I've had my new stage 5 sky arms for a few weeks now, sitting in my garage getting paint and waiting to replace my AllPro arms. I haven't had time to put them in since I've been playing Mr. Mom for our new baby boy.

Today, I wanted to double check some of the comparison measurements. Center pin to tie rod hole is about 4.5", about 1/2" shorter than the APs. Good for tie rod/pitman arm clearance. Now for the "BUT"; the height difference is not in Sky's favor. The APs are 2" tall measured from the knuckle mating surface to the top of the arm where the FJ80 TRE fits. The Skys are a very disappointing 1 7/16". I can almost garantee they will not clear my 4" AP springs. My bad for not getting those numbers first.

Anyway, now I know, and so do you all. APs are longer by 1/2" but they are taller by that much too. I guess it's time to move my steering box forward.

Anyone who has the stage 5 arms and they work (not rubbing the tie rod all over the spings at full-lock turns and and full droop) let me/us know what springs you are running, please.

I helped install sky's gen 5 kit on a friends 85 runner, he's running 4.5" lift skycrappers, i think they're 5 leaf springs, not the flexiest, but they clear, barely. he was running a 2.5 or 3 degree shim up front, which we had to take out.

sounds about right by what I see here. too bad. there's waythey'd clear with my 6 leaf allpros, which flex really well. Here I thought Sky's arms were the $H!T. I guess not. I'll either be keeping my allpros or coughing up the cash for OTT arms. Sh!t.

<small>[ May 02, 2003, 11:15 PM: Message edited by: AlaskaToy ]</small>

Thanks for the info AJ, it is always nice to get feedback on parts. I think that 4RnrRick is using SKy arms with 44044 springs.

Why did you change arms in the first place? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

Harry,

I was GONNA change arms so I could move my axle further forward without moving the steering box. Now I have a set of Sky arms for sale cause I didn't ask the right questions before I bought them.

How many leaves in the 44044s? I bet if he looks under his rig at full droop, he's got some leaf/tie rod rubbing going on. especially while turned.

Now I'm likey gonna keep the AP arms, move the steering box, get a flatter pitman, and <img border="0" alt="[Ignore]" title="" src="graemlins/ignore.gif" /> finally cut/rotate the knuckles.

<small>[ May 02, 2003, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: AlaskaToy ]</small>

OTTs might do the trick for you. Jim Christiansen of Inchworm is running OTT arms and pitman arm w/ Toyota rear leaves up front and it is close but no interference. Not sure how far forward the axle is moved...

I am using OTT arms on my Dana 44 and I will definitely have to move my steering box forward. I was hope not to have to do that but oh well. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> I am planning on rotating the box in addition to moving it forward and using Sky's flat pitman arm. I will be sure to document how it turns out and publish the results on 4x4Wire.

AlaskaBoy----You have the ball joint version so you still have "options" if you find the rod rubs the pack...you just have to put more work into it.....you could grind/torch off the pads and re-weld them such that the pinion points at a better angle to the transfer case(good) and the spring pack, at the same time, moves farther away from the rod(good).......of course, then your castor is almost all gone(bad) but that could be fixed by breaking the end welds and rotating the knuckles.(good) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />
Now I have the heims (happen to get them from AllPro) and the Dana44 Hi-Steer arms(AllPro) and am quite happy with the 'flexibility' that I have with the heim option....My packs,in the beginning, did rub the packs real hard due to using those dam aluminum shims so I easily cured that by using a 1" spacer under the heims. By the way, I keep reading all this crapola about the heims being bad and they wear and they are dangerous....hahaha, just glad I don't believe everything I read cause they are the ticket. Anyways, then at a later point, I did a "shackle to the front" mod and the shims went away and the pumpkin was pointed at a much better angle to the transfer case and the 1" heim spacers were removed. My heims are still in ok shape after more than 2 years......and it's not a trail only rig....I sometimes drive it around town and have highway driven it at least 6 times out of state. FYI

Dude, (Zuk)

I just read this today, 21 July. I don't know how I missed it before. Thanks for the info. I've been mulling over a shackle-in-front swap too. Thanks again.