Sway bars on a first gen

[Bird76Mojo]

Those definitely look similar to what's on my "parts" BII 4x4's. My 89 BII 4x4 has the plates for sure..

But my 87 2wd Ranger definitely doesn't have the holes in the frame to mount those plates or any bar on the front. (i know it would originally be a behind the axle setup if it had one, but 97 beam swap...)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Seems almost random who got what with the later first gens.

The truck in the pic with the plate style was a 2.8 BII, I think my '85 has the holes but I haven't found a nice set of plates to confirm. But mine is 4wd too (as are most BII's including the one I took a pic of) Maybe the 2wd's stayed with behind the axle longer and given that the frame is different they didn't bother adding the 4wd style bracket holes to the 2wd frame?

 

[adsm08]

Seems almost random who got what with the later first gens.

The truck in the pic with the plate style was a 2.8 BII, I think my '85 has the holes but I haven't found a nice set of plates to confirm. But mine is 4wd too (as are most BII's including the one I took a pic of) Maybe the 2wd's stayed with behind the axle longer and given that the frame is different they didn't bother adding the 4wd style bracket holes to the 2wd frame?

Most 2wds (that I have seen) had the steering shield. I think it used those hole instead of the sway bar mounts.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Most 2wds (that I have seen) had the steering shield. I think it used those hole instead of the sway bar mounts.

That makes sense too.

I don't spend much time under 2wd's...

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Most 2wds (that I have seen) had the steering shield. I think it used those hole instead of the sway bar mounts.

I was thinking that myself, but the "swoopy crossmember" steering shield seems further forward than the sway bar on the 4x4 BII. It may just be the way I"m looking at it though. I need to take some measurements.

 

[John94]

I just pulled the sway bar off my 88 ranger rwd extra cab which was mounted behind the I beams to the inside of the radius arms and pulled a front mounted sway bar off a 1990 and put iron mine. All the holes were there in the right spots for the swap. I’m going to tap a hole where that jack prong was I cut off for the front sway bar bolt.

 

[Locotomb]

Can't you run the original sway bar still with those beams? I don't have much experience with the second gen,(B2) front facing sway bar But I do know I like the radius arm sway bara that I have. Is there a noticeable difference?

 

[John94]

No I couldn’t use them with my lift I had to remove the crossmember the radius arms were mounted to. And the kit came with the drop links and I wanted to try and use them. I think the front mounted sway bar may be stiffer than the one I removed but it could just be the new skyjacker springs. Seems to work fine. I’m putting the 2” coil spacer, 3” body lift and a drop shackle in the back this weekend. I’ll take more pics when it’s done. I’m also dropping the carrier bearing crossmember as well.