Extended control arms.... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Extended control arms....

jsfordboy02

Well-Known Member
Joined
September 15, 2008
Messages
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City, State
Iowa
Year, Model & Trim Level
'97 Sport
If I put 2" spacers on the front, do I need to run extended lower control arms? I know the my travel will be reduced if I dont (not a big deal to me). Will the stock arms have enough adjustment in them for a proper alignment?
 






Longer lower control arms aren't needed. Longer upper control arms with a uniball joint (like the ones made by BTF) are highly highly recommended. Yes, you can align the suspension with the stock ones. The length isn't really the issue...it's the fact that the upper ball joint tends to fail and separate from the knuckle due to being operated at greater than normal angles. The uniball that is on the BTF arms won't do that.

Either way you'll lose suspension travel because the upper control arm is simply not going to be long enough to allow the knuckle/upper control arm to clear the coil spring as the suspension cycles downward...one or both of them will hit the coil and stop further downtravel. This is a problem even with the BTF arms. But, at least you won't have to worry about the danger of the ball joint separating with those.
 






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