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Spring Perch Interchange


RayInStl

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Does anyone know if 88-97 spring perches fit the 1983 4x4 trucks? My passenger side perch is getting pretty bad and starting to come away from the frame. I found a company that sells new perches, but it says 88-97. It appears to be the same as my perch but I just want to make sure they didn't change the size or something.

Here's the perches I'm looking at:
http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/products/Ford_Ranger_Coil_Spring_Shock_Tower_Bracket_Kit_LEFT_AND_RIGHT_SIDE_FRONT_SINGLE_SHOCK-2144-252.html
 


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Bomk>>>

Does anyone know if 88-97 spring perches fit the 1983 4x4 trucks? My passenger side perch is getting pretty bad and starting to come away from the frame. I found a company that sells new perches, but it says 88-97. It appears to be the same as my perch but I just want to make sure they didn't change the size or something.

Here's the perches I'm looking at:
http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/products/Ford_Ranger_Coil_Spring_Shock_Tower_Bracket_Kit_LEFT_AND_RIGHT_SIDE_FRONT_SINGLE_SHOCK-2144-252.html
=====================
83-88 & 93-97 should be the same as they all have the twin I-beam suspension, in 98 they went to coil springs & torque arms.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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=====================
83-88 & 93-97 should be the same as they all have the twin I-beam suspension, in 98 they went to coil springs & torque arms.
'89 received a new frame though. '93 might have too, I am not much of a third gen expert.
 

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I can't answer your question; but I can tell you that everything from '84-97 had coils of same inside diameter (wire diameter varies about 1/16" between the soft base 2wd I4 and and the heavy 4wd v-4 s/c with ac. And length is 11"; give/take an 1/8").
 

RayInStl

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Hmm. I'll take a close look this weekend when I *hopefully* finish installingredients the motor. I'll grab a tape measure and try to get all of the dimensions.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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I can't answer your question; but I can tell you that everything from '84-97 had coils of same inside diameter (wire diameter varies about 1/16" between the soft base 2wd I4 and and the heavy 4wd v-4 s/c with ac. And length is 11"; give/take an 1/8").
Yup.

I have replacement 91-94 Explorer coils in my '85, they dropped right in. The '85 springs after 25 years were a little longer than the new Ex springs but the Ex had very slightly heavier wire and overall resulted in the front of the truck sitting higher.

But the getcha with Ray's question is when the '89's came out (in the fall of '88) when they did change the truck frame, did they also move a bolt hole, make it a tad wider... that kind of thing. Or does their marketing dept not know what they are doing.

And on that note, James Duff has their spring buckets marked as fitting 83-97 Rangers. (sorry Ray, I just remembered they made them too)

http://www.jamesduff.com/broncoII/dualshock.html
 

bilbo

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I found this thread while searching for an answer to the same question. I have a 1983 2wd and the passenger spring bucket is pretty bad. My internet searches turned up the Dorman 924-405 which looks very similar to the one in my truck, but is supposedly for the F100/F150/Bronco. RayInStl, were you ever able to find a part that fit?

Here's a link to the Dorman one I was referencing:

https://www.amazon.com/DORMAN-924-405-Upper-Shock-Mount/dp/B002E323WE
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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The f100/150 and full size bronco are NOT the same.
 

RayInStl

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Sadly the motor was destroyed when something got sucked into the number 3 cylinder on her first drive. Between the motor and the frame, I gave up on it. Sorry!
 

Denisefwd93

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Since this thread has been reopened Ray I see your post often was that every two years? lol

Anyway what's the ideal for replacing leaf spring bushings by using a threaded rod, pipe or sockets to pull/ push them through??

I'm asking about that because we did this on a boats a couple of times with a thing called a Cutlass bearing and it's not too different from leaf spring bushings.

Don't want to use BFH or BFT lol
 
Last edited:

RayInStl

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If I could find a 4x4 m5od for a 2.9L, my B2 and I would be here a lot more often! Lol

One method I've seen for removing bushings is to burn them out with a torch. Just melt the rubber and push it through with a long screw driver. Then either press the new ones in or use the BFH method.
 

Denisefwd93

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85_Ranger4x4

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I found this thread while searching for an answer to the same question. I have a 1983 2wd and the passenger spring bucket is pretty bad. My internet searches turned up the Dorman 924-405 which looks very similar to the one in my truck, but is supposedly for the F100/F150/Bronco. RayInStl, were you ever able to find a part that fit?

Here's a link to the Dorman one I was referencing:

https://www.amazon.com/DORMAN-924-405-Upper-Shock-Mount/dp/B002E323WE
Ray has a link in his first post that is still good. That is the only place that reproduces stock spring buckets. They are available separate if so desired. James Duff makes a dual shock version that look much different is about the only other option I know of.
 
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97RangerXLT

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Since this thread has been reopened Ray I see your post often was that every two years? lol

Anyway what's the ideal for replacing leaf spring bushings by using a threaded rod, pipe or sockets to pull/ push them through??

I'm asking about that because we did this on a boats a couple of times with a thing called a Cutlass bearing and it's not too different from leaf spring bushings.

Don't want to use BFH or BFT lol
How I did mine 6 years ago was to drill out the rubber and then dremel the eyes clean. thought about using a torch, but the gas tank was just a hair too close to the front driver side spring eye...

once the old bushing was removed and the eye cleaned out, I put the new bushings which had a steel sleeve in the freezer and then used a large c clamp to press them into the eyes. took a bit of work to do that too, plus I effectively destroyed the c clamp...

AJ
 

Denisefwd93

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stock, may get leveling springs in front "somday"
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How I did mine 6 years ago was to drill out the rubber and then dremel the eyes clean. thought about using a torch, but the gas tank was just a hair too close to the front driver side spring eye...

once the old bushing was removed and the eye cleaned out, I put the new bushings which had a steel sleeve in the freezer and then used a large c clamp to press them into the eyes. took a bit of work to do that too, plus I effectively destroyed the c clamp...

AJ
Thanks, I just cannot get into using big torch and hammers when things can be done mechanically pulling or drawing the bushing through with of threaded rod washers pipes and or sockets or a ball joint press, just seems like a more civilized way for me .

Last night I just happened to notice that the front right spring perch is ready to let go at anytime it's already twisted slightly, the back ones aren't too bad "yet". And the front end coil buckets are extremely rusty but they seem okay.
 

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