Advice needed on lift

[four100d]

Hello! My first post!

Ok, I have spent hours reading and searching multiple forums and sites, but I can't find all the info I'm looking for, so I thought I would ask for some advice. Here is what I have and what I'd like to do.

I have a 95 2wd ranger with 30/9.5-15's. I want to lift the front coils 1.5" with washer spacers. And lift the back using a 1" block along with shackles, for a total rear lift of 1 3/4 - 2". I have read about axle wrap with the use of large blocks and I figured a 1" block would be less likely to have axle wrap problems.

Now here is where I need some help/advice.

With the amount of lift I want to do, will I have to replace my shocks? I do not offroad at all. I just want the truck to look a little beefier Can I use shock extenders if I need more shock length?

How many inches of washer spacers do I need to make a 1.5" lift? From what I've read 1" of spacers will give me 1.5" of lift on my 2wd, is this correct? Will I be able to get it aligned properly without any more modifications?

How is the ride quality with lift shackles? (Bouncy? Cornering? Towing?)

Thanks...

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

welcome to TRS!

replacing them shocks could help the ride. sometimes after lifting the shocks hit the travel limit on bumps and give a bumpy ride. u can go up to 2" of spacer on the front. so basically stash your washers and measuer the height u want.

and yes u need to realign it and it can be done.

im using 2" blocvks in the back on mine, so i dont know the shackles thing lol

hope it helps.

 

[four100d]

Hello!

I don't have the 1" blocks yet, but I do have the shackles, so I decided to go ahead and get started, install the shackles, see how the shocks do and go from there. I just finished installing the shackles, one of them was a pain, the other one took like ten minutes... Next up the spacers for the front. I read where someone got some spacers from Grainger Industrial Supply, there is a branch close to me, so tomorrow I'm going to see if they have the washers in stock.

What did you use to lift your front end? Did you have to replace your shocks or did you use extenders?

What kind of blocks did you install on yours? (Steel, aluminum) Do you notice any of the axle wrap that I read from people on the forums?

So 1.5" to 2" on spacers on the front will definitely still be align-able?

Thanks!

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

mine has a different front suspension system, so its a different type of spacer. and i had to do a homemade modfication to my shocks. since they are fairly new and i didnt want to replace em yet.

check my build thread on my signature for more pics of it. i went with 2" steel blocks on the back. i did the blocks myself. And i havent noticed any warpage in axle or leaf springs.

2" is the top lift u can make to the front and still be able to align it. using F150 coils would give more lift, but it would be harder to align i think.

 

[83blackbandit]

i have a 96 2wd that i just used poly urethane 2" coil spacers from ebay. thay came with the stud extenders needed and then i just threw some procomp es9000 2" lift shock. i left the rear stock except the es 9000 shocks. it sits level with 31x10.50 pc xtreme mud terrains. it looks pretty good for a dd

 

[four100d]

Did you get adjustable camber bushings? I tried putting together my own extenders and using 2 inches of washer spacers, but the camber was way out. I bought some adjustable camber bushings at Napa (0-4 degrees), but in the chart that came with the bushings it said not to exceed -2 degrees on 2wd's, and my camber was out +3.5 on the left and +3.9 on the right. My stock fixed bushings were 0 to 1 1/4 degrees. I wasn't sure if it would work or not so I aborted the mission and removed the spacers.

With the 2" washer spacers I ended up getting around 2 1/4" lift, how much height did you get out of your spacers?

 

[strvger]

might try going to 1.5 inches of the washers and see how the truck looks and if it will take care of the alignment issue for you. are you wanting to put on bigger tires, or just get a little more clearance in the wheel wells?

 

[four100d]

With the extenders I used, I had to put 2 inches of stacked washers on each side for it to work.

Check out NJRanger94's thread: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58405

That's what I used...

Originally I only wanted to do a 1 to 1 1/2" lift on the front, but to do it with the stuff I bought it had to be 2 inches of stacked washers...

I put some 30's on it and I just wanted to get some space back in the wheel well and make it look a little beefier...

Here's a pic before the spacers and shackles:

Here is a pic of what it looked like after I put on the spacers and shackles (before I took it for an alignment check):

I need to figure out what I'm going to do, I still have the shackles on and it's sitting up high in the back. If I don't figure out something for the front I'm going to put the stock shackles back on it...

 

[strvger]

maybe longer coils up front? just a thought.

actually, you could have done it more easily and probably cheaper with a 2-3 inch body lift. not more than $150 and a days work with a friend or 2 to help and it would have been done. and it keeps your suspension and ride stock with no adjustments needed.

 

[four100d]

I thought long and hard about the body lift, but I'd rather have the extra ground clearance and not have most of the frame showing. Right now, from the passenger side you can see the muffler. I imagine that if the body was lifted 3 inches, it would stand out even more...

 

[mp3deviant721]

I thought long and hard about the body lift, but I'd rather have the extra ground clearance and not have most of the frame showing. Right now, from the passenger side you can see the muffler. I imagine that if the body was lifted 3 inches, it would stand out even more...

Body lifts aren't all that bad on Rangers. Alot of people here have 3in BLs and the frame doesn't stick out too much.

 

[four100d]

Just a little update...

I found a good deal on a used 3" body lift and decided to get it. It still bugs me a little that the frame shows, but I think I'm going to get some step bars to help hide the frame and get me in the truck. I still want to get the front up a little so I can fit bigger tires.

Question: Is there an end to wanting it bigger? Now that I've had the BL on for a week, it doesn't seem much higher... Does this happen to everyone who lifts their trucks?

 

[strvger]

not me. i am quite satisfied with my 2 inch body lift and have no plans to get into suspension lifts at all. my 31 inch tires clear easily and there is room to go to 32's if i want. but that's just me.

 

[four100d]

I was kind of kidding around... I was thinking of where I started. 14" stockers, then got a deal on some 15" wheels and already had some tires for them. Then I got the set of wheels I have now, they had bigger tires on them. Then I decided to get a set of 30's, then they seemed a little stuffed to me, so I started looking into lifting the truck. Then once I lifted the truck, now the 30's seem small... ...see what I mean


I would like to be able to fit 33/10.50 tires on my truck, but I don't really want to lift it a lot more to fit them. Even if the 33's fit with no problems, then they might look stuffed, so there I go again... I'm leaning toward the 31's right now...

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

man that truck looks really nice!!
and we have the same tires lol, well sorta since mine are completly bald LOL

i know what u mean about always seing em small. thats why i lifted the body 2" on mine, and since the 30"s loo small im going 31"s now. i think thats pretty much how high and how big of a tire ill go.