93 Supercab suspension question...

[Rusty Bouquet]

I see most Rangers have the front end lower than the rear. But how much is normal? I have about a 5" difference, front to back. Compared to all the others I see, it seems excessive. I feel like either the front is sagging(twin I beam), or the rear has been lifted... maybe both? I don't see anything that looks modified, or aftermarket, that would account for such a rake. I'm not trying to lift it, but I do want it level, or at least level-ish. Does that seem like more rake than most unmodded 4x4 Rangers?

 

[Josh B]

To answer your question best I can is simply yes, it does look excessively high in the rear(or low in the front)
I can't say why, it could be any number of things, front or rear.

Check your door label and see what the GVWR and such is, and maybe learn from that if it has any factory towing packages.

You looked well at the back, did you also look at the front? Look closely also at the coil spring bolts for signs of removal or replacement.
It doesn't appear to be excessively modified on the outside so I wouldn't expect it to be underneath either.

Check also your front shocks for damage and the rear ones for signs of replacement

Past that I really have no clue

 

[Josh B]

Any chance they used it for carrying a heavy load(large camper top etc)?

 

[Curious Hound]

If the front is sagging significantly, you will see that when you look at it from the front. The camber will be way off and you will have excessive wear on the inside edges of the front tires. That does look like a lot of height in the back.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I have a 93 reg cab and rhe ass end seems to be the same as yours. I have a topper on mine too. When i first got the truck i removed the remnents of an in bed 5th wheel receiver. Also has a custom front receiver welded in the front wirh a 3/4" pin hole. I suspect my truck was used by a large construction company.

 

[Rusty Bouquet]

Camber looks right, tire wear is even. Nothing looks like it's been touched, patina is the same everywhere under there. If it's been modified, it would have to have been quite a long time ago. Rear shackles look to be factory too. Is there a common rear leaf spring swap I can investigate? Maybe someone put some other springs in, but not sure how I can confirm or debunk that idea. How many leafs come with a factory leaf spring? Do they have any part numbers to id them with, or some other way to tell if they're factory or not?

 

[Josh B]

Give me the numbers off your door Rusty, I'll look it up.
Should be one there for the axle and one for the spring

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Remove the 3" block from between the axle and spring. Buy new u-bolts. Done deal.
Or do the washer lift for the front. Check the tech section for instructions.

 

[Rusty Bouquet]

Does this help?

 

[Rusty Bouquet]

Isn't that 3"block part of the bump stop? That would be an easy fix, but I don't want my axle smacking things under there. And all the other ones I've seen have them, and are still reasonably level.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The bump stop is attached to the frame. The block has the side extension that contacts the stop. The axle does the same thing without the block.

 

[Josh B]

Does this help?

Man I'm not sure what the N4X is, the N is the front springs and the X is the rear(part number F27A-55600-XB) but I have no clue what the 4 means :/

 

[Rusty Bouquet]

That seems about right... I always get the weird ones. I've been studying up on front end lift methods, and I think I'm going to just bust out my welder and grinders, and fab out a proper lift, to match the height of the rear. I could buy a kit, but I think I can build it for half the price(or less).

 

[Josh B]

Man I'd pull that block out of there and leave it go

 

[racsan]

If you wanted to try no blocks before buying -u-bolts, you could disassemble and have the spring pack on the axle, then the lift block, then the U-bolt plate (thus using your existing U-bolts). Of course the bump stops on lift blocks would be closer to the rubber bump stops and you wouldnt have much rear axle travel before hitting the bump stops. My 93 had a badly twisted frame, so bad that the right side was 3” higher than the left, so I moved my lift block on right side to the top of the spring pack. yes it looked weird from underneath, As for the bump stop on the lift block, I torched mine off long before frame because I had axle mounted coil helper springs and those bump stops were in the way