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extended radius or turn the knuckles

Monca68

Jr. Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
121
Loc.
Pottstown pa
Im not sure what is better and more cost efficient longer arms or turning the knuckles. I dont plan on doing any rock climbing and I dont know if I have the ability to turn the knucles myself . Weld is not the issue I,m just not sure if I trust myself to get the angle right and Im getting tired of taking the axle in and out.Thanks for any advise .
Rick
 
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Monca68

Jr. Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
121
Loc.
Pottstown pa
I have a 3 1/2 WH lift w 7* bushings and oonly have 1* caster. I have got to do something I,m not comfortable driving it .The bronco is a 68 I put a dana 44 with factory disks on the front. I definetly do not want to put radius arm drop brackets on and I dont want to waste money on something Im not going to be happy with .Will turning the knuckles have better handling on the highway or are longer arms besides more articulation will they improve the highway driving?
 

needabronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
6,411
Loc.
Prescott/Farmington
Radius arms will only net you 1-2 degrees, turning your knuckles will get you any degree castor you want. I will say that longer radius arms will add the 'feel' of stability.
 

reamer

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
1,249
Just turned my knuckles, Let's see. Knuckles turned, $100.
Cost of new radius arms, and brackets?????
 

TN1776

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 24, 2006
Messages
2,632
One of the vendors (which one I can't remember) sells caster/camber adjuster nuts, which are like an oblong version of the stock upper ball joint spanner nut. They will help you get another degree or two of caster and/or camber depending on how you adjust.

I run extended radius arms (from Cage) and 3 degree wedges, and if memory serves I've got around 4-4.5 degrees of caster. My pinion angle suffers but it hasn't been an issue yet. Extended arms are an expensive upgrade and if you don't plan to do any serious off-roading where you'll want extra flex, then cutting/turning your inner-c's and c-wedges might be your best bet. I'd find a shop that knows what they are doing though... and I don't imagine it'll be cheap either.
 

Bronchole

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Messages
1,611
Loc.
Chatsworth, Ca (LA)
If you are willing to do most of the work yourself then the cost is relitivly low to rotate the axle housing ENDS. If you feel good about dissassembling the axle down to the point where the knuckles are off (you could leave the differential in, but probably wil need to replace the axle seals) The all you will need to do is pay someone to cut and rotate the ends. Don't even consider rotating the radius arm C's, they stay at the factory relationship to the pinion so the pinion is correctly pointed at the CV joint. You can make 100% of the correction needed by turning the ends and design to run factory C bushings (0deg). According to what you have said, you will need to rotate the ends 13 degrees to achieve 7 degres of castor with 0 degree C bushings . You do have power steering right?

If you are going to have someoneelse do all of the work..........OUCH!
 

reamer

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
1,249
Earls engine machine, Stafford Springs, CT $100
 
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Monca68

Jr. Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
121
Loc.
Pottstown pa
Does anyone know a reputable shop in the north east Pa. area? I just got a quote from a guy for $350 as long as the Knuckles and axles removed which I was planning on doing anyway when when I put eccentric ball joints in .Is that a fair price?
 
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