Just curious

[superj]

man, you guys make me want to cut my front stops and lower the torsion bars down to where they were when i got the truck (sitting on the stops and rode like a wagon but looked cool).

i just need to measure the u-bolts so i can remove the stock 2" lift block my truck has.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

man, you guys make me want to cut my front stops and lower the torsion bars down to where they were when i got the truck (sitting on the stops and rode like a wagon but looked cool).

i just need to measure the u-bolts so i can remove the stock 2" lift block my truck has.

I unbolted my front stops, you have to have the suspension unloaded (jack up under the engine crossmember) and I believe it’s a 10mm 1/4” drive deep socket to slide up in the stop to get to the bolt.

 

[superj]

and getting off my butt to measure the u-bolts since i have the 8.8. everything online shows me u-bolts for the 7. i would think the axle tubes are larger on the 8.8 so i have not gotten shorter bolts and taken out that dang spacer.

even if i just took the spacer out and left hte front sitting how it is now, it would look cool. when the other stepside ranger at work and i end up next to each other in the parking lot, my back end of hte bed is a few inches taller then his. he is a 2wd xl so it really shows the differences the edge has over the other 2wd models

 

[scotts90ranger]

and getting off my butt to measure the u-bolts since i have the 8.8. everything online shows me u-bolts for the 7. i would think the axle tubes are larger on the 8.8 so i have not gotten shorter bolts and taken out that dang spacer.

even if i just took the spacer out and left hte front sitting how it is now, it would look cool. when the other stepside ranger at work and i end up next to each other in the parking lot, my back end of hte bed is a few inches taller then his. he is a 2wd xl so it really shows the differences the edge has over the other 2wd models

Other than the FX4 level 2 the U bolts are the same on either axle, the axle tubes neck down between the spring perches and diff on the 28 spline 8.8 where the 7.5 are straight...

 

[bobbywalter]

back in the 90s there was a badass lowered ttb in the downriver that did pretty good.


you can block up your upper control arm to go lower. not too hard to do.

 

[NakedDucks]

@JoshT

I was wondering as I have the 03 body and frame, so if I’m swapping out of an explorer, I’d be using all of that wiring and drivetrain.

 

[JoshT]

IIRC that 03 is a 2wd. Is it torsion bar or coil spring? If it's coil spring you can't install the front 4x4 components.

I seem to recall that even the torsion bar 2wd is missing some bracketry for mounting the front differential, though those could probably be sourced from the same explorer and welded in.

For a torsion bar truck, you've pretty much seen the limit of stock components with mine and lil_Blue_Ford's trucks. To go lower would require custom components, namely control arms, that we're having trouble sourcing right now.

To go lower, I see Bobby's sugestion of "block up your upper control arm" and I'm honestly not certain what he is talking about there. I've seen suggestions to raise the mounting points for the upper arms and raised mounts are available, but that would require cutting and welding the to the frame that I'm not willing to do. Even if I were willing, I do not think it would be a viable option with the torque monster style headers. Best option would be extended control arm(s) with corrected joint angle, but can't find a source at current.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’d also say that to go much lower than my truck or @JoshT , you may start to run into other issues. Lower ball joints (not as big of a problem as the uppers since it’s stamped steel so easy to do a cut and turn), but there’s also the bracket for the bump stops that isn’t real far away. Obviously shocks. Possibly start to push the angle for the CV shafts. Possibly start to run into issues with the steering rack where you may have to flip the tie rod ends or something.

 

[ummduh]

While I agree with the idea of deleting the t-bars in favor of coil overs that isn't even the first limitation. I put drop keys in mine, but had to crank them way back up to get close to decent camber (caster way off still).

First limitation in a torsion bar SLA is bump stops, they either need to be cut down or removed to have any travel. Next is the control arms are too short. As I mentioned above I'm sitting about like John is in those pics, and the best I can get is -2° camber with adjusters maxed out. I've got the biggest adjusters available installed. I'm still running about a 30" tire with 2-3" clearance if that tells you anything. I want to go lower and smaller, but not feasible until I can get arms to correct camber.

And this is why i built a 2wd. I really wanted to go awd, but you just cant get them low enough (for what I wanted).

I still have that awd t-case under the workbench just in case though!

 

[JoshT]

And this is why i built a 2wd. I really wanted to go awd, but you just cant get them low enough (for what I wanted).

I still have that awd t-case under the workbench just in case though!

Nothing wrong with going 2wd, just isn't what I wanted. For MY truck, I'd rather lift and go 4wd than slammed 2wd. My ideal stance would be that of a slightly lowered coil spring 2wd, except with the AWD.

Biggest challenge for what I want is camber adjustment on the front, the upper arms are too short. Assuming that I can ever get the custom upper control arms made (I'd buy a full set at this point), I can go plenty low enough for me. I like the look of slammed 2wd trucks, but it isn't my thing. For the moment the rear of my 4wd is sitting about equal to a 3" drop on a 2wd coil truck (axle flip plus lift shackles) and honestly it's too low. If I keep a Ranger axle under the truck then its going back spring over and a shackle flip. If I do an Explorer axle it's probably spring under and with explorer springs and lift shackles.

FWIW my "just in case" will be a F-150 electric shift 4406. Just in case I damage the AWD case and decide to make it part time 4wd (aka I want burnouts), or just in case I decide to go back up with it and make it a regular 4wd.