Robert m

iTrader: (2)

looks like there is movement in almost every joint in that system. but i would start with replacing the idler and pitman arm and see how that changes things. if there is still movement, then the center link.

offset442

ok so i took a new look at the auto-zone replacement i have had sitting around, and it clears the frame by about a half inch, but was rubing and breaking off from the stress in the past, so seeing that the clearance was good i desided to go ahead and make a brace out of some tempered truck frame, because i hate buying stuff like that only to find-out its un-tempered mild steel yuck! anyway i free handed it with a plasma made some mistakes, but thats what i love about metal if you cut it too short you can always weld more back on. i think that i will not be seeing any more scraping or breaking any time soon!!! thank you!!



jacked it up again and started beating on it fairly solid now!

morena67

highonpottery

iTrader: (1)

good job on the brace. still i would inspect the rest of the steering system and look for any loose spots - if you keep breaking idlers its possible you have something else going on. if you're wheeling your IFS decently hard or have larger than stock tires i'd recommend you have parts that aren't 25yrs old with hundreds of thousands of miles on them. swapping them out and keeping the old ones as trail spares is not a bad idea.

for the ultimate idler arm upgrade if planning to stay with IFS, check out the Total Chaos idler arm made for their long travel kits

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

Im not a metallurgist by any means but doesn't welding on tempered steel mess up the hardening and temper with the heat anyway?
Which is why its frowned upon to weld onto factory tempered frames.

Either way, not a bad job on the brace. I would still go through all the other components and replace what ever has movement in it.

offset442

"Im not a metallurgist by any means but doesn't welding on tempered steel mess up the hardening and temper with the heat anyway?
Which is why its frowned upon to weld onto factory tempered frames."

well yes and no, if its a small part and you quench it in water, then stick it into a toaster oven jamed on broil for an hour or so you can get the temper back, the metal i used was ~2% Mn alloy steel, so its takes a temper well and becomes very spring like.

changed out the pitman and woren out gear box as well, going to have to wait for some new tie rods for now, I took this thing out to my back yard where they hold King of the hammers (http://ultra4racing.com/king_of_the_...e-hammers-map/ we did the mountian loop with a buddy lastnight, rubbing all gone!!!

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

cool, glad you got it sorted out.

One of these years I'm going to make it out to the hammers race... Seeing as how I live in apple valley.

offset442

don't feel bad i live almost in Johnsen valley, and i still have never been to one, LoL

skypilot

iTrader: (1)

I believe I have the same lift kit you do. You should have a brace on that idler arm. Mine have plenty of clearance, check the part#'s you must be getting the wrong ones.

offset442

here we are now a year later and im still on the same idler arm since the brace......its update time the brace is holding nicely with no sign of pre failure, idler arm braces work well even on extream rigs

I now have blazeland equivalent long travel
IFS spartan locker
4" drop life
trailmaster spindle spacers
03' F150 tie rods with modified tapers

have broken the following
4 ifs t-100 half shafts
1 stock tie rod
1 set of 3/4 " heim joint ends used for steering + 1 5/8" grade 8 bolt