Lift kit swaps

[Roger]

OK, I am thinking of replacing the older Skyjacker 4'/6" lift brackets for a set of Tuff Country brackets. A couple of reasons. Number one, is the bracket for the right side arm is in the way of the differential case, which at some point was notched for clearance. That bracket also seems to be cast... Number two is that it looks like I can adjust camber a bit with eccentrics with the TC brackets. My truck has a bit negative camber with the Skyjacker kit in the 6" position, and too much positive camber in the 4" position. Something in between would be nice.

Either way, I will be replacing the stock radius arms with the extended arms from the Tuff Country kit. But the bushing style trans crossmember is in the way, I will need to fab a replacement crossmember, unless there is a different crossmember from Ford that is tucked up better. I asked this question elsewhere and didn't get an answer.

I'm in the middle of a cab swap, so parts are easier to wqork on with the cab out of the way.

 

[4x4junkie]

Dang, those must be really old Skyjacker brackets if it has a drop plate

You could put a few washer shims under the coils to fix the neg camber and use the 6" holes, although I can understand you wanting to get rid of the drop plate though.

IMO, I would get new Skyjacker brackets. Both brackets are far bigger & stronger than those old "economy" brackets. I would also get SJ extended arms and crossmember too, although the TC arms can still work on it however.

 

[Roger]

I traded a core 2.3 for the Tuff Country parts, plus a few other things. Not sure what you meant by the "drop plate", but that doesn't sound good. I hit your 90 Bronco cardomain site and see you mentioned reinforcing the pivot brackets, but there wasn't a picture showing what you meant. Just curious.

 

[4x4junkie]

The brackets on my BII are old Rancho 2.5" ones. They were pretty frail, but were what I had laying around.

Here's a couple pics that show what I did. Basically it was solidifying the open parts of the bracket for the passengerside beam (and double-plating the mounting flange thickness, and widening the footprint on the bracket that holds the driverside beam (making it wide sortof like the Skyjacker Class II one is).


Edit:
I thought I had a pic showing the bracket for the driverside, but I guess not

Drop plate...
Thats what they use to drop the passengerside beam bracket for a lift, and is what commonly hits the D35 differential housings, busting them open.

Is that what yours looks like?

 

[Roger]

Its close, but where the pivot is, the bracket is a bit wider. Someone clearanced a rib on the diff housing. Or, allowed it to "self" clearance!

Oh, I see what you mean, they used the original bracket but used the "drop plate" to bolt it to... Nah, mine is a complete bracket by itself. But like I said, it is really wide.

And I see where you added material to the lift brackets. I'll try and get pics tomorrow evening and post... I will look and see what I can do to reinforce things.

Thanks!

 

[4x4junkie]

Nah, mine is a complete bracket by itself. But like I said, it is really wide.

Can you get a pic of this bracket? Doesn't sound like the SJ bracket I know...

 

[chico4554]

i would keep the sj brackets if i were u. Just put some washers under the coils for alignment, or some adjustable camber bushings. Im not sure why the bracket is hitting the diff...?

 

[Roger]

Like I said, I'll get some pics tonight. And post them through my photobucket site.

I only say this kit is Skyjacker, because the drop brackets for the radius arms say Skyjacker. Whether I keep this kit on the truck or swap it out, I'm switching to the longer arms. Though, I need to replace the trans crossmember. Is there a factory crossmember that tucks up inside the frame rails? Mine is the one that hangs below the frame with bushing mounts outside the frame rails. The new radium arm brackets mount in the place of this crossmember.

 

[4x4junkie]

All the later trucks have hard-mounted crossmembers (I believe the changeover year was around '89). Maybe that's what you need? (one side mounts above the bottom lip of the frame, the other is bolted straight onto the outside of the frame).

If the radius arms come with a new crossmember though, then theres nothing you need to worry about with the old one, you'll be chucking it altogether.

 

[Roger]

OK, here is the photobucket album... http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w271/zjrog/Warthog Rising/

And here is a pic. The drop bracket on THIS side is cast, the front bracket is formed and welded plate...

Um, never mind the top secret vibration damper... The replacement motor mounts I put in 2 years ago collapsed already. Actually in less than a year, since the truck hasn't been driven in over a year. Part of this process is also building bushing style motor mounts. SO if I kill them, 2 bolts and 20 minutes, bushings can be replaced.

Another part of the project will be to replace the rear springs, ditch the add-a-leaf, and lose at least one set of blocks. I HAVE to lose one set of blocks, stacked blocks won't pass safety inspection here in Utah. As you can see, the springs are a lbit hammered!

I might need to rethink my web sizing of images!

 

[Roger]

Oh, looks like the current crossmember won't be in the way, I will need to drill holes to mount the radius arm brackets just in front of the x-member. At least I can ditch the crossmember that goes for the original radius arm brackets!

Oh, the truck has a build date of 12/89. I think I'm lucky to get a D35, but still got the rock hanging crossmember.

 

[4x4junkie]

Hmmm... it does say "Skyjacker" on it... I don't think I've ever seen one all fat like that

I wonder if you could just grind it down narrower like the one above (doubt it would hurt the bracket at all).


Buy your motor mounts at the dealer if they have them.
I learned this the hard way (at least for transmission mounts) those cheapass imported pieces of s#!t sold at parts stores are garbage. 1 year is about all they're good for before the rubber separates from the metal.

The extra $5 or whatever it costs is very worth it (a trans mount was $39 IIRC at autozone, $45 at the dealer).