Cut and turn questions?

86FSB · Post by **86FSB** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:22 pm

Hey guys, 17 year old senior in high school here trying to build my truck. My dad's going to be helping me out with this. The plan is to have a pair of Deaver springs up in the front with C&T beams, Bistein shocks, limiting straps ETC. Shackle flip for the rear.

Now:
For you guys running C&T beams, do you use a dropped pitman arm? How do you go about maintaining the stock steering geometry? I was thinking of doing a tie rod flip.

Also, when you push the knuckle out at the bottom, how does the inner axle shaft still connect to the hub? Are the splines long enough to compensate for this? I've read about people needing to rotate the pumpkin to compensate for this. Can someone explain this?

Also, is my chart I made to explain this to my dad accurate?

We're going to be doing #1. I have a spare front end so if I mess this up, it gets scrapped.

Thanks!

AussieRod · Post by **AussieRod** » Mon Jan 23, 2012 12:10 am

#1 needs to be done correctly. You will need to clock the differential as well to align the axle stub to the spindle. Lots of work and you will need to know what you are doing. I would advise buying a set of beams already C&T from a reputable fab shop, because these beams are your primary suspension component. If you get it wrong, the end result could be unthinkable. Longer radius arms will be required too. Dont do a shackle flip, get the proper lift springs and do it right the first time. J40's or F53's with spacers. Bilsteins all round and with C&T beams no drop pitman arm is needed. Cheers.

BDKW1 · Post by **BDKW1** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:04 am

#3 Just cut the lower off with the spindle still bolted up. Space it out 1/2" and weld it. Then replace your lower BJ because it was probably sloppy before you cooked it.

86FSB · Post by **86FSB** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:38 pm

BDKW1 wrote:#3 Just cut the lower off with the spindle still bolted up. Space it out 1/2" and weld it. Then replace your lower BJ because it was probably sloppy before you cooked it.

Have you done this before? Woulden't that put a lot of stress on the upper ball joint?

johncharlesb · Post by **johncharlesb** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:22 pm

Rancho drop brackets would work fine for this build. Put your money and time into shocks and radius arms. You want to keep the inverted shackle configuration and run a longer shackle. This will allow the spring to work much better. You may consider spending all that money you saved on beams on getting rear Deaver springs. Put on the best shocks you can afford, drive around with your Pa, smile, wave at people, and go fast.

Andy Jones · Post by **Andy Jones** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:30 pm

86FSB wrote:
BDKW1 wrote:#3 Just cut the lower off with the spindle still bolted up. Space it out 1/2" and weld it. Then replace your lower BJ because it was probably sloppy before you cooked it.
Have you done this before? Woulden't that put a lot of stress on the upper ball joint?

Cutting the lower balljoint ear and moving it out, is the most common way..

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:44 pm

1,000s of trucks out there done this way. It shouldn't put any additional stress on the ball joints.

Silverslk · Post by **Silverslk** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:25 pm

Look at lots of pics.......Build threads are there to help.

BDKW1 · Post by **BDKW1** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:57 pm

johncharlesb wrote:Rancho drop brackets will crack the shit out of your cross member and should never be used.

Fixed.........

Andy Jones · Post by **Andy Jones** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:08 pm

BDKW1 wrote:
johncharlesb wrote:Rancho drop brackets will crack the shit out of your cross member and should never be used.
Fixed.........

THIS!!

johncharlesb · Post by **johncharlesb** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:39 pm

BDKW1 wrote:
johncharlesb wrote:Rancho drop brackets will crack the shit out of your cross member and should never be used.
That johncharlesb is smart and witty. He must be very handsome.

Fixed......?

AussieRod · Post by **AussieRod** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:55 am

BDKW1 wrote:
johncharlesb wrote:Rancho drop brackets will crack the shit out of your cross member and should never be used.
Fixed.........

Bulls**t, hundreds of TTB owners use Rancho brackets, and they dont always tear or crack the crossmember.

For average use offroad (usually less than 10%) Rancho drops are fine. Hard core, yes, use C&T beams instead. Its always a good idea to brace the drivers side beam pivot regardless of your choice.

hobbyturnedobsession · Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:12 am

Thats not fixed at all. I kind of take offense to that to be honest. I ran them with coilovers for almost a year before going c&t and I never had an issue. I beat the sh** out of mine too and now greaslife has them. Also, Joel from bilstein is running them and he prefers it that way so you may want to think about that statement. I went through baja and tons of miles of offroad.

Silverslk · Post by **Silverslk** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:55 am

I have never ran drop brackets but had friends who did. The longer length does in fact add to leveraging and can/will lead to issues. I know Yikes ran his pretty hard and not sure he had any real issues either but like everything.....there are more variables involved in all cases. I'm sure condition/location of bump stops, maintenance practices, etc play a large role as well.

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:13 am

Joel does not have a Bronco. Shane Casad does.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:50 am

Yikes is also running Rancho pivot brackets drilled for stock location.

hobbyturnedobsession · Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:41 am

Shoot I knew that sorry.

Silverslk · Post by **Silverslk** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:22 pm

Nick wrote:Yikes is also running Rancho pivot brackets drilled for stock location.

Not quite the same though. Its the lowered pivot mount that adds the extra leverage against the frame, not the actual bracket manufacturer.

BDKW1 · Post by **BDKW1** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:40 pm

All I know is that every one I have encountered has had issues.

Andy Jones · Post by **Andy Jones** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:00 pm

We had a Bronco that we used as a prerunner only type vehicle.. It had a drop down Bracket kit on it.. one full season of B.I.T.D preruning and the sub frame started to crack.. the following season we fixed it, and then the whole cross member ripped from the frame on course... Drop down brackets are just a quick fix for a LIFT KIT... A member on here Actually owns that Bronco now..