Repair Shop Recommendation - Axle Cut and Turn Upstate SC

[stefaned]

Currently my bronco has too little caster (0.3 and 0.1 degrees) which is leading to less than desirable driving characteristics. I have a 3.5" lift with 7 degree C-Bushings.

Based on feedback from another thread, the best option appears to be a cut and turn of the axle housing to generate caster without negatively impacting the angle of the driveshaft.

I do not feel comfortable with my skills (especially the welding) to take this project on. I live in Greenville, SC and have called several shops but unfortunately none of them are interested in performing this. I am looking for recommendations for a shop relatively close that would be open to doing this.

 

[bchesley]

If you don’t think you can weld it, do everything else. Cut them, turn them and let a pro burn them in. The cutting and turning part is why they don’t want to do it. Look at my post. It takes maybe 2 hours to grind it. The setup of the axles goes pretty quick. You can then take it for welding.


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[Jaybr]

What’s relatively close?

I can recommend someone in Petersburg, VA which is 5-6 hours from you


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[snipes243]

MarsFab in Harrisburg, NC did mine and not to far away.

Another option might be Chris Durham Motorsports in SC.

 

[Scoop]

Do you currently have long arms? That will get you some caster without cut and turn. Maybe that was covered in the previous thread you mentioned but I'd go that route before I would cut and turn.

 

[bchesley]

Scoop, it’s harder to cut off the factory trailing arm brackets than it is to cut and turn. Once you cut it you get your trucks perfect setup, not where some bushing might put you. I’ve installed both and I’d do the turn first. I know it sounds more scary.


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[Jon67sport]

Dave Marcis has a hot rod/race car shop outside of Asheville in Arden,NC. They would have the skills to do it.

 

[Crawdad]

What year is ur bronco? Do you have a factory setup in the front? Camber sleeves? Toe? How old/ new are your bushings? Lots of things to consider before cut n turn. Can you post a picture?

 

[bax]

If you're going to do the work. Find a 77 ish f150 axle and narrow it. This way you get a high pinion as a bonus and you get to keep your stock axle.

 

[stefaned]

Thanks for the help

Thanks everyone for the guidance / feedback. Been off line for a while and apologize for the delayed response. I'll try to answer the questions everyone has asked:

1. My definition of relatively close would be under 3 hours away
2. I currently have stock arms mounted with the stock locations (no drop bracket) with what I believe to be 7 degree C-bushings
3. As for the front end setup.... New Clydesdale steering linkage / drag bar, stock drag link with a drop mount and new bushings and a drop pitman
4. The results from the alignment shop: Camber (L/R) 1.2 / 0.8; Caster (L/R) 0.3 / 0.1; Toe 0.11 / 0.11; total toe 0.23; steer ahead 0.00
5. I do not think there are camber sleeves installed, but probably need to verify

I have uploaded a picture without the steering stabilizer installed.

In regards to installing different arms, I have and am still considering getting a set of Duff's T-Rex arms which should get me ~4.5 degrees of caster. My concern with going this route is the pinion angle. Maybe I am overthinking it as I will not be using the bronco for any real off-roading.

Is there a rule of thumb or measurement I can take to determine how good / bad the pinion angle will be?

Snipe243 thanks for the MarsFab recommendation, I plan to give them a call on Monday.

Then again, if I can't go to work for a few weeks, I may just tear it down, get it all setup and have a professional weld it out for me.

 

[stefaned]

Thanks for the help

I went for a drive today and have decided I need to bite the bullet and gain some caster. I am leaning towards the cut and turn. I am curious if my front driveshaft angles look acceptable as is...I recognize the cut and turn will improve this. There is still a small though in my mind about going with T-Rex arms vs. the turn.

I also recognize I need to clean the years of gunk off the front driveshaft.

Thanks!

 

[DirtDonk]

My opinion is that your front pinion angle looks like it can tolerate a few more degrees without complaining most of the time.
But your upper transfer case joints are already steep due to the lift, and adding more caster the old way is going to make that angle even steeper.

The double-cardan setup can actually handle quite a bit of angle. But even they have their limits.
Thinking the cut-n-turn is still the best way, even with your existing moderate angle at the pinion.

Paul

 

[bchesley]

Paul is spot on that your front angle will suffer greatly changing arms or bushings. I had a very similar setup. I ended up breaking the the driveshaft because I pushed past its working limit with bushings and arms. Ruined a wheeling trip. I now can run any legal speed with the front end engaged. Before it would have wobbled badly above 20. The cut and turn does everything you need. If you were close I’d help you do it.


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