coil spacer problem

[TheRookie]

410, i gotta make one note. though I am in NO way backing up stupidlift they do now have a 5.5 inch drop bracket to go with the 5.5 coils. In fact they give you this bracket weather you buy a 4 or 5.5 lift now

 

[Josh]

When I found mine to be bad, I took them off and had one welded. The other one I replaced with a new one. It was only about 35 bucks from Ford. When I got my truck back from the shop, I was supposed to have a 4" lift. They put the 5.5 coils in the fron and 4" leafs in the back. I was told that there was no way the alignment would be right. I dropped the beams to the 5.5 holes and everything was fine except my truck sat 2 inches lower in the rear. I went to PEP Boys and bought 2" hotrod shackles. I also have the extended radius arms and a lot of fender rub when I turn and hit bumps at the same time. I want to find a solution that doesn't involve sheet metal cutting. I would love a set of cut beams. I wish I had the tools to do it myself.

 

[410Fortune]

Rookie have you measured the drop compared to stock?

Not all lift brackets are the same, I dont know about Superlift or Skyjacker, I know they both have a 4" hoe and a 6" hole, but that does not mean the pivot point actually drops 4" and 6" over stock, it might, but I am just not sure. I assume the 8" Skyjacker kit uses 8" coils with their 6" drop bracket, this is where your camber would be maxed out, but then the skyjacker coils will sag a little bit and you could add a little bit of spacer, ask me how I know
The Skyjacker coils I love they are so much softer then the rest.....

 

[Josh]

410,
How hard is it to cut and bend the beams? What are the steps? Wouldn't that actualy shorten the distance between the differencial and the spindles? Do the shafts actualy need to be shorted? I know people who will weld for me, and I could do the other stuff myself I think. I've also thought about adding hiem joints to the end of my radius arms, but have been told there is nothing that will fit with out welding. Any ideas?

 

[410Fortune]

yeah it would shorten the beams, unless you compensate for that when you rebuild them.....my set is 1.5" wider then stock per side, all of the difference (3") is made up fron the outer shaft (slip yoke to axle shaft) on the passenger side.

There is more to it then what I can explain here, but in no way am I the first or even close to do this, you must research beams, cut and turn, extended aft the radius arm, ball joint re-location, uniball pivots, heimed radius arms, swingset steering, all the info is out there you just gotta search and read.

We can build you a set of beams like ours, but you gotta talk to Brett about that, he's my boss when it comes tot hat stuff

There is alot of good info on this site, especially regarding the Zimmerman explorer, then you can read for days about beamed trucks, 2wd and ttb 4wd at Dezertrangers.com,Race-desert.com and others...

 

[HappyGilmore]

concerning my coil spacer problem.........
when i loosened my radius arms up to get the coil out then wrenched them down with an air impact, is it possible i sucked up the rubber bushing causing the nut not to tighten all the way? there is slight signs of movenment on the bracket from the rubber.

 

[TheRookie]

I doubt it. though I am cuious why you loosened the radius arm to get the coil out. the only part of the arm you gotta touch is the upper frontstud and the arm wont even move due to this.

 

[HappyGilmore]

i loosened it to get the beam to drop farther down so i could put the coil back in is how i think i did it. i think it didnt go back in due to the spacer. so i loosened the arm to get the beam to come down more.

 

[TheRookie]

Wierd, I have done a bunch of these and never had to loosen one. ah well

 

[HappyGilmore]

I FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM!!!!! after weeks of driving a clunking hoopty explorer, and getting stares from bystanders i fixed that annoying loud clunking sound. see when i put the spacers in i didnt bother checking that nut on the bolt that holds the radius arm to the beam. i just stacked the extender on and the coil on and was on my way. so the radius arm was clunking on the beam the whole time. i am so glad i fixed it!!! thank you all for your help!!

trent