need steering arm
brakelines
shocks
driveshaft spacers or lengthen
unless ur have this stuff already...
brakelines
shocks
driveshaft spacers or lengthen
unless ur have this stuff already...
CK5
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Crossover steering necessary?
- Thread starter kenaik5
- Start date
shovelbill80
1/2 ton status
you mentioned the gearbox, did you happen to inspect the chassis for cracks? as already mentioned, i'll put my money on the bushings being the main culprit. how about air pressure?
may need some degree shims for pinion angle? i'd stay with 33's and a 4" lift, it'll ride better and wheel just as good in my opinion.....unless you wheel very tough stuff, then i can 35's a little better....or mud....what are you building this truck for if you don't mind?
may need some degree shims for pinion angle? i'd stay with 33's and a 4" lift, it'll ride better and wheel just as good in my opinion.....unless you wheel very tough stuff, then i can 35's a little better....or mud....what are you building this truck for if you don't mind?
jeremywrags
1/2 ton status
Bad bushings will definitely lead to problems.... and factory rubber bushings are 40 years old and will be dry-rotted.
Are you staying with a 35" tire? Any plans to go to a D60 front? The only reason I ask is because the D60 will give you some free "lift" vs a D44 due to the springpad height. If the truck sat level with a D44, it will sit higher if a D60 is swapped in.
The rear springs are the hardest to guess. Blazers typically need more lift spring in the back than the front to compensate for the extra weight that the Blazer has vs. a pickup truck. It seems that a 2" rear spring along with a 4" shackle flip will get you close, and if you still need more to level things out, you can add a 1" zero rate and/or a longer rear shackle to give you up to 2 additional inches of lift...
Unfortunately, there really isn't such a thing as a "soft" 6" front leaf spring... it's just too much arch across a short span to really keep the spring rate low.
Hi all,
I have to admit I am new to 4X and don't know squat about suspension but I am learning. In an effort to get some pics to help me along I noticed something that does not look right to me.
The spring seem to be about 1" narrower than the shackle, again I don't know much but I assume that is not right. To me it seems like my axle would shift back and forth across the bushing right?
So I am guessing that who ever did the lift before me put the wrong springs on the truck?
The last Pic is of my rag joint, it looks pretty beat up to me but then I am not sure what it really should look like, what do you guys think?
No wonder the truck wanders!
The alignment shop should have noticed those bushings and warned you that the alignment was a waste of time.
When you get a chance measure the width across the spring for me. Its hard to tell if someone swapped in a non-stock width spring or of the spring is correct but just has the wrong type of replacement bushing. Either way, you MUST have no gaps between the spring eye and the hangers where they mount. If you fix that, the difference will be night and day. Buy a replacement rag joint too and swap it out at the same time... I don't recall them being very expensive, and it will be one less 40 year old part to worry about.
Pics always help a lot, so keep posting them as you move forward on this.
The alignment shop should have noticed those bushings and warned you that the alignment was a waste of time.
When you get a chance measure the width across the spring for me. Its hard to tell if someone swapped in a non-stock width spring or of the spring is correct but just has the wrong type of replacement bushing. Either way, you MUST have no gaps between the spring eye and the hangers where they mount. If you fix that, the difference will be night and day. Buy a replacement rag joint too and swap it out at the same time... I don't recall them being very expensive, and it will be one less 40 year old part to worry about.
Pics always help a lot, so keep posting them as you move forward on this.
jeremywrags
1/2 ton status
Thanks Greg, that's what i thought... So much for that shop knowing allot about 4X right...
OK Inner edge to inner edge of both front hangers are 3.5"
Spring width is 2.5"
Bushing Lip is about .25" so it looks like there is at least .5" that the spring can move back and forth on both side.
The rear springs look fine, the bushings are old but they fit properly.
What is the temporary fix here until I do decide which lift\springs to go with? I recall on my 75K5 it had the same issue but I think my brother in law just stuck in some shims on either side of the bushings to keep the spring center. Is that the way to go for now?
OK Inner edge to inner edge of both front hangers are 3.5"
Spring width is 2.5"
Bushing Lip is about .25" so it looks like there is at least .5" that the spring can move back and forth on both side.
The rear springs look fine, the bushings are old but they fit properly.
What is the temporary fix here until I do decide which lift\springs to go with? I recall on my 75K5 it had the same issue but I think my brother in law just stuck in some shims on either side of the bushings to keep the spring center. Is that the way to go for now?
Stack some washers or a solid spacer on either side of that bushing to make the fit nice and tight...
I can't remember what the stock width is supposed to be, but 2.5" sounds narrow. Maybe someone else will know off the top of their head? Try some searches in this forum, it seems like it's been posted before.
Post a shot of your front shackles from a side view. I'm curious if the length is wrong also....a wildly angled shackle will be the giveaway.
I can't remember what the stock width is supposed to be, but 2.5" sounds narrow. Maybe someone else will know off the top of their head? Try some searches in this forum, it seems like it's been posted before.
Post a shot of your front shackles from a side view. I'm curious if the length is wrong also....a wildly angled shackle will be the giveaway.
2.5" is right
Fords use 3"
The leaf should be centered in the hanger. So if you can put shims in, center the leaf and then make the shims.
Fords use 3"
The leaf should be centered in the hanger. So if you can put shims in, center the leaf and then make the shims.
makovai
1/2 ton status
just add some shocks to absorb the sway.
sorry, couldn't help it... i was trying to find the pic where the guy used rebar to make cross steer.
sorry, couldn't help it... i was trying to find the pic where the guy used rebar to make cross steer.
just add some shocks to absorb the sway.
sorry, couldn't help it... i was trying to find the pic where the guy used rebar to make cross steer.
Holy scary death-mobile batman!
just add some shocks to absorb the sway.
sorry, couldn't help it... i was trying to find the pic where the guy used rebar to make cross steer.
Jim - I told you to quit posting pics of your truck on here - it's embarrassing!
champsjimmy
Registered Member
Trying to cure the wander with my Jimmy too. I ordered ORD's shackle kit but I know I need balljoints too. Does anyone have a good online source?
jeremywrags
1/2 ton status
Got mine from Amazon, I am a prime member so got free shipping which saved me about $150 total over other online sources. Prime is only $79.00 a year so even if you sign up now you will still be saving compared to others.
