key-wayed D44 crossover arm spacer?

[K85 Octane]

I have a D44 with passenger side steering arm. It is a keyed arm that matches the machined knuckle. I need to put a 1" spacer under it and get longer studs because my draglink hits the leafs. Don't really want to get rid of zero-rates. Who makes one?

Thanks

 

[MTBLAZER89]

I imagine you are going to have to go through whoever keyed your knuckle and arm for a custom spacer or a tall arm.

You can get longer studs from anybody that sells ARP stuff.

 

[dremu]

I know WFO has the longer studs.

Per this thread

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287515

Sky Manufacturing makes keyed arms, so I'd check with them for matching spacers. They'd likely have the studs as well.

I'm personally leery of spacers or really tall arms, seems like it's a lot of strain on the studs.

OTOH, I know your pain about geometry. I'm putting in a set of zero rates to push the overloads up enough to clear the tierod. I'm not doing high steer as I'd hafta do spacers to clear the tierod up top -- friggin 52"s are dang near flat, apparently.

Surprised the draglink is whacking the spring; presumably you're not doing much lift, like 2-4"?

-- A

 

[K85 Octane]

4" lift with 0-rate
The company I bought the arm from is MIA. I'll look up Sky and see what they can do. I am also very unhappy with having to do a spacer, much rather not put that kind of load on the knuckle. Hopefully the keyway helps.

 

[dremu]

4" lift with 0-rate
The company I bought the arm from is MIA. I'll look up Sky and see what they can do. I am also very unhappy with having to do a spacer, much rather not put that kind of load on the knuckle. Hopefully the keyway helps.

Straight draglink, or bent? Maybe your steering arm is too dropped?

I'm just out loud, 'cuz I'm fighting fitting all that stuff myself. Well, I will once it drops out of the triple digits outside =))

-- A

 

[K85 Octane]

Bent draglink but even bent upwards it's still extremely close. Once the truck is running again, I'll flex it out on a loadramp I found, but even at ride height it's within 1/2" clearnace when turned driverside.

The pitman arm is pretty much the standard pitman arm from ORD. Not sure what else I could do for that.

 

[dremu]

Yeah, it's surprising how little room there is up front given the size of our trucks =))

I'm in the middle of doing the high-clearance crossmember to clear a straight draglink... be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

-- A

 

[K85 Octane]

the high clearance crossmember opens the area WAY up and does what it advertises

I can run the bent draglink upside down and clear everything. If it flexes enough, I'll probably hit the balancer

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Sky does make a tall arm too. I ran it on my 10B for several years and had no issues. It cleared my 4" plus a 0-rate good. Its the 0-rate that causes this problem usually.

 

[buefchris]

I delt with BRC Motorsports up in YUBA CITY. I run 1" spacers for the past 6 years with no issues.

 

[dremu]

the high clearance crossmember opens the area WAY up and does what it advertises

I can run the bent draglink upside down and clear everything. If it flexes enough, I'll probably hit the balancer

Took me three tries to find the crossmember in your pic ... kept seeing the exhaust cross pipe. Sheesh

After a marathon wrenching session on both the truck and my back, I believe I have my (ORD) crossmember in. I ended up having to put some 3/8" flat stock under the motor mounts as spacers in order for the oil pan to clear to my satisfaction. The motor's been swapped several times, most recently for a GM crate motor, so I donno if that's to be expected.

One thing I was thankful for is that my factory crossmember was BOLTED in, no rivets. I donno if that is normal for older trucks (mine's a '74) or if a PO did something clever

Anyway, that's good news about everything fitting. I'm trying to REDUCE my lift, as part of my effort to make the truck more highway-friendly, so I need the room.

-- A

 

[K85 Octane]

Sky does make a tall arm too. I ran it on my 10B for several years and had no issues. It cleared my 4" plus a 0-rate good. Its the 0-rate that causes this problem usually.

Ok, just checked Sky's website and my heart dropped. This looks to be the same arm I already have. Here are some pictures. You can see the clearance with the new crossmember and you can see my up turned draglink.

I have about 5/8" between draglink and leaf spring, turn full lock driver side, at ride stance.

 

[K85 Octane]

might need to get the zero-rates tappered so I can bring the axle closer to the leafs

anyone else with an idear?

 

[dremu]

might need to get the zero-rates tappered so I can bring the axle closer to the leafs

anyone else with an idear?

Presumably you mean tapering them at the same angle as your shims, so as to maintain your caster angle?

I agree you're getting close, but have you tried compressing the passenger side? I see scratches on the draglink that make it look like it'll contact the springs, but it's worth checking. My 52"s, for instance, are so dang flat that -- at least in their last incarnation -- that was like the ONE thing that cleared fine.

And you gotta have the zero rates to clear the springs over the tierod, does that sound right?

-- A

 

[K85 Octane]

the marks on the draglink and from my own laziness, spinning the draglink onto the other rodend. The zero rate is 1.5" forward and yes, also to clear the tierod. If I get rid of the shims and cut the zero rate down, hopefully everything still clears and keeps my angle good.

Before I do all that...and once I get the truck back on the road, I'll get it twisted up and check for clearance. I don't have the means of lifting that side.

 

[dremu]

the marks on the draglink and from my own laziness, spinning the draglink onto the other rodend. The zero rate is 1.5" forward and yes, also to clear the tierod. If I get rid of the shims and cut the zero rate down, hopefully everything still clears and keeps my angle good.

Before I do all that...and once I get the truck back on the road, I'll get it twisted up and check for clearance. I don't have the means of lifting that side.

Hi-Lift? Cherry picker (engine hoist)? Really, even just a floor jack, to test...

And yeah, thought the scratches were (1) around the entire diameter of the draglink and (2) looked familiar

-- A