Top or bottom hole for drop bracket?

[kcm94]

Brought my truck in for an alignment and get my camber set. I forgot to replace the axle beam bushings when i swapped new axles with my lift so my trucks been in the shop for about a week. I have the stage 1 3 inch duff lift and your supposed to use the top holes on your axle brackets. When they replaced my bushings they said the bushings were binding and couldnt get them into the top hole so its mounted in the bottom hole thats for the bigger lift. Is there anything wrong with this?? My alignments getting done tomorrow but the camber is set and looks solid.

 

[Shran]

If they can align it, it's no problem at all. Many lift kits only have one hole in the brackets.

 

[kcm94]

Ok awesome thanks shran!!!

 

[gaz]

kcm,

The prudent move, because of Duff's excellent product support, is to install the system ONLY as recommend by their staff (or the installation instructions provided by them).

You have chosen to pay ToP dollar for very well engineered lift, why install it incorrectly, on purpose?

 

[ecgreen]

HOws the ride height? Check this:

Getting The Most From Your TTB Suspension - The Ranger Station

By 4X4Junkie The Ford Twin-Traction-Beam (TTB) suspension was a unique, but simple approach to combining the ride & handling qualities of independent suspension with the legendary durability of a straight beam axle. It was built by Ford, in conjunction with … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[kcm94]

I sent a message to duff asking and the ride height seems to be level just an inch higher in the rear. I just wanna make sure its ok to use the bottom hole instead

 

[ericbphoto]

Obeying the instructions is wise. BUT, I would think that the bottom hole should be fine. It probably made it easier to get the camber adjusted and might even allow more downtravel when offroading.

 

[Shran]

I should mention also that they may be having trouble getting the bolt in one hole simply because they have already inserted the radius arm into the crossmember (?). My order of assembly is always Pivot bolt FIRST, then with the pinch bolts loose, insert the radius arm into the crossmember, tighten the nut somewhat, then torque down the pinch bolts, put the spring in, and torque the radius arm nut and pivot bolt. Done.

I have seen people try to put a pivot bolt in second or last or with the pinch bolts tight... that's the hard way, of course something will bind.

 

[kcm94]

yea I'm really not sure I just need a solid answer before I get it back, there waiting 2 days for shipping for the correct camber bushings and give it an alignment

 

[Shran]

I really think it is going to depend on the alignment guy. The shop that's installing the lift is not doing the alignment, am I understanding that right?

Using the upper hole would seem ideal as it is indicated to do so by the lift manufacturer. Using the lower hole could potentially move your camber measurement in a negative direction slightly... upper hole will go the other way. That will affect what camber bushings you use. Closer to 0° is ideal for ball joint wear. So your alignment guy might prefer to use a bushing closer to that and move the pivot bolt... or not, he might just want to throw a big bushing in it and call it good. I think either way is fine.

Did you order adjustable bushings? If you ordered fixed ones you may have to buy different ones once it's on the alignment rack... it is just about impossible to tell which ones you need till they have it on the rack and can take a measurement,

 

[kcm94]

Yea I'm not too sure what to do at the moment. I told duff my issue and I'm waiting to hear from a lead tech. I went back down to the shop to see exactly what the problem was and he was saying it goes into the top hole but its binding metal on metal in the bracket. He said he put it into the bottom hold and put it onto the ground and it sat level and the camber was almost very close. they ordered camber bushing they needed to get it right I'm not sure which ones they ordered. But he said as soon as the camber bushing are here and its aligned its all done, but im just concerned if being in the wrong hole on the bracket is going to be an issue in the future.

 

[kcm94]

The shop i brought it to was just going to do my camber and alignment but when i swapped my axles and put the lift on i forgot to replace the axle beam bushings. So they went ahead and replaced them but he said when i brought it in originally he said it was binding in the bracket in the top hole.

 

[Shran]

Weird... the axle beam is binding against the drop bracket? That can happen if the beam is close to the upper or lower limits of its travel... but should definitely not happen at or anywhere close to normal ride height.

I'm assuming you have drop brackets on the radius arms? or extended radius arms/whatever Duff gave you with the lift? Almost sounds to me like the beam is bent, the caster is WAY off because of some radius arm issue, the drop bracket wasn't made correctly, or something, or they had it drooped way down and had problems.

Either way if they can align it and your steering linkage is in phase or close with the axle beams.......don't worry about it long term.

 

[kcm94]

yea I have the drop brackets I really wish I forked up the extra money for the extended radius arms, I might be buying those and the 2 inch body lift soon...I just hope duff answers me backs again soon so I can see what a lead tech says. I just wanna know the reason to why it would be an issue or what my problem could be of why it would be binding. I feel like have the extended arms would've made everything a lot happier I'm just not sure what the problem would be at this point.

 

[Shran]

I see... so you're using the factory radius arms and crossmember? I can almost guarantee that's causing your issue, if that's indeed the case. You need to drop the crossmember, thus clocking the beams slightly and relieving the binding... I think leaving it as it is now is going to throw your caster off a lot too.

Just FWIW. Rangers in the late 80's had a factory optional 1.5" lift package. Ford had a special dropped crossmember just for that application. You have doubled that amount of lift with no drop.