[My79ford]

What is the ultimate minimal suspension lift?

If i wanted to fit a 315/70r17 tire under my bronco, what would yall use? I would want all spring, as minimal as possible lift, good flex. This would be for on road duty, running ranch and lease roads, hitting some trails, etc...

• Aftermarket radius arms?
• Coilovers and shocks? Does anyone make a coil bucket replacement for coilovers?

- or factory style coils and shocks

• Dual shocks up front?
• Deaver rear leafs?
• factory or aftermarket sway bar, and what brand if aftermarket?

Post some pictures of your bronco on a 34-35" tire and how much lift you are running.

 

[tkrone8970]

What is the ultimate minimal suspension lift?

If i wanted to fit a 315/70r17 tire under my bronco, what would yall use? I would want all spring, as minimal as possible lift, good flex. This would be for on road duty, running ranch and lease roads, hitting some trails, etc...

• Aftermarket radius arms?
• Coilovers and shocks? Does anyone make a coil bucket replacement for coilovers?

- or factory style coils and shocks

• Dual shocks up front?
• Deaver rear leafs?
• factory or aftermarket sway bar, and what brand if aftermarket?

Post some pictures of your bronco on a 34-35" tire and how much lift you are running.

I’ll be the first to say a 4 link would be your best bet. You could dial it in right where you wanted.

But I am going to assume you, like me, aren’t interested in building something custom.

I’m going with Duff Extended Radius Arms.
A 4” lift, I went with BDS, but up front I don’t think brands a big factor. For coils I’d look into Wild Horses 6” Springs for the Early Broncos. They work out to about 4” in the 78s. They are the only progressive springs I was able to find on the market and worth the buy in my research. I didn’t look too much into coil overs just because of the price tag but I couldn’t find a prefabbed kit for what it’s worth. I’m also using Duff’s Shock Hoops over the stock set of Dual shocks for increased travel. Yes on the Deaver Springs in the rear! Some people find them too soft but for what you’re saying, sounds just right. For sway bars, Hellwig makes an awesome product! Factory is pretty solid though


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[Doosenberry]

35x12.50r15 Mickey Thompson Deegan 38 tires. Stock suspension with no lift. Not the greatest flexer with a stock suspension, but I'll eventually get around to some upgrades.

 

[My79ford]

I’ll be the first to say a 4 link would be your best bet. You could dial it in right where you wanted.

But I am going to assume you, like me, aren’t interested in building something custom.

I’m going with Duff Extended Radius Arms.
A 4” lift, I went with BDS, but up front I don’t think brands a big factor. For coils I’d look into Wild Horses 6” Springs for the Early Broncos. They work out to about 4” in the 78s. They are the only progressive springs I was able to find on the market and worth the buy in my research. I didn’t look too much into coil overs just because of the price tag but I couldn’t find a prefabbed kit for what it’s worth. I’m also using Duff’s Shock Hoops over the stock set of Dual shocks for increased travel. Yes on the Deaver Springs in the rear! Some people find them too soft but for what you’re saying, sounds just right. For sway bars, Hellwig makes an awesome product! Factory is pretty solid though


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I was thinking of maybe the Bloody knuckle garage arms/hoops up front. Finding a good progressive rate coil, with decent shocks. Essentially what you are doing.

What kind of wheel travel do yall see with the " 4inch " lift as described?

Do you have an opinion between a shackle flip on the rear vs spring only lift?

@Doosenberry Im very surprised you can get that flex and use out of the bronco with no lift! It gives me hope for keeping mine low!

 

[BigBlue 94]

I recommend a 4" lift for 35s so you dont destroy your body.

Soft coils, deaver q80 3" leaves, and extend the radius arms about a foot. High quality shocks, single on each corner is good. Rubber bushings ride softer and flex more than urethane, but only last a few years.

I have an 85 with cutout flares, 37s, and a 6" lift with extended radius arms. It is still TTB though.

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

broncoair makes Coilover mounts for the Newer broncos. However I have a set and it would be easy to put them on the 78, only needed the correct set of holes drilled in either the mounts, or the frame.
BRONCOAIR COILOVER TOWERS
They are made for a bit a lift, though you could just run shorter coil overs, or extended these. For that matter the ttb truck coil over mounts will be a close fit as well from the likes of Desolate, Solo, Threat, Giant, etc. Some money for not being a bolt on solution though.
Duff Makes TREX arms, which are shorties of their normal ones. Those maybe a good option, thogh would limit flex.

For my own 78 I am running superflex coils, rear raptor shocks, duff arms, and am very happy with it.
On the q80s that will work, however the leaf spring dimensions change from the 78/79 to the TTB trucks. The axle is 1" forward on 78/79, may have to work around that a bit but nothing that is not do-able. I run H58 rear springs on mine, with a anti-wrap bar.

 

[My79ford]

broncoair makes Coilover mounts for the Newer broncos. However I have a set and it would be easy to put them on the 78, only needed the correct set of holes drilled in either the mounts, or the frame.
BRONCOAIR COILOVER TOWERS
They are made for a bit a lift, though you could just run shorter coil overs, or extended these. For that matter the ttb truck coil over mounts will be a close fit as well from the likes of Desolate, Solo, Threat, Giant, etc. Some money for not being a bolt on solution though.
Duff Makes TREX arms, which are shorties of their normal ones. Those maybe a good option, thogh would limit flex.

For my own 78 I am running superflex coils, rear raptor shocks, duff arms, and am very happy with it.
On the q80s that will work, however the leaf spring dimensions change from the 78/79 to the TTB trucks. The axle is 1" forward on 78/79, may have to work around that a bit but nothing that is not do-able. I run H58 rear springs on mine, with a anti-wrap bar.

Im going to preempt this reply by saying, I would like to keep the bronco lower. Essentially a similar Fender to tire gap that a factory height and 33's shows. Also, my wife is short....

What have you heard on the Wild Horses 4" lift? Some of the stuff I have been reading, the rear spring is a little bit more stable at speed(highway) vs the Deavers. Ive also read good things about the front progressive coils. The reason im thinking about the package from WildHorses, I can slowly piece together the entire thing. Run it as is, until I can afford to throw radius arms and a bigger set of shocks at it. BUT, all of this comes at a taller bronco.

Im not entirely sold on buying the TREX arms. Why do that when you can get the extended version for $100 more? Why buy the TREX when stock is the same size? What are the benefits VS stock?

@CrazyBRONCOguy what rear sway bar are you running?

Ultimately I dont think i want to go larger than 315/70r17 tires(on this bronco). Could i get away with a stock Deaver replacement, with reverse shackle out back? Another reason why the coilover is a draw, I can essentially set the height of the front to match.

Im curently all over the place on suspension, just trying to nail down a good recipe for my likes and needs. Thanks for answering questions. The search function is a little hard to navigate on this site.

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

Trex arms are kicked in for tire clearance. That is really only reason to get them over using stock arms, at least at low lifts. I agree the long arms are better. Especially as they have a heim and I feel control the front suspension better, though maybe at the expensive of some ride quality or harshness. My opinion after running them though is it is very minor and none issue, if anything helps "road feel".
The WH springs do have a higher rate, and would be better choice for street driving/small towing at least in comparison to the superflex Deavers. That said deaver will make you a set of springs per your spec. I know desolate has a set of "lowlift" rear springs they sell for the TTB trucks, that maybe a good option.... Given the front Spring design on the solid axle trucks, you can easilly cut the coils to get your lift where you want it on your specifc truck too. I have done this in the past to level out my Bronco (though not on my newest setup)

I do not run a rear sway bar, but different goals in mind for my 78, vs what your building. If i was going to run one, something like Desolate sells for the TTB trucks would be what I would do.

 

[My79ford]

I've been following Desolate for a while, and was actually looking at what they have for ttb's that would crossover. It seems like there is quit a bit. I sent a couple questions over this morning while i was thinking about it.

If i were to purchase a set of 4" progressive coils, and they were too tall, what kind of issues would i run into if i raised the coil buckets? Would this throw anything out of whack? Would it be ok to cut them down?

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

Nothing other then potentially running into the inner fenders, eventually if done enough... Raising the buckets, or fabbing new ones, is actaully the best way to keep from getting coil bind if you were pushing the truck hard (desert style driving). Just make sure they are support enough if you go this route. Autofab makes adjustable upper inserts. Also a few places make adjustable coil spring mounts, ballistic for example. Though if going to that effort its not any more or less work to go to coil overs up front either. Cutting the springs is easy and effective, on the street you'd never know. I took 1 1/2" out of the first set of superflex springs I had on my 78.
To run TTB era leafs on the rear you might have to relocate the rear hangers a bit, but should not be a big deal. I do not off hand remember the differance in the dimension.

 

[ford4x429]

To run ttb leaf spring you can disassemble the spring pack and re-drill main leaf... much easier than moving mounts around... myself I moved rear axel spring perch back approx 5" and flipped the factory shackle mounts side to side for the flip… I'm not sure this is possible without some body lift. I can run front drive line in rear, only have to bring

Nothing other then potentially running into the inner fenders, eventually if done enough... Raising the buckets, or fabbing new ones, is actaully the best way to keep from getting coil bind if you were pushing the truck hard (desert style driving). Just make sure they are support enough if you go this route. Autofab makes adjustable upper inserts. Also a few places make adjustable coil spring mounts, ballistic for example. Though if going to that effort its not any more or less work to go to coil overs up front either. Cutting the springs is easy and effective, on the street you'd never know. I took 1 1/2" out of the first set of superflex springs I had on my 78.
To run TTB era leafs on the rear you might have to relocate the rear hangers a bit, but should not be a big deal. I do not off hand remember the differance in the dimension.

one spare D/L when wheeling

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

I like the drilling new center pin location in the spring idea

 

[My79ford]

How much lift does a shackle flip afford? A softer spring, with shackle flip for a "2" lift seems like the right line. Possibly adding a set of 4" coils that have been cut a little bit?