Anyone Make Their Own TTB Brackets?

[KBL]

I've seen Rancho TTB drop brackets used in a go-fast application, along with Southwest Performance radius arms. This was on Shane's '90 Bronco, which some of you are probably familiar with.

Even though drop brackets are usually considered evil, the Rancho brackets are well-engineered and seem to hold up just fine.

There are a couple of benefits to the mild drop bracket approach. First, you don't have to cut and turn the beams. Second, the drop brackets buy some additional bump travel. In Shane's case, he's got 18 inches of front wheel travel on stock-width beams.

Questions:

Has anyone made their own TTB drop brackets?

Did you use plate, tube, or some of both?

How much drop did you build into them?

Did you start from scratch, or did you base your brackets off of a set of stockers?

[SteveG]

I've never made any, but I would probably start with a Rancho or other reputable brand. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel here, just start with a good bracket and reinforce as needed.

[philofab]

x2. Buy Rancho brackets and add some reinforcement. If Yikes can't break it, no one can.

[KBL]

Are the Rancho brackets available a la carte? I won't need the whole lift kit that they come with.

[philofab]

I'm sure they are.

[Dezertbronco]

Yikes Modified His Brackets For less lift and he has a cut and turn beams.
He plated in a couple of areas on the crossmember, Im sure he can chime in.

I too can break anything and the brackets are all in great shape. The bolts do come loose, even with Stovers I double nutted every other bolt Just to be sure.

Do yourself a favor and trill everything out for 1/2 bolts. mine was a mix of 3/8 and 1/2, I drilled them all, with the exeption of one that polts onto the lip of the crossmember.

[Kyles95]

I did the same as DezertBronco and stuck with short 1/2 inchers for strength and used lockwashers with a standard washer on each side. After 3 off-roading trips and about 5,000 miles the hardware has yet to back off but I check em at oil change intervals. I want to say I used 5/8ths bolts for the rad. arm brackets, gonna have to go look.

As far as buying the Rancho brackets seperate you can, A buddy from FSB got the two pivot brackets new for like 260 shipped, If you wanna keep them small order the pivots for the 3" F150 lift, there is a size differance.

[KBL]

Cool...thanks for the info everyone!

[Copykat]

I make my own brackets.

[Dezertbronco]

I make my own brackets.

Pics Please....

[Copykat]

These are for ranger/explorers to make a D44 TTb swap easier. My brackets are a 1.5" lift, next to the stockers.

[KBL]

I saw those on Dezertrangers. Very nice!

STX brackets are hard to find, and yours are stronger anyway.

If you're building a TTB Ranger or Explorer those are definitely the way to go.