Axle arm brackets: what to look for

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, that's a pretty normal break on a superlift bracket.

(here's another)

.

In the top pic above, the upper set I clearly recognize as the old Superlift diff-popper.

The middle ones I think are the newer-style Superlift brackets (better)

The big beefy bottom ones are unmistakably Skyjacker's, they've just been repainted black.

 

[R.J.]

whoa, looks like i was lucky to notice it when i did and replace it before both tabs snapped completly off!!

 

[410Fortune]

RJ the Mcneil trucks typically run factory axle pivot brackets with just a bit of gusseting for strength.
Their lift comes from the cut and turn built into the beam itself to correct camber by re-locating the ball joints and extending the beam after the radius arm

drop brackets = weak.
stock brackets with modified beams is the way to go!
I currently run 2" James Duff drop brackets (old style drivers side bracket is a cast piece) with 3" cut and turned beam on 6" skyjacker coils with F-150 spring seats using stock Camber adjusters.
If I had to do it over again I would skip the drop brackets and re-build my beams using not only a small cut and turn but also re-locate the ball joint and extend the beam after the radius arm.

But then again if i was going to stay TTB on my BII I would skip all this and use the new AutoFab Dana 44 TTB kit, you want to talk about *****in overkill...check that sucker out, big brakes, big running gear, 8" extra width, LOTS OF WHEEL TRAVEL, very strong under a Ranger/BII/Ex and mostly stock parts.

 

[R.J.]

410, i've read almost everything you've ever posted, im a fan of the ttb and i understand cut and turned beams.

do you think im running a mcneil setup? i men i am running there sticker haha

i've looked around and researched alot of cut and turned people (autofab, camburg, mcneil, fab shops, my buddy at blitzckreg) but i don't have that kind of money. right now i have superlift drop brackets, yay


someday i'll have the mcneil setup though, and they widen the beams before the pumpkin.

 

[410Fortune]

you can only widen one beam before the pumkin, and this is whats called the "cut and turn" like Brett and I built on my BII, or like the "zimmerman mod" that was made famous on this site many years ago. If you widen the beams (like mine) at the pivot point then you will need a custom axle shaft on the passenger side slip yoke in order to make up the difference

Mcneil has built beams both ways I am pretty sure, with just a simple cut and turn and also with the full ball joint relocation and extension after the radius arm.
The reason you extend the D35 beam after the radius arm is not only does it allow you to correct the ball joint location for lift height in one cut but it also allows you to save $$$ and run dana 44 outer axle shafts.



Blitzkreig is the shiznittle
Have you looked around So Cal for used beams and arms? I see them alot

 

[R.J.]

i've looked but i cn't find alot for 4wd

i thought you were saying they widen it after the pumpkin like paul b. he said he doesn't like to do it that way for strenght reasons.

and the mcneil setup is not that exspensive, its just more then i have

 

[410Fortune]

long travel + 4wd = expensive no matter how you shake it

the beam is usually gusseted when extended so strength concerns are addressed. Mcneil TTB's are simple and STRONG they have proven themselves over and over off road for many many years.
their trucks are tough, but they may not be as "pretty" as a Camburg setup, big deal right? Its also kinda apples to oranges.
Simple and effective is a great way to tackle suspension.

 

[R.J.]

i always love to hear what you have to say 410

mcneil LESS exspensive then most other places, and about half the price of autofab and you get extended beams and c/o's

 

[410Fortune]

Autofab is worth every penny in most cases.
Want to talk about proven, stout and reliable along with well thought out, simplified and beautiful all in one package. Autofab is all of those things, and those things cost $$$$

 

[R.J.]

yes they do! john knows what hes doing and he knows what he talks about. im not gonna try to campare autofab to Mcneil. but imo they both work well and you get what you pay for with both

 

[4x4junkie]

drop brackets = weak.

I have to disagree. (had you said "MOST drop brackets = weak", then it'd be different)

Those Skyjacker brackets are probably stronger than the stock ones (that big one for the driverside beam for sure is).

 

[R.J.]

actauly, your right!

they do make strong drop brackets (like skyjacker) but the leverage on them will crack the frame instead of the bracket

 

[410Fortune]

drop brackets = weak
they bend, they break, they rob ground clearance...no matter how strong the drop bracket is they dont all hold up to the abuse the front end could take without them

 

[R.J.]

if you build them really strong, they're gonna be stronger then the frame and all that leaverage is going to go to the next weakest point. not to mention the steering geometry that sucks with drop brackets, and drop pitman arms also add a lot of stress on the steering. (john at autofab and perry mcneil talk alot about this stuff when you call them, i should know haha)

 

[410Fortune]

box the frame, plate for strength in spots, gusset the drop brackets and keep them short if you really want to abuse your TTB or beamed 2wd.
Those guys sure would know

 

[4x4junkie]

actauly, your right!

they do make strong drop brackets (like skyjacker) but the leverage on them will crack the frame instead of the bracket

Thats not true either, look how much WIDER that bracket is, it easily disperses the leverage from it further down the crossmember.

drop brackets = weak
they bend, they break, they rob ground clearance...no matter how strong the drop bracket is they dont all hold up to the abuse the front end could take without them

You need to go have a good look at the SJ brackets.
I've been beating on mine for almost a decade now (been through Rubicon and dozens of other trails like it), and not a single problem (compare that to the POS Rancho lift I had before that, EVERY bracket had cracks after a meager two years of use).
I've bent TTB beams even (hit to the side), but not the brackets (which proves them stronger than the beams).

Modified beams have their own set of issues as well.
I think which is best depends more on the terrain and what type of wheeling you'll be doing. If you're into jumping and doing the go-fast thing, then most certainly the modified beams will rule the course due to their better ground clearance. But to say ALL drop brackets are weak is incorrect.

 

[R.J.]

oh no you didn't just try to argue 410fortune!!!!!

 

[4x4junkie]

oh no you didn't just try to argue 410fortune!!!!!

I take it 410 is pretty opinionated on this subject?

That certainly is fine with me, I got no problem with that. I wasn't out to argue he should dump his beams for drop brackets or that everybody should run drop brackets, just that the simple fact it's a drop bracket doesn't necessarily mean its weak.

I built my rigs (the BII in particular) to tackle rocky trails that are typically dominated by Jeeps and other solid axle vehicles (not so much for jumping), so having the extra clearance at the pivots isn't near as much of a factor for me. The pivot point not being as high up in the chassis means less jacking of the suspension when teetering sideways on an off-camber hill, as well.
I definitely don't run the stock steering on it though. I agree, most of the drop pitman arms out there suck balls, they are too short to put the steering back down at the proper angle after you've lifted it to not have any of that wacky toe in/out bumpsteer, so I'm instead using a setup with a centerlink to bring the tierods better in phase with the axlebeams so it doesn't dart around all over the road and squeal tires like you'd typically see on a TTB that has it's steering all misaligned.

 

[R.J.]

i just meant that 410 has been around awhile and knows alot of info.

im not atualy trying to tell you to run cut and turned beams, heck i don't even have them! if everything is holding up and you have your steering taken care of, tyhen everything sounds fine to me

 

[Justin Klare]

skyjacker makes the best and strongest brackets. i bought both brackets for about $200 shipped from 4-wheel parts.