My Bronco 2

[4.0B2]

So you wanna send me the Rusty's? Lol... I wanna go easy and just buy them. But then I wanna save the money and build some. Oh well. I'll probably end up making some with schedule 80.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

ide be hesitant bout the sch80, i use it for alot of stuff from bumpers to crossmembers and what not since we keep a good stock of it at work. personally i would be hesitant to use it due to strength. just to give you an example. i used dom for my steering and brought home a 20 foot stick of dom the stuff was stiff as a wedding d!c% had minimal spring to it when held in the center. with sch80 dosnt matter what size dealing with as i stock a full 21' stick of each size from 1/2'' to 2-1/2'' of sch80 at home and there is some serious spring to it when held in the center.

but it is your truck so its your call.

 

[escort_gts]

I agree with kroussin. Dont go cheap with the suspension unless it will be just for sholw and now hardcorew driving. The sch80 might be cheaper at first but might cost u more time and money in the long run. I have learned to not go cheap on the more important things.

 

[4.0B2]

thought about it some last night... think i might go w/ DOM lowers and solid uppers. that's the way that IronMan fab does theirs. unless DOM for the uppers is cheaper than solid.
DOM from ruffstuff is gonna run me around $150 plus shipping.

then i gotta figure out the best way to make a bushing on the other end. bushings will be cheaper than joints on both ends, and will cut down on road vibes better than a joint

 

[kroussinoffroad]

ive been doin some (key word some) research on goin full length 3 link in the front. from what ive been reading typically want bushing's at the axle and joint's at the frame. and as far as the bushing everyone is sayin stay away from polly for offroad/flex. using joint's at both end's causes it to be harsh and transmit every vibration. but using bushings at both ends reduces flex. not sure what your intentions are for the long run but if its gonna be primarly street driven you could run threaded in bushings at the uppers and if/when you decide to start wheelin it more/harder you could swap out for joints. as far as threading it. i would go with the weld in bungs i forsee trying to drill and tap solid stock to that size and fine thread being a major PITA. even threading 3/4'' fine threads takes a little grunt.

kinda like these, the only issue is they cost the same money.

 

[4.0B2]

Right.. I'm gonna use bushings at the axe side bc it is a DD. And joints at the frame. On the lowers.

On the uppers I may go the same route. Since the bushings are only $10 cheaper than joints-- I'll probably use joints on the side where they mount to the lowers and bushings at the axle.

On partsmike.com the jam nut and bung is only $10 more. So it's worth it I suppose

 

[4.0B2]

found these! $15 each, would need 4 i guess?
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BUSHDOM

edit: on my axle i only need them for the lower control arms. the uppers have bushings on the axle and just needs ears for the bolt to bolt up.

alright-- lets see, got my a $200 order from ruffstuff i need...
4 of the DOM sleeves w/ bushings -- only need 2 of these
1 pair chaissis link mounts --not buying these, got a better idea in mind now
1 outside frame track bar bracket -- not buying this either. gonna make it, i have plenty of 1/4" steel left.
2- 36" pieces of DOM (1.75x.25 wall)
2- 18" pieces of DOM (1.50x.25 wall)

before shipping is right at $200, then our discount!!!

 

[4.0B2]

on the joints...
http://www.partsmike.com/store/store.ph ... how_detail
what bushing would you recommend here? the poly, nylon, or UHMW?

also, if i was to use http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Bal ... _1646.html on the other end.. I would need RH threads on the joint and bushing right?

basically i think i'm gonna spring for DOM, i can get the long pieces i need for about $38 a piece. I know its a little more than schedule 80.. that being said, its 1.75X.25 wall, 1.25 ID.. perfect for threading for the joints and bushings, or just welding on the round for the bushings.

on the uppers-- it is 1.5X.25 wall, 1 ID, so i'd need a joint w/ 1 inch threads.. or use a bung like http://www.partsmike.com/store/store.ph ... how_detail in the 3/4" threaded area and for a 1 inch ID tube. and the axle side of that would look like http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestor ... px?id=2043 only longer, right? b/c of the way they mount to the top of the axle. i'll just have the stock bushings there..

basically, i figured out i have the money for DOM, and in the long run i think it'd be better. i've done a lot of research on it and saw where people decided to try it and it didn't work to good for them. i know it should work in my case, but since i'm doing it now-- i kinda just wanna do it right.

 

[4.0B2]

yes i'm bored.. this is what i've come up with.. opinions?

on the joint for the upper, i may just use the same partsmike joint as the lower and use the larger DOM on the upper to. i mean the joint is cheaper, and they would all match that way. i guess partsmike doesn't make smaller joints... dang them! lol

but that gets me back to $200 an arm... dang. i might go back to looking at rusty's...

 

[4.0B2]

thing i'm worried about with buying rusty's arms... is they are 36" long.. and that'll put me right at my transmission crossmember. and i don't wanna make a crossmember that is my link mounts. just seems like a headache in the future IMO

 

[railman]

that is what JD's and Skyjacker's do....replace the tranny mount......

l8r, John

 

[4.0B2]

wouldn't that make it a headache to drop the trans? i guess it'd just be 2 bolts and drop the arms down right? not a bad issue?

 

[kroussinoffroad]

my link brackets arent part of my trans crossmember but my trans crossmember is part of my link brackets. in other word's to drop the tranny my arms will stay in place. but to take the brackets off the frame i would have to take the trans crossmember off. i kina built it to work as a bash guard for my x-case as well.

 

[Robert_1967]

That's some good work there






Robert

 

[kris97ranger]

If you built your own arms couldnt you just make them longer so they would gone past the stock crossmember? More flex that way too... Unless itd still be an issue that im missing.

Hut like you said if you made it all one crossmember and link mount its just 2 bolts to drop extra