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2.5 suspension lift and tie-rod over

Labbster

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Messages
755
Is there any benefit to doing a tie-rod over on a 2.5 lift? This is going to be my son's bronco and wont see too much crawling...

Does it help the steering at all? I already have the reamer, but cant decide if it worth the effort...
 

bknbronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
4,378
Loc.
North Metro, MN
i would think doing it would put the steering right back to stock angles with a 2.5"lift. Not nessesary but probably favorable. Lets see what other say though.
 

dube

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
1,042
Loc.
big lake Mn
If your building this for your son. He's going crawling with it. You just won't no it.
 

73stallion

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Messages
16,786
Loc.
Eugene, OR
doing a TRO gains you about 3" of clearance. so it'll keep your drag link nice and horizontal. you'll want to do a track bar riser too.
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
There's a couple reasons for doing a TRO. One is to get the tie-rod up higher and out of the way of rocks, or whatever you might be driving over. The other is that it raises the tie-rod end of the drag link, and reduces the angle making it easier to create the proper steering geometry.

But, as 73stallion said, depending on the steering knuckles, you could gain about 3" of extra height on the tie-rod. With only a nominal 2 1/2" suspension lift, you'd be creating a wierd situation with the steering geometry. And I say "nominal" 2 1/2" lift, because it seems that when all is said and done, usually the actual lift is less than the stated lift. So, you'd be raising the frame end of the drag link and track bar 2" and the other end of the drag link 3". If you still have the stock steering links installed on the Bronco, it wouldn't be hard to imagine the tie-rod end of the drag link an inch higher than it is now, in relation to the other links.

FWIW, my suggestion would be to not do it. But I would take 73stallion's suggestion and do a track bar riser at the axle end of the track bar, instead of a dropped track bar frame bracket.
 

Sac '68 sport

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
1,176
Loc.
Orangevale
If your building this for your son. He's going crawling with it. You just won't no it.

Ha. That's what I used to tell my Dad too. Only it wasn't crawling it was slinging mud out in the ag fields. Crawling probably leaves much less mess in the driveway. I got caught a lot...
 

surfer-b

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
2,972
I did it on my 74 and it put everything back to stock location, it drives really good, I would recommend it.
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
I did it on my 73. but only due to my 78/79 F150 disc swap which created some minor bump steer due to the steering arms being slightly lower than stock bronco steering arms. With 2.5in lifts you usually dont use drop brackets or pitman arms. For what your doing I dont think you'll see any real benefit. Do you have a 3 way adjustable tie rod setup? if not then I wouldnt do it.
 

bigmuddy

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 28, 2004
Messages
7,001
Loc.
Marthasville Missouri
I did the same as bronconaz for the same reason, and a trac bar riser which was eye balled to get it in line. Everything works great.
 
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