RuffStuff 2.5" perches and plates with 2.25" spring

[JSmall]

I have the RuffStuff swap kit ready to go in and I'm not sure if there will be any issues with the 2.5" perches and plates compared to the 2.25" stock springs.

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/9SS25-BIG.html

Has anyone done this?

 

[needabronco]

I have a set, but I haven't figured out how to make them fit yet?

 

[DirtDonk]

Well, with just 1/8" per side difference, you would think that it wouldn't make much difference. But it can...

Double check with them of course, but I would have to say that, while they'll work fine on one Bronco, they may cause some head-scratching on another. You know how that goes. And the oft-used phrase, "your results may vary" can come into play.

However, if it gives you a little trouble by creating an angle on the u-bolts, in most cases it would probably be a simple matter of drilling/filing out the holes in the clamp plate just slightly to the outside.
You don't want to simply enlarge the holes though. You want to open them up outward, which is where the u-bolts would naturally want to sit when laying on the edge of the slightly wider perches.

Probably not a big deal to most, but worth mentioning.
In fact, if there's enough meat on the plate to make the holes just slightly larger still, now would be the perfect time to upgrade to some 9/16" bolts.
Of course, you could go bigger still and use 5/8" stuff like our Extreme kit, and probably some stuff that Ruff Stuff sells as well most likely, but I'm thinking that the top clamp plates really are not up to that large of a bolt.
You certainly would not be able to torque them to full bolt-spec as the stock plate would just bend under the pressure. But I'm even wondering if there's enough material to work with anyway.

Paul

 

[JSmall]

Thanks for the info Paul. The RuffStuff kit comes with the perches, plates, and 5/8" u-bolts. I won't be using any of my old parts on this swap. Does that make a difference?

2 leaf spring plates for 2.5" springs
2 perches for 3.25" axle tube and 2.5" wide
2 shock brackets 1.5" ID
4 U-bolts 10"x5/8"x3 1/4" and hardware

 

[brtxbronco]

I did the install on mine last fall,wheeled with them at ocbr & lebcr moderate trails and also around town and highway driving. no issues at all, no spring shift or noise. Had to enlarge the radius on my perchs to fit the axle housing that was the hardest part.

 

[DirtDonk]

...The RuffStuff kit comes with the perches, plates, and 5/8" u-bolts. I won't be using any of my old parts on this swap. Does that make a difference?

Yes it does. You should be perfectly fine then. With a stout top plate and the 125 to 150 lbs of torque (or whatever they recommend) applied by the 5/8" u-bolts, the springs aren't going anywhere.
The center-pin of the leaf pack will orient the springs still, and the clamping force applied won't care that there's an additional 1/8" of leeway on each side of the pack.

In theory, there's probably some geometrically logical advantage to keeping the u-bolts up tight against the springs. But with this kit you're using, I don't see it as an issue.

And if the perches are truly radiused for 3.25" axle tubes, then you should not have the issue brtxbronco had.

Paul

 

[JSmall]

Yes it does. You should be perfectly fine then. With a stout top plate and the 125 to 150 lbs of torque (or whatever they recommend) applied by the 5/8" u-bolts, the springs aren't going anywhere.
The center-pin of the leaf pack will orient the springs still, and the clamping force applied won't care that there's an additional 1/8" of leeway on each side of the pack.

In theory, there's probably some geometrically logical advantage to keeping the u-bolts up tight against the springs. But with this kit you're using, I don't see it as an issue.

And if the perches are truly radiused for 3.25" axle tubes, then you should not have the issue brtxbronco had.

Paul

As always...THANKS for the help Paul!!