Anyone ever lower the Ranger Edge?

[scotts90ranger]

I can feel axle wrap on my 2wd 2.3L '97 Ranger (4.10's which makes a difference...) and the two radiators, transfer case, bent leaf spring and twisted axle housing on my '90 will attest to there being the capability of axle wrap, it effectively has 4" of blocks though (3" blocks and taller spring perches), but that took some doing before my traction bar...

 

[dvdswan]

So I have no idea if this is even possible for you. But there was a Nissan guy that rally races his 4WD D21 truck and he, IIRC, flipped and swapped the UCAs to lower the truck about 2" from stock. I believe they were aftermarket UCAs but really no different dimensions from stock arms.

This is at ride height on 31s...

This is a stock D21 on 235/75R15s...

just saying to maybe think outside the box on this one.

 

[Lefty]

So I have no idea if this is even possible for you. But there was a Nissan guy that rally races his 4WD D21 truck and he, IIRC, flipped and swapped the UCAs to lower the truck about 2" from stock. I believe they were aftermarket UCAs but really no different dimensions from stock arms.

This is at ride height on 31s...

View attachment 79228

This is a stock D21 on 235/75R15s...

View attachment 79229

just saying to maybe think outside the box on this one.

Nice trucks!

 

[Lefty]

I lowered mine just yesterday. I'm looking to take it out today.

 

[Ranger850]

I lowered mine just yesterday. I'm looking to take it out today.

Got any before/after pics of the wheel wells?

 

[don4331]

The issue for the Ranger isn't the upper control arms, it's the lower ones hit the bump stops.

To lower an Edge you need a knuckle with spindle raised 2-3" (or more).

Unfortunately, not enough demand for aftermarket to make that.

I'm trying to think how you would raise the lower ball joint, safely.

 

[Lefty]

Got any before/after pics of the wheel wells?

Yes. Here's a quickie I just shot. The tires are oversize.. The front was dropped by only one half inch. Since this was an Edge, I just cranked the front torsion bars down. Forum members advised me that if I went lower I would need new shocks, keys, as well as an alignment.

I removed the 2 inch lift blocks under the rear axel and replaced them with one inch blocks.

The difference is subtle but gets rid of that look. You've seen that look before: all well, no wheel.

There is a pleasant small change in ride and handling. My little 3.0 has a little extra power. It has been upgraded just a little with a KC high flow air filter, electric fan, and dual exhausts. Clamping the leaf springs and lowering together reduced axel wrap, firmed up the rear, eliminated wheel hop, and reduced sway. Some members have installed traction bars or installed upgraded sway bars, but these changes cost less.

I would have not bothered, except I removed the bed anyway in order to paint the frame. The bed need not be removed, but it helps. Some recommend that the shock absorbers should be disconnected in order to prevent hyperextending them. I didn't bother. They did just fine. Mine are factory shocks, twenty years old, still hanging in there.

The second photo is from before.