Control arm questions... again

[JoshT]

98+ Rangers... Anyone got a coil spring AND a torsion bar upper control arm lying around? If so would you mind taking some side x side comparison shots? Possibly with some measurements?

As has been mentioned a few trimes over the last several months, I'm trying to lower a torsion bar truck. Running into the issue of not having enough camber adjustment available, 2° camber adjusters (biggest available) don't give enough. @lil_Blue_Ford is in the same boat last I checked. I also can't use taller control arm mounts as has been sugested (elsewhere) in the past because they would interfere with my headers, so my correction has to come from replacement control arms.

Trying to come up with custom control arms to provide the needed camber correction. I've struck out with two places that used to make them. I've been referred to a third that seems promising, but his information isn't quite matching what I thought that I understood about the differences.

Being able to compare and contrast the two would help me figure things out, but don't have access to the parts to do so. Considered hitting up the parts store and comparing them, but none of my local stores have both styles in stock. I'm not ordering $100+ worth of control arms just to compare them for 5 secods and return them.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You know, I should have thought to take a look at the ones on my blue Ranger before I hauled it out of here. I still have the truck, it’s just a half hour away now. I have the front clip off and the inner fender on the drivers side. I also have an extra upper control arm for the 4x4 and I could have put them right next to each other. Honestly never thought of it. If I have time before I head off to the 25th anniversary thing, I’ll run out there and look, but I might not be able to check until after I’m back. Right now I’m digging in for get-er-dun mode to get my toys fixed. Was thrashing on the green Ranger again today. Hopefully Tuesday I’ll be welding the bumper together for it, and hopefully Wednesday be fixing the axle situation on the Choptop just because I’ll be there with the welder and I’m tired of it sitting and I think there’s a good possibility of getting it knocked out in a day, which will put that back in action.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Another thought…

I don’t think I’ve compared the Ranger and Explorer upper arms, I just kind of assumed they were the same since there’s usually some interchangeable parts between them and the Ranger.

The upper ball joint being maxxed doesn’t help things. I’ve thought about trying to heat and bend the upper arms, but I don’t know if that would compromise strength. I’ve also thought of welding a sleeve over where I would heat and bend to reinforce it, but at that point, part of me wonders if it would just be easier to just fabricate your own upper arm at that point.

 

[JoshT]

Good luck on making the trip. Kind of wish I was still going, but with the way stuff is going on the truck there is no way it will make it. Maybe if they'd gotten my engine parts done in a reasonable timeframe I wouldn't have messed with the suspension yet and and I'd have had time to iron out all the new/modded engine issues. Unfortunately they didn't. I know I'd be welcomed, but I'm not going to a TRS meet up without a Ranger.

Flipping the arm did seem to help with the ball joint angle. Problem is that it is still too short. Was on the alignment machine today. The camber bushings are almost maxed out and I'm still sitting at about -2° camber. That in itself isn't a huge issue, but the caster is way off inducing a pull and can't correct it without making camber worse. The truck is still sitting too high for what I want and lowering it more will also make the camber worse. It's on 255/70R16 (IIRC) about 30" in diameter, and I've got about three inches between them and the fender opening at top.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

@JoshT , so… yeah, there you are. I’ll have to double check but I’m pretty certain that was a Ranger 4x4 upper that I grabbed and it’s pretty well lined up with the 2wd arm there…

 

[bobbywalter]

just raise the mounting point with some strap/angle

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So that was a 2000 Ranger 4x4 upper arm sitting on top of the 2000 Ranger 2wd one in the pic. I did check, then forgot to post. So those are not an answer because they are shorter.

I’m about fed up with things. I got an upper ball joint for a 4x4 to start figuring out how to make an upper arm. Need to take some measurements and figure out exactly how to build it. Not sure if I should make the arms straight or angled (naturally it will have to bend from the mount to the ball joint and back like any stock arm, I’m talking a bend to gain height). My thought was to try and get a bushing with a threaded shaft and do tube to the ball joint with an insert so you would have some extra camber adjustment and may be able to get a slight caster adjustment. Might have to find someone with a mill or lathe to make the rings for the ball joint, I haven’t measured yet but I’m not expecting it to fit a common size tube.

It’s not going to be cheap to make them, I’m expecting cost of materials to run in the $4-600 range for a pair, not counting my time. I’m not opposed to making a second set as a “prototype” either. I will probably end up investing a couple hundred into a die set for my bender to bend the tube to build the arms, especially if I make more than one set.

Bear in mind, I’m not (at this point) intending on selling these. If I can get all my ducks in a row to make a set, I wouldn’t be opposed to helping someone else with another prototype set in exchange for a donation to cover expenses, seeing how there’s more than just me in this boat where what we need is not available. I wouldn’t be surprised if whatever I build ends up needing refining at some point. Which is why I will probably buy a whole stick of whatever tube I end up using (leaning towards square tube, probably 1” or 1-1/4” and 1/4” wall). I’m open to ideas and recommendations on things. I need to take some measurements and try to find if there’s something other than a stock bushing available among other things.

 

[JoshT]

something other than a stock bushing available among other things.

From some prior reading, I think most of these guys build the arms to use replacement bushings for DJM arms.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

From some prior reading, I think most of these guys build the arms to use replacement bushings for DJM arms.

Interesting.

Any information or design or whatever that you’ve found, I’d welcome it. I have a general idea in my head as to how to do this, but I’m open to doing anything at this point. I’m just tired of waiting on someone else who maybe at some point might make another batch of arms… if we twist their arms enough. I need to get this thing leveled out so I can get the final tires on and an alignment. I’ve mostly destroyed a set of front tires now trying to “make do” and it’s just not making me happy.