[Haul_n_horses2]

I have new X-springs and hardware for the front axle of my DRW truck. Will I have to re-adjust the track bar since it will lift it approximately 1.5" or is the stock position close enough?

On edit: Sorry about the thumbs down. That was chosen when viewing on a small laptop before the morning coffee and I thought it was a question mark. LOL.


****attempted to be fixed by Tom S****

 

[skylinedan]

That will teach you to mess with the commputer before your morning cup of coffee. What raising the front does is pulls the axle too the left, your in efect shortening the panhard bar (track bar) I don't think raising 1.5 inches will effect it a lot, it may throw you stering wheel of a bit, but thats easily fixed. You not gonna change the toe on the truck because no mater where the axle is the drag link travels with it. Theres a addjustment to center the wheel that has no effect on toe. When I do alignments on these trucks I set toe then drive it making addjustments till the wheel is centered. Hope this helps out HH.

Dan

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

They are just heavy duty stock ford springs and I don't think ford made a different trac bar for them you you should be just fine with the stock one.
Also when you get them installed let me know how you like them because I plan on getting a set also.

 

[Haul_n_horses2]

They are just heavy duty stock ford springs and I don't think ford made a different trac bar for them you you should be just fine with the stock one.
Also when you get them installed let me know how you like them because I plan on getting a set also.

I know they do not require a different track bar. The question was about adjustment of the OEM trackbar. Since the truck is higher (slightly) the trackbar will pull the axle left. I was wondering if folks tried to offset this effect by adjusting the length of the trackbar ie. longer.

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

I know they do not require a different track bar. The question was about adjustment of the OEM trackbar. Since the truck is higher (slightly) the trackbar will pull the axle left. I was wondering if folks tried to offset this effect by adjusting the length of the trackbar ie. longer.

OK and I was just saying that you shouldn't have to adjust the trac bar any becasue if it is good for all the trucks that came factory with them it should be fine for anyone adding them. If anyone is worried about it going to the left just a little then just get a adjustable trac bar and be done with it.

 

[skylinedan]

I can't see raising the truck 1.5 inches would move the axle over that far, 6 or 8 inches yes , but not 1.5 . Do some measuring with the truck at the present hight, then take a jack and raise it 1.5 higher do your measuring again from the same points as before you jacked it up. This should give you a pretty good idea of how much it moves to the left.

Dan

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

I bet it won't even move to the left any.

 

[skylinedan]

I don't think it will either, We have a guy who hangs around here at the shop, he's built a few of theses trucks and every one he's put the add a leaf kit on. Now he built a 07, so theres no need for it. I'm thinking of doing it, he told me the kit was 89 bucks on ebay. All it is, is two spings you add to whats allready there. He never said that his wheel was off after doing it I recall, but when he gets back from Canada I'll ask him. Like I tol HH I can't see the axle moving that much from a 1.5 raise , but raise it 6 or 8 inches and your talking movement. Also keep this in mind, when you do a lift kit like that , they have a new bracket that lowers the pan hard bar down to compensate for the lift.

Dan

 

[southmike]

if it does i am sure a front end alignment would cure it

 

[skylinedan]

As I said your only gonna effect the stearing wheel because the link that ties the right and left knuckle together moves with the axle. The only way you can change it without addjusting the link is to rotate the axle one way or the other. The uper ball joint has a cam that makes it posable to addjust caster and camber, I just went through all this two weeks ago helping Jack with his 07 he built. I would however like to know if the kit your putting on makes the front stiffer, Damn trucks allready ride like a buck board, I don;t want it to be worse.

Dan

 

[Haul_n_horses2]

I would however like to know if the kit your putting on makes the front stiffer, Damn trucks allready ride like a buck board, I don;t want it to be worse.

Dan

No kit. Just some springs and new U bolts and nuts. I will take it in for an alignment after installing the springs. Probably happen when I am installing the new bumper and I have the front end opened up.

 

[skylinedan]

Thats what Jack made it sound like, I don't remember him saying anything about new U-bolts thought. He said the last one he bought off Fleebay went for $89.00 plus shipping. I never paid attention to how long the stock bolts are I guess I'l go look here in a minute when I go back out in the shop.

Dan

 

[Haul_n_horses2]

Thats what Jack made it sound like, I don't remember him saying anything about new U-bolts thought.

U-bolts should never be re-used.

 

[skylinedan]

We reuse them here a lot depends on thier condition, We get a lot of new take off stuf from ford that we either sell or use to fix a total. You can reuse them as long as there in good shape, no rusty junk that sort of thing.

Dan

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

U-bolts should never be re-used.

Could you explain why I have have read that before but no one has ever said why.

 

[Haul_n_horses2]

Could you explain why I have have read that before but no one has ever said why.

I thought these stretched under the torque applied. Once removed they are already stretched so they should not be torqued to the same value. So what torque do they use? Mine are very nasty. 5 years in the corrosive environment with MgCl2 applied all winter long.

 

[skylinedan]

If there rusty then replace them, we never replace them unless they need to be. I have never heard of anyone braking a U bolt used or otherwise. If they strech it can't be enough to hurt the strenth of the bolt, and torque is something you don't worry about, having all the ends at the same lenth after done tightening. The center bolt will have to be replced because you cut off the excess after everything is tightened down.

Dan

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

I don't know what they are torqued to but I know you don't torque turn them so they should be fine to reuse unless they are all rusted or in bad shape.

 

[Haul_n_horses2]

I don't know what they are torqued to but I know you don't torque turn them so they should be fine to reuse unless they are all rusted or in bad shape.

My notes from TDS say the U-bolts are torqued in a criss-cross pattern to 99 ft-lbs. The forward spring bolt is 203 ft-lbs and the aft spring bolt is 185 ft-lbs. Anybody have any other suggestions for this project? I am planning to remove the bumper to do this. Anything else going to be removed? Other tips?

 

[THEDIESELMAN]

I think the bumper is all that needs to be removed to get the springs out. Are you going to change out your springs soon I want to do mine this weekend just need to see if the guy still wants to swap springs.