Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and JoseBronco
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2008
- Messages
- 71
- Vehicle Year
- 1984
- Transmission
- Manual
Yesterday morning while I was driving to work my Ranger 2wd skidded during a turn (hydroplaning) and I went straight to the kerb stone. The steering was turned to the left, and hit the kerb stone with the front right wheel.
Balance:
- front right wheel ruined (the tire has no damage).
- right radius arm support bracket slightly bent.
- ruined steering aligment (I have access to a shop with a good steering aligment machine, so I checked it, all the measures on the right side went off the range.
The bump were at low speed so I was some annoyed about the damage. The truck has 20 years old and it is like new, with very little use. About four months ago I checked the steering aligment and it did not need anything, it was perfect within the factory specs.
Now the caster is the worst, the camber is not as bad, and I adjusted the toe.
With a hammer I recover the shape of the right radius arm support bracket, but still it looks it has about 2 mm moved backwards. The rear stud and nut of the right radius arm is slightly above the left ones. The caster not varied, continues as bad as before.
3 QUESTIONS:
Taking a look at the truck, I notice the right front wheel (replaced) is closer to the rear of the fender opening than the wheel on the left side. Nearly 1.5 inches. Never looked at this before, so now I doubt if it is caused by the bump or it is due to the TIB front suspension (right side beam behind the left side one), anyone knows about this?
Do you think if I replace the right radius arm support bracket I will recover the caster? (I am located in Spain, Europe, send a part like this to here is not cheap)
Maybe I need to check another part for damage? The right side tie rod looks ok, the wheel bearing does not show play..any more?
Otherwise, due I got the chance, I replace the factory rims (14X5.5 steelies) with a 1991-1992 Ford Explorer factory spare wheels I had in my garage. This wheels are 15X6 steel (same style than the Ranger/BroncoII ones) but they have 5/8" more negative offset than the factory Ranger ones, so at the end they provide a wider track by 1.26 inches or 32 mm. Between the outer lip of the wheels it is 1.76" more , almost 45 mm wider overall width at the axle. I think it is a fairly cheap wheel swap to have more stability. Maybe someone could use this info to do the same.
Thankyou!
Balance:
- front right wheel ruined (the tire has no damage).
- right radius arm support bracket slightly bent.
- ruined steering aligment (I have access to a shop with a good steering aligment machine, so I checked it, all the measures on the right side went off the range.
The bump were at low speed so I was some annoyed about the damage. The truck has 20 years old and it is like new, with very little use. About four months ago I checked the steering aligment and it did not need anything, it was perfect within the factory specs.
Now the caster is the worst, the camber is not as bad, and I adjusted the toe.
With a hammer I recover the shape of the right radius arm support bracket, but still it looks it has about 2 mm moved backwards. The rear stud and nut of the right radius arm is slightly above the left ones. The caster not varied, continues as bad as before.
3 QUESTIONS:
Taking a look at the truck, I notice the right front wheel (replaced) is closer to the rear of the fender opening than the wheel on the left side. Nearly 1.5 inches. Never looked at this before, so now I doubt if it is caused by the bump or it is due to the TIB front suspension (right side beam behind the left side one), anyone knows about this?
Do you think if I replace the right radius arm support bracket I will recover the caster? (I am located in Spain, Europe, send a part like this to here is not cheap)
Maybe I need to check another part for damage? The right side tie rod looks ok, the wheel bearing does not show play..any more?
Otherwise, due I got the chance, I replace the factory rims (14X5.5 steelies) with a 1991-1992 Ford Explorer factory spare wheels I had in my garage. This wheels are 15X6 steel (same style than the Ranger/BroncoII ones) but they have 5/8" more negative offset than the factory Ranger ones, so at the end they provide a wider track by 1.26 inches or 32 mm. Between the outer lip of the wheels it is 1.76" more , almost 45 mm wider overall width at the axle. I think it is a fairly cheap wheel swap to have more stability. Maybe someone could use this info to do the same.
Thankyou!
Last edited:
