Alignment Spec?

[bluesbish]

yes. less lift in the front will put caster closer to the factory spec. if you have stock radius arm bushings now, I would install 7 degree bushings. But how do you know if they are stock?

 

[OX1]

OK- jokes on me... But I am kind of serious about this.

The Bronco was built probably about 10 years ago with the HP44 swapped in. The Owner between me and the builder new nothing about 4x4s or EBs and had some mods done (I don't recall specifics) and it may have changed the way the original builder set it up. With the alignment specs like they are, the axle is pretty true (at the knuckles anyway), but could use a little more caster.

The truck sits nose high and there appears to be another spring cup welded to the top of the stock spring cups on the axle. I could pull these making the truck level and rotating the front axle backwards slightly as it comes down.

From what I understand, the HP44 had more factory caster than the stock EB D44, unless your saying the original build moved the wedges and/or the C's on end of tubes. Caster spec for a 79 bronco was 6.5-9.5 degrees.

 

[Mountain Ram]

7 degree bushings?? Wouldn't that put it way out of whack??

I am not sure what was done to the axle... But it looks like the wedges were not factory. The bushings appear to be rubber, but I have not had them out. There is a spacer between the radius arm and front cap that I don't get and the second coil cup on top of the stock one is a little odd...

 

[Rustytruck]

I would think that these settings it should trac and run well. My guess is there is too much tire pressure. Find some flat concrete and get some gift wrapping paper. but some large pieces of gift wrap upside down and run over it with just the front tires. Look at the tread pattern left on the paper. Now lower the tire pressure until you get a tread pattern most of the way accross the tread width. Look for around 80%. With such a large tire you will probably be sub 30 Lbs. Now take it for a drive and adjust pressures from there in 2Lb. increments.

I would also check for any looseness in the track bar bushings.

 

[bluesbish]

7 degree bushings?? Wouldn't that put it way out of whack??

I have never seen 7 degree bushings actually provide 7 degrees of caster change.

 

[Mountain Ram]

So you can see what I am dealing with... in the first pic, you can see the spaced up coil bucket. Never seen this before. In the second pic, you can see the spacer between the radius arm halves. In the last pic, you can see the welds on the knuckle and wedge- they don't look like factory welds to me.

 

[DirtDonk]

Very custom setup you got there Ram.

The bushings are stock rubber. Zero offset.

Dana 60 perhaps? The cap spacers appear to be needed to compensate for a larger diameter axle tube.

Don't recognize the front caps right off the bat. Interesting profile almost looks like they're custom fabbed from existing caps, but it may just be that the custom top ridge makes them look that way.

Guessing that the custom lower spring cups are mainly to adjust for the changed angle of the caps due to the lift. This would allow the springs to sit naturally vertical, rather than bowed out due to the changed angles from the lifted springs.
They might be adjustable to that end.
At the very least, the spaced caps necessitate a wider bolt hole spacing on the cups, but with these custom lowers the hole spacing could be made to order.

With stock rubber now, any polyurethane C-bushings you install will add caster. Your choices vary between 2° and 7° or so. whatever you want to add can be determined directly.

Got more pics from different angles and from farther away?

Thanks

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Oh, and how long are your radius arms now? Were they lengthened too?

Paul

 

[Mountain Ram]

I will get more pics tonight. It's definitely aD44HP, but I don't know if it was from a half ton or 3/4 ton. It has been cut and narrowed to fit the stock dimensions. I assume the 'C' spacers were needed as the wedges were welded back on and may not have been 100% in the right place. I thought about the angled effect on the springs as well- the radius arms are custom longer units as well. I don't think they are adjustable, just have a bracket with bolt to keep the spring in place.

Todd

 

[Rustytruck]

The caps look like 78-79 bronco caps. I like the set up it seems that some one had a very well thought out solid plan. Stock spring mounts bend so this over size retainer addressed all the issues. I dont see this as cobbled up butcher work.

 

[Mountain Ram]

I don't see it as cobbled up either. I just want to make sure it runs true so I can drive it and not wear the tires in an odd pattern... I would also like it to drive well and not be as squirrely.

 

[svobronco]

Those are '78/'79 Bronco quad shock caps and EB radius arms, I had to make a set of those 1/4" spacers once myself. Arms and caps have to be kept together with respect to their vintage, they'll fit the same "C" but they are located differently. And when you mix and match, yes the lower spring cup needs to have a hole enlarged as it will now be off 1/4"

As far as the front axle, the driver's side "c" would be cast in with the knuckle if it's from a 1/2 ton. Most likely your axle is from a F250

 

[Mountain Ram]

Those are '78/'79 Bronco quad shock caps and EB radius arms, I had to make a set of those 1/4" spacers once myself. Arms and caps have to be kept together with respect to their vintage, they'll fit the same "C" but they are located differently. And when you mix and match, yes the lower spring cup needs to have a hole enlarged as it will now be off 1/4"

As far as the front axle, the driver's side "c" would be cast in with the knuckle if it's from a 1/2 ton. Most likely your axle is from a F250

I figured you would chime in at some point Greg- thanks. I am thinking about taking it apart to see what I am dealing with... if I can move back to some stock cups or just leave this and add some degreed bushings. From what I can tell by reading here and elsewhere- 4-9 degrees is correct and I am barley at 4 degrees caster.

More pics from further out and the extended radius arms.

 

[OX1]

As far as the front axle, the driver's side "c" would be cast in with the knuckle if it's from a 1/2 ton. Most likely your axle is from a F250

Not unless they used 5 lug knuckles. Cant convert 8 lug D44 knuckles to 5 lug, missing this cutout for caliper.
http://luxjo.supermotors.net/MISC/D44 5 LUG KNUCKLE.JPG
Maybe a 76/77 D44 1/2 ton?

 

[Mountain Ram]

The knuckles look like someone welded them on too...

TD

 

[svobronco]

Those arms may have come from All For Fun (I think that's the name) I looked into ones like that a few years ago.

 

[DirtDonk]

Can you post a pic of the steering linkage from straight on and showing the whole front end?
They look at least close to parallel, but that appears to be an awfully long trackbar drop bracket. Perhaps you can fab up a riser instead, for more rigidity when it comes to locating the axle? Also take some leverage off of the frame, making it less likely to create some cracks up in that area.

And speaking of which, have you done "the test" yet? Or if so, have you done it lately?
That's where you have a helper rack the steering back and forth enough to make the wheels move (do this with the weight on the ground) and watch as things flex and move.
Make especially sure that your trackbar mounts are solid and not moving, and the steering box is not hiding a crack already. Basically look for any funny movement that should not be there. Which is just about any side-to-side movement anywhere.

Paul