hellerhiwater

I def have some suspension problems on my 86 truck. I've got a ifs lift kit on the front and blocks/spring packs on the back.

about a month ago on a trail I was trying to get out of some mud gutters and get the truck up onto higher ground. As I was rolling into the gutter to get up on the high side I came in too fast and at too hard of an angle. The front left wheel took a hit and was knocked back about an inch. I've checked that from measurements. I've taken a few measurements and their some visual defects I can see.

It seems that the bottom mount points for the bottom swing arm are bent back a bit. This is where the lift kit extends those points to create lift. The top swing arm seems to be bent back also. Measuring from the ball joint center to the sub frame point where the cab mounts on the far outside I see a difference of a half an inch.

My lift kit does have adjustments for the toe on the hub so to say, but it doesn't look like its going to move it back enough.

Has anyone had any experience straightening their front ends with a torch and a sledge or what else have you done when these problems arise. I want to do an sas swap but I want the truck back up so I can do it later.

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

desertcamper67

Port-a-power and maybe some heat. There is a gusset thats made specifically to reinforce that area. That drop down bracketry is weaker than stock and since its long it can get bent pretty easily.
Sometimes it helps to get down on your back and look up from under the front suspension to see what is bent or doesn't match the other side.

Jay351

Thats normal. With a drop bracket lift you create huge amounts of leverage on the stock IFS frame (think of using a breaker bar instead of a small rachet).

Bend the frame back till its straight.

Matt16

Personally, at that point I'd take it to a frame shop if it affects driveability and then ditch the lift.

hellerhiwater

The 35's wont fit too well under it without the lift. I'm Thinking I'm going to build some reinforcement brackets that mount from the frame down to the bolts that hold the lower A arm on. I should be able to solid brace that without any trouble right?

Could anyone get me a stock measurement to the stock bolts for the lower A arms. I should be able to do that measurement and then with a little bit of trig figure out what the measurement to the lowered nut is.