Well the 74weld steering rack upgrade was going to be on my list of parts. However it consists of buying the HOSS 3.0 rack, and they take the guts from that and put it into their steering rack. Total cost they are saying is looking at around $5K which includes the cost of the HOSS rack. not what I was hoping for when 74weld said they were coming out with one. I have been looking at the Icon tie rods as an alternative solution to the factory tie rods. Not sure if that will still solve the steering rack issue or not but thinking with the Broncbuster housing and the upgraded tie rods maybe a cheaper solution for time being, and a viable solution pending cost and install of the HOSS 3.0 steering rack.
We still haven’t seen a tie rod break, much less the rack fail yet in any of the MI terrain. I love seeing what others are upgrading, I expect I will do the Broncbuster upgrades to the original rack when/if I bump up to true 35s (this weekend has me looking longingly at the bigger tires!).
Your comments are intriguing. I’d really enjoy hearing your thoughts when another opportunity to chat arrives at a club meet. My background is in mechanical design in both automotive and aerospace.
I would also, I’m planning on lifting over the course of the next year or two, and steering rack has been a concern. I also have watched most of the videos of people snapping their tie rods and will say i feel there is some driver impacts on that. Loren Healy and Vaughn Gitten have done a lot of wheeling these vehicles stock SAS, and with minor lifts and have not had any issues and they have more time behind the wheel of the Bronco than most do. That being said I’m 50/50 on the rack. I jumped on a set of takeoff tie rods awhile back so I’m not to concerned. But having a beefier set of tie rods like the ones from Icon will still be on my list
With the Ford Performance kit now available I think this is probably only needed by the people who lift the truck over 35" (to like 37" or 40"). Plus the MY24’s have the “better” racks for all Squatch or Badlands trims (so Badlands 33" is the only non-35" to get it). I’d still personally recommend looking into Raptor knuckles for the 37" lifts.
Certainly with my Badlands on stock 33" I won’t be changing anything out.
Is the raptor knuckle just beefier or is there a size difference? I am running my Badlands SAS on 37” tires now. I have SVC perch collar lift and SVC UCA’s. Definately not getting the lift like in the pictures From SVC, but probably due to the Maxlider bumper and grill guard and winch weight. Are the raptor knuckles compatible with the lower control arms as well? I’m curious because if the raptor knuckles are a tad bigger may solve my height issue up front which. I do plan putting on the Fox 2.5’s either this year or next.
Raptor knuckles had a different design at least on the steer arm part of the knuckle. More mechanical advantage. Better tie rod angles for 37" versus stock at 37" (I think even versus Squatch 35" its closer to 33" on stock)
"New A-arms and knuckles enable the 13 inches of front-wheel travel and the 37-inch BFGoodrich KO2 tires. An additional front jounce bumper and upgraded half-shaft are visible here. "
I think you even have to modify the upper frame mount. But until someone measures it all, its unknown what will fit, but the Raptor as you can see was modified to get better travel and tie rod angles.
Yeah I knew about the UCA, I’m going to keep at my research. I have already sank in some money and installed new UCA’s, RCV half shafts. Next up is new shocks since one is leaking and god forbid it happens this year upgrading to the new ford performance rack next year. Once that’s done I’ll probably sit idle for awhile until I get the itch back to go long travel suspension.
