Early Bronc Steering

[indy77]

I have a early bronco with a 4" suspension lift and a 2" body lift. I have had it alligned but it still is all over the place. It wonders and has a very bad bump steer. I have ordered a steering stabalizer from james duff but highly doubt it will fix all of my problems. please help if you can

 

[Broncoholics]

Sounds like you need a drop trac bar mount, This is connected to the driverside frame rail and the trac bar conntects to it down to the front axle.

You need to replace the trac bar bushings (top and bottom).

I go thru them fast.

Also check to see if the pitman arm (steering arm) is a drop arm or a flat style (stock). You want the trac bar and the drag link (steering rod ) to be at the same angle otherwise you get bump steer. Also have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth with motor off and look for movement in tie-rods and the trac bar. It will be visable. Also make sure the steering box is tight to the frame, they tend to crack. Let me know...

 

[indy77]

hey broncohollics. thanks for the info. I need to get a drop pitman arm for it but have the drop track bar mount already installed. but i will check the bushings and get back to you.thanks for the help

 

[Broncoholics]

Oh, there is your answer. If you have a drop trac bracket but not the drop pitman arm then you will get bump steer. I have a drop pitman arm I'm not using since I did the tie-rod over conversion on my 68. Now I run the stock flat style. Make me an offer, I'm located in Seattle, WA area.

 

[indy77]

well do you think that it would work on a 77 I have seen that they have a different one for the 76-77 model years. I have the best lift james duff makes but they dont offer a drop pitman arm. weird huh. but let me know if it would work

 

[Broncoholics]

Hmmm... Not sure, I'll have to do some research to know for sure. I thought I purchased my drop pitman arm from Duff. Perhaps it was Tom's Bronco Parts or Wildhorses. it was years ago and too many beers later! :wacko:

 

[oh2bnok]

Don't forget to replace the rag joint on your upper steerign shaft.

 

[crazy rob]

Hey guys, a newbie here. I have the problem like indy77 has. I bought my bronco not to long ago. They guy before me had it lifted with a james duff 3.5" lift. Also put on a lower trck bar mount and a new pitman arm. I have problems with rough road, and braking. Rough road will lean me to correct the steering all the time and if I'm driving and start braking the vehicle tends to go left. I've check other places and if the vehicle was going to the right they had a fix for it but going left...baffles them.

any ideas?

 

[Broncoholics]

Sounds like you need to get the truck aligned and also bleed the brakes just to be sure. The pull you are talking about wouldn't be caused by a lean or trac bar problem. I'd say check the ball joints, wheel bearings, tie-rod ends and get an alignment. Have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you look at the tie-rods, trac bar bushings, Ball joints and any other thing moving around. Is your suspension leaning? If so the C-bushings were instaslled one at a time. You have to do them at the same time to keep things equal. Do this by taking everyting off the axle, dropping the axle to the ground. Get new c-bushings and install them at the same time by trighenting one side, then the other. If you see one radius arm lift off the ground you know its off. Loosen it up, and tighten the other side until they are both tight. Then you have to fight to get both radius arms into the frame mounts. Usually takes two people or a come-along. If this is confusing there are write ups on the web.. Do a search for "Bronco Lean".

 

[knechtj]

broncoholics...i know this posting was from a year ago but was wondering if you still have your drop pitman arm and if so are you still interested in getting rid of it. i have a 68 bronco which has some steering problems (hard to control at higher speeds)

Oh, there is your answer.  If you have a drop trac bracket but not the drop pitman arm then you will get bump steer.  I have a drop pitman arm I'm not using since I did the tie-rod over conversion on my 68.  Now I run the stock flat style.  Make me an offer, I'm located in Seattle, WA area.

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[Broncoholics]

Yeah, I still have it. Whats it worth to you? You run the box with the four thick splines at 12,3,6,9 o-clock? Let me know.