After pulling my Ranger in the shop to do some front end work, I had noticed the excessive wear on my radius arm bushings that were replaced last year after i had decided to install a 1.5 inch front spring bushing kit. So while all of my front end components were off the truck i decided to go to town and think of a way to drop my Radius Brackets down another 1.5 inches.


Now in order to drop the radius arm brakets, i had to find a way around the $450 bill i was to pay after recieving these special brackets becuase i only make 160 a week. So i had proceded to fabricate my own using New F-150 Radius arm brackets that only cost like $40 a piece. These F-150 brackets use the same size hole for the radius arm but didn't have the extended pieces of metal casted to make the crossmember just like the stock ones. So After shaving some metal off of the bottom of existing brackets and Cutting and shaving some more metal of the F-150 brackets and welding in a couple of gussets, i hadd came up with a fool proof and cheap way of dropping the radius arm brackets so my bushings didnt wear out every year... sooo i thought.


Everything went according to plan. I had put my front Differential back (resealed it front back and side to side), installed my brand new ball joints, and put all of my 4x4 Hub assembly componets and rotors back into place i had run into a couple of problems that are sure to set me back another couple of headaches. Upon rematching my front side of 4x4 Drive shaft into my newly resealed 'Pig", i found out that after i intalled my brackets it had droppped EVERYTHING down another 1.5 inches and with that being said the crossmember of my existing radius arm brackets is now in the way of the driveshaft itself, and needs to be removed.


Another problem i had found after installing these brackets is that the new front brake hoses (Left and Right) that i had bought are too short now.... Do they sell elongated brake hoses for my application and also what should i do now that i have to sacrifice the rigidity of my old radius arm bracket crossmember in order to gain those 2 inches that i need..... Any help, advice or comment would be appreciated. Thank You from Westland, Michigan

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.bump.

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1994 Ford XLT Extended Cab.
Automatic Transmission w/ a 4.0 6-Cylinder.
2" body Lift on Front & 3" Body Lift on Rear.
American Racing Lock-Out Hubs w/ an electronic 4 wheel drive selector switch.
32 x 11.50 x 15 BFG A.T. K.O.'s for my tires with American Racing Aluminum Rims.
New Engine, New Paint (Frame too), New Interior.... New Everything.

On the brake lines, if I am not mistaken. you can get some for a Jeep Cherokee that have the same ends, but are longer. This route has been used by several members, but I don't know the part number off hand.

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No shit... a jeep cherokee? Would have never guessed.

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1994 Ford XLT Extended Cab.
Automatic Transmission w/ a 4.0 6-Cylinder.
2" body Lift on Front & 3" Body Lift on Rear.
American Racing Lock-Out Hubs w/ an electronic 4 wheel drive selector switch.
32 x 11.50 x 15 BFG A.T. K.O.'s for my tires with American Racing Aluminum Rims.
New Engine, New Paint (Frame too), New Interior.... New Everything.

or you can just get some longer steel braided lines. and as for the crossmember, are you saying its weak? fab a newer stronger one out of some 2x4 steel stock

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2001 XLT 4x4 V6 4.0L auto
SAS'd D44 and 8.8. dual lockers, 38s, 12 bolt h1's, some other odds and ends

Where can i find these steel braided lines? I think they would look great while serving a purpose of strength, unlike these cheep aftermarket rubber ones... Are they exactly for a ranger?

And the crossmember.... Its not weak at all. Its the crossmember of the old radius arm brackets. I welded new brackets on the bottom of the existing ones while using the old crossmember.... And it looks like i am going to have to do just that... but probably not with 2x4.... if i only had a digital camera...

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__-00-__Totally Resurected from the Dead__-00-__

1994 Ford XLT Extended Cab.
Automatic Transmission w/ a 4.0 6-Cylinder.
2" body Lift on Front & 3" Body Lift on Rear.
American Racing Lock-Out Hubs w/ an electronic 4 wheel drive selector switch.
32 x 11.50 x 15 BFG A.T. K.O.'s for my tires with American Racing Aluminum Rims.
New Engine, New Paint (Frame too), New Interior.... New Everything.

What year Jeep would they be manufactured for? Kinda need this information as Michigan is going to see its first snow fall in a year and it would be nice to get my truck off of that damned lift.

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__-00-__Totally Resurected from the Dead__-00-__

1994 Ford XLT Extended Cab.
Automatic Transmission w/ a 4.0 6-Cylinder.
2" body Lift on Front & 3" Body Lift on Rear.
American Racing Lock-Out Hubs w/ an electronic 4 wheel drive selector switch.
32 x 11.50 x 15 BFG A.T. K.O.'s for my tires with American Racing Aluminum Rims.
New Engine, New Paint (Frame too), New Interior.... New Everything.