Ordered lift parts, what else do I need?

I'm throwing a somewhat budget minded lift into my ranger soon, I just want to make sure it's going to be practical for on road use as well.

I already have Belltech shackles for the rear, I placed my order for 2" skyjacker coils for the front they wont be here for a couple of weeks still. I'm trying to keep it short as I dont want to mess around with drop brackets etc for this truck. Will I need a drop pitman arm? What sort of alignment bushings will I need? I already have Rancho RS5000 shocks for the front and rear. Designed for stock but they should work on the 2" lift I've heard. I will be cutting the fenders to fit 31 or 32" tires. Stabilizer shouldn't be needed. I've heard these coils are soft, and I've got a 4x4 supercab v6 with an auto, would 1/2" or 1/4" spacer be a good idea for the front?

Monty35 said:

I'm throwing a somewhat budget minded lift into my ranger soon, I just want to make sure it's going to be practical for on road use as well.

I already have Belltech shackles for the rear, I placed my order for 2" skyjacker coils for the front they wont be here for a couple of weeks still. I'm trying to keep it short as I dont want to mess around with drop brackets etc for this truck. Will I need a drop pitman arm? What sort of alignment bushings will I need? I already have Rancho RS5000 shocks for the front and rear. Designed for stock but they should work on the 2" lift I've heard. I will be cutting the fenders to fit 31 or 32" tires. Stabilizer shouldn't be needed. I've heard these coils are soft, and I've got a 4x4 supercab v6 with an auto, would 1/2" or 1/4" spacer be a good idea for the front?

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Well, I'm assuming when you say 2" skyjacker coils that you mean the SJ132x ones, these are the same ones I got. It's really hard to tell what alignment bushings you will need, it all depends on what you have in there now. I ended up having to buy the SJ ones that are a 3.25 degree. These are made by ingalls, which is a good brand, I've also heard on here that napa carries a 3.5 degree. You probably will need to get something, though like I said, it's hard to know which ones untill you know what degree is in there now. You'll probably want to stick with just the coils (no spacers) unless your alignment bushings are at 0 degrees right now.
As for the pitman arm, you shouldn't need a dropped one, I'm using the stock one and it drives fine. There may be a little bumpsteer, but nothing that will throw you in the ditch.
The shocks may or may not work, the front stock shocks will limit your droop, but I'm not sure if the RSs are any longer if they're designed for stock. The rears I'm still using stock ones as they were still good, and they don't seem to limit travel at all. I also have the beltechs, but my rear springs do sag a little , so with good springs you may pull on the shocks at droop.
And for tires, I fit 31x10.50x15 Swamper TSLs on 15x8 w/3.75 backspacing rims and only rubbed a little, mine is a gen2, you didn't specify what yours is. The only things I had to do to keep from rubbing, was to move the bottom of the splash shield back in the front, I did this by removing the screw that holds it to the bottom of the fender, stretched it back about an inch and drilled a new hole in the fender. The inside by the frame, I drilled a hole in the splash shield and pulled it back towards the front cab mount with a panduit strap (giant ziptie). The rear fit while flexing, but when I hauled a load it rubbed because the tires were moving straight up in the wheelwells, so I cut the inner wells and used a spreader to flare the bedsides about an inch on either side, and used a plate of sheetmetal welded into the spread part.
Hope this helps.

a pitman might help your tires wear better, what year truck is it?

The shocks may or may not work, the front stock shocks will limit your droop, but I'm not sure if the RSs are any longer if they're designed for stock.

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Remember, if you do run longer travel shocks the driveshaft will hit the radius arm cross member at full droop with stock brackets...

Oh sorry I completely forgot my truck is an 88. I have no issues with cutting my fenders to get the extra clearance for the tires if needed. I think what I'll do is throw it all together with the parts I've ordered. I don't have experience with alignments myself, but I know the best rated suspension specialist in the area (with a 4-wheel laser alignment system on his hoist), he always lets me stick around and teaches me how things are done so I'll have it aligned there.

I've noticed the driveshaft issue before but it never comes to mind often. The clearance it has at stock definatly isn't much. I don't plan to do anything major offroad just yet so I'll stick to the ranchos for now and see how it works, I can't afford drop brackets just yet and don't want to put that kind of money into this truck. I'll keep a pitman arm in mind and budget for a couple weeks later, after I've had a chance to try it without one.

EDIT: Thanks for the info guys!

i have a three inch body lift and fenders cut fitting 31's im going to be up grading my suspension to a 2 in lift sooon so i can fit 33's. but what im doing is spending 180 on ebay and getting lift coils and an add a leaf,"it might make it stiffer but if u wheel how i wheel then u want harder suspension", as soon as u said budget lift then skyjacker coils i started laughing my ass off cause htats not budget

i have an 88 with a 3 inch body lift and 31's and no rubbing had 32's with cutouts on my last 88 no body lift but this one is a high rider.