Hey guys im kinda putting some feeler out there. I recently fabbed up my own first gen diff drop bracket. I ran into some problems after i lifted my truck and needed to alleviate some harsh angles on my cvs. So i threw together some diff drop brackets and WOW what a difference. I wont get into the bog i slogged through to get to that point but Im very happy now. Thing is.. I didnt do a great job with my fab up. Im gonna re-do it. But now i have a plan of action. So i guess im asking if i make a half dozen of these.. Would anyone else be interested?

 

What did you use for a lift kit? Only thing I see is body lifts available for first gens. Also do you have any pictures of the drop bracket?

 

i actually used a 3" + 3" lift from suspension specialists. It said it was made for 97-04 dakotas but i did some research and found out it would work just fine for first gens as well. It was just keys and blocks but it did the trick. After i installed it and my 33s i was still rubbing a bit.. Found out i had maxed my torsions against the jounces. Cut my jounces out whoch allowed me to go even higher! Im at about half way dialed in on my torsions now. A much softer ride. Got plenty of height and clearance but it took me too high and put some harsh angles on my cvs... Not good. I made a couple quick brackets and voila. Everything is much better. I dont have pictures. The brackets ive installed are only a temp fix until i can make a better kit. Something i trust for the life of the truck.

 

[QUOTE=Clell;3405151. Cut my jounces out whoch allowed me to go even higher!.[/QUOTE]


Jounces? are you talking about the bump stops or even the mount the bump stops are attached too? If so, are you not concerned that by removing these, you are putting the ball joints at angles they are not designed to go to? FWIW years ago, there used to be a true lift kit made for the 1st gen dakota's but its my understanding it included new control arms, etc. to deal with the different angle......
I thought you had found an actual lift kit, not just cranking up the torsion bars..... FWIW those keys are common on ebay etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-2004-D...itleDesc=0%7C0

But as you said, keys alone, stiffen up the ride, and limit suspension travel. But I have sincere doubts that cutting out the bump stops is not going to cause a lot of other problems, not to mention safety.

 

Yes the bump stops. Jounces are the technical term. Anytime you lift a truck youre putting things at angles theyre not designed for, and Yes it is an extraordinary (I mean that in the blandest sense of the word) angle on the ball joints. But of course lifted trucks wear the ***** joints far faster than stock trucks. All that is a given. However harsh angles on a ball joint are far less concerning that harsh angles on CVs. mine was so bad i couldnt make a single revolution of a tire withouth a loud POP. Hence the Necessity or a diff drop bracket. but no I am not concerned about safety removing my travel limiters, jounces, bump stops. It is commonly called for when installing lift kits. Which I do frequently, at the performance truck shop, where I work....... FWIW i know those keys are common on Ebay, I bought them, on Ebay.
Im sorry to dissappoint you I scoured every source looking for "an actual lift kit" I am sure there is one in a dusty back room somewhere that no one knows about but its not online. C'est la Vie Mon amis so we are left to engineer our own. If you have any good leads on longer upper control arms though please let me know. I have a feeling aligning this pig is going to get interesting.

 

Lift kits also make provisions for high angles on the ball joints. You only get so much from the stockers, and those stops were put there for a REASON. Blowing out a CV joint is an annoyance, blowing out a ball joint can be life threatening. You are pushing the ball joints beyond design specs. If you NEVER take it off road, or hit a hard bump, you might be just fine. Or not.

I have seen this particular problem on a range of IFS trucks. The S-series trucks (Chevy/GMC) were notorious for it. Simply cranking up the torsion bars to get 1.5 to 2 inches of lift on those was enough to have balljoints snap on a pothole. Or, does the business owner make folks that have this kind of thing done, sign a disclaimer, so he isn't legally liable when their truck breaks?

 

I dont know if anyone makes lift kits for the 2nd. gen. trucks .... I believe the frame mount for the upper control arm is the same. I looked at using the upper control arms on my 87. It appeared the same other then the ball joint stud is a different dia.
One other potential problem is the upper ball joint mount is weak, even from the factory..... first gens screw in, 2nd gens bolt in. There have been alot of upper ball joints tack welded to the arm because they would pop out. Put that extra angle on it and it will make it worse....

 

Well no theres no waiver involved in lifting a truck. We remove bump stops if the application calls for it. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Some applications call for lowering the bump-stops. It all depends the design of the lift. some allow for ONLY FACTORY TRAVEL RANGES. some allow for Greater than that. I do however see your point. Operating entirely outside of factory limits will for sure stress those joints. Perhaps more than Id like to. Ive rethought my process.. By lowering Differential I've de-stressed my CVs. But i don't believe there is anyway to align this thing with out longer control arms. no way to build those my self. I could take on the task of lowering my control arms but thats a can of worms that involves lowering my torsions. None of which can be done with out serious design and manufacturing. Ragtop are you saying that 2nd gen trucks have longer control arms that would bolt in? that might be the hack that solves all my problems. otherwise ill have to return to factory height which will make me *GULP* rub my new 33s

 

Hey man. I know it’s been a couple years but if you have any pictures of your diff drop it would be much appreciated. I’m going to be attempting to make some my self but would like to see yours to compare my idea to what works.