James Duff Stage 1

Ask technical questions about your Ford Bronco II here. Technical write-ups on your axle swaps, engine swaps, chop tops, etc. are encouraged.
Reinforcements
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James Duff Stage 1

Post by Reinforcements »

How much does a stage 1, 3in. lift alter the haandling of my b2? Would it make it more or less prone to roll-over??
I need to know before I buy.
1988b2
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Post by 1988b2 »

all i know is that all suspension lifts make the center of gravity higher and more prone to roll. If u want more height and stability, get a body lift. If u want more suspension with stability get a body lift and a small suspension lift like 2 inch depends on how serious u r and your budget ;)
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Nobody
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Re: James Duff Stage 1

Post by Nobody »

Reinforcements wrote:How much does a stage 1, 3in. lift alter the haandling of my b2? Would it make it more or less prone to roll-over??
I need to know before I buy.
As mentioned, any time you raise the suspension, you raise your center of gravity, which in itself makes your bronco more rollover prone.

If you keep your sway bars hooked up and have decent shocks, I think you can keep the danger to a minimum.

Of course my bronco is lifted over 6", soft springs and no sway bars, and I manage to keep it on all fours....most of the time ;) It pretty much depends on the driver.
Reinforcements
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Post by Reinforcements »

Thanks guys, all I need to know now is where to find a 2 in. suspension lift. Would it need to be a custom job or are there B2 specific kits availiable?
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Nobody
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Post by Nobody »

I wouldn't bother with a 2" lift. If you're going to spend the money, at least do 3-4 inch.

Why do you want to lift it?
B2JAY
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Put your purse down!

Post by B2JAY »

If you're going to lift your rig, DO IT RIGHT! I went through the same thing when lifting my rig, and probably asked a lot of the same questions you're asking now. I finally came to the realazation that I was not going to be happy with just a 3in lift when I could go 6in in one shot. I opted for the 6in skyjacker lift which was reasonable priced and looks best I've seen and on top of all of that, the lift did'nt really change the way my rig drove except for the steering. (need a steering stableizer) When doing my research I heard body lifts are not the way to go because its lifting the heaviest top portion (the cab) even higher making more likely to tip. When you use a suspension lift, you are lifting it all. I'm at work right now but will post some pics of the finised product. 3-4 is no enough.l.....
DBrown
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Post by DBrown »

When doing my research I heard body lifts are not the way to go because its lifting the heaviest top portion (the cab) even higher making more likely to tip. When you use a suspension lift, you are lifting it all.
accualy when you do a body lift your center of gravity stays lower because you are not lifting the frame, motor, tranny, and transfer case. the body lift is a cheap way to fit larger tires. the cheapest would be to get out the sawzaw and a BFH and make your tires fit.

when you lift you should get some more agressive off set rims. that will make you wider and more stable.

I ran a 3" body lift and 31's on more off set rims and it worked realy well. was 100% more stable.
71 Bronco - twin sticked, full width, 2" lift, wristed arm, lots of rust...

http://www.catalystcycles.com
Reinforcements
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Post by Reinforcements »

This rig wasnt going to be a severe wheeler. In fact in would spend 75% of the time on the road. I was plannig on running a set of 15x8 American Racing Rock crawlers with 31x10.5 BFG All terrains.
I just want something I can have a little fun with when i go camping n' stuff.
B2JAY
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Lifted Right

Post by B2JAY »

This is my rig with a 6 in lift. I went back and forth with it for a while and I use my rig about the same as you do. In the end I figured why should I spend the money if it's not going to turn out like I want it to.

This is the end result! I found that I could have gotten away with a 31' agressive tire but went 33s. Good luck whatever you do.

PS The Chicks Dig It!!!
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OCD4B2
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Post by OCD4B2 »

First of all to say, just like everyone else, when you raise your vehicle it has a higher center of gravity. This is definitely easier to flip because of that.

Second of all I have something for you to think of..... Is it easier to push over a pyramid or a tall skinny building? If you set you tires out farther from your vehicle like B2JAY then it acts more stable. But if you lift it and keep it the same width of the entire truck and then lift it, your gonna be just like that tall skinny building. Best width/height ratio is full width axles but then again. Most of the time that isnt very legal on the road. I would suggest to look into the DMV or something like that so you can find out how far your tires can be out of your wheel wells and/or fenders. But thats just my .02 cents :D
230,000 miles and she still turns heads
FatMan
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Post by FatMan »

small lift and narrow tires...

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Darker than your average wheeler!!!!
B2JAY
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Tipping

Post by B2JAY »

True that! I did go with a 15x10 inch rim and 12.5 inch tires. It's pretty stable, even when I'm cornering...
Rockcrawler
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Post by Rockcrawler »

i used to have a 4 inch on my bronco with some really offset rims and tires and the truck was just as stable as it was stock. your offset makes a huge diffrence.
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Nobody
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Post by Nobody »

Offset and wide tires is hard on wheel bearings and steering components.
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Phillippi
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Post by Phillippi »

I used to have the stage 1 lift and it was very stable. I had the stock wheels, but bigger tires. As with any B2 as long as you think before you drive it should be plenty safe.
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