Steering Extension

[Joe400]

I'm doing a 3" body lift on my 93 ranger to fit some bigger tires, and was wondering if you really need a steering extension. On a previous ranger, the steering shaft just telescoped out and it fit fine. Will anything happen if i dont use the extension?

thanks
joe

 

[Hahnsb2]

Well, when I did my body lift on my 1st gen I did but when I switched to a 2nd gen u-joint steering shaft I didn't need it because the shaft telescoped.

 

[brendank]

I'm doing a 3" body lift on my 93 ranger to fit some bigger tires, and was wondering if you really need a steering extension. On a previous ranger, the steering shaft just telescoped out and it fit fine. Will anything happen if i dont use the extension?

thanks
joe

Yes, you'll NEED it. Even if you stretch it and get it to fit, it will still be all lumpy and quite unsafe. I'd recommend going to the junkyard and getting the u-joint from an aerostar(not sure on the years). Use that to replace the rag-joint that you have now.

 

[Woods-Rider]

I just made one when i made my body lift. i just used some scrap square tubing and some solid square steel i had and it came out like this (the piece between the two bolts.)

 

[Hahnsb2]

Yes, you'll NEED it. Even if you stretch it and get it to fit, it will still be all lumpy and quite unsafe. I'd recommend going to the junkyard and getting the u-joint from an aerostar(not sure on the years). Use that to replace the rag-joint that you have now.

Using the extension when its not needed INCREASES the angle, its best not to use it if your shaft can extend far enough. I actually didn't have room to use the extension because the shaft was still too long when compressed.

 

[brendank]

I actually didn't have room to use the extension because the shaft was still too long when compressed.

I doubt that will be the case on his 93 ranger. The problem is that the rag joint ends up soaking up too much angle, whether you have an extension or not. Then the steering feels like shit. The only solution in my case was a u-joint rather than a rag joint. Since I have a 93 I would expect it to be the same on another 93.

 

[Hahnsb2]

My steering felt terrible ("lumpy") with the stock double rag joint shaft with the extension because of the angle, the top rag joint started to tear so I replaced it with a u joint shaft (with a rag joint at the bottom end), the u joint combined with the fact of the decreased angle, resulted in steering that feels like stock.

 

[Joe400]

thanks for all the input on that guys.. i think i'm headed out to the junkyard for an aerostar u joint