Axle arm brackets: what to look for

[Tbars4]

in my search for axle arm brackets for my 4-5" lifted truck i have come across some info that might help others while they are looking for a lift kit...with the help of several members on info of what to get, i was sent this very helpful picture that will help shed some light on what to watch out for..i call this the hole puncher as it will punch a hole in your front differential like nobody's business...i have seen some pics of the carnage and talked to a few very ticked off people who were helpful enough to enlighten me before i threw good money after bad...heed the warning in your search...

heres a pic and if you look at the red circles you will see the top left bracket is an add on and not a replacement bracket, and it has a big knuckle which hovers right over your housing and the first hard bump on your drivers side and you will have a major repair on your hands... the red circle highlights the part that will poke a hole in your front housing...i hope this will help you in your search for lift parts...

 

[RangerX]

So which set are you going with?

What brands are those three sets, if you know.

 

[Tbars4]

i want to say they are rough country, superlift and skyjacker, in that order from top down....i'm sorry i didn't know there was going to be a test, lmao...

 

[DistortedCloud]

The damn rough country lift on my truck put a hole in my front diff. I can't put the blame totally on them since I didnt add the drop brackets for the bump stops. Oh well.

 

[Tbars4]

do you have a pic of that busted pumpkin????...i would love to put it right below the brackets pics...

 

[R.J.]

i would say yes the bottum pair is skyjacker. the middle pair i don't know. i've had really old superlift ones and they look like the first pair, but i think most of the cheap brackets prety much all look like that

 

[Tbars4]

the country and superlift are real similar on the 2"-4" lift axle arm drop brackets..i am still looking for a good pic if someone has one so i can post it here showing what the pumpkin buster can do...
actually, the brackets shown i believe are the 2"-4" first, a 6" second, and an 8" last...

 

[DB_1]

Drop brackets suck, i've had a 4" Superlift and a 6" Skyjacker class II kit and trying to keep wheel alignment in check gets harder the higher you lift.
Best thing you can do for TTB suspension is cut and turn the beams...i'll let 410 take over from here:

 

[Tbars4]

you know i am going to be taking lots of pics of you ranger when i catch up with you...sas a ranger and no more problems... i have been closely watching films with your truck...

 

[R.J.]

i could show a pic of where on of mine cracked, but my my pumkin didn't really get bashed up to much since i didn't have them on there that long. i prolly would have destroyed my pumkin with the way i drive haha (note the avatar pic)

 

[DB_1]

...sas a ranger and no more problems...

I wouldn't go that far:

 

[RockRanger]

The top bracket wont punch a hole in a dana 28 found in the older rangers. When I swaped a dana 35 into my 86 ranger I punched a hole in the diff twice with the drop bracket. Dont jump a truck or run the dunes hard without the bumpstops lowered.

 

[Tbars4]

good point...most of the install sheets i have seen the lift supplier has you remove your stock bump stop, install theirs, and then install your old one underneith theirs....
jumping is not a good thing but topping out on dunes is a must, lol

 

[R.J.]

jumping is not good, its great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i made my own drop brackets for my bumpstops, but they still don't work and my wheel just bottums out on the inner wheel well. so i guess my wheel well is my bumpstop haha

 

[Tbars4]

and i've got my buddies looking into making you parts, lol...they jump theirs too...i guess thats how they got into fabricating...

 

[R.J.]

im getting some built by Mcneil. same type of ones they use on there yellow explorer, and im pretty sure that explorer has been through alot! thanks though, i appreciate it. i'll have to find out more about your friend, cause i alwasy have fabrication needing to be done

 

[Tbars4]

i'm thinking with the amount of airtime you get, it's time to learn to weld, lol...

 

[R.J.]

haha i know how to weld, i just don't have a welder ($$$$$$)! adn im not the greatest at fabrication, but that would defenetly change if i had a welder

with the amount of air time my truvk has had, it sould be snapped in half by now (in pismo, its gonna be off the chain, youl see how i drive it hahaha)

 

[R.J.]

yes i know,it would be easier to load if i size them down, but umm i haven't gotten around to it

 

[Tbars4]

that looks faulty to me...it looks like the process they used to bend that actually took the strength out of it...:scratch: