BLOODBANE
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- March 3, 2007
- Messages
- 188
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Canon City, CO
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 94 XLT
Sorry couldn't post in the tech or how to threads so here it is.......
Fixing the SuperLift axle lift bracket(PN55-01-1170/IFS Ranger,BII 1983to1997 and Explorer1991 to 1994.
After a few months of wheeling my 1994 Explorer with the SuperLift 4" suspension lift I broke the front lift bracket. It has two tabs that mount to the passenger side frame rail and another tab under the engine cross member. The tabs(front and back) broke on my Explorer. I have the same lift on a 1984 Ranger and never had any issues with it. I pulled the bracket and made some gussets and fixed it. WELL, now I have broke the same bracket on my Ranger. I decided that it would be a good time to snap some pics and do a write-up on the fix. Here it is........
This is what I mean when I say I broke the tabs off of the lift bracket.......
I started with a new bracket(PN 55-01-1170/113.76). On my Explorer I just welded the tabs back on and used the old one to start with. This is the bracket.......
I cut some 3/16 steel 3"x1 1/2" for my gussets(4 of them. 2 for the front tab 2 for the back. Inside and out).......
I cleaned up the bracket with a grinder to get a good weld......
Weld both sides of your gussets. Make sure you leave enough room for the nut to fit in between them. This is your finished product......
I have wheeled some pretty tough trails with my Explorer and haven't had any trouble since I did this. I did add one more small gusset to the cross member tab on the bracket for my Ranger(mainly because it was there and would work well). If you want to it is really no more trouble to do, other than making the gussets and welding them on. This seems to fix the breakage problem(SkyJacker brackets come with the gussets already). If you buy this SuperLift kit, DO THIS FIX BEFORE INSTALL!!!!!Otherwise you will be pulling it off and fixing it later..........
Fixing the SuperLift axle lift bracket(PN55-01-1170/IFS Ranger,BII 1983to1997 and Explorer1991 to 1994.
After a few months of wheeling my 1994 Explorer with the SuperLift 4" suspension lift I broke the front lift bracket. It has two tabs that mount to the passenger side frame rail and another tab under the engine cross member. The tabs(front and back) broke on my Explorer. I have the same lift on a 1984 Ranger and never had any issues with it. I pulled the bracket and made some gussets and fixed it. WELL, now I have broke the same bracket on my Ranger. I decided that it would be a good time to snap some pics and do a write-up on the fix. Here it is........
This is what I mean when I say I broke the tabs off of the lift bracket.......
I started with a new bracket(PN 55-01-1170/113.76). On my Explorer I just welded the tabs back on and used the old one to start with. This is the bracket.......
I cut some 3/16 steel 3"x1 1/2" for my gussets(4 of them. 2 for the front tab 2 for the back. Inside and out).......
I cleaned up the bracket with a grinder to get a good weld......
Weld both sides of your gussets. Make sure you leave enough room for the nut to fit in between them. This is your finished product......
I have wheeled some pretty tough trails with my Explorer and haven't had any trouble since I did this. I did add one more small gusset to the cross member tab on the bracket for my Ranger(mainly because it was there and would work well). If you want to it is really no more trouble to do, other than making the gussets and welding them on. This seems to fix the breakage problem(SkyJacker brackets come with the gussets already). If you buy this SuperLift kit, DO THIS FIX BEFORE INSTALL!!!!!Otherwise you will be pulling it off and fixing it later..........
