WARNING: superlift problem

forbyfiev · December 18, 2000

Anyone who has had unexplained squeeking,clunking or banging from the from end CHECK YOUR AXLE DROP DOWN BRACKETS NOW!!!
Mine broke off completely yesterday.

JB

mattadams · December 18, 2000

I believe Ryan Penner also had one of his snap off. I checked mine recently, they tend to bend and snap easily, and you may need to do what Tom Davis did by having a shop reinforce it so it couldn't be pushed back and break.

tdavis · December 18, 2000

This doesn't suprise me any.

I had the lift bracket on the right side (holds the driver side TTB) come loose once, and had it welded on after that at.

I've also had problems with flex on the left side bracket (holds the passenger side TTB) moving, and binding the axle and knocking a chunk out of the diff. My cure for that was to have a bracket added to that bracket, which runs back to the frame crossmember, adding more stiffness to it.

So far, that's been the best thing I did to it, since it know keeps it's alignment and does not hit the axle/diff anymore.

Superlift's 5.5" lift kit wasn't made for heavy duty off roading. the only lift I know of stronger enough for heavy duty off-roading is the Rancho 2.5" kit.. And I wanted 5-6", not 2.5"..

CHH777 · December 18, 2000

tdavis,

Any pics? I like to fly in my truck and I'm sure I'll need to beef up bracketry soon.

forbyfiev · December 18, 2000

It was the passenger side. The bracket sheared through the bolt hole on one side and near the weld on the other.
This lift kit has not seen heavy duty use at all.

I have pics if someone can tell me how to upload them

JB

amigo · December 19, 2000

Just for everyones info. I just recently stopped by my local 4x4 shop to order a Superlift and make a appointment for instalation. When the owner called to get a package price Superlift told him to hold off because they had a modification to the brackets in the works and wasn't sure when the new ones would be available. This is straight form Superlift, new ones are in the works.

Diff Whack Daddy · December 19, 2000

Well for all of us who already have one, I went down to the local steel yard and bought a 1" inner diameter square tube that was 17" long. I then did a little measuring, vutting and grinding. I went straight back to the replacement crossmember that comes with the extended radius arms and up to the bracket. A few weld later and I was done. Total cost, $7.42 for the square tubing and a 12 pack to have the neighbor down the street weld it.

clark91Jo · December 20, 2000

I have been reading some of the other posts about Superlift. Made me think because I have been having problems in the front end. So I started thinking, and looking. Sure enough I have a cracked weld, and a bent bracket. Now I know I don't drive as hard as Rick (forgive me?)so I don't think my Jo has had to much hard core abuse. My buddy has a Sport with 4" Skyjacker, 2" body and 33X10.50's on 8" rims. We sit right at the same height. I started looking and crawling under his rig and found some interesting facts. In my opinion, the Skyjacker is MUCH better made. The brackets are welded, not stamped, and are not so goddy big and useless as the Superlift are. One aspect towards the Superlift is that it is much easier to install. In my case, I needed extened radius arms anyway, so in Jan or Feb I will be ordering Skyjacker's 6" Stage II front lift.

rpenner54 · December 21, 2000

I drive mine hard and I have a new drivers side drop bracket sitting in a box waiting to be installed as soon as I break that one. I just replaced the passenger side one not to long ago. I have replace the drivers side radius arm. The bar that goes across under/over the front drive shaft has not been on since I went to the Moab Pre-Run. I was smacking it with the drive shaft so I took it off. No ill effects so far. I think the best part of this lift is the rear brackets that re-located the springs on top of the axle. They are the only things that have not bothered me so far. Course now that I said that something will happen to them.

I just feel that I should've never wasted the money on the front lift at all.

I should've just gone to a solid axle right away. In the end it would've cost a hair more or a hair less.

forbyfiev · December 21, 2000

My replacement bracket arrived yesterday at 4:30. It is the new redesigned one apparently. It looks much stronger because it has reinforcements welded on at right angles. I don't think this one can flex nearly as much.
Now I hope that there was no damage done to the ball joints etc.
Just to add insult to injury, as the tow truck was dropping it off I put the e-brake on and the cable snapped :[
JB

Gary Steeber · December 21, 2000

Originally posted by forbyfiev
My replacement bracket arrived yesterday at 4:30. It is the new redesigned one apparently. It looks much stronger because it has reinforcements welded on at right angles. I don't think this one can flex nearly as much.

Do you know if Superilft is going to let us upgrade to this re-fabed bracket or do we have to wait til ours brake first.
What's the part # for your new bracket?

mattadams · December 21, 2000

wow, so lets see... they've "redesigned" their springs (from 118 to 133), they've redisigned their radius arms (three times now as I recall!), and now redesigned they drop-down brackets... wow, makes you think... what's next? Well actually I think thats about all they CAN redesign, LOL.

Gary Steeber · December 21, 2000

Originally posted by mattadams
wow, so lets see... they've "redesigned" their springs (from 118 to 133), they've redisigned their radius arms (three times now as I recall!), and now redesigned they drop-down brackets... wow, makes you think... what's next? Well actually I think thats about all they CAN redesign, LOL.

Matt, Wow, does this mean if we get all the upgrades that someday we might actually be able to drive our vehicle. I got the new coils, fixed my alignment problems, I got the new Radius arms, no problems, If I get the new Drop down bracket does this mean I'll never have another problem.....

Diff Whack Daddy · December 21, 2000

This is there 4th attempt on the passenger side pivat bracket. The first was a plate, I have a second generation, Tdavis recieved the 3rd generation and now a 4th. I wonder if they got it right this time?

FROADER · December 21, 2000

Go Superlift...LOL Dead Link Removed

forbyfiev · December 22, 2000

Hi Gary
the stock # is 55-02-1100
I don't know if this is the 3rd or 4th version of the bracket,
I hope Superlift will tell me if there's a better one available before this one leaves me stranded.

I'll post pics of the broken one and the new one if someone can tell me how to
JB

mattadams · December 22, 2000

my explorer is going in to the shop on january 3rd to basically get the whole front end reinstalled, new bushings and such. I'm also trying to get them to go ahead and install new radius arm drop down brackets, axle drop down brackets, and new springs, but I doubt they will without charging me extra

.

Diff Whack Daddy · December 22, 2000

Pics of support

Here are the pics of the passenger side pivot bracket support. I appologize for the quality.

I tried to better point out the new brace I installed with the arrow.

tdavis · December 22, 2000

If they didn't add a brace to another point on the frame, nothing they do will stand up to the forces generated on that front end.

My brackets didn't bend. The frame did.

I'll try and get a picture - like Mac's, it's in horrible place to take pics..

tdavis · December 22, 2000

Ok, some pics:

My Superlift kit has the third generation bracket; notice that it's on the *inside* of the crossmember.

There is *no* reinforcement of this crossmember, which means it eventually bends.

The rod you see, that goes from the bracket back to the frame member, was done by local frame shop (they do custom work.. and they are good!)

Since I've done this, my alignment hasn't changed any.

Forby - Does the bracket they shipped you look like the one in the picture?

Also, note that I had my brackets tacked welded on - one did come loose, and just irritated the daylights out of me.

[Edited by tdavis on 12-22-2000 at 07:13 PM]

WARNING: superlift problem

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