How Fast Can You Guys Drive Your Eb

[jayjay]

Im asking this because I just got my bronco (67) about a month ago and when I got it drove really badly. So I took it to the shop and had the whole front end re-built with dual stabilizers and all. Anyway, I got it back today and was loving it but I don

 

[Broncoholics]

Well my top speed is 60-70 with 5:89 gears and 38's in 4th gear and it seems fine. I wish I could go faster but the RPM's are already at 4500...

Have you checked the driveline u-joints, shocks, tie-rods, ball joints, and bushings?

 

[oh2bnok]

My old 74 I could run it as fast as i dared drive. Had it to 85 on the interstate with plenty of peddle remaining. I ran 31s with 3:50 gears, dual shocks up front, with all new components such as tie rods , bearings ect. The front end was real tight. but it just wasn't made to drive that fast. On the flat surfaces it was great but the bridges !

Bill

 

[texar72broncoboy]

i have a 72 with 33 and about 3 inch lift and mine will go 85 but comfortably about 60-65you also have to put in consideration ur driving a box its not gunna go very fast

 

[fbrown3]

Bottom line... if you want to drive fast get a sports car if you want to have fun drive a 4X4. Remember a four wheel drive won't handle like a car, and a car won't handle like a 4X4. I have seen plenty of them in the junk yard that have tried!!!

 

[Toby the Dancing Bronco]

You know, you said you had the whole front end rebuit, but what do your tires look like? Funky wear any where? When you accelerate from a stop, does your rig raise up or squat? While I agree that a bronco has the areodynamic profile of a concrete block, it should be safe enough to drive at necessary highway speeds, even if it is not for long periods of time. Perhaps your front springs are too light, valving poorly set in the shocks, or you have the wrong angle C-bushings for your lift. (U-joints up front ok?) What about your wheel bearings? These are just thoughts. My track arm bushings went out a couple of years ago, and it was unsafe at any speed, dirt or street. Go back to the shop that rebuilt the front end and have them drive it, then hook up with someone else in your town that has a Bronco and compare the ride at speed. Hope it helps. I commute 14 miles each way each day, and avoid the highway due to the joints in the concrete make me feel like Evil Kenevil. Might look cool, but I'd rather live to wheel another day. Let us know what you find.

 

[jayjay]

So, there is nothing more I can do to the front.....it is solid! However, in the power steering there is movement in the wheel before the car re-acts. I also have a 97 blazer (i know) I guess when I turn the wheel I expect the car to respond. I guess my real question is, why is my power steering not tight? I could get it tight like I want it, the car would go fast no prob, but it really isnt as tight as I would like it.....JJ

 

[Horseplay]

Jayjay some of the slop you describe is in your steering shaft joint where it bolts to the gearbox try a Borgsen steering shaft or use Borgsen u-joint style cuplers and build yourself a custom shaft. Or you could, take the original coupler apart and weld in some filler metal on those square pieces inside the joint and grind them back down until you get a tight fit. Not sure but just removing the original joint and replacing it with a sigle Borgsen joint may work, I just dont know if anyone offers that style joint as a replacement for the original.

 

[oh2bnok]

You might try replacing the rag joint. there is alot of play in it and if it hasn't been replaced I would do so, it will take up some slack.

 

[broncoshell]

Jayjay, Something else to thing about is your steering wheel. it's a big wheel & with power steering it is diff for sure... I replaced the wheel & it drives a lot better... Just something to think about!!! Good luck >-

 

[monza]

Im asking this because I just got my bronco (67) about a month ago and when I got it drove really badly. So I took it to the shop and had the whole front end re-built with dual stabilizers and all. Anyway, I got it back today and was loving it but I don

 

[combstj]

JJ,

i just got a 75 with a front end thats about as tight as madonnas front end - its way loooooose.

am looking at all the usual suspects - i wanted to know what it cost you to have the front end checked out and rebuilt ?

thx, Monza.

I've driven mine coast to coast three times, interstate all the way. I've never had a problem. The stearing is a little sloppy, and it's noisy, but the ride isn't bad considering it's a 30+ year old vehicle. I've only been "white knuckle" once, and that was when I had a 60 mph cross wind while driving I-80 across Nebraska.

 

[monza]

So, there is nothing more I can do to the front.....it is solid! However, in the power steering there is movement in the wheel before the car re-acts. I also have a 97 blazer (i know) I guess when I turn the wheel I expect the car to respond. I guess my real question is, why is my power steering not tight? I could get it tight like I want it, the car would go fast no prob, but it really isnt as tight as I would like it.....JJ

JJ,

i was advised by the good folks her to tighten the hex nut in the top of my power steering box to eliminate slack. My truck came with a custom steer shaft - so there is very little play in the shaft - but at the box i was getting +- 5 degrees movement.

i just backed off the lock nut and tightened the allen nut by quarter turn increments.

Whilst tightening with left hand i twisted the steering shaft back and forth with right hand.

If u go slow you can feel the gears in the box tighten up to each other.

its taken a bunch of slop out of my steering.

Dont overtightn tho - it causes undue wear in the box.

you can feel when the slack gets squeezed out.

well worth getting dirty for.

hope that helps some.

monza.

 

[Bully Bob]

Tightening that ***** can lead to serious problems....it's a "pre-load" ***** for the factory to "set" the load.....or for when re-building.

Putting a bind on it could crack the box, or worse.

And, my rig will do 80+ easily, I cruise 70-75 no prob.

 

[paintproject]

4" lift with 33's. Got to 90 once without paying attention. It was okay because the road was smooth but I wouldn't want to do it again. when I hit a small bump it darts pretty bad and gets unpredictable.

 

[rodsteal]

I always thought it had to do with your tranny, gears and tire size. Since we all have changed those three parameters, we all get different results. I have an NP 435 with a 1st gear that is worthless on the pavement and 31's. I am quite sure the gears are stock and I cruz around 65 on the highway at 2600 rpm and creep up to 70 every once and a while without and trouble.