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Cage/Duff Radius Arm Bushing (Not C Bushings)

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
Well I noticed a LOT of movement standing on top of my tire with the front axle on jackstands - I could get the axle to rotate nearly two inches by spinning the tire.

I went snow wheeling and got TONS of wheel hop from the axle wrapping on the worn out bushings. I think I have another set to replace mine, I've only got ~15 trail rides on these arms and I think front digs are not helping either. Needless to say, I don't really want to re-install bushings for them to wear out again - I want to run full on steel.

I'm curious of this is a bad idea or not - will it pound the brackets apart and destroy them (my guess only if they get loose) or will it do exactly what I want it to do - perform flawlessly without any issues.

Has anyone addressed this? With the EFI motor I'm only going to beat on it harder - I'm guessing the bushings are not going to last very long at this rate...
 

Bronco Brian

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
1,140
On my Dana 60 front end I used the Cage weld on brackets this would be your best bet. Try getting a hold of Jim at Bloody knuckles garage he is making them. If you cant find him PM me and I will see what I can do for you

Try this guy too Add to thr left


Sexton Off-Road
2903 West Hwy 248
Kamas, Utah 84036
1-435-640-4437
1-800-378-0313
Fax: 1-435-783-8806
 
Last edited:

blazinchuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Messages
3,319
i dont think i would try steel...i saw a guy(K5) at harlen wheeling the water fall...his front was doing the same thing! it was crazy to watch...were you arms and bushings all new or used stuff? i think id still do bushing.

my arms were installed(duff's) about '05 and they are still great, but the rig hasnt seen any hard wheeling...
 
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KyleQ

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
On my Dana 60 front end I used the Cage weld on brackets this would be your best bet. Try getting a hold of Jim at Bloody knuckles garage he is making them. If you cant find him PM me and I will see what I can do for you

I know how to get ahold of Jim and I've got the weld on arms -


i dont think i would try steel...i saw a guy(K5) at harlen wheeling the water fall...his front was doing the same thing! it was crazy to watch...were you arms and bushings all new or used stuff? i think id still do bushing.

my arms were installed(duff's) about '05 and they are still great, but the rig hasnt seen any hard wheeling...

I'm sure the welded front end with the low gearing and the FWD WOT digs have not been helping. I'll see if I can find the extra set of bushings I've got - hopefully I'll have time to install them after plowing snow...
 

Bronco Brian

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 10, 2006
Messages
1,140
i dont think i would try steel...i saw a guy(K5) at harlen wheeling the water fall...his front was doing the same thing! it was crazy to watch...were you arms and bushings all new or used stuff? i think id still do bushing.

my arms were installed(duff's) about '05 and they are still great, but the rig hasnt seen any hard wheeling...

The one I am typing about are for a 60 swap best way to go for Cage/Duff arms
 

rcmbronc

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Messages
2,686
Loc.
Tomah WI
Are they rubber? I dont remember on mine. maybe find some urethane ones to match?
 
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KyleQ

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
Replacements were from Duff - my Dad got a set of Cage arms, didn't get the bushings, couldn't get ahold of Jim so we overnighted the bushings from James Duff - they both showed up at the same time %)



These, like the other ones, go in very tight - pounding/pushing the sleeve in sometimes pops the other side out. These were easier that the others, they had some slippery coating on them. I wouldn't mind UHMV inserts or poly - I do NOT want any movement at the arms, it's only going to wrap, rebound and hop.
 

NYLES

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
9,846
Man put a lil grease on em you know vasaline! Dont let us hear you used KY!
 
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KyleQ

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
Haha - they didn't need anything, they came sufficiently lubed for the job. Line em up, push in the edge that doesn't want to play nice and push them home. It was easy- whatever material they are made out of is either coated or self lubricating.
 

SpareParts

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 13, 2004
Messages
5,592
I replaced mine as well, I have the weld on Cage "look alike" brackets, I made my own. Over 5-6 years of pretty hard wheeling mine gave up. The original ones were rubber, the new ones from Duffs are urethane. The new ones look like they will last longer.
 

Madgyver

Contributor
Bronco Madman
Joined
Jul 30, 2001
Messages
14,679
David,
Would you share your design plans that you use to make the weld-on brackets?
madgyver
 

SpareParts

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 13, 2004
Messages
5,592
David,
Would you share your design plans that you use to make the weld-on brackets?
madgyver

Jamey had a set I copied off of. They are the same design, I just made them with steel that I had laying around.
 
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KyleQ

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
Ok - revisiting this as again I killed the bushings, slowly letting out the clutch in FWD with my rollers causes the pinion two rise two inches plus.

I called up and chatted with the fine folks @ James Duff and I've got another set of bushings on the way. It's been a little over two years since I've replaced them, so I guess that isn't too bad, but the gentleman I spoke with said he hadn't heard of any issues with the James Duff long arms and in fact most people who are ordering these are folks with Cage Arms... I'm going to attribute that to the fact that the Cage head unit is welded to the axle and the James Duff head unit still utilizes the c bushings to absorb and deflect a bit of force.

I've considered running a link on the pass side from the outer part of the axle tube to the top of the arm to try and reign in on some of the wrapping. If I ran a bushing on either end I would think that wouldn't interfere with the articulation while toning down the wrapping affect.

With the new 43" TSL's I've got a feeling that I'm going to be tearing through these at an even faster rate, but time will tell.

I'm thinking of a pair of these Ballistic bushings-
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Single-Poly-Bushing-with-DOM-Sleeve_p_1197.html

Some of these tabs for the axle side-
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Axle-Tube-Shock-Tabs_p_1445.html

These for the Cage arm side-
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Axle-Tube-Shock-Tabs-Flat-Bottom_p_1446.html

Weld some tubing between the bushings and bolt it into place - that should help keep the wrap down without killing too much flex.

Any thoughts?

Anyone else still having issues?
 

01Dudley

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
974
Loc.
Knoxville
The weld on axle brackets will not help w/Kyle's issue. Even with the weld on axle brackets the arm still bolts onto the bracket w/poly bushings.

On my Dana 60 front end I used the Cage weld on brackets this would be your best bet. Try getting a hold of Jim at Bloody knuckles garage he is making them. If you cant find him PM me and I will see what I can do for you

Try this guy too Add to thr left


Sexton Off-Road
2903 West Hwy 248
Kamas, Utah 84036
1-435-640-4437
1-800-378-0313
Fax: 1-435-783-8806
 
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OP
KyleQ

KyleQ

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 24, 2008
Messages
5,480
The weld on axle brackets will not help w/Kyle's issue. Even with the weld on axle brackets the arm still bolts onto the bracket w/poly bushings.

Yeah - that is my current setup... ;)

IMG_20130615_112028_529_zps013e446b.jpg
 

01Dudley

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
974
Loc.
Knoxville
Hey Kyle, I actually over heard you and Bryan talking today on the phone. You bushing are on the way. Now I totally agree w/the axle wrap just beating those bushings to death with the weld on brackets. Basically what you have is 8 poly bushings holding all that torque. That is a big difference than having a nice big "C" bushing to absorb the wrap. Now go check your PM messages.
 
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