Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

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PaulW
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by PaulW »

Passenger axle will rub in the window. Fix it by clearancing after you are done and have the beams installed. It does not take much
Paint the axle white and drive it thru the whoops to mark the place to remove metal. Keep clearancing until the white paint does not show the touch. Remove to much and likely you will need to plate it for strength.
PW
Rmc
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by Rmc »

I just notched mine flush with the inside bottom edge of the beam, mine is reinforced below the window also. To check the u joints and window go full droop on both, check clearances, full tuck right full droop left, check clearances, full tuck left full droop right,check clearances, full tuck on both check clearances. Pay attention to u joint bind window bind/rub and full steering at all these positions. The drive shaft center joint should spin freely at all, If u get crazy with it u will during this process recognise the need for single swing steering set up due to toe changes at these check points. This of course depends on amount of wheel travel. In the vacinity of 14 to 16 inches of travel the bind points and toe changes will show themselves. Also to simplify the toe issue find center of the frame mark it and measure from center to each wheel independently. U can go from mark to rotor if u like just make shure your consistent with measuring points( apex of the rotor or center of the tierod end) u may also find the point where ball joints won't cut it and swapping to hiems due to increased operating angles will solve the full droop hang up via balljoint bind. Good luck. It's definatly a process but worth the added time spent.
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by Rmc »

Also this process will clearly identify the full droop point if done correctly.the limit straps will be chosen via this location and mounting preference. Or if u don't wanna get all crazy ( hiems n all) this will show u the point of mechanical bind, definatly stop the droop before mechanical bind to avoid poping a balljoint in the middle of no place.
Seabass
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by Seabass »

I plan on running tha ambulance tie rods for now and maybe go back and pimp out the steering after front and rear suspension is done down the road. I have way to many projects and the pile of suspension stuff in the garage has to be holding the bronco up by the end of summer at the latest. So to overly simplify everything stated above. Find where my steering begins to bind strap an inch short of that and clearance the center u-joint to spin freely. then drive and grind where ever signs of contact are visable in the window. If I grind out a bunch plate the bottom of the beam under the window.

Sound right?
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by Rmc »

Pretty much. U can drive and mark but you will clearly see it in this mock up process, just watch the suggested areas and your good to go.
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by Seabass »

Thanks!
drewbee88
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by drewbee88 »

So lately i have been working on cab cage, and as i usually do im thinking ahead to whats next after cab cage. FRONT SUSPENSION. So orginally my plans were to run a 14 bolt out back and swap the dana 44ttb over to 8 lug using chevy 10bolt/dana44 parts when i cut/turn/extend beams. Call me crazy but the more and more i think about it i have been toying with the idea of cutting dana 50 ttb ends off and grafting those with the dana 44 ttb. then using the dana 50 third member and axles extended. Basically putting a dana 50 ttb in dana 44 ttb clothes.


Heres my biggest question? Has anyone tried it?
Doesn'nt seem to be too crazy of a idea?
Seabass
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by Seabass »

Im pretty sure but not possitive you can just use the hole d50 set up. Especially if you fabbing suspension stuff like radius arms and shock mounts.

The d50 diff will bolt into the d44 beam. I know that for sure.

There is a thread on here in go fast tech thats exactly what you asking about. Making the bigger knucles fit on the d44 stuff.
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by drewbee88 »

Seabass wrote:Im pretty sure but not possitive you can just use the hole d50 set up. Especially if you fabbing suspension stuff like radius arms and shock mounts.

The d50 diff will bolt into the d44 beam. I know that for sure.

There is a thread on here in go fast tech thats exactly what you asking about. Making the bigger knucles fit on the d44 stuff.

i know RMC is looking at having a knuckle machined to fit a dana 50 snout, but i was thinking of cutting the dana 50 ttb and using the dana 50 knuckle and outer part of beams and using the dana 44 beam geometry for ease of install and getting travel out of it. idk i have so many ideas fly through my head
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ChaseTruck754
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by ChaseTruck754 »

That is what he was saying. There is a thread here showing the d50 beam end welded to a d44 beam.

There's also a ranger build on DR that has a bunch of pics of a build like that too.
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by drewbee88 »

OK cool I'll have to do some more searching, haven't seen that thread yet!
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Re: Start Your Go-Fast Build-Front Suspension

Post by drewbee88 »

and i totally forgot about the 1-to trailrunner build, definitely prolly going this route with my beams, i will post updates as it goes along
JonMac31
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Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by JonMac31 »

Hey guys, as you may know I am new to the site, however I have been coming here quite a bit for my gofast rig. I don't want to set it up for prerunning hard, but I do want it to be a mild prerunner (in other words when I do go wheeling it will withstand the bumps, whoops, and such and allow some longer articulation). I have read a lot about the C&T beams and modified housings, and even my buddy has that on his rig. However, as much as I would like too, I have an issue. When I got my bronco, it was already lifted previously (6"). They used a drop bracket. In the picture, you can see they have welded it inside and out all over. I've read you can use drop brackets for a runner as long as it's not a full time racer.
1st question: What's your opinion on drop brackets if they are securely secured?
2nd question: can I run a deaver 5.5" coil up front with the drop bracket and not have to worry about camber, alignment, and other issues?
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Drop bracket for 6" lift
Drop bracket for 6" lift
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ChaseTruck754
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by ChaseTruck754 »

1) drop brackets can be ok if built strongly & not over worked. For what you will do sounds like they may be fine. I would add a tubular gusset from the bottom of the drop bracket in the pic to the frame though, as well as a plat gusset coming forward, and then aft if possible. Yes I tend to over build things, but I'd rather be safe & carrying a bit of extra weight than stuck in the boonies with the front end of my truck broken.

2) depends on the height of the drop brackets & also what alignment cam you use. If the drop brackets are for a 4" lift then you might be maxing out even a high offset alignment cam. If they are for 6" lift you should be able to get the camber & caster to fly fairly easily with an adjustable cam.
Of course all of this can go out the window if you start messing with your coil bucket & where the coil is placed in relation to stock. EX: - you can lift the truck 4" using a STOCK coil if you lower the top of the coil bucket 4".
Not the best way to go but it works. You can also run a longer, 6" lift coil, but have it lift the truck less than that 6" if you raise your coil bucket.
There is some work that goes into this for sure, so don't think it's something you can bust out in 20 minutes. But it can be done to finesse ride height, etc. if you take the time to mess with it.
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ChaseTruck754
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by ChaseTruck754 »

Oh, and that looks to be a home made (custom made) drop bracket from what I can tell from the pic. So not sure how much lift it was set up for.
JonMac31
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by JonMac31 »

Thanks Chase for the quick reply. I'm not to sure what the guy before me did to the truck, but I do know it is supposeably 6" lift, but I measured that drop bracket and it is about 4". I'll re check my measurements when the rain stops lol.
As for the coils, the deavers from JBG are what I was thinking, and they are 22" unsprung. My coils to the bucket is about 18". I was thinking of making a bigger coil bucket mount along with a place to attach a longer stroke shock. From what I read the deavers settle finally at about 19-20in? So if I added an extra 2-3in for the coil bucket I could compensate. But I also want to maintain a fairly level alignment.
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ChaseTruck754
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by ChaseTruck754 »

If those drop brackets are 4" lower than stock, then the settled Deaver coils might be pretty good based on what you're saying.

I haven't had the Deaver coils on anything since my ranger about 12 years ago, but many others around here have run them so you might get some input as to final ride height after sagging a bit.
JonMac31
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by JonMac31 »

Would they fit as is by chance? Or would it throw off everything?
Or should I still go with a taller coil bucket?
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ChaseTruck754
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by ChaseTruck754 »

They will probably go in. Whether or not they'll be alignable is questionable. I just don't know how much they sag & how quickly, so not sure if it would be something worth saying - "throw um in, get the alignment as close as possible & go bounce around in the dirt a bit to get them to settle then re-align & you should be good."

Too many unkowns for me there
JonMac31
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Re: Suggestions, drop bracket or C&T?

Post by JonMac31 »

Well that's reassuring! I think I would have enough moveability to finagle the coil in without throwing off the alignment entirely. Might be a little off, but with the right coil bucket height and final sag, I think they would fit snug in.
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