Full-Size Bronco Frequently Asked Questions
Version 1.35/11/98
Compiled by Matt Kirkwood
Updated: 1/23/04
0 Introduction
1 General
2 Tires
3 Suspension
4 Tailgate
5 Driveline
6 Fiberglass top
7 Body
8 Engine swaps
9 Transmission swaps
10 Axle/suspension swaps
11 Transfer case/locking hubs
12 Miscellaneous
13 Tips & Tricks
Back to the Index.
Big Bronco History page. Back to the Index.
pictures for details. Newer D60 front uses pins to mount caliper. My 95 F250 has this type mount and looks like it has more clearance with a std alum 16"" factory wheel vs another similar rim I currently have on my green bronc which has the same brake setup as the older D60 fronts (D44 front 8 lug). Anyway, it looks like you'd need a backspacing in the area of 2.75"" (with some grinding) and that would take a heck of a steering pump/box to drag a tire through that huge arc on the rocks/street. Only other option is use Ch*bbie knuckles/caliper/caliper bracket. It can then be done with 3"" backspacing according to some guys on pirate4X4 message board. Back to the Index.11.3). Ring and pinions will also interchange with other reverse-rotation Dana 44's. The differentials, however, are different and will not interchange.
3.2 What kinds lift kits are available for my Bronco?
3.2.1 Rear suspension
All full-size Broncos came with leaf spring rear suspensions. Lift options for rear leaf suspensions are: blocks, add-a-leafs, or new springs. Blocks are the cheapest option, but may cause axle wrap problems. Add-a-leafs create lift by adding more springs to the spring pack. They help reduce axle wrap problems and can increase load carrying capacity, but they may damage the exising spring pack if the curvature of the add-a-leaf is different than the main pack. New springs will produce the best ride and suspension travel, but they are also the most expensive.3.2.2 78-79 Front Suspension
78-79 Broncos used a front suspension with a straight axle and coil springs. Lifts for the front of these Broncos will include new coil springs, a track bar drop bracket or adjustable track bar, and radius arm drop brackets or degreed C-bushings.3.2.3 80-96 Front Suspension
Ford used the Twin Traction Beam front suspension for these years. There are 3 basic methods used to lift TTB front suspensions 4"" or more: drop brackets all around, drop brackets for the axle pivot and extended radius arms with stock radius arm brackets, and modified TTB housing with extended radius arms and stock axle pivot and radius arm brackets. 2"" lifts are also available for TTB front ends. These lifts can be accomplished two ways. The first is with longer springs or spring spacers and new alignment bushings. The second uses drop brackets similar to 4"" lifts.3.3 Should I get extended radius arms for my TTB Bronco lift?
Extended length radius arms are options for many lift kits for 1980 to 1996 Broncos. They typically double the cost of the lift kit. The advantage of extended radius arms is more downward wheel travel. Upward wheel travel is usually limited by either the bump stops or tire-to-sheetmetal interference. Downward travel on TTB suspensions is limited by binding in the radius arm bushings. Longer radius arms allow the suspension to droop farther before binding occurs. Another advantage can be increased strength. Drop brackets place more leverage on the frame, and can cause breakage. Since extended radius arms use the stock drop brackets, the are less stressful to the frame. However, if the radius arms are poorly built, they may end up being a strength liability. The stock suspension travel will be adequate for most Bronco owners. Broncos with stock radius arms and a drop bracket lift kit can score over 700 RTI on a 20 degree ramp (don't ask me where I heard this, I can't find the reference now). This is a respectable score. If your Bronco is used off-road extensively on hard, uneven surfaces like rocks or rutted trails, you will benefit the most from the additional wheel travel provided by extended radius arms. Broncos used mostly on the street or in mud will gain little advantage compared to the cost of longer radius arms.3.4 Why can't I find a lift for my 1980 Bronco?
1980 was a transition year, and Ford experimented with a lighter frame. Many manufacturers don't list a lift kit for 1980 Broncos because of differences in the frames throughout the 1980 model year. Lifts for newer Broncos will fit, but may require some modifications.3.5 How can I remove the slop from my steering?
Older vehicles tend to develop slop in their steering mechanisms. The TTB front suspension is notorious for eating tie-rod ends. The first step in fixing the slop is to determine where the slop is occurring. Have somebody move the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the steering linkage. Start with the shaft from the steering wheel to the steering box. Watch for slop in the rag joint. Next check for slop in the steering box itself. The pitman arm should track the movement of the input shaft. Next watch the tie rod ends. There should be no slop at all in these parts. On older Broncos, more than one problem is likely. If there was slop in the rag joint, it should be replaced. Slop in the steering box can often be fixed by adjusting the sector shaft backlash adjustment screw. This is a screw sticking out of the top of the steering box with a locking nut on it. Refer to a repair manual for the adjustment procedure. This adjustment often produces dramatic results. Slop in the tie rod ends can only be fixed by replacing them. It's a good idea to purchase high quality, lifetime guaranteed steering parts, first because they are a safety item, and second because you will probably replace them again if you plan to keep your Bronco for more than a few years. Another common problem is worn suspension bushings, especially radius arm bushings. Replacing these bushings with high quality rubber or polyurethane parts may help reduce the slop in your steering.3.6 Can I do anything about the excessive tire wear on my '80 and newer Bronco?
The TTB suspension is widely thought to be inherently bad for tire wear. While this may be true to a degree, many tire wear problems are simply due to worn steering components. If you are having tire wear problems, perform the checks listed above in section 3.5. If your tie-rods are worn, you will need to replace them and get an alignment. Don't rely on the alignment shop to tell you if your steering components need to be replaced, unless you are confident that the shop knows what they are doing. Some shops will simply do the alignment, collect their $50 and send you on your way. The alignment is meaningless if your tie rods are worn, and you will continue to have tire wear problems. Also, frequent tire rotations will help extend the life of your tires. Back to the Index.Back to the Index.
Back to the Index.let us know. Back to the Index.
Big Bronco Fiberglass Body Parts Page.7.3 Is there anything I can do about the cracks near my rain gutters on the upper rear part of the cab?
Ford issued Technical Service Bulletin 951409A on this topic, dated 7/17/95. There is a repair kit that can solve this problem, part number F5TZ-9850223-A. This problem is reported to be eligible for warranty repair on 92-95 Broncos. Refer to your local Ford parts/service department for up to date info. (Thanks to list member David Eyre)7.4 Did I really see a 4-door Bronco, or should I have my exhaust system checked for leaks?
You probably did see a 4-door Bronco, but it's not a bad idea to check your exhaust system anyway. :-) A company named Centurion manufactured a conversion vehicle which was a crew cab pickup cab grafted to a Bronco back end to create the equivalent of a Ford ""Suburban"". While not technically a Bronco, the Bronco community has adopted the Centurian as one of its own. The vehicle came in half ton and one ton configurations. The C-150 is built on an F-150 SuperCab chassis and the C-350 is built on a stretched F-350 regular cab chassis. Centurion VehiclesP.O. Box 715
White Pigeon, MI 49099
(616) 483-9659
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Back to the Index.Big Bronco page. It's a good idea to do the rear axle at the same time and upgrade the master cylinder to match your new brakes.
10.3 Can I put 8 lug axles on the back of my Bronco?
While it is possible to upgrade to 8 lugs through the use of custom axle shafts on your 8.8"" or 9"" axle, it is probable that a Dana 60 or Ford 10.25"" axle from an F-250 or F-350 will bolt up with few modifications. You will definitely need a custom driveshaft to mate to the larger pinion yoke on the new axle, and the braking system should be upgraded to match the new larger drums. Otherwise this should be a farily simple swap.10.4 What would be the axle of choice for durabiltiy and cost on a Dana 60, 14 bolt, or some other choice?
Not D60. Hard to find them stock with steep gears, setup/lockers cost the same/more and axle shafts are realy not much better off over 8.8/9"". I'm using one because I had all the stuff for it and I have 4 of them, so I'm not too worried about axle shaft breakage (won't cost anything and trail fix is very easy with detroit rear). If you want durability, get 10.25 or 14 bolt. Neither will probably ever break. I give the edge of overall durability to 14 bolt, but it's mostly hearsay (and seeing what the big mud guys run) as I've only seen one 10.25 break a major part and it was under the most extreme conditions. For me, welding and fabrication was free and the price difference between 14 bolt and 10.25 was 400$ (plus 200$ on locker). If you can find a 10.25 with 4.56's already (like I found 2, 14 bolts) then all you need is to drop in locker (no gear setup needed) and stuff rear in. This IMO, is the easiest way to get a real stout rear. All depends on costs of different axles in your area. In the future, if they start getting more 10.25's at my ""get rears for 75$, U-pull it place"", I will prob run one in my trail bronc. ..I am thinking 14 bolt is probably cheapest up front and the locker is much cheaper plus I could install it myself. You can install a locker in 10.25 yourself also, just need a new set of carrier bearings and re-use whatever shis were already in there. ..The dana 60 would be more of a bolt in, but more $$ and less strength.....am I correct on this? Yes!! Also, you will need U-bolts and backing plates from 10.25 donor truck for either that diff or 14 bolt since tube is 3.5 dia vs 8.8/9""/D60 which is 3"".10.5 What is the difference in axle shaft strengths of common Bronco differentials (or common swaps)?
Going from 19 spline (1.121 in. dia.) to 30 Spline (1.255 in. dia.) gives you 40% more strength. Going from 30 spline to 35 spline (1.500 in. dia.) gives you 71% more strength. The whopper is going from 19 spline to 35 spline gives you 240% more strength. These figures assume like material strengths.10.6 How can I tell what gear ratio I have and/or if it is an open or posi differential?
First to check for diff status. Rotate one drum, the other drum will spin opposite direction if open and the same direction if posi. Now Rotate drum one revolution. Yoke will rotate half the number of times of gear ratio if open diff or the exact number of ratio if posi. Diff tags can not be trusted, they may have been swapped. Back to the Index.10.2). Back to the Index.
pre-filter. I had been using an Edelbrock air filter cover, over an Edelbrock 1406 carburetor. The diameter of the air filter it takes is 13¾ inches outside, 11¾ inches inside. K&N makes a foam pre-filter, model 25-3750. It measures 14x4 inches. It is to be treated with oil, just like the K&N air filters. Thus it has to be used with a K&N air filter. The air filter which fits the need is model E-1690. It is four inches tall and has the same diameter dimensions of the Edelbrock cover. This pre filter can be removed, washed, re-oiled, and put back on several times before the air filter has to be cleaned. This adds an inch to the height of the original air filter which came with the filter cover.12.3 How to tell a 351-M from a 351 Windsor.
On 351 Windsors and other small block Ford engines (221/260/289/302), the upper radiator hose attaches to a thermostat housing on the front of the intake manifold. On 335 series engines (Cleveland and M-block) the upper radiator hose attaches to a thermostat housing on the top of the block, just in front of the intake manifold. If you can see all the valve cover bolts, small blocks have a total of six bolts while 335 series engines have eight bolts. If you look along the top flange of the valve cover (toward the intake manifold), small blocks have one bolt in the middle, 335 series engines have two bolts between the ends. Back to the Index.Back to the Index.
Ray.
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