6" lift on 97 ranger going to 8"?

[brithunsicker]

Hey guys I have a 97 ranger with the ttb axle. I put a 6" skyjacker lift on 4 years ago and I am currently running 35s. Been really debating putting 37s on it but need a few more inches in the front.
Now I realize the brackets for the lift are made for 6" lift, but if I kept those brackets and put coil spacers on it, or possibly different coils, would that work out? I realize it would put more stress on the ball joints, which I have been lucky enough to never have to replace with the 6" lift for 4 years and the truck has over 180k miles. Was thinking about just putting some Daystar coil spacers on it, but I'd rather put taller coils on instead. Anybody know of any 8" coils that would fit? Are jeeps a different diameter?
Want to hear some input from you guys, open to any ideas. But don't really want to SAS at the time being. Would really like to 302 swap before that, but waiting for the motor to go out first.

 

[4x4junkie]

If you have a Supercab (looks like it in your avatar), Skyjacker's 8" coils (#138) will work well as far as height goes.

You WILL need to do some additional steering mods afterward though (assuming you don't already have one of: the larger #FA600 drop pitman arm, or a modified Superlift Superrunner steering (or other custom K-link or crossover type setup). The taller coils will make an already-bad steering linkage angle completely unacceptable as far as handling goes (forget about the demolition it will do on your tires).

 

[brithunsicker]

I did the big drop pitman arm when I did the lift. Would the super runner steering be a substantial upgrade from my drop pitman arm setup? And if I have either of these setups do you still think the handling will be horrible and go through tires like crazy? I'm actually doing pretty good right now with 35s. I've recently done the extended radius arms that helped tremendously.

 

[4x4junkie]

A K-link setup (modified Superlift, etc.) would provide you an opportunity to directly match up the steering with your axle pivot (bracket) height... The FA600 drop arm is still about 2" off from a 6" lift, so it's certainly possible you could notice a bit more bumpsteer after you put the coils in.

The K-link also doesn't put as much stress on your steering box sector shaft since it typically uses a shorter standard dropped arm rather than the FA600 arm.


I'd be tempted to go full-out on a custom K-link setup at that height rather than try to modify a Superlift kit for it, mostly because the bushing design Stuperlift uses for their idler arm allows it to flex back & forth too much (the leverage from an extended drop centerlink would likely be over the top... It's almost too much already even without modding it). At the very least, redesign it's idler arm with a wider top sleeve so the leverage against the bushings is distributed better.

The steering on my BII started out as a Superlift kit. It's been great as far as handling & tire wear, though having bent the thin tierods crawling in the rocks, there's getting to be less & less 'Superlift' remaining on it. At this point I probably would build it from scratch using parts from Ruff Stuff Specialties or a similar vendor if i was to do it over again.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'm running about 7" of lift I think with my 6" coils and 1" of spacers and I'm at the limit of the stock steering system as the joint at the pitman arm (FA600) is maxing out when the passenger beam is at full droop, that'd probably be better once I get my radius arms extended...