There are two common configurations for solid-axle suspensions located by control arms: those with triangulated links to locate the axle side to side, and those with a track bar (Panhard bar) to locate the axle side to side. If you are using a steering box with a linked front suspension then 99 percent of the time you’ll have a track bar setup. But the triangulated suspension offers advantages such as smooth vertical motion as the axle cycles through its travel, whereas a track bar suspension pushes the axle side to side on extension and compression.

If you are transferring power in a straight line, you can use a shaft to accomplish it. Add angles and offsets though, and things get tricky. Now you need a universal joint. U-joints are used in driveshafts where you need to get power from the transfer case down to the axles as the suspension cycles. A typical U-joint consists of the center cross (body) with four trunnions, four bearing caps that install on the trunnions, needle bearings inside the caps, and grease seals. We headed to Bayshore Truck, our local Spicer dealer, to compare sizes and types of U-joints for driveline applications.

Steering is one of the two most important systems on your vehicle (the other being brakes). Finding the perfect steering system for your four-wheeler is vital to making it perform off-road. In the last 10 years full hydraulic steering has taken the off-road world by storm, but it’s nothing new. Tractors have been running hydraulic steering for ages and with good reason: They must turn in rough terrain, and the equipment must be simple and easy to fix.

Factory power steering systems are designed for stock vehicles. Adding weight to a truck and/or larger tires increases the force required to steer. Add off-road realities such as low tire pressure and boulders that bookend tires, and the force required to turn the wheels can exceed factory power steering output.

Steering is one of the most important components of your 4x4. If you toast a transmission or break an axle you can still steer to the side of the road. Lose your steering and you are just along for the ride. Factory steering is good for a stock vehicle, but when you start swapping axles or adding bigger tires you need something better. Better materials and increased wall thickness are common upgrades for tie rods and drag links, but oftentimes not enough thought is given to the end of those steering links.

The Ford Raptor came to us for the ’09 model year and quickly earned a reputation as the go-to truck for high speed off-road use. But with their healthy power and look-at-me styling, these trucks have also become a substitute for the midlife crisis muscle cars. Of course, not every Raptor is living a life of luxury cruising the dunes on weekends or hauling golf clubs with the guys. We have a buddy who runs a “facility” in the desert and he has a first-year Raptor that sees work and abuse like a farm truck. He has smashed more than a few bumpers and skidplates, shredded some tires, and left a fair bit of desert pinstriping down the sides of the once glossy black paint.

Nuts, I’m Confused
Heavy Front F-150
Q Hello, I have an ’04 F-150 Fx4 and plan to lift it about 6 inches and run 35s. My question, however, is about aftermarket bumpers from Buckstop. According to the website the bumper (complete with guard) for my truck weighs 190 pounds over stock. I don’t think that includes the estimated weight of a winch. Is there any special considerations I should make while installing the new suspension up front? I plan to use the full suspension kit from Skyjacker with add-a-leaves and 35-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cody G.
Via nuts@4wheeloffroad.com

For years the Ford Explorer was the bestselling SUV in the country, yet you rarely see them on the trails in numbers comparable to Jeep Cherokees or Toyota 4Runners. With production spanning two decades and high sales numbers, you can pick up a used Explorer for cheap and be out on the trails tomorrow... well, exploring. Cheesy puns aside, these Blue Oval SUVs offer good dimensions for wheeling along with potent engines and capable suspensions. There are a few pitfalls though, and you need to know what you are looking for.

Original parts are always a compromise, be they tires, drivetrains, or even bumpers. A factory front bumper needs to fend off small cars, look decent, and be mileage-friendly. Because of the latter, bumpers are usually quite close to the ground, which messes up the approach angle. And if there are heavier and bigger things in your pickup’s path than just pesky small cars, then the somewhat flimsy factory bumper doesn’t stand much of a chance.

Late-model lift kits can be surprisingly similar among manufacturers. Functional realities such as maintaining steering geometry and alignment limit the engineering possibilities. In IFS kits, knuckle designs are the main distinguishers. The challenge here is to clear various tire/wheel combos and even aftermarket brakes without fattening the steering radius by radically widening the front track.

Ford was the first of the Big Three to bring a radius arm, coil front suspension to market for a solid front axle, starting on the ’66 Ford Bronco. Ford continued with the F-150 and Bronco through the introduction of Twin Traction Beams (TTB) in the ’80 model year. This suspension configuration has a reputation for providing a smooth ride and admirable wheel travel, with a similar configuration still in use today on Super Dutys.

Pipe is not supposed to be used on trucks. Pipe is designed for transferring fluids, whereas tube is designed to be used as a structural material. But from the dawn of man being behind the wheel of a 4x4 there has been this urge to take giant pieces of pipe and make big bash bumpers for the fronts of said 4x4s. We could easily say it’s wrong, don’t do it, it’s ugly, it’s heavy, blah blah blah. But on the other hand, what if we actually tried to build a nice-looking functional bumper with a piece of low-buck schedule 40 pipe?

In our Mar. ’13 issue we gave you some insight on do-it-yourself engine swaps (“Easy Engine Exchange”). This month we’ll continue with some points on three fundamental parts to making your engine run: wiring, cooling, and fuel. These three components can make or break the enjoyment of your new repowered 4x4.

Nuts, I’m Confused
Escape the Inner Circle
Q I have a question about U-joint repair. In the Nov. ’10 story “Universal How-To” you show how to repair U-joints with external snap rings. I have an ’01 Dodge 2500 with a Cummins diesel. I am trying to install a “Spyn Tec “ unit bearing replacement kit on the front axle. The stub shafts have internal snap rings, so how do you remove the bearings?
Harry
Via nuts@4wheeloffroad.com

Toyotas have a reputation for being tough and reliable, and they command a premium price as a result. Our newest project, the $4K 4Runner, is the exception. Its torsion-bar front suspension and bloated body make it less than ideal for trail use. But this Toyota only cost us $1,000 since it came with a blown head gasket when we bought it. This is a common problem on these 3VE 3.0L engines, which has earned them the nickname 3.slow. A few clicks on RockAuto.com and we had the parts we needed to replace the head gaskets and were back on the road for another $800. Not a bad initial investment for a clean wheeling rig, but we still aren’t going to try and make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

Prior to the ’88 model year if you wanted a lift kit for your GM pickup you just found the leaf springs that provided the lift you wanted and what fit your budget, then bolted them in place. While the steering needed to be addressed, the process was still relatively simple and inexpensive. All of that changed when GM went to independent front suspension. The introduction of crossmembers and upper and lower control arms in place of leaf springs make IFS a more complex suspension for four-wheelers wanting to lift their trucks for additional ground clearance and tire fitment.

Most newbies to the off-road sport get a 4x4, and then buy bigger tires and try to make them fit. All too often this results in expensive suspension systems, lots of labor, and cut-up sheetmetal. For many that is the way to go, especially for those fabbers who can build a cool custom suspension. But what about the vast majority of wheelers who just need a bit of lift for bigger tires for better performance? That’s where we were with our long-term Rubicon JK that we treat like a lease vehicle: We can’t dent it, cut off the suspension, or anything else wild, just like many of you. But as capable as the Rubicon is in stock form, we wanted a more manly look and better performance without killing our budget.

About 20 some years ago the trend for off-road leaf springs moved above the axle. The consensus was that if you were going to get crazy in the dirt you needed to have a spring-over conversion. There were plenty of 4x4s still running a spring-under axle suspension, but the hardcore guys all went spring-over. Spring-over gave them great flexibility, articulation, and ground clearance. But it often also resulted in axlewrap, worn-out springs, and problems with driveshafts.

Last month we listed the parts required for a skilled enthusiast to swap a Gen III Hemi V-8 into a JK. This time we show highlights of the swap and discuss what to do in case the engine doesn’t fire or run.

The mighty Buick engines helped keep Jeep viable in the 1960s and early 1970s as Kaiser sorted out its identity. During corporate transitions from Willys to Kaiser to AMC, Buick power made the sometimes less-refined Jeeps competitive with Ford and Chevy 4x4s.

Question x Question x Question
Q I have an early Bronco with a tired 302 engine in it. I want more cubes, but I cannot decide if I should rebuild the 302 into a 347 stroker or just get a 351, since it would be cheaper. And if I do go 351, should I get a Windsor or a Cleveland motor? And will they bolt right in place of my 302?
Ford Fanatic
Via nuts@4wheeloffroad.com

The GM Corporate 14-bolt rear axle is hard to beat. Found in 3⁄4- and 1-ton trucks, they are big, strong, and cheap, making them perfect for spinning large tires on homebuilt 4x4s. Jeep TJs and YJs are also pretty hard to beat. They have small bodies, tough frames, and reliable engines. So we decided to take two great tastes that taste great together and dunk a 14-bolt into a Jeep project.

The Ford 9-inch rear axle is legendary for its strength in applications as varied as rockcrawling and drag racing. The design of a 9-inch uses a dropout-style gearset that makes for easy differential and gear installation, and a third pinion bearing so the pinion will not move away from the ring gear under even the most grueling of applications. The problem is Ford hasn’t offered the 9-inch axle under a vehicle in the past 30 years.

Everyone has a dream engine they’d like in their 4x4. Some want power, some want economy, some want light weight, some want big torque, and most want everything—and they want it for free. We decided to look at three engines we’re hoping to see swapped into a trail rig soon. Not all of these are possible, responsible, affordable, or even reasonable, but we’re pretty sure they would all be cool.

Every year, the aftermarket attempts to reinvent the wheel. It also tries to re-tread the tire in different patterns with different compounds for different purposes. We found a few new designs that should interest wheelers.