Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and - Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 275
- Reaction score
- 22
- Points
- 18
- Age
- 47
- Location
- Armagh, PA
- Vehicle Year
- 1985
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Type
- V8
- Engine Size
- 387 Windsor
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 2WD
I originally built this truck about 10yrs ago. As soon as I had the motor/tranny mocked up and ready to fire, I immediately went to work on the back end.
With the bed removed I took a ton of measurements on the rear placement from various points on the frame and back of the cab. I had planned on narrowing a 9" and mounting it directly in place of the 7.5". With some input from a drag racer cousin, we did some snooping and measuring. We discovered that we could use rear springs (w/ hangers and shackles) from a mid 80's S-10 and mount them under the frame...Ranger springs are attached to the side. This would provide significantly more room for tires. It would also raise the rear ride height quite a bit so we flipped the rear on top of, instead of underneath, the springs. I acquired the back half (no rear) of a S-10 from a local salvage yard for $15. I also got the bottom shock mounts.
The front spring mounts required drilling a few holes to mount up...no biggy. The rear mounts required a little more work. After the fronts were bolted to determine the rear mount location, I cut the attachment points out of the S-10 rails and then they had to be welded into the Ranger frame.
For shocks, they are mounted to the u-bolt plates under the rear and are both to the backside of the rear. The top shock mounts are original Ranger. One is in the factory location. The top mount to the front side of the rearend was cut off and relocated across from the other on the back side.
I'm currently running 15"x10" rear wheels and have room to go bigger with some fender well mods. When I get a chance I'll upload some better pics of the spring set up. But here's a pic of how she stands with the V8 up front, custom rear set up w/ 275/60-15's and it's future pilot.
With the bed removed I took a ton of measurements on the rear placement from various points on the frame and back of the cab. I had planned on narrowing a 9" and mounting it directly in place of the 7.5". With some input from a drag racer cousin, we did some snooping and measuring. We discovered that we could use rear springs (w/ hangers and shackles) from a mid 80's S-10 and mount them under the frame...Ranger springs are attached to the side. This would provide significantly more room for tires. It would also raise the rear ride height quite a bit so we flipped the rear on top of, instead of underneath, the springs. I acquired the back half (no rear) of a S-10 from a local salvage yard for $15. I also got the bottom shock mounts.
The front spring mounts required drilling a few holes to mount up...no biggy. The rear mounts required a little more work. After the fronts were bolted to determine the rear mount location, I cut the attachment points out of the S-10 rails and then they had to be welded into the Ranger frame.
For shocks, they are mounted to the u-bolt plates under the rear and are both to the backside of the rear. The top shock mounts are original Ranger. One is in the factory location. The top mount to the front side of the rearend was cut off and relocated across from the other on the back side.
I'm currently running 15"x10" rear wheels and have room to go bigger with some fender well mods. When I get a chance I'll upload some better pics of the spring set up. But here's a pic of how she stands with the V8 up front, custom rear set up w/ 275/60-15's and it's future pilot.
...my wife was sitting in the pass seat going 
...but after honing them meats through first and seconmd she was going 
Gonna let a young kid race it this week then we'll tear into the header installation.
