Hello! Analysis Paralysis between 2nd and 3rd gen!

[pickledranger]

Hi Everyone-

Currently not a ranger owner, but have been using this site for research to try to determine a path forward for my use case and trying to understand the actual limitations to the 3rd gen rangers when compared to 2nd gen ones. My understanding is the 2nd gen is easier and cheaper to lift per inch of performance, the OHV 4.0 is seen as more reliable/ less prone to failure than the SOHC 4.0, and the 2nd gen share a lot of part commonality between several other ford platforms that make getting replacement parts relatively inexpensive. The 3rd gen seems simpler to do a basic lift to, but the torsion bar clearance and lack of aftermarket support limit what you can do beyond that. The SOHC 4.0 has more power than the OHV 4.0, but comes with the timing chain issues that while can be resolved, are challenging to work on.

My use case is going to be mostly hilly unpaved roads and the occational wash out (mostly in PA), and I dont intend on doing any heavily technical terrain or rock crawling. I have a budget of about 6k, and am kind of torn on which direction to go.

I'm assuming others have gone through this, so i'd like to see what everyone thinks and what people eventually settled on.

 

[Shran]

Gen 1 is 83-88
Gen 2 is 89-92
Gen 3 is 93-97
Gen 4 is 98-03
Gen 5 is 04-11
Gen 6 - 2019+

1, 2 and 3 all share the same basic suspension component design. 4 & 5 are their own animal.

I think if I could find a nice truck of any year that I intended to buy a lift kit for, it would be one from the early 90's with a 4.0. You kind of have to take what you can find these days though, it's hard to find anything that's not rusty junk without travelling west.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The biggest hurdle to lifting the TTB trucks (83-97) is keeping the camber in check. Good lift kits should come with the needed drop brackets. Over 3 inches you need them.

The TTB is tougher then the later torsion bars...BUT you can get like 3 inches of front lift for free on a torsion bar just by cranking the bars.

TTB also is capable of alot more flex and were available, and can be converted to manual lockout hubs.

 

[pickledranger]

Gen 1 is 83-88
Gen 2 is 89-92
Gen 3 is 93-97
Gen 4 is 98-03
Gen 5 is 04-11
Gen 6 - 2019+

1, 2 and 3 all share the same basic suspension component design. 4 & 5 are their own animal.

I think if I could find a nice truck of any year that I intended to buy a lift kit for, it would be one from the early 90's with a 4.0. You kind of have to take what you can find these days though, it's hard to find anything that's not rusty junk without travelling west.

Thanks for the correction- I was using wikipedia's breakdown of the generations. And that's kind of what i'm thinking- I've seen a couple trucks that look nice, but have tons of frame rust and i'm not equipped to fix that.

The biggest hurdle to lifting the TTB trucks (83-97) is keeping the camber in check. Good lift kits should come with the needed drop brackets. Over 3 inches you need them.

The TTB is tougher then the later torsion bars...BUT you can get like 3 inches of front lift for free on a torsion bar just by cranking the bars.

TTB also is capable of alot more flex and were available, and can be converted to manual lockout hubs.

This is what I was thinking as well. For what I want to do I think 3 inches of lift and 31's with a locker/ LSD will probably be sufficient. Money wise it seems like clean TTB trucks are about the same cost as some of the more tired torsion bar trucks, and i'm struggling to determine if the additional power and lift simplicity of the torsion bar model years is more valuable to me versus the overall better capability ttb trucks.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Thanks for the correction- I was using wikipedia's breakdown of the generations. And that's kind of what i'm thinking- I've seen a couple trucks that look nice, but have tons of frame rust and i'm not equipped to fix that.




This is what I was thinking as well. For what I want to do I think 3 inches of lift and 31's with a locker/ LSD will probably be sufficient. Money wise it seems like clean TTB trucks are about the same cost as some of the more tired torsion bar trucks, and i'm struggling to determine if the additional power and lift simplicity of the torsion bar model years is more valuable to me versus the overall better capability ttb trucks.

Either style is capable of what youre after.

Personally id go for an TTB

 

[pickledranger]

Either style is capable of what youre after.

Personally id go for an TTB

I think that's what im going to do. Now time to find a clean one..

 

[Lefty]

The Ford Edge come's with a 3" lift for off road. You could also get bigger wheels and 33" tires. This mod would need only minor adjustments. Thirty threes will rub a little inside the front fender wells. Just crank the torsion bar up all the way and do a little grinder work. If not, get a pair of lift keys. Some camber adjustment will also be needed.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

The biggest hurdle to lifting the TTB trucks (83-97) is keeping the camber in check. Good lift kits should come with the needed drop brackets. Over 3 inches you need them.

The TTB is tougher then the later torsion bars...BUT you can get like 3 inches of front lift for free on a torsion bar just by cranking the bars.

TTB also is capable of alot more flex and were available, and can be converted to manual lockout hubs.

I think you can also convert the IFS rangers to manual hubs too. I thought about doing it but decided against it.
You just get all the hub components from the 98-00 rangers with PVH hubs, and swap in the manual hubs.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

The Ford Edge come's with a 3" lift for off road. You could also get bigger wheels and 33" tires. This mod would need only minor adjustments. Thirty threes will rub a little inside the front fender wells. Just crank the torsion bar up all the way and do a little grinder work. If not, get a pair of lift keys. Some camber adjustment will also be needed.

So the edges DO ride higher than other trims. I was wondering why I fit 32” tires with no issues, and even before that it felt much higher than even other 4x4 rangers.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

It also is possible, and I eventually plan to do this, to swap the torsion bar suspension to coil overs. That removes the dangling and exposed to damage torsion bars, and probably rides a little better too.

That also enables you to do long travel if you want, but at that point TTB is way easier to do long travel on. With my use case though, long travel is not in my plans so I don’t need or want a TTB truck.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I think you can also convert the IFS rangers to manual hubs too. I thought about doing it but decided against it.
You just get all the hub components from the 98-00 rangers with PVH hubs, and swap in the manual hubs.

So, the 98/99 model years were the only ones with the PVH hubs. Those hubs can be swapped for aftermarket manual lockouts. Also, you can swap the axle shafts and wheel bearings between years to get either the PVH style or “live“ axle style, which was 2000-2011.

Oh yeah, so the “live” axle setup would be the stronger one. Those manual lockouts attach to the hub with plastic prongs like the PVH hubs.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

So, the 98/99 model years were the only ones with the PVH hubs. Those hubs can be swapped for aftermarket manual lockouts. Also, you can swap the axle shafts and wheel bearings between years to get either the PVH style or “live“ axle style, which was 2000-2011.

Oh yeah, so the “live” axle setup would be the stronger one. Those manual lockouts attach to the hub with plastic prongs like the PVH hubs.

Oops. I thought it was through 2000.

That strength factor was a good part of why I kept my “live axle” style.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Lifting the 4x4 torsion bar IFS Rangers a couple inches is pretty cheap. Crank the front torsion bars up and put the good ol 2” drop shackles on for a 2-1/2” wide sprung Chevy 1500 or F-150 since they lift the Rangers. 31’s will fit with or without cranking the bars. They don’t fit so well if you unwind the torsion bars to lower it though.

The 83-97 Rangers had the TTB front. Anything 83-89 will have a D-28, which not only is getting harder to get parts for, but it’s a weak axle. Early 90’s was dependent on engine, 4.0 got the D-35, 4-cyl got the D-28, and the 2.9 and 3.0 trucks got the weird D-28/35 hybrid (D-28 ring and pinion, everything else D-35 except the inner shafts were necked down to match the D-28 internals). D-35’s are decent and will tolerate up to a 35” tire. Lifting them should be done with drop brackets and extended radius arms. You’ll need a drop pitman for anything over 2” of lift.

 

[Lefty]

So the edges DO ride higher than other trims. I was wondering why I fit 32” tires with no issues, and even before that it felt much higher than even other 4x4 rangers.

Yes, 32 tires are no problem for the Edge, all except for the spare tire. It will not store under the bed.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Oops. I thought it was through 2000.

That strength factor was a good part of why I kept my “live axle” style.

Most people think that. But I have three 2000’s here and a 99 and yeah. 98/99 were the only PVH years. That holds up junkyard shopping too. The only time I’ve seen it on newer trucks in the junkyard was when someone swapped the PVH style to get the manual hubs. Theoretically, that could save you a little gas by not having the front axle being driven, but I’m not sure there’s a huge amount to be saved there. I’m also not at all worried about it with my green Ranger and dad isn’t worried about it with his 2000 because both are 5.0 AWD and we just don’t want to give up the AWD, lol. Which all of that is a little more thirsty than a regular live axle 4x4, but they were built for toys.