handleing problem

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mikeweyandt18

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i am working on a 72 bronco and am haveing a problem with it. when i hit the gas hard it pulls to the left and when i hit the brake hard it pulls to the right. makes it really hard to drive down the road. i adjusted the front panhard bar to the same lenght as the drag link, but it is still there. the truck has a 3" james duff lift kit and a body lift kit. what should the lenght of the drag link be on a truck with this suspention. thanks for the help

 

Bully Bob

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Hi Mike.., welcome..!

The length isn't the issue.

The "track-bar" needs to be parallel to the drag link. (The drag link can be used {adj.} to "center" everything.)

If they're NOT parallel., Order up a "track bar drop bracket". (or., you can weld on a riser for the axle end of the track bar)

Either mod. will solve your prob.

Pics (of your front suspension) & "full" discription of your rig would be most helpful toward receiving "accurate" help. i.e. fill in your info./sig. pages on this site. (see how mine shows below this post) It shows on ev. post., & can be updated.

 

69bronc347

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what bully bob said is true, you need to make the track bar more parallel, but you also need a drop pitman arm too. excessive drag link angle could also cause this. i have never had much luck but some people say a good steering stabilizer can help also

 
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mikeweyandt18

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thanks for the help guys. i do know that there is a drop bracket for the trac bar, and the pitman arm also is a drop one. i will have to check to try and make them more parallel. i will try and get a picture tonight to show you the suspention, maybe you guys can see something i am missing. also the transfer case is not working correctly. it does not want to move in 2wd, i can only get it to move in 4wd. the front hubs can be unlocked and in 4wd it moves as it should, but it makes a **** of a grinding noise from the transfer case. is there a rod adjustment i can do or is there something broken in the transfer case. i was thinking of getting a new one but james duff wants over 2 grand for a new one. is there another supplier i can get it from? or should i just try and rebuild it.

 

Bully Bob

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"is there a rod adjustment i can do or is there something broken in the transfer case.?"

Best case., it's the "J" shifter (known to get sloppy) :D/

Worst case.....

Need your signature, etc. filled in to eliminate a lot of guess work. >:D< <'>

 
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mikeweyandt18

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i have replaced the shifter lever with a new one from james duff. and as for the signiture, not really shure how to update it, sorry new to this forum.

 

Bully Bob

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Click on your username mikeweyandt18 anywhere on the site or in the upper right on home page.

It's pretty easy to fill in the info.

If a dummy like me can do it..., anybody can.... :lol: :-B

 

Bully Bob

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BTW..,

That bar (Track bar) runs fr. right side axle to dr. side frame.....that needs to be set so as to "center" the body over the frame. Not to the same length as the drag link. :)>-

OOPS..! check that.., -- centers front axle to body & frame.!--

 
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monza

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Hey Mike,

My EB was exhibiting ALL the problems you have - even the 2WD issues.

I found my front axle was shifted 2" to the drivers side.

This was due to a 3.5" lift - BUT a standard Trac bar.

Essentially my tuck was lifted HIGHER than the Trac bar has length for - which pulls the front axle towards the Drive Side.

To see if your front end is offset:

Measure from the Tie Rod End knuckle pin to the outside of the frame rail above it. Do this on each side of the truck (use some kind of a set square and spirit level to make this measurement as accurate as possible). Ideally this measurement should be the same.

IF your front end is offset the solutions are:

1. Drop bracket for Trac Bar on Frame rail (drivers side) - welding required.

2. Riser bracket for track bar on axle (passenger side) - welding required.

3. Adjustable Trac bar.

Different folks like different solutions for different reasons.

What was important to me was a solution which would allow me to make future changes to my lift and steering linkage - without having to go cutting of welds and re-welding new iron.

SO - I went for the adjustable Trac bar - cuz I can make any future changes and it will always work for me.

This has pretty much cured the truck pulling and diving when accel or break applied.

It has trued up the steering.

Bump steer has gone away.

Amazingly it has also cured the inability to engage 2WD - I have to assume that my 2" out of alignment was preventing 2WD engaging properly...

CAUTION

Before ordering your parts - check whether a Tie Rod Over Knuckle mod has been made - this lifts the Tie Rods by three inches (sitting them on TOP of the knuckle rather than below) - which means if you had a three inch lift with a drop pitman, after the Tie Rod Over you would need a standard (flat) pitman or an adjusted drag link... It ALSO means that you should NOT use a Drop Trac Bar bracket - because the drop bracket and lifted Tie Rod get into each others biznis... My truck had this complication.

Heres how to do an adjustable Trac Bar:

1. Leave truck on ground.

2. Remove old track bar.

3. Turn steering to center the body over the axle = measure width from Passenger side Tie Rod End pin to Drive side Tie Rod End pin. Measure distance from outside face of Pass side Frame Rail to outside face of Drive side Frame rail. Subtract Frame width measurement from Tie Rod width Measurement. Divide the number by 2 (in half). Mark that distance in from the connection pin on each Tie Rod End. You now have a mark on each end of the Tie Rod which should line up vertically with the outside of each Frame Rail - when the body is centered over the axle.

4. Get someone to turn the steering while you use a vertical edge with spirit level to line the Tie Rod mark with the outside of frame rail.

5. With steering held in place - measure the distance from the center of Trac bar pin on axle to center of trac bar bracket hole on frame rail - this is the new Trac Bar length.

6. Let steering go.

7. Mark the Trac Bar length on the ground - because you WILL forget it - and its easier to adjust the bar to marks on the ground.

8. Adjust Trac bar to length marked on ground.

9. Install Bushings to Trac Bar.

10. Install Trac bar to axle (leave plenty wiggle room on nut).

11. Have someone turn the steering and Install Trac Bar to Frame bracket (leave wiggle).

12. At this point I PREFER to Jack the front wheels off the ground - THEN tighten up both Trac Bar castle nuts - which pulls the axle into natural alignment with the Trac bar.

Hope this helps some.

Monza :)>-

 

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