Twin I beam interchangeability

[John94]

I’m putting a stage 2 skyjacker 6” lift on my 1988 2wd ford ranger and want to remove the sway bar that attaches behind the I beams to the radius arms and put one on that mounts to the front with drop links. The 2wd rangers after 89 I believe all have the mount to the front style w the bracket that bolts to the I beam. Mine has that flat tip prong that sticks out where the bolt needs to go for the front style sway bar bracket. Will a 89-96 style I beam with the bolt holes in the front work on my 88 I have 5 trucks with nice free parts but don’t want to do all the work removing them if they won’t work. No one anywhere including ford can answer this question for me and Iv asked all the wrecking yards as well no one knows if they are interchangeable. Someone has to know. Thanks

 

[Bird76Mojo]

If you've got the parts you might think about swapping over to the 95-97 beams/spindles. You'll gain the twin piston calipers by doing it. It might be wise to only do that if you have power brakes though.

As for that metal spike that sticks down on the bottom of the frame rail, I'm also curious about that. I think someone mentioned that the brackets that allow the front sway bar to bolt up cover that spike.

Also, there may be some members here that would be interested in that radius arm mounted sway bar and it's brackets.. Possibly me.

 

[John94]

Are the 96 I beams the same size and length as the 88 though? They have a different style knuckle and brakes but that’s fine I have all the parts. My lift kit requires removing this sway bar/radius arms crossmember. If anyone wants the sway bar I’m taking off you can have it

 

[John94]

The prong I was referring to is on the axle beam itself in the front under below the spring

 

[John94]

But the spike under the frame rail where the sway bar bracket/bushings needs to go. I was going to take it off and drill a hole right there for the bracket. The other hole in front of it will be the other hole for the bracket.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

I've seen speculation that the 95-97 beam swap adds a small amount of track-width but no proof.

I gathered/assembled all of the parts from the 95-97 beam swap myself, on to my 87, but I didn't get to it this year. I made my own caliper brackets to use larger Sport-Trac rotors and got it all assembled successfully. So I'll know the answer to the track-width question next spring. lol

 

[John94]

**** it im just going to cut that prong off the I beam and tap a bolt hole in it for sway bar bracket. Problem solved no need to swap beams

 

[Bird76Mojo]

**** it im just going to cut that prong off the I beam and tap a bolt hole in it for sway bar bracket. Problem solved no need to swap beams

Post plenty of pics of your mods for us.

 

[John94]

Just picked up my tires and wheels today. And I got the front half of my 6” lift on. I’ll post more pics tomorrow after the body lift is on All I know is This truck went from a lil old grandpa truck to one mean looking mother and Iv seen any other 2wd 1st gen ranger looking quite like this.

 

[John94]

33” 12.5 Swampers on 10 in wheels do not clear w a 6 in lift. A3” body lift prob won’t even be enough. Would adding a 2” coil spacer in the front be ok? Plus the body lift?

 

[John94]

I’ll just do a shackle drop in the rear because an add a leaf might jack the back end up. It sits level right now I wanna keep it that way

 

[Grumpaw]

Have a similar "spike" or "prong" on the twin I beam on our E-450 based motor home. Its a jacking point for a scissors type jack, or a bottle jack with a saddle.
Grumpaw

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Well, that would never cross my mind. Thanks for that tidbit.

 

[John94]

Well I cut that prong off and mounted the sway bar bracket there. Seemed to work out fine and bolted right up to holes in the frame.