control arm supports on the frame.

This was a last resort, I had to cut off the forward brackets & move them outward 5/16" & mig them again to the frame, doing so allowed me the extra room I needed to get the arms far enough out to bring the camber angle back into proper spec & to introduce more positive caster.
The truck does have a slight forward rake to it so more + caster needed to be introduced, (I felt that as it originally was there was not enough caster for highway speed stability with the wide 235 tires on the truck & the on center return was always vague).

So this is behind me, but I have to believe this same sort of issue has to be a common problem with the later Rangers if you drop the truck's front and elect NOT to spend the money on a DJM kit.
 
Last edited:

stmitch

March 2011 STOTM Winner
MTOTM Winner
2011 Truck of The Year
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Messages
2,259
Reaction score
615
Points
113
Location
Central Indiana
Vehicle Year
2000
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
3.0
Transmission
Manual
I'm a bit late to this, but I'll go ahead and chime in. First, I'm glad you're happier now and your issue seems to be resolved.

Second, having camber issues without using either the DJM uppers or lowers is pretty common. Sometimes camber eccentrics can bring it in spec, and other times it can't quite get the job done. Usually, that cutoff is anything over 2 inches of drop. That's why it's highly recommended to use the DJM arms if you go any lower.

Third, I think the reason you were having the issue on the driver's side only, was due to the common 'ranger lean'. With the fuel tank, battery, and driver all being on the same side of the truck, it's totally normal for that side to sit lower.

Fourth, and I'm not trying to be an ass, but wouldn't it have been way easier to just buy the DJM arms? What did you save doing it yourself and having to rework the suspension, around $100? As I get older and busier, I've found that paying a bit more to save time and hassle is usually worth the extra cash.
 

55trucker

Active Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
602
Reaction score
183
Points
43
Location
Oshawa, Ontario
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
-
Total Drop
mild
You're not being an ass at all, no insult seen, you're right, if I was in the states I would have flipped for the DJM uppers, they are available from Summit @$200, no shipping fee.

But seeing as I am in Ontario, well that's another matter, the total for the arms would have been over $340CAN. I couldn't justify that, the uppers needed replacing anyway, so I picked up a pair of OEM cast arms for well under $70 (jobber priced).

Seeing as I love to do fabricating work adjusting the upper arm brackets wasn't a nuisance or difficult at all.

The truck sits level, there's no driver side *lean* at all, I took that matter into consideration when the truck was lowered.

the *coming up short at different angles* for the camber on both sides.... I just chalk that up to the way the chassis came down the assembly line and the way the brackets were welded to the frame, be it jigged or non-jigged by a robot, it's only 1/2 a degree.

But what did strike me as odd is the limited ability to get to a + camber position or even close to *0* with the knuckles, as I noted above it wasn't possible even when the truck was at the OEM height.
 
Last edited:

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Members online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top