Best option for half-ton SAS?

[TexasRebel]

I have been doing serious research into doing a full 1-ton suspension all the way around my 90 ranger and I am almost thinking about just doing a half ton on the front and building my 8.8 up a little bit for now. What would be my best option for a front dif? Maybe a 40 out of a older f150 or f100 narrowed a little bit? If I do that, it will definitely be getting Chevy outers so I can do high steer.

 

[Jroberts#77]

What kind of set up are you looking to run. Leaf springs , coil springs, or air shocks / coil overs. ?

 

[TexasRebel]

I think I'd rather go with coil springs.

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[Jroberts#77]

If your gunna go with a d44 and want to run coil springs. I would say get a front axle out if a 1976-1977 f150. These two years have radius arm wedges the that are welded on amd not casted to the tubes . You need the welded wedges bc you need to move the passenger side in so that your coils will be aligned properly. And you can extend the radius arms to the length you want just my .02

 

[90jurassic2]

Or you can just get a kit from james duff that will space your coils out to the full width of the axle and not have to do any narrowing. If you're trying to make something work, just put a heeper axle in and call it golden.

 

[TexasRebel]

I'd rather narrow it. I don't want the wheels sticking out really far. I'd like them to be even with the back wheels.

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[RangerSVT]

Your best bet is to find an early bronco dana 44, its ranger width and nearly bolt in. A full width can be cut down 6" on the long side for ranger width. Since you're narrowing, you can also use the cast wedge axle, found under 78-79 f trucks...

SVT

 

[TexasRebel]

Do mean early bronco as in first generation broncos? Those are practically non existent around here.

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[6.2]

Find a rubicon d44.

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[legoms013]

My vote is the high pinion axles out of the early fords. The ones with the cast wedgies are easy as cake to narrow as well, did mine that way

Nearly bolt on with all the products James duff offeres these days

 

[TexasRebel]

My vote is the high pinion axles out of the early fords. The ones with the cast wedgies are easy as cake to narrow as well, did mine that way

Nearly bolt on with all the products James duff offeres these days

Which one are you using? And how hard was it to regear it to match your rear? Do the lug patterns match?

 

[bobbywalter]

like always....it depends on goals now and future and what you are starting with, and what is readily available where you live. i would start with a few days doing a inventory of the local u pulls and pricing.

do you have a factory powertrain? do you plan a powertrain upgrade? what kind of tire size? if your going to need to regear anyway from stock ranger offerings and have to change wheels you have some cost effective potential options.


cheapest and easiest if your tire size is sane and your good with your factory gears if they are factory gears..especially since you do not want full width..plain and simple will be a d30 or 44 swap from a cherokee or wrangler. likely get matched gears to factory ranger ratio and cake to do and you can keep your current wheels..


if your lucky and full width d44 ford hi pinion that is fairly cheap or a pos ( and likely overpriced) low pinion eb axle is available local, those are no brainers. your getting lockouts.



but if your going that way your gonna need new wheels.

and if your gonna need wheels and dont have a workable set already and plan to narrow anyway finding cost effective options is fairly easy to do.

the chevies and dodges and fullsize jeeps thru the 80's had dana 44 and 10 bolts and are in mass over the 77-79 ford axles and usually real cheap complete and have decent brakes.


so swapping the diff to the driver side during the narrowing isnt a big deal at all.

the 90's isuzu rodeo and honda passport run a d44 out back with the chevy bolt pattern...the later models have disk brakes...430 and 456 gears with l/s are common.


other then that, a doubler setup that allows a passenger drop case and a 14 bolt and gm or dodge d 60 will allow some great options.


just remember....dana, new process, borg warner.....dont have to be pinned to one brand vehicle.

 

[TexasRebel]

like always....it depends on goals now and future and what you are starting with, and what is readily available where you live. i would start with a few days doing a inventory of the local u pulls and pricing.

do you have a factory powertrain? do you plan a powertrain upgrade? what kind of tire size? if your going to need to regear anyway from stock ranger offerings and have to change wheels you have some cost effective potential options. I have a 89 F-250 That I will be pulling the motor from. Transmission is still undecided.


cheapest and easiest if your tire size is sane and your good with your factory gears if they are factory gears..especially since you do not want full width..plain and simple will be a d30 or 44 swap from a cherokee or wrangler. likely get matched gears to factory ranger ratio and cake to do and you can keep your current wheels.. I don't plan to go huge on tires. The biggest I will probably go is 35s or 37s.

I added in red what answers are to some of those.

 

[bobbywalter]

i just replied in the other thread...


yeah....the powertrain upgrade really opens up your axle selections.


surplus military dodge and chevy axles and parts/wheels are around with some digging.


i would consider the rear fixed yoke dodge 208 t case with 31 spline input shaft and some hd full width dodge axles....with the dodge wheels or custom offset wheels the truck will be the perfect width so you wont have to hack up the axle. or you can run the fullsize jeep axles....they are not too wide either and available with driver or passenger drop..


with the 351 410 gears and 35's are good to go....so that lowers costs greatly right there...just get a working set of axles and get on with it.

 

[legoms013]

Which one are you using? And how hard was it to regear it to match your rear? Do the lug patterns match?

78 Hp with the wedgies. Not hard to regear at all. Had a shop do it for $350 with used gears out door. On the rear I had Dutchman make axle shafts for my 8.8 with the 5 on 5.5 so front and rear match.