Suspension Choices

[69Broncovirgin]

I'm putting together my project plan to restore my '69. I'd like to get some advice / opinions for suspension kits. Of course I want to crawl over everything, fly through the dunes, never break anything, and drive it home in comfort on the highway. :lol:

Questions for the group:

Preferences on Duff v Wild Horses v Tom's as far as suspension kits? I'm looking at the deluxe kits with performance shocks, long travel springs, and extended radius arms.

Is it better to go with 5 1/2" in suspension lift, or 3 1/5" suspension with a 2" body lift?

I'm also swapping in a disc brake ready D44 and crossover steering. Any opinions on the best supplier and any known compatibility issues? eg Will a Duff D44 and crossover kit work with a Wild Horses 5 1/2" suspension kit?

I appreciated any opions and/or feedback you have. Thanks,

 

[Broncoholics]

I used both Duffs and wildhorses before. I ditched the woldhorses for Duff's 3.5" ultimate lift for more articulation. Both seemed to ride good but the WH didn't flex enough.

I run a wristed radius arm to gain extra flex. Duff sells longer radious arms that work pro for extra articulation and are stronger than stock. I use their 15" throw shocks that extend 35"; I use all of it. I run one shock per corner for a softer ride and works perfect in the dunes. Duals are a stiff ride and only do well if you plan on jumping often. The rear I used the 10 pack cause I wanted a soft ride. I even have a 38" spare, tools, air tank, extra gas tank, jack and spare parts and it does not sag in the rear but I do have a half cab. I would think all the stuff in the rear is heavier than a full top. The 11packs are too stiff and lifts the rear way higher than the front. Looks goofy and is more expensive.

The 2" body lift is the way to go so you can get Duffs shock hoops that utilize the 2" body lift height. Otherwise you have to take out the wheel wells to fit them.

Also a 5.5" lift will tear **** out of your driveline u-joints. 3.5" is much less angle for the drivelines and gives just as much flex as a 5.5. There are 4.5" coils available @ BC Broncos that dowell.

Extend the rear brake lines with Stainless steel ones. Add a rear traction bar. I use Duff's long link traction bars and they only limit travel by an inch.

Goodluck!

 

[69Broncovirgin]

Thanks for the input Broncoholics. 3.5 + 2 makes sense and is how I was leaning. I certainly can't argue with that pic you've posted.

What do you mean by a wristed radius arm?

I'm still struggling on the 10 v 11 pack in the back. My issue is that I will sometimes trailer the Bronco when only 4 wheelin, but sometimes will use it as the hauler to trailer the quads for a more "diversified family" sort of trip. If I went with the 4.5 coils and the 11 do you think it would even out the rake you speak of? Do you think the sacrificed flex would be significant?

As you can tell I'm just about ready to start blowing my retirement fund and get dirty.

And while your reading this, what do you think of the NV4500 kit that Duff has? I'm also working to do a D44 swap, discs front and rear, and 4.56's with 315's/35's. Any feedback, advice, critique?

 

[Broncoholics]

I would think the 4.5" coils would be close to the 3.5" 11 packs. You can always take out the 11th leaf if you need more flex or less height. If you are pulling you might want that 11th leaf. Will you be running lockers? Its tough on the drivetrain when pulling trailers with a locker.

The NV4500 is a sweet tranny but its costly. I went with the NP435 so I can have the granny low 1st for rock crawling. Its not as bad ass as the NV4500 but it does the trick for $200. I kept the NP205 t-case which came adapted to the NP435 out of a 79 Bronco and they are bullet proof. You can get adapters to keep the Dana20 case you have now if funds are low. If the cash isn't a problem get a Atlas II t-case. Then get some Dana60's front and rear and lock em up with some low gears.

The wristed arm allows the front suspension to work independently from each side. It also takes out the bind in the C-bushings. So when a stock bronco's front right tire drops in a hole the body follows and leans to the right. With a wristed arm the wheel drops in the hole while the truck stays level. See below photo for idea. It pinnable for street driving otherwise when you turn hard the truck will want to lean badly and is tough to control.

If I were you go with Duff's new long travel radius arms becasue a wristed arm is only held in by one side. Its tough to explain but only one radius arm is ridgid otherwise the axle would wrap under the truck. Only having one arm holding the axle wrap can lead to a bent radius arm.

 

[Broncoholics]

Oh by the way here's a photo of the wristed arm so you can understand it.

 

[billybroncojr]

Does your wife know you took that picture on her bed? /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[S_bolt19]

Question for you Broncoholics.....Did you make your WRAs or did you buy them from somewhere? I am curious about them because I have never seen a set like that before, they all have been different and yours are about the easiest way I have seen to make them.

As for the original question, springs are all in the eye of the beholder and what you intend to get out of them. I just got the WH 4.5", 11-pack leafs. I love them. In full flex (on a ramp though) I can drop my rear tire down almost 5" below the rocker panel and I dont have a body lift. that is approximately 18" of wheel travel. Also that is with out a locker. If I had a locker I could get more because of traction. I just dont have it with open diffs right now. If you want to go extreme in your axel articulation, then go with a 4-link set up. A friend of mine who owns an extreme Scout shop does excellent work ... http://www.dandcextreme.com ...his name is Damian if you want to go that way. I have not seen anything that can get anywhere near what he does without doing something similar to the 4-link. Also you need to consider what you have on the rig....hard/soft top, gas cans, spare tire, extras, etc. If you are carrying a ton of junk, go with the higher leaf pack # so you can get more strength/higher payload, if you are just carrying the spare then go with the lighter duty spring packs.

Front coils are tough too, but everyone has a different opinion. I am looking into getting the BC Broncos coils to level out my lift because my old lift coils have settled and dont match up to the rear end. I have driven rigs with the Duff, WH and BC coils and like the BC ones the best. They fit my driving better. But there again, it boils down to what you want.

The best thing for you to do is talk to all three companies before you make your decision.

 

[Broncoholics]

Yes, I build the wristed arms and can sell for $250+UPS.

But to tell you the truth, make it yourself.

Get a stock radius arm, weld in 1/2" thick steel so the radius arm is filled in flush with the I beam area. Now tak weld some 1/2" plates on both sides of the arm and drill your 2ea. 3/4" holes about 6" apart keeping the forward hole as close to the c-bushing as possible. The rear hole is to pin it for street driving. Now grind off the tak welds and pull off the outer 1/2" plates. Cut the arm in half inbetween the two holes. Grind back or cut 1/4" off one end so you have room for movement. Now place the 1/2" plates back on and push some 3/4" bolts through the holes which will re-align everyting back the the stock length. Weld the 1/2" plates on the rear area of the arm only so the front can pivot.

If you do a search online for wristed radius arms you will see all kinds of different styles. This is the easiest and cheapest to build in your own garage.

 

[S_bolt19]

So how easy is it to get the pins in and out? With my luck I would have to jack'er up to get the pins in without ripping a knuckle off my finger.

 

[Broncoholics]

Yes, it can be a knuckle buster if the truck isn't on level ground when pulling the pin. I some times have to put a jack under the rear bolt area to realeave the pressure and it slides right out.

I was reading my message I wrote you "cut the arm inbetween the two holes". Its actually (cut after the second hole). I must have been typing faster than I was thinking. This way its pinnable for street driving.

 

[S_bolt19]

How is street driving with these? You have my interest piqued now. I use my rig for a daily driver and am wondering if the streetability of the vehicle goes down with a mod like this. Do you see any down side to this for the daily driver or do you only recommend this for the trailer queens? How much extra articulation do you get out of them? Have you experienced any binding? I have seen guys do WRA with heim joints so the can alleviate the 'binding' issue..... Just picking your brain.

 

[Broncoholics]

The wristed arm is just fine for street driving as long as the rear pin is in.

With the rear pin in place its just like a stock radius arm since its not moving.

No difference with what you have now.

Once the pin is pulled the arm is now able to twist on the forward bolt. If you drive around town with the rear pin pulled the truck will lean around corners but is still driveable but gets hairy when turning hard.

The wristed arm takes out the bind that is found when flexing the suspension.

Its almost the same as longer radius arms. They can move much further when being longer. But the wristed arm will allow more movement than longer arms. What happens is the c-bushings will only allow a stock arm to drop so much, which gives limited articulation. Now the wristed arm action allows the axle to twist. bcbroncos.com sells an axle that allows one axle tube to twist so both arms are holding axle wrap but is doing the same thing as a wristed arm but costs alot.

The only problem with a wristed arm I've ever heard of is the front axle is now only held in place with one radius arm when the rear pin is pulled. Since axle wrap is only controlled by one arm now, the ridgid arm can bend under hard torque. I've never had this problem and I run 38.5" SX's, 5:89 gears locked up.

You can always beef up the ridgid arm to solve this.

:wacko:

 

[bronctoy]

I agree with Broncoholics..I have a wristed arm and love it. I have been running mine on the Rubicon and similar trails for over 5 years and I have not bent a radius arm. It is pretty squirely on the road though.