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New lift kit woes

1K views 19 replies 6 participants last post by  kd5kuu 
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#1 ·
Well, last weekend I installed my new 4 inch BDS suspension system complete with extended radius arms and replacement leaf springs, but it didn't go off without a hitch. The front now sits 3 inches lower than the rear; the replacement rear springs gave me 7 inches of lift. Also, the front wheels are pulled back in the wheel wells so that from a birds eye view the front axle is bowed so much that the drive axle is almost touching the suspension arm at the point where it enters inside the arm.
I have verified that all the brackets are in their exact right locations and everything is installed correctly, yet nothing is right. It's almost like I got the wrong kit, but according to the part numbers and BDS's website and customer service I got the right parts.
Does anybody know if there were any changes in the Bronco's TTB design from 1985-1995? If anybody has run into this problem before or knows what the problem is, please let me know! Thanks.
 
#3 ·
It sounds like your radius arm brackets are mounted too far back or the arms are too short... maybe you got the brackets lined up to the wrong holes? As for the rear, that is about 3" too much lift as 4" lift should level it with 6" up front. Springs will settle, however, so ask BDS how much their springs settle. I'm with Juice... PICS!
 
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#5 ·
im with muddy on this one i think that you might have miss measured the radius arms and put them too far back. just double check and measure twice. not saying that you are tape measure illiterate but hey evryone makes mistakes.
 
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#6 ·
Ok, I finally set up my Superford Registry so that I can post pictures for all to see. If you click the link in my sig. you can see the album dealing with the BDS lift and see what I am talking about.
I am 99% sure that the radius arms that BDS sent me are not built correctly. I have tried new Ford bushings and they didn't fix the problem with the unthreaded portion of the bar being too long. I have remeasured the bracket location twice now and it is in the exact right location. It's pretty hard to mess up because in order to locate the brackets you use an exising hole in the frame for one of the bolt holes and you can double check it by measuring to the body mount rivets. I am 100% sure the brackets are in the correct locations.
Another thing that seals the deal for me is that they advertise on their website that the arms are supposed to be 46 inches long, while the ones that they sent me are only 41 inches long, even if you trace the bend with the measuring tape.
Let me know if you see any flaws in my logic here.

As for the stance of the truck, it is higher in the rear by one inch because of the stock wedge that was needed to correct driveline angles. As for the other two inches...who knows where they came from. The springs will settle, and the front will come up slightly when the axle is sitting square under the springs, but I don't expect to see two inches of lift come from that. I hope those springs settle a lot, otherwise I'll probably be putting some 6 inch coils in front sometime soon! Thanks for your help guys, it's much appreciated.
Ben Schilling
 
#7 ·
That is very odd indeed. I read the instructions on their site and you aligned the bracket just as they show, and everything else looks right too. You could always move the brackets forward on the frame, but I would definitely want some form of compensation from BDS if I had to do custom work like that. What's their take on this? Try to get some dimensions of the radius arms from them so you can compare, since the only thing I can think of is that they got off a couple inches when building the arms, but surely that couldn't happen on both arms. I don't think there were any changes to the TTB or body mounts that would cause this problem, so I am clueless. Get ahold of BDS, email them the pics, and see what they think... that's all I can tell ya
 
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#8 ·
One step ahead of you...I emailed them the pics on Friday and talked to an engineer there for a little while and my next step is to call them back with the dimensions of the radius arms that they sent me. He told me that those arms are welded in a welding jig, so it's unlikely that they would be "off", but if they were, it would make sense that at least one batch of them would be "off". I really hope that the arms are built incorrectly, I hesitate to go drilling even more holes in my frame and I don't like rigging stuff. I want it to be done right, it's the only way you can be sure it's going to work. I'll update you on Monday as to what they have told me and what they are going to do.
 
#10 ·
OK Ben, the pics help alot. Having a 4" lift as well (or what was once a 4" lift), couple things I will mention:

Passenger side axleshaft, when I am really flexed mine rubbed too. Just a bit, so I ground the TTB arm in the exact location you show as being close. no more rub.

Something is surely amiss with your radius arms. all else looks good in the front. The fact that your front driveshaft slip joint is very compressed, along with your side pic showing the front tires (33's as well!) being too close to the rear part of the wheelwell, and having to used 7/8" worth of spacers (which would move the radius arm/TTB forward)...something is not right in your radius arm spacing. Now, roughly your arms are at about the same point as mine, I can't be exact because my Rancho arms use the stock brackets, so your measurements will not be quite the same. But, I have to say you are still off (even after the washer/spacers) by about 1" or so. Looks to me like the arms/TTB need to go forward this much at least. My guess is the arms are made to the proper size, the mounting is off. Not saying that is your fault, whether you or BDS giving you wrong directions, I think the assembly needs to come forward.

What about your coils? They would show evidence of this issue. They would appear to be leaning a bit from the side, since you have not touched the mounting on top (the coil tower) yet the bottom TTB mount I think is likely back a bit. Same goes with shocks.

On the rear, the pic does not really show much. It does look to be a little rear high, not 3" though. If it really is that high, the springs will settle some, and I would pull one leaf from the pack and that would solve your problem. I would definitely focus on the front first though.
 
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#11 ·
Just wondering, could the rad arms be for a Ranger? Do the shocks and springs appear to be leaning forward or to the side? You may want to measure. Trying to brainstorm some other alternatives on the FUBAR situation.
 
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#12 ·
Just wondering, could the rad arms be for a Ranger? Do the shocks and springs appear to be leaning forward or to the side? You may want to measure. Trying to brainstorm some other alternatives on the FUBAR situation.
 
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#14 ·
UPDATE-->
BDS measured their radius arms to be the exact length that the ones they sent me are...40 inches from the hole to the end of the shaft. That means that the instructions for installing the radius arms are incorrect...at least for my truck. I am going to call tech. support back with some measurements tomorrow and see where my truck is different from the one that they did R&D on.
As for the bushing situation- apparently there is a different bushing listed for I think 1988 to 1996 than from 1987 back. The older bushing is about 3/8 inch thicker and people that have been using the radius arms on their later model Bronco's and F-150's have been gringing the stock plastic spacer down flat and using it in conjunction with the bushings and also getting new older style bushings. I think I'm just gonna stick with my washers to take up the slack there and if I ever replace my almost new poly bushings I'll get the old style and take out some washers.
I have taken the bolts out of the brackets and moved the brackets forward about 1.5 inches on the frame and it appears to have centered the wheels. I am judging that based on a weighted string hanging from the exact center of the wheel well portion of the fender.
NOW...WHY IS MY TRUCK DIFFERENT????? That is what I am hopefully going to find out after collaborating with BDS tomorrow morning.
If some of you could measure something for me and post it I would be very gratefull. I would like the distance from the bottom rear body mount rivet on the bracket behind the spring bucket and the bottom rear (underside of frame and behind shock absorber) rivet of the spring bucket. Mine measured out to be 24.5 inches. I can only assume that the difference in my truck is in this portion of the frame because holes in the frame after the body mount measure out to be in the right places.

I haven't spent too much time on the ride height just yet because I think the radius arms are a more pressing issue than the stance. The rear is 2.5 inches higher than the front right now, but that's with a full tank of gas and the front wheels not centered under the springs. We'll see what happens when the front is sitting right. I did get the proper amount of lift in the front based on measurements from the bump stop to the axle arm.

Juice, your information is helpful. When repositioning my brackets I may settle on a position that will actually bring the wheels about .25 inches forward of center in order to prevent the axle rubbing issue. I will need to move both brackets the exact same distance on the frame and do checks along the way to see how the suspension reacts to me doing that.
It sure is hard to beat the help you can get on a forum! Where else are you going to find a bunch of knowledgable Bronco owners ready and willing to share information?
 
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#16 ·
It was in a small wreck and the grille gaurd pulled the acordian sections of the frame inward when it bent in the middle. The frame was said to be straight and the acordian sections were bent back out straight.
I considered this to be the cause, but after more thought I realized that the frame would have to have been stretched about 2 inches for that to cause this. The problem is exactly the same on passenger and driver sides, so it's not like the frame isn't square anymore.
Also, the stock suspension worked just fine. For some reason the distance from the axle to the body mount on my truck is greater than on the one they did R&D on at BDS and is causing this problem. I will figure it out, even if I have to go around measuring Bronco's after work.
 
#17 ·
"If some of you could measure something for me and post it I would be very gratefull. I would like the distance from the bottom rear body mount rivet on the bracket behind the spring bucket and the bottom rear (underside of frame and behind shock absorber) rivet of the spring bucket. Mine measured out to be 24.5 inches. I can only assume that the difference in my truck is in this portion of the frame because holes in the frame after the body mount measure out to be in the right places.
"

If I am measuring the proper rivet to rivet from what you are saying above, I am at 24.5", both sides.
 
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#18 ·
Thanks a lot Juice...I know mine is not an oddity then. I will have to call BDS then and find out what is different about their lift kit then.
I hope that I can be of some help to you guys sometime.
 
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#20 ·
OK, I moved the radius arm brackets up 1.5 inches and had to drill 12 new holes. I will be able to use 6 of the old holes for my rock sliders though (under construction currently). I set the toe today so it's alright to go driving it around as much as I want now.
I still have two problems though- rear being 2.5 inches higher than the front and some bad vibrations when driveline is under load anywhere above 35 miles an hour.
For the time being I am going to assume that the vibrations are due to the condition my u-joints and double cardan joint (factory originals still) and I will rebuild the driveshaft.
I need to take a road trip today and put enough miles on the new leaf springs to where BDS can't say that "they will settle" and the ride height will even out and then I'll call them tomorrow and find out what they suggest doing next.
 
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