3.5 jd brackets

[94Gexplorer]

i got a used 3.5" james duff lift off a buddy for 50 bucks how much lift could i have with these drop brackets and still be able to align it? i want to do soa in the rear so ill need 2" roughly in the front still

 

[94Gexplorer]

ok so im just going to put it on for now i got driver side coil in but i was using vice grips to get that big nut that holds the coil on and driver side went fine but passenger side didnt want to budge so i put a jack handle on the vice grips and got it most of the way off but it was getting harder and harder to turn and then stripped the nut...so now im trying to think of something to get that nut off or just cut it and remove the bolt or cut it right under the nut and get a new one if i can get it to thread. what would you do in my situation? and if its cut it below the nut what size bolt is it?

 

[Maniak]

That nut that holds the coil on is on a special bolt that has a nut built into it. If you can't get that nut off anymore, you could in theory cut it off. Then pull the coil off and then pull/buy another one of those special bolts. That special bolt is actually threaded on both sides with a place to put a wrench on it in the center. That spot for the wrench is in the hole for the lower coil seat.

Also, that nut is a 1 1/8" nut (I think a 28 mm also fits). Don't use vice grips on that, there is too much torque on it.

For your original question. I'm running the drop brackets from the Duff 2.5" kit which is the same for the 3.5" kit. I have Duff 3.5" springs plus a 1/2 spacer and it is still alignable.

What are you going to do for the Radius arms though? Did you get the drop brackets for them too?

~Mark

 

[94Gexplorer]

oops dubble post

 

[94Gexplorer]

ok thanks do you know what the thread pitch isand no i didnt get the drop brackets for the radius mounts but i was thinking i could make my own or extend the arms

 

[Maniak]

I don't know what the thread pitch is.

Your best bet is a junk yard.

But, It just so happens I'm parting out a pair of '91 (from arizona) and can get you one of those nuts.

Shipping will make it more than a yard would want. Normally I ship things in USPS flat rate boxes which is about $5 for the small box (or envelope) and its there in < 3 days. That is what I would guess a yard would want for the nut.

Extended Arms will allow you to run without drop brackets. You can even add in some caster correction. No idea if you would need it, but I have a couple sets of stock Radius Arms too (one set still has both factory lower shock mounts)

~Mark

 

[94Gexplorer]

ya i got a buddy with a parts explorer and if i have to i can take the nut off that but i was just going to buy one so i dont have to struggle with getting it off i need to get the right socket too

 

[Maniak]

I don't use a socket. I use a wrench from this set.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=551

~Mark

 

[Spdrcer34]

You can get a CHEAP 1-1/8 box end wrench from Wal-Mart. Right where they sell their Reese Trailer Hitches, Hitch accessories, they have a double ended Box End Wrench. 1 side is 1-1/2", and the other is 1-1/8".

Here in Bremerton, they sell for $4.99

Ryan

 

[94Gexplorer]

i was thinking it would be easier than a wrench if i just went from the top of the coil with my impact but ill check walmart for that wrench if i cant find a socket

 

[94Gexplorer]

got both coils in and pass side drop bracket now i gotta tackle the driver side drop bracket which i saved for last because i hate grinding and poping those rivets out...
oh and i had another question...how do i go about measuring for shocks and what shock would be good with the jd coils? i want to get the f250 shock mounts but i might just make my own extended mounts to save some cash for shocks

 

[Maniak]

Well, I used fuzzy math..

I looked at what size shocks a Rancho kit used (I think it was a 2.5" lift). and then I added 1" of length to the shock and looked in the rancho book to find a shock with the right ends and right length.

At one time, I just put washers between the shock and the upper mount to push the shock down some. That got the shock back where it needed to be and at the time I didn't have enough suspension travel to bottom out the shock.

When it came time for the f-250 shock mounts I did more fuzzy math. I knew how much taller the shock needed to be (because of the moved mount) and Then I just looked at compressed and extended lengths and made sure that what I currently had for a shock fit into the new shock while still trying to get extra travel. It was just a matter of looking through the rancho book and double checking my fuzzy math with people on EF.

~Mark

 

[94Gexplorer]

alright so i starting grinding away on the drivers drop bracket rivits and got the 2 that are closest to driver side but the two in the middle of the crossmember i cant get to...how have other people removed these?