Found something.... "interesting"

[AllanD]

Was out doing my usual midweek "Yard crawling"
and was directed to an explorer that one of the guys that works there thought I'd be interested in...

Well... Hmmmm...

It's an explorer with a lift kit in it including some really interesting extended radius arms...

these radius arms have an interesting "gusset" (for want of a better word) top and bottom that has a round hole in it that the shock passes through.

I did see that it had a tubular "crossmember" in the location where the factory radius arm bracket USED to be.
I didn't get a good look at how the arms were themselves mounted
because the vehicle was sitting directly on the ground without wheels...

Even more interesting was the fact that it SEEMS to have some
sort of front locker...

I'm going back in the morning... it was near closing time
when I found it, so...

I seem to recall seeing pictures of a procomp radius arm that looked like these, but it was a long time ago.

AD

 

[BlackBII]

I have seen arms like the ones you describe on a 92 or so so ranger in a parking lot, looked to be about a 4inch lift, they were red and had rancho shocks making me think they might be rancho...

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

Take some pictures for us, this sounds interesting...

 

[Totalled]

Sounds like rancho arms...

 

[holshotracer]

These are on my two wheel drive frame. I was told that they're rancho

 

[AllanD]

Yup, those are the ones....

I'm gonna try to get those radius arms off.

My main interest is in the front diff, if it is indeed a locker or limited slip.

I figuire anybody that actually put a lift in might have actually put a real diff
in up front.

The shocks are kinda "crusty"
I was unable to determine if the pivot brackets were for a lift or not,
it should be easier after I get them to pick it up.

AD

 

[metalmacguyver]

an angle grinder with cut off wheel or torch are usually handy. and then the sand blaster makes everything look all pretty again.


oh yeah, pb blaster works miracles too.

 

[4x4junkie]

Too bad they're weak.

I busted two of those things just running 32" tires & open diff years ago (the tube part likes to crack right at the very end of the welds... very far right on holeshotracer's 2nd pic)

 

[Jim Oaks]

I never undestood why Rancho never pursued the Ranger lifts. I think the only lift they ever offered was no more than 2 or 3 inches.

 

[predator]

I never undestood why Rancho never pursued the Ranger lifts. I think the only lift they ever offered was no more than 2 or 3 inches.

i think companies dont put out enough options in the aftermarket...so much for a niche market...

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Too bad they're weak.

I busted two of those things just running 32" tires & open diff years ago (the tube part likes to crack right at the very end of the welds... very far right on holeshotracer's 2nd pic)

Yup agreed. They were destined for no adventure, yet had many a mis-adventure... clunk trash can.

 

[samsonitesamsonite]

yeah the only lift they offered was 2.5" and it sucks I rocked it for about two years and finally went with a JD.... every bracket on the lift needs stregthening....

 

[MAKG]

I have a pair of those, also yanked from the junkyard. They came red from the factory.

They do NOT work on Bronco IIs because they want to mount right where the 3rd body mount lives.

I haven't looked into the Exploder yet because it hasn't been lifted.

 

[AllanD]

well, this set is on an explorer, so they'll obviously fit that...

And no they aren't quite that crusty, but they are close....


AD

 

[Forcus]

I have only dealt with something like that once....and 3 hours later and 8 u-bolts, it was off.

Two methods:

1) Clean threads / surfaces with a wire brush / wire wheel, spray with PB Blaster and / or Deep Creep (be careful, Deep Creep will catch fire easy, PB Blaster not as easy), then heat up with a torch. Then quench with the PB Blaster. Here's the important part. Slightly tighten the bolt or nut or whatever then back it off. May have to repeat. For whatever reason the bolts don't break as easily if you break the bond by compressing the bolt. When I did the above right and didn't get in a hurry, I have never broken a bolt, even some incredibly nasty ones.

2) Loosen with a long bar and repair the damage later.