Which is better: coil springs or torsion bars?

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Look closely at the pic I posted on Page 1. You can barely see a black Lakewood traction bar extending forward from the tire. These clamp to the spring also. These are specifically made for the Ranger, oddly enough. They mount perfectly, and place the snubber about one half inch from the lower surface of the spring, right behind the eye, which is ideal. It's not ideal to have the snubber hit the eye. And so, when things start to wrap up, that half inch disappears in a New York City Minute, and no wrap. Mine used to have horrible wheel hop. Not anymore. Those traction bars have been on there since I put the Hellwig anti-sway bars on it in 2002.

@cbxer55
Why is it not ideal to hit the spring eye?

 

[Lefty]

So now we have anti sway university. Intentional or not, great job guys, thanks!

I'm learning. and learning fast. So many parts out there! Sometimes they claim to fit a Ranger, but don't... @alwaysFlOoReD Has got one sweet truck and a wonderful thread about the build.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I read you had a little set back. You haven't had a chance to try it yet. Correct?

Correct. I made some major changes in the rear too so this should drive entirely different (Explorer 8.8, running spring under with custom leaf packs and extended shackles, going to put all the Explorer goodies on too, rear sway bar, traction links, buffer shock for the pinion and both shocks behind the axle). It was running but not driving because I had to figure out why the ABS is wonky and resolve a rear driveshaft length problem when it fell. I don’t have all the stuff on the rear axle yet either. All the changes also lowered the truck. I’m expecting a huge handling difference.

 

[Lefty]

Correct. I made some major changes in the rear too so this should drive entirely different (Explorer 8.8, running spring under with custom leaf packs and extended shackles, going to put all the Explorer goodies on too, rear sway bar, traction links, buffer shock for the pinion and both shocks behind the axle). It was running but not driving because I had to figure out why the ABS is wonky and resolve a rear driveshaft length problem when it fell. I don’t have all the stuff on the rear axle yet either. All the changes also lowered the truck. I’m expecting a huge handling difference.

Thank you! Is there an advantage to mounting both shocks behind the axle?

It's good to know that you appreciate good handling.

Of course even small changes make a difference. My wife hates the idea of riding in a pickup truck. It's one of the reasons why I added side nerfs and lowered it. But she understands that the Ranger has a great sure-footed "road feel," that with bigger tires it slips less on snowy days and also handles the bumps with quiet competence.

Now, whenever the weather is bad, she prefers the Ranger. She even suggested we take it on our next big road trip.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thank you! Is there an advantage to mounting both shocks behind the axle?

It's good to know that you appreciate good handling.

Of course even small changes make a difference. My wife hates the idea of riding in a pickup truck. It's one of the reasons why I added side nerfs and lowered it. But she understands that the Ranger has a great sure-footed "road feel," that with bigger tires it slips less on snowy days and also handles the bumps with quiet competence.

Now, whenever the weather is bad, she prefers the Ranger. She even suggested we take it on our next big road trip.

So, I think shock placement depends on what you’re trying to achieve. On the standard Ranger setup, you have one shock on the front of the axle and one on the back to kinda balance it out.

Explorers mounted both on the rear of the axle, but they attach to the spring plates rather than the axle tube. I’m guessing this is to try and help absorb some axle wrap.

Older F-150s got shocks in the Ranger configuration.

Newer F-150s got shocks mounted on the outside of the frame rails which is supposed to absorb bumps better.

Spring under axle controls axle wrap better than spring over (it’s a matter of leverage). Lift blocks increase the size of the lever which is why cheaply lifted leaf spring trucks often have issues with axle wrap. It’s also why my choptop has no lift blocks in the rear.

I’m not really certain on all the details of why what’s better, but I decided not to attempt to re-engineer things more than I had to with this. Between the leaf springs and the factory sort of traction bars (the links are mounted to the top of the axle tube and run forward up to the frame with rubber end bushings), I figured it would be best to have both shocks going rearward, since the front of the axle will be controlled.

Since I’m going AWD 5.0 with this and eventually the plan is to build a 331 stroker and possibly put a supercharger on, I want as much handling performance as I can make happen. Lowering and using all the handling upgrades I can is important. It may end up riding rougher than stock and it will not be as off-road capable, but I have other trucks for that.

 

[Lefty]

So, I think shock placement depends on what you’re trying to achieve. On the standard Ranger setup, you have one shock on the front of the axle and one on the back to kinda balance it out.

Explorers mounted both on the rear of the axle, but they attach to the spring plates rather than the axle tube. I’m guessing this is to try and help absorb some axle wrap.

Older F-150s got shocks in the Ranger configuration.

Newer F-150s got shocks mounted on the outside of the frame rails which is supposed to absorb bumps better.

Spring under axle controls axle wrap better than spring over (it’s a matter of leverage). Lift blocks increase the size of the lever which is why cheaply lifted leaf spring trucks often have issues with axle wrap. It’s also why my choptop has no lift blocks in the rear.

I’m not really certain on all the details of why what’s better, but I decided not to attempt to re-engineer things more than I had to with this. Between the leaf springs and the factory sort of traction bars (the links are mounted to the top of the axle tube and run forward up to the frame with rubber end bushings), I figured it would be best to have both shocks going rearward, since the front of the axle will be controlled.

Since I’m going AWD 5.0 with this and eventually the plan is to build a 331 stroker and possibly put a supercharger on, I want as much handling performance as I can make happen. Lowering and using all the handling upgrades I can is important. It may end up riding rougher than stock and it will not be as off-road capable, but I have other trucks for that.

Most interesting. Thank you. I will certainly look into that when the warmer weather comes.

 

[cbxer55]

Like this? Or like this?

Second one.

 

[cbxer55]

So now we have anti sway university. Intentional or not, great job guys, thanks!

I got your school on anti-sway bars, right here.

anti-sway bars

And here's some school on traction bars.

traction bars

 

[cbxer55]

@cbxer55
Why is it not ideal to hit the spring eye?

In the past, I had heard they should hit the eye. But later in life, I read it's better to have the traction bar hit the spring in an area with a little give. Hitting the lower surface of the spring about an inch behind the eye, has a little give. Not much I'm sure, but maybe just a teensy red "C" hair.

 

[Josh B]

I got your c=school on anti-sway bars, right here.

anti-sway bars

And here's some school on traction bars.

traction bars

There's No School on Saturday! But thanks, I Will use these

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

In the past, I had heard they should hit the eye. But later in life, I read it's better to have the traction bar hit the spring in an area with a little give. Hitting the lower surface of the spring about an inch behind the eye, has a little give. Not much I'm sure, but maybe just a teensy red "C" hair.

Thanks for your explanation. Right now I don't agree but will do some research.

 

[cbxer55]

There's No School on Saturday! But thanks, I Will use these

Here's the whole shebang. Enjoy! It's mainly aimed at track racing Lightning's, but it's still useful information in a very nice layout. Guy who did t his died a few years ago. It's been a struggle keeping this page alive.

road racing modifications