89 ranger 4x4. aka the rattlin ranger Build.. pic heavy

[Crashtest84]

Oh here how about a lil truck porn.

 

[Crashtest84]

Ok for you guys that have done a SAS. I got to messing around to make sure everything clears. With springs in I can get 24" under the front before the rear started to lift. I know the rear leafs are to stiff but I'm thinking my fronts might be to as it didn't stuff very far.

But even with the springs out the front seemed to bind with maybe 12" of diff from drivers to passenger. My radius arms have a large flex joint on the frame end with polybushings on the axle end. I would think this setup should flex well?? Input appreciated.

 

[RANGERROD]

I'm not entirely convinced your bushings on the axle end arnt causing the bind. I don't personally like that design I don't think it allows the axle to twist like c bushings do. Too those bushings are new and poly maybe swap them out for some softer rubber ones like the jeep radius arm kits do. You'll go through them but that's the price for flex. To see if I'm right disconnect the upper on one side making the arms in a sense wristed.

 

[RANGERROD]

Take a look at my radius arms they're not Parrallel the axle is "twisted" in the bushings. Ford c bushings are bigger there fore allowing more flex.

 

[escort_gts]

What springs do you have again?
And I agree that the poly bushings might be limiting the flex some.

Your setup is close to what I have, johnny joint at the frame, and bushings at the axle. I can get around 38" under the front tire.

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

 

[Crashtest84]

The Coils I am using right now are BDS and for an XJ. I did some more playing tonight and took just the drivers side upper link off and BAM!! it flexed. SO I am going to check over all my stuff and see whats up.

 

[RANGERROD]

Time for 3-link!!

 

[RangerSVT]

Thats it, that 4 link design causes bind. Mine is the same way, it doesn't like to flex too much. I'll be changing my design when I can get to it....

SVT

 

[olranger]

i got a ? on the old 35ttb with the long arms, did it work that way, i am thinking about doin that to mine, but my truck still sees the road. Soooo do you think i could still drive it on the road. I know why waist my time well i am good at fabing but dont have the money to sas.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

i'm still debating on running only 1 upper link but ide hate to see what happens if the 1 link were to fail. I go thru rubber bushing about once a year so i've also thought of not replacing both uppers and leaving one blown out and replacing the other as to add some insurance.

 

[Crashtest84]

i got a ? on the old 35ttb with the long arms, did it work that way, i am thinking about doin that to mine, but my truck still sees the road. Soooo do you think i could still drive it on the road. I know why waist my time well i am good at fabing but dont have the money to sas.

Long arms on a TTB works awesome with the right springs. If that answers your question.

 

[olranger]

yes that is what i was wanting to know, but know it is all about finding the right springs, i am looking into 1.5 lift springs and 2 inch level spacers for now, along with making these long arms for it

 

[Crashtest84]

yes that is what i was wanting to know, but know it is all about finding the right springs, i am looking into 1.5 lift springs and 2 inch level spacers for now, along with making these long arms for it

I'm not to sure what you mean when you say your going to build long arms like mine? But the ones I did on my old 84 ranger are the ones I liked for the TTB. Best thing is I only had $140 in them $70 in the joints and if you include all the tube $70 for the DOM but I had enough that I could have done 4 arms. Here are some pics for ideas.

Might add with big tires they rub.. I was running a 37 12.50 TSL

Again with the right springs this pic is with coils for a jeep XJ 6.5 lift BDS brand.... I was running 6inch lift brackets for the TTB

 

[Crashtest84]

Ok so back to the SAS. I scrapped the old spring buckets and made some new ones. After pushing the axle forward a bit the old ones didn't line up to well. Soooo a few interesting things came up... like RUST! The drivers side wasn't bad. maybe the leaking PS helped. but the passenger side was really bad. I could have "with a fairly lite hit" put the hammer through the frame. "see fig.1" I cut 3/16th plate to weld on the frame both sides where the old TTB spring buckets used to be. Then comes the drivers side problem. Because I used a waggy D44 I didn't gain much track withe so the spring stayed the same as to TTB. But about 2ish inches farther forward. Well I ran into the bulge in the frame for the PS gearbox. Well a few cuts later and a lil more plate and bam its almost done lol.... Ok so for some pics now!

Fig.1 Rust.

Drivers side

Driver side cutout and patch to allow the spring bucket to lay flat in the frame.

And how it is now about 80% done I gotta finish a lil welding, get shock mounts, and run the brake lines. sorry for the pics... it was still a lil smokey in the shop.

And the passenger side.

I know some of you fab guys like weld pics

 

[Crashtest84]

Shock mount is done... not sure if I like it right there but it was about the only option.