Front suspension tuning

[allpau2thou]

So pretty happy with my rear set up. Explorer 8.8, ex leafs, flip kit, djm longer shackles, factory ex trac bars, stock ex sway bar. Sits just how I want it. The front needs to be stiffened up a bit and lowered an inch for a couple different reasons. Would adjustable shocks be the best way to go without having to modify anything structurally? My truck has very low mileage and I don't want to mess with anything until its necessary. Anybody used just air shocks to get a slightly lower front ride height?

 

[bobbywalter]

shocks dont determine ride height.

springs do.



what is the actual setup?

 

[allpau2thou]

They don't make an adjustable air shock you can use to adjust ride height?

 

[JoshT]

Can you clarify a little what you did with the rear of the truck? At least give us some idea of how much it dropped it. From the description you gave it could be anywhere from an 8 inch drop to a 5 inch lift depending on what the "flip kit" is referring to and which Explorer springs you have.

As for the front end, installing air shocks won't get you an inch drop but it could get you an inch of lift or more. Were you going to remove the coil springs and then install air shocks? If so very bad idea, air shocks are designed to assist the coil springs not replace them. In fact the only time that air shocks might be a good idea on the front of a Ranger is to help with the added weight if it is pushing a plow or some similar task. I'm going to assume that you are working on the 91 5.0L ranger you have listed. You only have two real options to get 1 inch of drop on front of a Ranger those are Splash springs if you can find them, or cutting a coil. IIRC a number of companies make 2" drop coils if you can handle an extra inch of drop. The absolute best way to lower the front of your Ranger is with drop I beams, which are only available in the 3" variety. If you went this route you could then install new stock height progressive rate springs to stiffen up the front end some. New springs, polyurethane bushings, very good new shocks, and a thick swaybar are the best and possibly only ways to stiffen up the front.

 

[allpau2thou]

That's the info I'm looking for. Thank you Josh. What I did to my rear end was first the flip kit. I got the axle flip bracket and the drop shocks. 4-5 inch drop i think? That was way to low for one because the front was still a mile high. Looked too Mexican for my liking. And two because the one piece driveshaft I had made was actually hitting the cross member above it when put any weight in the bed. So I got the DJM lift shackles which lifted it about an inchish... (I didn't actually measure any heights, just went by sight. driveshaft was still hitting when I had weight in the bed and being I had to pull off my heads to fix a blown gasket I decided to look into getting a explor for parts. I got a 96' awd 5.0 for $300. Stuck those heads on my motor, and used those leaf springs. Also the axle and stock trac bars. The leafs gave me another inch and are much stiffer.

 

[allpau2thou]

Went on rock auto and you can buy a pair of brand new splash springs for a 94 2.3L for 56.00 plus shipping. They will fit on my 91' and will give me an inch drop?

 

[allpau2thou]

This trucks at the junk yard where I live. Does this sticker tell you what coil springs it has?