New Member Need Lift Advice For 93

[93Splash4.0]

hello all, im new here, Ive recently been searching all over the net for ranger info and you guys seem to be the best. a few months ago i picked up a 93 ranger splash 4x4 5 speed 4.0l. and i love it, i get good fuel economy and its fun to drive. its definitely a work in progress and i have started to collect the parts i need to fix it up in the spring. it needs shocks front and rear. so like every other man alive im thinking if im going to change shocks i might as well do a small lift lol. it sits low in the front so i definitely want to at least level it out (im thinking 2") but then again im a man so maybe i will go more (oh the problems we get ourselfs into) anyways its a daily driver/weekend toy i dont want to spend a lot of money on a lift ($250 max not including shocks) i like the F150 spring idea but i dont want an extremely rough ride and i am gunna order the camber/caster adjusters (i can do my own alignment at work for free) i dont want to get into drop brackets and such i would like to be able to just put spacers or taller springs in and get the alignment back to spec. id like to run at least 31s but 33s are tempting ( the man thing again) ive done a ton of research and looked in the tech library (awesome by the way) but i keep getting mixed info sum say throw some f150 springs and camber bushings in and you get almost 4" (that would be awesome) and then sum say anything over 2" and you need drop brackets ??? so my main question is how high can i go for cheap without drop brackets or steering issues? and also what do you guys recommend for springs? (f150s or spacers or maybe something else) ive been on moogs site looking at different spring specs trying to find ones that are a bit softer and a bit taller - no luck so far if you guys could help e out that would be awesome!!!!!

 

[Gotta_gofast]

You would never be able to get the correct camber on stock suspension with 4 inches of lift. For a budget of under $250 I would get some skyjacker +2 coils (this will be the best ride vs F150 springs or coil spacers) and camber bushings and leave it alone if you want to level it out. Invest in some shackles for the rear if you want the rake just higher. I ran 265/75-R15s on my 93 leveled out and it filled nicely without rubbing. With 3.27 gears listed in your sig I would be wary of running too large of tire. 33s would probably render overdrive useless with 3.27s.

 

[93Splash4.0]

ok i was doing some more research ( i have decided to just level it out for now and run 31s ) but i'm still wanting to find a softer spring, in my search i found spring specs from a 79 f150 has any one every used these? i compared them to my factory springs and i'm really tempted to try them here's the specs
End 1 End 2 I.D Bar.D Install Height Load Spring Rate Free Height
Tangential Pig Tail 4 .687 13.00 1575 271 18.25

and my factory specs
End 1 End 2 I.D Bar.D Install Height Load Spring Rate Free Height
Square Pig Tail 3.5 0.656 10.50 1323 377 13.75

so the spring rate is 100 less but those springs would have to compress 8" to not give me any lift (to reach my stock 10.5 install height) and i cant see that happening even if it did i would still try them with spacers what do you guys think? should i give them a shot? if i can get 2" of lift and a bit softer ride i will be a happy camper (btw i don't care about flex or anything like that its just a daily driver/weekend toy)

 

[93Splash4.0]

oh and on a side note as for the 3.27s with a 4.0l ,5 speed and reg cab step side i wish this thing had a 6th gear, im serious lol i have actually pushed in the clutch and gone to upshift out of 5th (quickly realizing there is no more gears lol) i can pull out and pass people in 5th lol i was hoping slightly bigger tires would help this abit maybe lower cruising rpm

 

[93Splash4.0]

Found Temping Coil Springs from 79 F150

What Do You Think?

 

[Gotta_gofast]

What Do You Think?

Lets point out the obvious here. F150 trucks weigh more than a ranger truck. Springs must support more weight with an F150 than with a ranger. Springs support more weight by increasing the spring rate. Increasing the spring rate makes for a stiffer ride. By this thought process the F150 springs should make your ranger ride like a lumber wagon.

If you want a nice ride and good flex out of a levelled suspension I highly recommend this...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SJA-132X/

I've ran them. They are designe for a Ford Ranger, not another truck with different suspension geometry and weight. These springs are worth the money. Make sure to pair them with a quality shock absorber, too.

 

[railman]

also remember that if ya do F150 springs you have to modify the coil buckets...

I agree to get the Skyjackers.....but, if it rides fine now, you could just do the "washer mod" for 2" of lift....

definately leave the poly spacers alone....

l8r, John

 

[4x4junkie]

Lets point out the obvious here. F150 trucks weigh more than a ranger truck. Springs must support more weight with an F150 than with a ranger. Springs support more weight by increasing the spring rate. Increasing the spring rate makes for a stiffer ride. By this thought process the F150 springs should make your ranger ride like a lumber wagon.

If you want a nice ride and good flex out of a levelled suspension I highly recommend this...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SJA-132X/

I've ran them. They are designe for a Ford Ranger, not another truck with different suspension geometry and weight. These springs are worth the money. Make sure to pair them with a quality shock absorber, too.

271PPI is significantly softer than 377PPI (remember, a '79 F-150 4WD has a solid beam axle rather than the Twin-Beam).
I don't think those coils are going to compress down enough to not have to swap out the axle pivot brackets for lifted ones though (plus the fact you'll need to modify the coil mounts as well).

I'd suggest taking a look at the shocks if there's an issue with ride quality with stock coils. Bad shocks (or ones that are too stiff) tend to have a greater impact on ride quality than the springs will.

As for your gears... it sounds like you may have something much lower than 3.27s in there (5th gear is barely usable right out of the box with some factory tire combinations! Many have reported better mileage in 4th gear).
I'd check to see if the gears may have been swapped by a previous owner (very possible since 3.27s suck that bad). If so, then you may be good to go for the bigger tires.

 

[Black_Splash]

For a budget lift you can get 2 in. from leveling coils and some leaf springs from an explorer.
I started by leveling it but it just didn't look right.

 

[93Splash4.0]

thank you 4x4 junkie for noticing that those springs are SOFTER lol i should have said those are the springs that were used in the early full size broncos, Ive found a few now that have used them in rangers and b2s, i already have 3 degree camber caster adjustable bushings and im ok with modifying the spring buckets, so what your saying is you don't think they will compress enough meaning they will give too much lift? so could i try them and measure height change and then cut some of the coils out until im down to the lift i want? (which is maximum lift without drop brackets) this way i get the small lift that i want and a softer spring rate? im ok with doing all that work if that's what i can get out of it unless there is another factory spring that would do the same thing for me without all the modifying

 

[kevinsranger]

i have a 94 4.0 with m50d-r1 and 3.27 gear ratio with 32" tires and i barely need 5th gear, i may go into it on the highway, but as soon as there is the slightest uphill, i downshift to 4th, so i doubt you'll need to regear unless your doing some rock crawling and need the crawl ratio

 

[kevinsranger]

i run a 3" body lift and stacked washers under the coil base on the beam, and i can run 33's without rubbing so that may be the best budget lift for you

 

[93Splash4.0]

my ranger is 100% stock right now with 235/7515s and like i said i wish i had a sixth gear lol so i am hoping with 31s or 32s it will be just perfect. one time when it was really wet and slippery out i busted the tire loose (dam open diff) in 5th gear at 80kph i can accelerate up good size grades on the highway lol im going to check to see how much room i have for washers i guess i should try that first and i was thinking about a body lift

 

[kevinsranger]

my ranger is 100% stock right now with 235/7515s and like i said i wish i had a sixth gear lol so i am hoping with 31s or 32s it will be just perfect. one time when it was really wet and slippery out i busted the tire loose (dam open diff) in 5th gear at 80kph i can accelerate up good size grades on the highway lol im going to check to see how much room i have for washers i guess i should try that first and i was thinking about a body lift

the washers work amazing, just order them from grainger, i think i got a box of them for $18 and i still have some left over, not enough to do another truck or i'd offer them to you

my truck with the 32's, third gear just cruising in wet weather and the back end will get away from you quick, its even worse with the mud terrains because they suck in rain, and they are so noisy you dont really hear the tire spin til you feel the back going sideways

 

[koa's93ranger]

I agree that f150 coils are too stiff. All the wannabe prerunner guys in my town do it so they can jump their stock trucks. Your cheapest deal is to go with the steel washers and a 3" body. You can run up to 35s with trimming. And I know what you mean with the gearing. You probably have 4.10s. I had the same issue. My truck felt like the engine was about to blow up at 75mph. Jumped to 33s and it drives perfectly and I can still spin them with no problem