Overlanding Ranger

[ghost762]

Hello All,

I'm building my 1998 Ranger XLT 4X4 out for overlanding. I know the suspension options are kind of limited for lift kits. I Have come across the Wulf kits and the Rough Country kits. My goal for lift is 2-4" of suspension lift. My concern is with an overlanding build I'm going to be adding a decent amount of weight to the back of the truck and that the stock leaf springs will not be up to the task. Would an add a leaf kit help with rear end sag under load? If so who would offer an option for that?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Air Lift...

 

[scotts90ranger]

4 door explorer leaf springs (I haven't looked in a while but having a couple V8 Explorers, don't get ones with the self leveling suspension, they're super light duty) would likely help out. The only thing you have to do with sploder leafs is flip the center pin over since the sploders are spring under instead of spring over...

Air shocks or airbags wouldn't hurt either then you could tune them to the conditions...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

4 door explorer leaf springs (I haven't looked in a while but having a couple V8 Explorers, don't get ones with the self leveling suspension, they're super light duty) would likely help out. The only thing you have to do with sploder leafs is flip the center pin over since the sploders are spring under instead of spring over...

Air shocks or airbags wouldn't hurt either then you could tune them to the conditions...

At this point I would just get new springs, especially for a long distance truck.

Them poor Explorers have been dragging their butts for 15+ years by now. By the time you fight with the stupid bolts to flip them and replace the bushings in old well used springs new springs will be looking pretty good.

If you run light they can be kind of overkill, my truck is a long bed standard cab. I can hardly stand to drive it without the big fiberglass topper on it. Yours being later and I assume supercab might take them better.

Airbags can be fairly inexpensive, I was poking around last spring and could find kits for $300+/-. Not sure how they like offroading though.

 

[scotts90ranger]

True, it's not 20 years ago anymore... dang calendar is mean

Back in the day when I got explorer leaf packs I wasn't paying attention to what I got them from, probably '91-94 though, the air ride didn't come in until the second gen sploders, heck, I didn't realize it was a thing until I got an '00 Explorer Limited with just rear air shocks, then a '98 V8 Eddie Bauer with all 4 corners... if you turn off the compressor and have a cooler or one person in the back seat it'll give you a "check suspension" light on the dash...

I was more mentioning that if you bought new springs for an explorer you might have to flip the bolt but getting the higher rated Ranger springs and the Belltech shackles would probably get you in a good place... I ran explorer leaves for a while but that was like 20 years ago I think and I was younger then... part of the leaf pack in my '90 is Explorer and it rides great but who knows the spring rate on that hobbled together stack...

 

[bobbywalter]

I Run hd 2wd f 150 springs from a 95 application with pin relocaters.

They are cheap and easy....run em till they sag and buy new ones...(chinesium) last set was about 260 for both...picked em up at scientific....or aka Michigan truck parts...