• Just a reminder that you won't be able to start new posts or reply to existings posts in the Archive forum.

    This is where all the old posts go so they can still be used for reference and searched.
  • Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Duff radius arms

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
I haven't had much time lately to share or be involved in the everyday happenings with all my Bronco peeps. I'm currently Training 2 guys in 2 different departments while tag teaming the boxing and shipping duties with Suzy. Our Veteran Shipper moved on a couple weeks ago and we are revamping the shipping and packaging department before we hire someone to run it. Unfortunately the fun stuff gets put on hold when you have to work 12-14 hour days. Not complaining about the work load, I love what I do and I love that our work helps so many people build a bronco of their dreams.

So Today I want to talk about one of our most popular products. The Long Travel Radius Arms. When I first started working for the Duffs I watched how they were being built and I was impressed with how much welding goes into these arms. There were only a few details I thought could be improved. Quite a few skilled welders and fabricators have worked for Duffs over the years but when I came onto the scene all of them moved on. All that was left was Tony who had spent 3 years in manufacturing working his way up from a hobbyist to a skilled weld & fab guy and a couple new guys that were still getting familiar with building all the different parts. Their welding techniques still had room for improvement. Their welds created an excess amount of clean up and the open corner welds were either undercut or over filled. I worked with them on weld settings, gun control, metal prep and weld pattern technique. Now that the welds were dialed in, I had one other thing I wanted to ensure, that the guys were welding in the threaded bung for the heim joint so it was 100% safe and strong. Don't get me wrong there has never been an issue but I wanted to ensure that there was a proper amount of weld gap between the insert and the tube. I made sure everyone was clear that every weld on these arms was critical to the safety of our customers.

There's a lot that goes into building a long arm Kit. Especially since we offer the arms for Dana 44's and Dana 60's as well as every model of bronco and a few years of explorers and rangers. It's our number one priority to have a supply of them on the shelf ready to ship out at any given time.

I want to leave you all with this. I love what I do and I love being a Duff. My Mission is to make sure everything we build and everything we ship out is a quality product that you are extremely happy with. There is always something that can be built better and sometimes there is a quality control issue that needs to be addressed. Make sure you contact me or call James Duff first so we can do everything in our power to do right by you and fix the problem.

As you can see the wall thickness is .313 which equals 5/16"


I set the weld gap to 5/32" for optimal weld penetration.





In this pic you can see the fit and finish of where the tube and the plate make contact. The guys used to back fill all the gaps with weld but this method proved to overheat the tube in a critical area and the welds rarely looked good w/o some grinding. So now we have a collar that fits perfectly around the plate and tube and looks great after it's welded.


Our stiffener plate is stitched in and provides moisture to escape (arm is upside down in this pic)


In these next few pics you can see the heat signature of where Thea arms are welded inside and out. Stress relief zones are left unwelded to give a perfect balance of strength and give. if a weld were ever to fail between the tube and plate it can't spread all the way from front to back. With so many guys using these arms for hardcore fun we have to build in safety standards for them as well.








These next 4 pics are from 2 arms I randomly pulled off the shelf. Each arm has to look this good or better to pass QC before We will allow it be shipped to our customers. Here is our signature color duff blue.





And here is our other color option Silver Vein. It has an added cost due to the sv which also has a clear coat added. So Essentially this option has a stronger PC coating.



 
Last edited:

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
I sure do want a set one day......

I gotta get new headers fist though.
I still have pre 2001 Duff headers.
They are 25 years old and doing fine but of course in the way of the arm on the passenger side.
Just gotta save up some money so I can get some new Duff headers and some Duff arms (Blue of course).

Probably tax time next year. Can't wait.
Love me some Duff!
 
OP
OP
Monster Mike

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
I sure do want a set one day......

I gotta get new headers fist though.
I still have pre 2001 Duff headers.
They are 25 years old and doing fine but of course in the way of the arm on the passenger side.
Just gotta save up some money so I can get some new Duff headers and some Duff arms (Blue of course).

Probably tax time next year. Can't wait.
Love me some Duff!

Actually pre 2001 duff headers don't clear on the driver side. Hmm I wonder if I have an un matched ds header. I'll check tomorrow.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
Great thread Mike! Thanks for posting up the nicely detailed pics of the nice details of the arms. Good stuff to know, and better still to see.

Like a lot of fabbed items, as much as I like the blue (and even more the tight Silver Vein (having been a Trailmaster guy)), I love the bare even more.

Thanks again. Keep the good stuff coming.

Paul
 
OP
OP
Monster Mike

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
Great thread Mike! Thanks for posting up the nicely detailed pics of the nice details of the arms. Good stuff to know, and better still to see.

Like a lot of fabbed items, as much as I like the blue (and even more the tight Silver Vein (having been a Trailmaster guy)), I love the bare even more.

Thanks again. Keep the good stuff coming.

Paul

So your saying your a fan of Nekked parts Paul? Lol

Well your in luck buddy we offer them to guys bare as well. We only carry a few sets at any given time and there is no savings in cost. But I'm also partial to bare parts. Scotchbrite and clear coat baby!
 

Yeller

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
5,882
Loc.
Rogers County Oklahoma
Now your just showing off.

Real showing off would be to live somewhere where you do leave them bare and just polish them with pledge like fine furniture.....

Desert guys freak the first time they come east and have to play in the mud....LOL but leaving it bare and cleaning with pledge sure makes changing and fixing stuff easy as long as your somewhere it doesn't rust overnight.
 

T-Bird

Sr. Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
938
Loc.
East TN
I stopped by Duffs a couple weeks ago to pick up some things, and they were very busy getting shipments out. As busy as they were they offered me a tour of the facility, and introduced me to everyone and check out the many broncos in the shop. The Fabrication shop had already gone for the day, but I got to tour their shop, All I can say is, I was very impressive....I used to own a welding company, so this means a lot. I could go on and on about what a great company they are, but I'm late getting in on this hobby and most of you already know how good they are. If you are ever in or near Knoxville, please stop in and check them out it is worth your time. (They also have 2 great shop dogs you will want to take home also).
T-Bird
 

sprdv1

Contributor
REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Great stuff Mike. Thanks for sharing.

One of these damn days :)
 

bax

Contributor
Old Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
14,491
Mike how about that old overdrive unit james has stashed on the top shelf? any chance of you moving that old stuff??? i figure your digging around looking for old headers and that thing is just in the way.
 
OP
OP
Monster Mike

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
Mike how about that old overdrive unit james has stashed on the top shelf? any chance of you moving that old stuff??? i figure your digging around looking for old headers and that thing is just in the way.

Heh heh, james is pretty proud of that unit Bax
 

bax

Contributor
Old Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
14,491
Yeah, I talked to him about it last time I was at the shop. I was hoping you didnt know all the rules yet. Just after a piece of history thats all. Just trying to help out.
 
OP
OP
Monster Mike

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
Great stuff Mike. Thanks for sharing.

One of these damn days :)

Your welcome Dave, don't forget free shipping to OCBR ;);D


So Bax you want to be first in line when that unit comes available? ;D
 

bax

Contributor
Old Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
14,491
sure I love being first in a line. You know, First guy to go down the hill, first guy to cross the rope bridge, heck yeah I love being first.
 

jmangi62

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 28, 2013
Messages
2,469
Nice stuff there Mike,can't wait to get me a set for my next build.I do have a question tho,while theres no doubt that the quality control is second to none,what steps are taken in the packaging of these heavy products?I have gotten so many things scratched when I receive them,I just think that for that amount of money we spend on stuff like this and extra money for shipping,I think we should be getting our parts just as they are advertised.Now with that said,I haven't ever received anything from Duffs that was scratched up but from other vendors,keep up the great work you do there,we all appreciate you're expertise and high energy efforts with these products,you Rock my friend.
Jim:cool:
 
OP
OP
Monster Mike

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
Nice stuff there Mike,can't wait to get me a set for my next build.I do have a question tho,while theres no doubt that the quality control is second to none,what steps are taken in the packaging of these heavy products?I have gotten so many things scratched when I receive them,I just think that for that amount of money we spend on stuff like this and extra money for shipping,I think we should be getting our parts just as they are advertised.Now with that said,I haven't ever received anything from Duffs that was scratched up but from other vendors,keep up the great work you do there,we all appreciate you're expertise and high energy efforts with these products,you Rock my friend.
Jim:cool:

Jim, great Question and thank you for the kind words. When I do another packaging run I'll post up some pics. We encase the arms in a 2 part liquid spray foam that hardens in under a minute. Real similar to how advance adapters ships there atlas transfer cases.
 

Yeller

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
5,882
Loc.
Rogers County Oklahoma
I can say from experience the current Duff packing system is the best the industry has to offer, not the half a$$ packing you will see from the majority of shippers. They take a lot of pride in their products from conception till they are in your hands.
 

bax

Contributor
Old Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2005
Messages
14,491
so good, its a pain in the butt to unpack. Kinda like Christmas but takes longer. Then you got this foam / cardboard box that is impossible to break down to throw away.
Can you tell im bored at work right now?
 
Top