The Drift Ranger Is In The Works Need Help

[Joey Stacks]

Ok so my dumbass dream to build a turbo drift ranger is in full effect... In a few days im about to strip the interior to add a roll cage (FIRST REAL MOD) besides my dynamax exhaust and ported intake. its a 92 RANGER XLT RWD LONG BED and basically i need to find a stiff suspension for it while dropping it a little to keep it stiff, wide open, and sideways. I need somthing that dosent drop the thing to the ground enough to be a head turner because i intend to keep it bone stock looking... including the wheels Im planning to use the 2.3 thunderbird turbo coupe motor. and as for the rear im going to try just welding it at first and might try the 8.8 but this is not about that. Ive seen a cheap lowering kit on ebay that i dont think would do the trick the way it needs. I know its gonna be hard with the rear leafs but there has got to be a way

HELP ME OUT IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING AND I WILL POST PROGRESS ON ANOTHER THREAD ALONG WITH PICTURES AS I COLLECT MONEY, WRENCH EXPERIENCE AND, HEADACHES THANKS

 

[dangerranger83]

Thats not a dumbass dream. A dumbass dream is to drive a ranger to the moon. I've always wanted to see a ranger drift (with mud tires though). I'd look up what tires, hp, gearing etc.. it takes to drift and incorperate that into your ranger.

 

[4byRANGER]

lo pro tires, high reving engine with tourqe to keep em spinnin. and a 4.10 or higher gear range. stay away from 4.56's or lower

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

A sprung under Exploder 8.8 swap with a full spool and 4.10s would probably work pretty good for that. Then you could add leaves for more spring rate till the u-bolts hit the ground if you want.

But from what I'm told one of the most important mods to a drift vehicle is, a quick steering ratio that also gives more steer angle. Like using a longer pitman arm or moving the tierods closer to the knuckles.

Also If I was you, I'd move the fuel tank and battery to the back of the bed for better weight distribution. My reg cab long bed is really light in the back, and when I used to drift the back roads of Jersey on rainy days it make a huge difference on how well mannered it was with a little weight on her. With a full tank(stock location) and my spare 31" against the tailgate, it gave me just enough more rear bite to link the corners. As where with no weight it would either snap back straight or keep on sliding.

 

[The_Ghost]

I'm with urban on this-- coming from a drift background, weight over the rear wheels is key.

You want the power to the ground to break the traction, not from the wheels coming off the ground.

I'd consider a V8 or 2.3T swap... probably 2.3T swap for the purpose of tire-melting goodness

 

[351rangerxxx]

if you live where it snows and weld the rear remember you cant turn on ice. it will pull you saight. i know all about that. climbed alot of curbs last winter but never got stuck. lol. didn't damage anything either

 

[Joey Stacks]

THANKS the 2.3T swap is what im planning and i was told the 8.8 was a better idea but is there any good websites to find some of the suspension parts i need? Ive been browsing like crazy and havent found anything except that cheap ebay kit and i wouldnt want to flip the rear leafs until i replace them with new parts and that goes with the whole suspension im half tempted to just pull the napa catalog out replace the things that the kit dosent cover. Im pretty new to wrenching but so far all the work ive done on the truck has been easy as all get out except for when im fighting rusty bolts. So im going to go look up pitman arms and moving the tierods. THANKS GUYS KEEP EM COMING

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

check into eibach and research spring rates, so that when you do get a spring manufacturers technical chart to look at youll be able to decode it.

 

[Joey Stacks]

will do thanks

 

[dangerranger83]

Got pictures?

 

[GoGoPowerRanger]

As far as drop kits go Belltech makes a 3-4 drop that replaces the rear spring perches and hangers and you retain the stock springs. I run this on my ranger with air shocks and works great for drifting. The 8.8 is what I would reccommend as I ran the 7.5 with ford trac-loc and 4.10 gears on 17x8 RT-6 wheels and 245-45-17s and after a couple months the diff grenaded under the strain!

 

[slammedxonair]

Here is a link to my ranger station vendor forum with links to the best of my Ibeam ranger lowering products. http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56199

 

[DRanger024]

slammed would be the best guy to help you with your suspension.. I'm definitely going to suggest a rear sway bar and a 3/4 drop to bring your center of gravity down into the stable zone yet keep your ride just slightly stiffer than stock. Sway control is going to be your biggest problem here.

 

[rat_ranger]

rear sway bar, traction bars or swap to a 4 link with coilovers, coilovers out front or atleast adjustable shocks. remember drifting isnt about how stiff the suspension is, its about how well tuned it is. you can drift with 150hp in a 240sx, but it takes good suspension set up with low pro tires, high profile tires the sidewalls flex too much. and if you check most drifters run a limited slip, not a locker.

 

[Joey Stacks]

thanks guys i hit a major snag on monday.... I got laid off from work due to lack of work this is going to be a little slow going. Thanks for the help if i have more questions i will refer back to this thread and post something new when i run into trouble. I still plan on doing this but with only a government unemployment check it might be harder to make some of the purchases. thanks