What is the question? About using a perch that is not the same width as the spring?
Then yes, there is plenty of clamping force to "keep things in place" at least. Plenty of instances of people doing either narrower or wider around here. But wider is not actually "correct" even though it's probably not dangerous for most users.
But for the long term, I'd rather see perches that are either the same width as the springs, or just a fraction narrower.
Keeping the u-bolts and plates square to the spring and axle tubes is a good thing. Splayed is not, and the more splayed they are the worse. The nuts don't sit flush on the top plate, the bolts might get stress risers from being clamped over the edge of the perch and coming through the holes crooked.
I realize that an 1/8" per side is barely enough to register. Just saying that "in theory" it's not the right way to do it. But yes, it's been done many times.
If you can open up the holes in the top plate just a tiny bit to the outside, you might be able to completely compensate for any odd working angles.
The fact that the bolts are not butted up against the springs anymore is also not the best scenario, but I don't know what kind of side forces would be at work, or even if so, to what level that could be considered a detriment.
It's all not a big deal to most. It's just not how the factories normally do it.
I think the rocking motion is minimal, but it's likely linear with how hard you drive it and how much articulation you put the suspension through by going off roading. On the street? Not so much probably.
But again, it's not factory, so it's good to question it. Maybe those here that are engineers and stress-savvy thinkers can add anything to, or debunk the myths I just touted.
If it was me though, I'd go with 2.25" wide perches. Or if I could not find any, I'd err to the narrow side and go 2" rather than 2.5".
Should be easy enough to find too. If Ruff-Stuff doesn't make them, others do. I thought we got ours from RS, so maybe they're there somewhere. Or else we're having them special made to fit the odd width of the Broncos.
Paul
