Superlift or SAS? I can't decide.

[DJ Skillz]

New guy here. Haven't done an intro thread yet, but I plan to.

I have a 2006 FX4 and I want to get it up higher. I've already done a torsion crank, but it's not enough.

I've been tossing the idea of either a SAS or the superlift kit. I'd love to do a SAS, but I've never done one before. My brother has (on a 4runner), but he's in Texas. I'm in CA. He can't help much. I don't have much fabrication experience, but I do have a friend who does and is willing to help me out, but he's never done a swap from IFS to solid axle, so he's not much help there either.

I have around $2-3k to spend on lifting the truck. The superlift seems like the easier way out at this point. Everything bolts on. I could do it in a day. Since this is my daily driver, that's looking more and more appealing. I just know that a few months down the road I'll be kicking myself for not doing the SAS.

Talk me into one or the other. If there is anyone in the San Diego area that has done a SAS on a ranger, I would love to meet up and pick your brains. I'll buy you lunch & beer.

 

[4.0B2]

what are your REAL plans for the ranger? dd mostly light offroad? purely offroad? what size tires? what gear ratio do you have now? motor? 5 speed or auto?
details man! details!

 

[DJ Skillz]

what are your REAL plans for the ranger? dd mostly light offroad? purely offroad? what size tires? what gear ratio do you have now? motor? 5 speed or auto?
details man! details!

I want it to be as tough as I can get it offroad while keeping it a reliable daily driver. Reliability is more important than ride comfort. The damn thing drives like a car right now, it's just not right.

I plan on running 33x12.5x15's on 15x10's after the lift. I have 31x10.5x15's right now on the stock Alcoa 15x7's. It's an auto 4 liter with 4.10 gears.

 

[Bennybooster]

It sounds like a superlift is your speed, a SAS isn't something you jump into

 

[DJ Skillz]

It sounds like a superlift is your speed, a SAS isn't something you jump into

I agree. The only way I would undertake the SAS project would be if I were 100% confident I could do it or if I had someone with me who had done a SAS before. I've been doing research for the last couple months, and I'm nowhere near confident enough to take on the SAS myself.

I would wait for my brother to come back to CA so he could help me out, but I'm impatient, and that could be another year or so at least.

 

[4x4junkie]

If you have another vehicle to drive for a month or so, I'd say keep looking into the SAS (I say a month because chances are you'll be doing some waiting for ordered parts at times). However if it's your DD and you can't have it down for more than a weekend, then you might be better off with the IFS lift for now.

Time comes when you can do the SAS at a later date, you might be able to recoup at least some of your $$$ by selling the IFS kit if you keep it in good shape.

 

[4.0B2]

I can't see spending the money for IFS lift, when it costs as much as yours will. If my b2 was true IFS And not ttb. I would have sas'ed it. End of story. If you had ttb I'd say learn it and Rock it.

But in your situation, I'd be driving it as is... Till you learn how to fab and research and learn sas. Any shops in your area? Could you swing the cost of having someone else hang the axle? Then you complete it? I had a guy that was gonna build me custom y-link radius arms and track bar for a d30 for $800. He was doing all but shocks, drive shaft, steering, brakes.

 

[DJ Skillz]

Are there any axles out there that won't require modification (aside from the obvious suspension modification) to fit correctly under the truck? I've heard that certain '70 something broncos had a D44 that fit well.

My thought process right now is probably to do the superlift and start accumulating parts & knowledge to eventually do a SAS later on down the road.

 

[bilzy7]

You know they sell a front lift only for superlift. I'm not sure how complete it is. 659.99, I found the link on explorer forum, and obviously it's for an explorer; but how truly different are they upfront? 4x4 bout it.

 

[bilzy7]

http://www.louisville4x4.com/fsusexplorer.htm

 

[DJ Skillz]

You know they sell a front lift only for superlift. I'm not sure how complete it is. 659.99, I found the link on explorer forum, and obviously it's for an explorer; but how truly different are they upfront? 4x4 bout it.

If they have one for just the front that works for the ranger, that would be perfect. I don't plan on stacking the superlift blocks on top of my stock blocks in the rear anyway. That sounds horrible. I will probably do shackles & explorer leaf springs in the rear to get it level.

 

[DJ Skillz]

I ordered the superlift and the driveshaft today. It ended up being only $20 more for the full kit vs. just the front, since I would have to order the front parts seperately. I figure $20 gets me new rear shocks and I can always resell the blocks and u-bolts.

Going to pick-your-part next weekend to pick up some explorer leaf springs. It's 50% off everything there next weekend. Going to probably order shackles as well. Hopefully I'll get it installed by the end of the month.