extended radius arm build up

[crawlin91]

I recently lifted my truck using superlift 5.5" drop brackets and skyjacker 6" coils and shocks and leaf springs for the rear. Everything is starting to flex better now after a short break in period, however the nice soft flex of the skyjacker coils is cut short due to using stock rad arms.
My plan is to cut a set of stock ttb radius arms I grabbed from the pull n save and extend them with use of DOM tube and either heims/johnny joints or bushing setup.

Ive got the basic concept down but have concerns with setting them up with correct caster(not sure exactly how to do that), getting the right frame placement for the radius arm brackets(underneath or outside), and correct angles of the rad arm to prevent tire rub? I was thinking of using bushing style and old f150 style brackets but have heard I will get more flex out of heims or johnnyjoints. Will it really make that much of a difference?

 

[Ranger44]

Use 2" .250 walled DOM tube.

I'd stick with the stock style doughnut bushings.

 

[ckblum]

The heims might get you about an inch or two more I hear, but wear-wise I would stay with a rubber bushing. Heims are affected a lot by grit and can wear out faster and are more expensive and look trickier to replace (maybe I am wrong though).

 

[BlackBII]

Here are mine. I should have built a small amount of caster correction in them, so that the brackets could be closer to the frame, but it's not big deal. I'm using the 5.5 kit as well, lemme get some pics of them installed.

 

[crawlin91]

Here are mine. I should have built a small amount of caster correction in them, so that the brackets could be closer to the frame, but it's not big deal. I'm using the 5.5 kit as well, lemme get some pics of them installed.

Those look nice, about what Im going for, and that would be great if you could get more pictures.

 

[88mudder]

What size pipe did ya use on those arms?

 

[ckblum]

I hope you mean tube. I wouldn't drive on them if they were made out of pipe like sched 40 or anything.

 

[FTSK95]

Yea post up some pics I was thinking about doing this on my truck as well. Those Arms look really good!

 

[97BlackBetty]

Here is a link to 86Ford's thread on building extended radious arms, I have some pics in there and I will get out and take a few more pictures of them mounted up today. http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34180

 

[BlackBII]

That's 2" .25 wall DOM tubing. I will get some pics today or tomorrow.

 

[crawlin91]

what are you using as a spacer for the radius arm end(threaded bushing end) to fit properly into the dom?

 

[BlackBII]

what are you using as a spacer for the radius arm end(threaded bushing end) to fit properly into the dom?

A melted electrode.


(Weld lol)

 

[Ranger44]

I'd make mine that way as well. I'd only extend mine about a foot though. I'm only going to run 2.5" of lift.

That's only IF I decide to go that route.

 

[BlackBII]

I'd make mine that way as well. I'd only extend mine about a foot though. I'm only going to run 2.5" of lift.

That's only IF I decide to go that route.

Mine are 12" longer than stock.

 

[crawlin91]

A melted electrode.


(Weld lol)

multiple passes? or is it a tighter fit than that? it just looks like it would need a sleeve of some sort