I bought it pretty much the way you see it except I added 35” tires on 15x7.5 Bronco wheels.
Is this the '72? Or another one?
Are they 12.50" wide tires?
Steering wheel has about 6” play, after adjustment front wheels are at 1/8” toe in
As mentioned, too much play. But don't adjust anything in the box yet because you're no longer centered. And centered is where the adjustment is made, and where it makes a difference.
It might need some adjustment. It might not. It need help, or it might just be worn out.
But won't know until the other things are dealt with or further testing is made.
Just the angles with increase your steering "play" and the angle will also have put the box off of it's center point. That point in the box is tighter than the rest. Once you're off of it, the box is in fact looser. Not as loose as yours is hopefully! But the two things together will certainly add to the play.
And the pressure will increase the dartiness of the tires, adding to the perception of play and the lack of response to your steering inputs.
Agree the 1/8" toe is fine for now. But also agree that there's nothing wrong with testing different settings. Everyone likes something else, and every tire/wheel combo acts different with different lifts on Broncos.
Just thought I’d start out with pics to see if anything jumps out
In your last pic, the rubber boot is on wrong. I think it's on the wrong side of the firewall, but haven't messed with one in a long time. Someone here will know and have pics.
pretty sure it has standard JBG 2.5” lift (their leveling kit) thanks -Jeff
As someone pointed out, you're sporting a 3" lift now. It could just be that your springs are a bit tall (how old are they?) but Broncos are not the most consistent either, so hard to say.
A 2.5" is a bit "proud" for just leveling a Bronco out. Not many sit 2.5" high in the rear in the first place. Even with the hard tops off they only go up so far. How does yours sit now? Is it fairly level? What springs are in the back?
I'm a fan of using dropped pitman arms and trackbar brackets even on just 2.5" of lift, but they're pretty much mandatory on anything higher. And yours obviously has way too much angle on the links, as the others already pointed out.
is there a way to tell what degree C bushings were used?
Not easily. Takes a lot of looking at different versions for you to see the difference once installed, but it can be done.
Otherwise, there are no markings to speak of on the bushings.
You can look at your pinion as well, and if it's still pointing up more towards the driveshaft, they're likely 2 degree bushings. If you see it pointed more level to the ground, they could be 4's or 7's.
But get that reading when you can, and you'll know whether it's going to be an issue or not. If you've got caster numbers above 3 degrees positive, you're in a good range and likely have the correct bushing. If less than 2 however, you're probably going to need more.
How much more, or how to get it, depends on what is found otherwise.
If you don't get consistent readings from your gauge, it's not a bad idea to put it on an alignment rack to get a full printout, or screen shot of the readings from their computer. This way it's a known commodity and you can work with it.
I assume this box to frame check would be done with someone turning the wheels?
Correct.
This test is always done with the full weight of the truck on the ground. Helper does not have to move the steering wheel through it's entire range either. Just a half a turn in each direction is enough for the main test. Never hurts to do at least a couple of rounds with the full turn each way, but it's not needed for most of the testing.
If the box is loose, or if the frame is cracked, this is often the only way to find out.
Will do, think I'm fresh outta chalk though can I eyeball it?
Yep! You can gauge the inflation by the dirt/dust pattern and where it wears off on the tread. If you can see clean area running down the middle, but still dirty out towards the sides, you can let some more air out until the wear mark reaches just almost to the edge.
It's pretty precise on the rear tires, given the way they just sit there and roll straight (hopefully) but harder to gauge on the fronts when you have more camber and have to steer them too.
But you can get a basic feel for them too.
Yes I figured the -5" wheel to tire difference was worth mentioning...makes the tires taller than I'd prefer, may swap to 15x10 at some point to make em a little shorter and fatter, of course then I'll have to go through all this again ;D
Yep, every change nets more changes.
But most of what you're looking at is a perception of change. If you put three identical tires next to each other, one on a 7" wheel and one on an 8" wheel, and the other on a 10" wheel, the difference in height would be very hard to measure.
Most sidewalls on 15" tires flex so much that the width of the tread and the overall height are not measurably changed. Only the sidewall width is changed, and the "bulge" that most people note is not really a bulge at all, but just a larger difference between the overall section width and the rim width. Again, perception more than an actual change.
But hey, sometimes it is all about looks.
However, for our discussion the width of the wheel does have a definite effect on how much pressure your setup is going to like, and how things feel when driving.
The good news is that the narrow wheels are usually very good when dialed in.
Can I measure caster with standard tools? I have an angle gauge I got for my pinion angle on the drive shaft awhile back (on the 66) for what it’s worth.
Sure. There is a procedure for checking caster that involves steering back and forth and comparing angles, but you'll have to make the gauge fit squarely on the wheel. Not the end of the hub knob, the sidewall of the tire, or offset on the wheel somewhere.
But it's very doable.
Since this rig is a mystery can anyone tell anything from the stampings or tag on the steering box?
Looks like a stock box, but maybe someone else knows the numbers for sure. I only know it resembles a Bronco steering box physically.
What year Bronco?
I did deflate the tires to about 30 front 26 back but it’s raining pretty good here and I got no top, won’t be road testing today thanks![/QUOTE]
Good start. The 45 they saddled you with was certainly over the top and they should be concerned about their techs and how they check their work. Or at least about their gauges!
The narrower wheel means that most likely you can get away with less pressure for the same result than you would with a wider wheel. But only testing will tell for sure.
But you're off to a good start.
Paul