Oh Snap! A Steering Upgrade Options & Considerations Write-Up

[Az_Squatch_Bronco]

Problem is that one rock, you know that one you don't see. The stock bushing just can't handle the stress and deforms. Now you are just slowly doing more damage over time. This was one of the local broncos that I helped install some Rough Country bushings in. He was definitely on borrowed time! Steering issues are usually related to lift and tires but bronco are susceptible from birth.

I was looking at bushings yesterday, I am probably going to do the Rough Country when I get the new tie rods in. I cant believe BB wants $350 for one side - I get RC probably knocked him off with a Chineese manufacture - but damn!

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[GreyZ]

I was looking bushings yesterday, I am probably going to do the Rough Country when I get the new tie rods in. I cant believe BB wants $350 for one side - I get RC probably knocked him off with a Chineese manufacture - but damn!

The RC inserts are USA made in Tennessee.

 

[Az_Squatch_Bronco]

The RC inserts are USA made in Tennessee.

I am sure RC has deeper pockets for tooling and production of the bushings which help bring costs down.

Are they the same materials?

 

[Snacktime]

RC tolerances are slightly lower, material seams to be the same but its hard to verify. I like the RC bushings more because they don't have the milled channel on the outside with rubber ring that does nothing. Much easier to install the RC bushing as it doesn't catch as much on the housing.

So far no one has killed a RC, BB, 74weld drivers bushing.

 

[Az_Squatch_Bronco]

When your customers are paying for damage to your rig I guess how you unload is not an consideration. I would think they could do better with the engineering minds on that channel.

 

[GreyZ]

When your customers are paying for damage to your rig I guess how you unload is not an consideration. I would think they could do better with the engineering minds on that channel.

What engineering minds? Fabricating minds sure, but engineering minds.... ...

 

[Aman]

When your customers are paying for damage to your rig I guess how you unload is not an consideration. I would think they could do better with the engineering minds on that channel.

Everything is for clicks with these YouTube guys. I fully expect them to hire an OF "model" for even more clicks. Works for other gimmick channels, lol.

 

[Snacktime]

When your customers are paying for damage to your rig I guess how you unload is not an consideration. I would think they could do better with the engineering minds on that channel.

I think he is a Youtube/Instagram personality at this stage. Some people know him for who he is and the rest of us view him as someone trying to get views. I don't see him as anything but a "Character" at this point and above video is that "Character" and why he gets my views(stunts/broken stuff). Don't read to much into people in the stunts category online its not healthy.

 

[da_jokker]

Everyone keeps refering to the factory rings as bushing when they really aren't. If you have taken one out you will quickly know this was in no way designed to be a bushing.

It is a cheap piece of hollow plastic that uses spring like plastic clips to hold it in (there is a huge gap around the whole thing).

I mean, this is neither here nor there when it comes to this discussion about replacements but there is no way those factory black rings were ever intended to absorb any sort of shock or anything.

They basically remind me of some sort of guide, almost like packing material that just kept parts from banging together as it was being assembled.

 

[Strizzo]

Since the RC option comes with support bushings for both driver and passenger sides, has anyone shown if the passenger side bushing prevents the metal shavings and having to replace the housing?

 

[popo_patty]

Little update on this y’all. I now have a stock Hoss 3.0 in my garage, a Hoss 3.0 with the BB parts installed, a 2.0 with BB parts installed as well as a 74weld stage 1 for the 3.0. Going to be doing some breakdowns of the wear on the BB 2.0 after several thousand hard miles and compare it to a stock 2.0 with similar abuse and no mods (both run 37’s and lift), compare some racks and then do a few different installs as well.
I also have some buddies with the 74weld housings and Snacktime with the RC stuff and some extra broken parts to add as well. With the help of Snacktime’s expertise I’m hoping we can come up with a decent in-person overview of the different upgrades available! Stay tuned. If all goes well we will have every current steering option on the market in this breakdown.

 

[Rkgzx9leftcoast]

Everyone keeps refering to the factory rings as bushing when they really aren't. If you have taken one out you will quickly know this was in no way designed to be a bushing.

It is a cheap piece of hollow plastic that uses spring like plastic clips to hold it in (there is a huge gap around the whole thing).

I mean, this is neither here nor there when it comes to this discussion about replacements but there is no way those factory black rings were ever intended to absorb any sort of shock or anything.

They basically remind me of some sort of guide, almost like packing material that just kept parts from banging together as it was being assembled.

I remember someone at one point who was in the industry stating they were only in the rack because they aided in assembly. Makes sense.

 

[Snacktime]

Super excited to have someone put everything out on the table and just show the products.

Everyone keeps refering to the factory rings as bushing when they really aren't. If you have taken one out you will quickly know this was in no way designed to be a bushing.

It is a cheap piece of hollow plastic that uses spring like plastic clips to hold it in (there is a huge gap around the whole thing).

I mean, this is neither here nor there when it comes to this discussion about replacements but there is no way those factory black rings were ever intended to absorb any sort of shock or anything.

They basically remind me of some sort of guide, almost like packing material that just kept parts from banging together as it was being assembled.

This is why I really like the RC bushing, people are directly exposed to the actual problem. Once you physically look, see and touch something you become a much more informed consumer. The whole reason I run a aftermarket bushing in my driver's side is I wanted to see what the HOSS 3.0 bushing looks like.

 

[murphtron]

These

Problem is that one rock, you know that one you don't see. The stock bushing just can't handle the stress and deforms. Now you are just slowly doing more damage over time. This was one of the local broncos that I helped install some Rough Country bushings in. He was definitely on borrowed time! Steering issues are usually related to lift and tires but bronco are susceptible from birth.

These pics are helpful. I have a more clear understanding of the bushing's purpose to support the steering shaft/screw (not sure of the correct name for it) that connects to the tie rods and the pinion gear from the steering wheel.

I guess the only thing I struggle with, as a novice wheeler, is how much preventive action is best. I know @popo_patty outlined the options in his initial post. But, dang, $50 for RC bushings vs $1k+ for BB or 73Weld Stage 1 is a big difference. Although I guess it pales in comparison to lifts, wheels, tires, coilovers/shocks, new tie rods etc.

After an 8hr roadtrip home from Bend OR yesterday (great mountain biking!) I was sharing with my wife the different suspension options (on an intellectual level, she has no interest in wheeling). After 20 min her only response was "are you prepping me for how much money you plan to spend?" In a good natured way! But, yeah, I guess I was. Heh.

I love these threads. But I don't want to get ahead of my wheeling ability/inclination. I just want to keep pace.

 

[mpeugeot]

Agreed.
What I did was avoid BroncBuster stolen bandaid ideas at all costs...

I dove in and bought the FIRST 3.0 rack with HD tie rods so I would never need tie rod braces.

I created a way to program the new racks on 2.0 Broncos, even though Ford could NOT do it themselves. my intention was to provide thos knowledge for FREE to contribute to the Bronco community in some small way.

fast forward a few months and the OPs favorite vendor is now of course selling Ford performance racks with the programming hack I CREATED. This should make people sick inside.
Additionally, the lies and misinformation spread by these fools about the competition is even more retarded. I mean, Tyler actually compared his testing skills to Loren Healy, ROFL...

Read whatever and believe what you want, but remember this, I'm not selling anything. I don't make a profit helping folks understand Broncos, I do it for free.

Hopefully people are smart enough and can read between all the lies and BS.

Click bait videos, horrible driving technique, break more to get clicks attitude, how much profit can I make off someone else's idea??? That's the BB trend.

Thanks POPO for showing your such a savvy BB follower.

Well I am guilty of programming the racks... So it's not him using your hack, it's me, and I have always been willing to teach others how to program them for free. I haven't withheld the information on programming them to make a single dime, but I do allow others to pay me to program them if they don't want to for some reason.

So I guess that you have reason to be upset that others are profiting from the work that you did, and you definitely deserve the credit for hacking your way to making the HOSS 3.0 steering rack upgrade a possibility, because as far as I know, Ford still doesn't support this.

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