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duff's track bar riser help

lilthom

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I have watched the video and for the most part everything looks easy enough but what tool do I use to cut through the spot welds on the bolt head behind the original bracket for the track bar. Not only are there two visible welds, I can feel one up on top. It's too narrow for a cut off wheel and all of the sawzall blades are too wide to fit up in there. I'm not going to share all of the creative attempts I have made but I am a long ways from getting that bolt out. In the video Michael simply holds it up and tells you how short it needs to be to push it through and pull it out. I don't have a torch any more or I would be tempted to throw a flame at it. Any ideas?
 

Yeller

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Die grinder or pencil grinder, a carbide burr and some patients. Burrs can be gotten in many shapes, sizes and stem lengths to get into just about any space.
 
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lilthom

lilthom

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thank you sir. I guess I'll be buying a new tool.
 

gnsteam

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I have watched the video and for the most part everything looks easy enough but what tool do I use to cut through the spot welds on the bolt head behind the original bracket for the track bar. Not only are there two visible welds, I can feel one up on top. It's too narrow for a cut off wheel and all of the sawzall blades are too wide to fit up in there. I'm not going to share all of the creative attempts I have made but I am a long ways from getting that bolt out. In the video Michael simply holds it up and tells you how short it needs to be to push it through and pull it out. I don't have a torch any more or I would be tempted to throw a flame at it. Any ideas?

I had this same problem a few month back. I decided to just cut off the bolt at the same thickness of the new bracket. Then have the weld shop just plug weld the old bolt to the new riser bracket. See my posts in my build thread starting at post #99. The link to my build thread is below in the signature box.
 

Yeller

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They make electric and cordless die grinders too so you don't have to have a compressor large enough to run an air one. I have an electric that I like better than all of my air ones. The speed is easier to control and wide open is about the rite speed for good cutting with a burr, use it with cut off wheels as well.
 

FordBronc

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lilthom did you get it yet? I am 52 min away (heck we are Bronco Neighbors). And I am working my way towards possibly having the same issue you are. gnsteam appreciate the pic in your thread.

I am planning on installing a trac bar riser bracket called a Kiser Riser (I got from a fellow CB member). That will also give me an anchor point for my hydro assist cylinder.

Let me know if you get it worked out or need a torch set aka smoke wrench.
 

sprdv1

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lilthom did you get it yet? I am 52 min away (heck we are Bronco Neighbors). And I am working my way towards possibly having the same issue you are. gnsteam appreciate the pic in your thread.

I am planning on installing a trac bar riser bracket called a Kiser Riser (I got from a fellow CB member). That will also give me an anchor point for my hydro assist cylinder.

Let me know if you get it worked out or need a torch set aka smoke wrench.

he moved and is a FEW states away now haha
 
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lilthom

lilthom

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lilthom did you get it yet? I am 52 min away (heck we are Bronco Neighbors). And I am working my way towards possibly having the same issue you are. gnsteam appreciate the pic in your thread.

I am planning on installing a trac bar riser bracket called a Kiser Riser (I got from a fellow CB member). That will also give me an anchor point for my hydro assist cylinder.

Let me know if you get it worked out or need a torch set aka smoke wrench.
I'm getting closer with the new die grinder but I just have a little pancake compressor at the new location. Unless Monster Mike wants chime in here with a better idea I think gnsteam may be into something.
 
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lilthom

lilthom

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There's way too many hours of my life I will never get back. Slowly but surely with the die grinder I have removed the head of the grade 8 bolt and the welds. The guy on the assembly line in 73 opted to weld all the way around the bolt head, not just a couple of tack welds. The only pictures I could post for you is a pile of tiny, shiny metal shavings. Now maybe I can get this all wrapped up today. My suggestion to anyone taking on this upgrade is to first lay on your back, reach up in there with your finger to see how much of a weld is on that bolt head. If it's not just a couple of tack welds then break out the torch or go with post #5 on this thread and weld 'er up.
 

Yeller

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Success isn't always sweet, just finished. lol

Feel your pain, I was removing brackets from an oem frame last night that were welded, then a heavy gusset plate put over that, and that was riveted and welded. Gave up on getting it all off, gouged off as much as I could with the plasma cutter and took a grinder and smoothed it up the best I was willing to do. Glad it was on mine and not a customers, I would have been embarrassed at the bill to make it all smooth like it had never been there, would have probably taken 12 hours to do that plus a bed and fuel tank removal.
 
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lilthom

lilthom

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That upgrade is complete and the geometry is much better. Grinder and paint for the welder I ain't. All this work do down here makes me think it's time to replace those C bushings and fix my slight lean. I'm sure that will go smoothly, too.
 
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lilthom

lilthom

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Better Monster Mike?
 

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lilthom

lilthom

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If you're running TRO and using a riser shouldn't you be using a straight style pitman arm with no bend? Only asking because I'll be getting a duff Heim steering and a riser soon.

I'll have to let someone else answer that. I have a 3 1/2 inch suspension lift and it actually has a drop bracket on the frame as well. Always remember to look at the quote at the bottom of my posts. That's my disclaimer.
 

SSDDBRONCO

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I'll have to let someone else answer that. I have a 3 1/2 inch suspension lift and it actually has a drop bracket on the frame as well. Always remember to look at the quote at the bottom of my posts. That's my disclaimer.

Hahaha nice disclaimer. Ya the guys over at Duff told me to get rid of the drop bracket and install a riser with a straight non drop pitman arm. That's after sending them pictures of my setup so interested in seeing what others are saying. I also have a 3.5 suspension lift too.
 
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lilthom

lilthom

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Michael used mine for all his brake upgrade videos. He noted my bump steer and felt that just the riser would remedy mine. I need to get some radiator hoses before I can go test this out.
 

Yeller

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Bump steer will be significantly reduced. But will still have some, but should be at an acceptable level. With the differences in lengths of drag link and track bar I am willing to bet it's as close as it will get, even if they were completely parallel. Hard to know for sure without modeling it to see how different the 2 arcs are, I still feel it will be very acceptable.
 

savage

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If you're running TRO and using a riser shouldn't you be using a straight style pitman arm with no bend? Only asking because I'll be getting a duff Heim steering and a riser soon.
Plus, you have a track bar drop bracket, I've never seen both drop bracket and raiser used together.
 
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