1991 Ranger Long Travel Woods / Prerunner Build

[nooch450]

Well I got all the bracking welded up tonight... they look great, and the penontration looks good...

I flexed the suspention a bit and im guna need alot of trimming inside the passenger beam for more travel.

 

[RangerBoy94]

I WANT A PAIR OF THOSE RADIUS ARMS!!!!! Good work man keep it up.

 

[nooch450]

OK so I put my arms on today and flexed my suspention and the passender axle shaft cant go into the femail spline anymore and it causes it to bind check out the pics and vidio... any ideas of what i can do, im trying to get as much droop as i can.

 

[4.0B2]

can i have your radius arms??!

 

[nooch450]

can i have your radius arms??!

For people who want to buy a set, after I finish my truck and test them , ill consider taking orderes. But it all depends, cutting the plates out with a grinder is a bitch, maybe if I had access to a plasma table and sand blaster. But for a full set including heims and the trans x member it wouldn't be worth me making and selling them for under like $600-$650 plus shiping.

 

[4.0B2]

For people who want to buy a set, after I finish my truck and test them , ill consider taking orderes. But it all depends, cutting the plates out with a grinder is a bitch, maybe if I had access to a plasma table and sand blaster. But for a full set including heims and the trans x member it wouldn't be worth me making and selling them for under like $600-$650 plus shiping.

yeah i know... i can't swing that cost when i have the skills to make my own.
seriously tho, for someone that can't make their own... i think it'd be worth it. those look sweet.

 

[4x4junkie]

Video is way too dark, i can't really see anything (I'm guessing you were pushing down on the d-side, making the p-side go up?).


I don't think the axle bottoming in the yoke is a huge concern unless it was like really limiting a lot of droop (too much droop and the severe positive camber would likely start having some negative effects). You WILL want to tack-weld the sealing cap that's pressed into the yoke though so the shaft hitting against it doesn't pop it out however, or maybe run a limiting cable on it like I have on mine (the shaft won't bottom out during articulated flex).


How much droop are you actually getting from what would be ride height? (looks like it's still quite a bit in the pics)

 

[nooch450]

yeah i know... i can't swing that cost when i have the skills to make my own.
seriously tho, for someone that can't make their own... i think it'd be worth it. those look sweet.

Thanks for the complements.

Video is way too dark, i can't really see anything (I'm guessing you were pushing down on the d-side, making the p-side go up?).


I don't think the axle bottoming in the yoke is a huge concern unless it was like really limiting a lot of droop (too much droop and the severe positive camber would likely start having some negative effects). You WILL want to tack-weld the sealing cap that's pressed into the yoke though so the shaft hitting against it doesn't pop it out however, or maybe run a limiting cable on it like I have on mine (the shaft won't bottom out during articulated flex).


How much droop are you actually getting from what would be ride height? (looks like it's still quite a bit in the pics)

Its limiting my travel more than id like. Its deff the slip yoke doing it, maybe I can grind the shaft down?

My drop bracket spacing (beam mount hole to beam mount hole) seems about 14.75 inches.

Not sureto about exact droop numbers yet because of this problem. Right now maybe about 7-9 inches.

You mean weld on the cap seal thing that keeps dirt out of the spline? I can do that.

What's the most camber I can droop to without problems? I want to have as much usable travel as possible...

And yes in the video I was picking up one beam to allow the other to drop, axle slip yoke was fully compressed from what I could see...

Thanks again

 

[bftank]

in one of 4x4junkies ttb articles, ibelieve he mentions being able to cut the splines down a 1/2"-1" to help with down travel.

edit; nevermind, i misunderstood what you were getting at

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah you can trim the shaft down a little bit without creating an issue.

I was referring to droop from what would be normal ride height of the suspension (beams level), to the point at where the shaft bottoms in the yoke.
IMO, if you're getting at least 6-8" down from ride height, I think you'll be fine. Beyond that, the camber curve starts getting pretty ugly.

Keep in mind, I'm referring to total droop (both sides) like what you'd have while coming off a jump. During articulated flex (one side drooped, one side stuffed) such as while rockcrawling, this camber change is mostly unimportant. Since articulated flex doesn't plunge the shaft inward, you should see more travel than when both sides droop at the same time.

FWIW, I recall mine hit bottom as well if I have my limiting cable disconnected (hitting about 2-3" short of full droop). It never caused an issue for me, even before I put the cable on.

 

[nooch450]

Yeah you can trim the shaft down a little bit without creating an issue.

I was referring to droop from what would be normal ride height of the suspension (beams level), to the point at where the shaft bottoms in the yoke.
IMO, if you're getting at least 6-8" down from ride height, I think you'll be fine. Beyond that, the camber curve starts getting pretty ugly.

Keep in mind, I'm referring to total droop (both sides) like what you'd have while coming off a jump. During articulated flex (one side drooped, one side stuffed) such as while rockcrawling, this camber change is mostly unimportant. Since articulated flex doesn't plunge the shaft inward, you should see more travel than when both sides droop at the same time.

FWIW, I recall mine hit bottom as well if I have my limiting cable disconnected (hitting about 2-3" short of full droop). It never caused an issue for me, even before I put the cable on.

Well I plan on strapping all 4 coners, and im going to be jumping the truck, so I want them strapped evenly. I cut about 3/8" off the shaft yesterday and saw a major improvement. I also has to do some cutting to my passenger beam window for shaft clearence. I think I want to take more off the shaft because it still binds, the camber and caster bushings I used are from skyjacker and they really pushed my upper ball joints in causing the shaft to compress.

How much spline can I cut off before it becomes unsafe or weak?

And how much camber can I droop to being safe?

Like I said I wana jump the truck at times and any binding at hard impacts seems to be a really bad thing.

At this point I can pretty much get 19" of travel if I cut the shaft down a bit more and grind my universal yoke for clearance.

That's is I can build my steering properly without it binding...

 

[4x4junkie]

If you're putting limit straps on the suspension, I really don't think you have much to worry about with the shaft.
I'd use a single cable or strap over the frame connected to both sides so instead of also limiting articulated travel, it'll actually help encourage it, sortof like how a solid axle does with it's leverage effect.

19" sounds like a lot of travel without also widening your track width... I think most guys running stock width are pushing travel numbers in the 13-16" range, just because of the camber.

Up to 1" off the big spline should be safe IMO. But make sure at least 1.5" of it (probably all of what will be left) remains engaged within the yoke at all times.

 

[LameDuck]

What are you planning to use for coils? Those "will" be the limiting factor.

 

[nooch450]

OK....

I got some shock towers started....

I decided not to use the bent tubing type shock tower, I couldnt get the bend as far as id like befor I ran out of room (bottems out in the bender) so I took an alternate route...

I am supprised how well the bender bent the tubing though, only slight wrinkling on the inside and the tube bearly even bulged.

It will come in handy later on though.

Im trying to order my FOA shocks 14" coilovers... any Ideas on the Valving or spring rates.... I cant really weigh my truck. I was thinking med/light compression and light rebound. And was thinking a 2 inch travel bump stop..


Please feel free to comment!

 

[jesse93]

glad to see someone else doing a prerunner/trail truck (i hate florida) the radius arms look good. (pm sent) i just finished my bed cage last night and looking at your pics, it looks like im looking in my garage. same tools..lol. how do you like the hb notcher?