Best handling suspension mods (lowering too)

[fox408]

Alright, to get started, let me give you guys a little bit of information about what I'd like to do..

I've been daily driving the ranger for going on two years now. I have fun in it, but as you all know, the 2.3 is no powerhouse, and rangers aren't exactly known for being excellent in the twisties either..

Recently I started racing autocross in a different vehicle, and I fell in love with it. Now, I've got the bug to try to turn the ranger in to something that can actually turn, and be decent on back roads and such. Now, I know it won't be a Miata by any means, but you get where I'm going..

What I'm looking for is suspension, to firm up everything, and make it turn better. I also figured I'd do the roush front sway bar, and Bronco II rear.

As far as lowering goes, I'm torn.. I LOVE the look of the 2/3 drop, yet everyone says, "no, no, no, go 5/6 you'll regret it if you don't." I don't agree exactly, but coming from those who have been there, I have to listen some. I also don't like hearing about bottoming out, C-notch, removing bump-stops, new camber bolts, etc.. Is that going to be required with either drop?

Now, my more serious questions is, which is a better drop for performance? Basically from what I've been able to find, I'd either be going with the JDM 2/3 drop kit, or the JDM 4/5 drop kit. People say the 4/5 drop kit rides just like stock...... However, that is not what I want.. I want stiffer than stock.

I think I've explained enough for you guys to have an understanding of where I'm going. Thanks for you time, and I look forward to hearing your input.

 

[JayTee]

The cheapest way to get a ranger to handle excellent on twisty back roads is to put it on Craigslist, sell it - and buy something else.

You can lower it, put some decent tires on it, and upgrade the shocks... but unless you do a load of custom work, it's still going to handle like a slightly hopped up UPS delivery van.

 

[rangerbum]

My 97 perked right up when I added a rear sway bar, larger front sway bar, and poly bushings. Even at stock height. But having Tib front suspension is quite a bit different. At the time that I was driving my truck in the curves a lot I also had Cooper Cobra tires, 245/60R15 in front, and 295/50R15 rear, they stuck like glue.

 

[stmitch]

The top ways (in no specific order) to get your 98+ 2WD truck to perform better @ a SoloII event would probably be
1) Drop the center of gravity by lowering the truck
-----DJM 2/3 or 4/5 kits are what I would suggest, but Belltech also offers a 3/3 kit. Make sure you get decent shocks like Doetsch Nitro Slammers. They'll ride more comfortably and still handle well. Words of warning: using more than a 2 inch drop spring in front can make Rangers difficult/impossible to align. You should only need a c-notch if you drop the rear more than 5 inches
2) Reduce body roll
-----You have several options here
Front Sway Bars: Roush/Stock Ranger 4WD are the same. Both would be upgrades over stock 2WD. 95-97 Explorers had 1.375" hollow bars, 98-01 had 1.375" solid bars which are the biggest you'll find. There are also aftermarket companies like Belltech and Hellwig that offer various sizes to choose from.
Rear Sway Bars: Roush is a factory Ford Ranger rear swaybar, but it's a huge upgrade over no sway bar at all. BroncoII's came with several sizes from 5/8" up to the Holy Grail 1" rear bar. I believe 95-01 Explorer rear sway bars can work too with some work, and they offer aftermarket sizes up to 1.125".
Words of warning: The balance of swaybars can greatly affect how a vehicle performs. Too much bar on either end can cause snap oversteer, or massive understeer. Do research.
Poly bushings: DJM includes poly bushings in their control amrs, and the Doesch shocks I mentioned come with poly bushings too. If you want factory replacement parts, or leaf spring bushings, I believe Energy Suspension carries them, and DJM may offer certain replacements as well.
3) Increase grip using wider, stickier tires.
-----Almost unlimited options based on size/tread wear rating. They make a huge difference in grip, which increases your cornering speed, and traction on exit, while reducing your braking distance. Words of warning: These are not usually cheap, and tend to wear quickly
4) A trac-loc or limited slip will help with your traction getting out of corners
-----Aftermarket limited slips and lockers have been made for both the 7.5 and 8.8 rear ends. Explorer 8.8 axles bolt right in, and will drop the rear around 5" so you wouldn't need to buy a flip kit. Many came with disc brakes and a factory Trac-loc. You could also bolt an Explorer rear sway bar directly to this axle to avoid modifying like you'd have to do on a Ranger axle Words of warning: the Explorer axles are wider than stock ranger rear axles, so you have to consider the amount of drop you'll have in the rear, as well as wheel/tire size and offset to avoid rubbing.
(5) A brake upgrade
-----Again, not cheap but coupled with your tires allow you to carry more speed longer into a corner before having to brake. 13" Cobra brake kits have been made for sale on other forums before (what I run) but be patient and have your money ready. Words of warning: 13" discs will require you to run a 17" wheel or larger.
6) Upgrade your steering rack
-----If your truck is a regular cab, you can install a steering rack from a 98+ Extended cab Ranger or 95-01 Explorer 4 door (no 2 door sports). It's a half turn less from lock to lock. Extended cabs have no steering upgrades. Words of warning: At some point, Ford changed the fittings on steering lines, so for a hassle free swap, I'd stick with a rack from a vehicle the same model year as yours

 

[rangerbum]

Excellent list of upgrades. I'll definitely attest to the warning about sway bars. I started with a rear sway bar from a ranger that was pretty dainty, then swapped to the thicker one from my BII. When I put the b2 bar in the truck my whole truck was out of balance around turns. The rear end held very tight, but spun out the inside tire a lot and wouldn't grip well exiting turns. The front end was too soft and body roll put excess lift on the inside, squat outside. The effect of this was understeer, and it got worse because it felt like the outside tire was trying to buckle due to the added stress.

It all got much better when I went from my stock front sway bar to a larger one from a 4.0 extended cab, and poly bushings. Handles like a dream now, but on dirt seems just a touch too tight.