Front shocks for my lifted 2003

[cstishenko]

immediately after doing my torsion bar crank, I knew something felt off. I knew it felt stiffer, but it was an odd stiff. Sure enough, un did the shock bolts with the wheels on the ground and the trucks ride height popped up! The t bars were not "maxed", it was my shocks that were maxed.

with the t bars maxed, shocks spaced out and one swaybar endlink removed my ranger finally feels offroad capable. I encourage all of you to do this too. You won't look back.

 

[suzuki14258]

I spaced my shocks today and can not beleave the difference it made. My truck use to would beat you to death. I kept running off the road and driveing in ditches and felt like i had a raptor prepaired to the way it was before lol.

 

[cstishenko]

You likely noticed a gain in ride height too!! It is incredible the difference it made for me too. It is funny that you said it felt like a Raptor offroad, because the exact same words came out of my mouth after the first time my new setup went offroad.

Coupled with the Belltech shackles in the rear and the Duratracs @ 28psi it feels like a Cadillac offroad..

Pull off one swaybar endlink, and see how it feels! You will LOVE it, with the cranked Tbars. Be careful at first driving on pavement. It's softer, but not scary soft. I can highway and daily drive without issue, and I did not have to make limiting straps or anything anyone has talked about previously!

I was thinking about going Superlift just to get my ride back. Now i'm completely happy with the truck, and it has all the height I was ever after.

 

[VH5150]

I first thought about doing spacers on the lower mount a couple of years ago, but when i mocked it up, there appeared to be a clearance issue with the CV boot, so I didn't pursue it any farther. Do you have any clearance issues? I did put a spacer on the upper mount when i put on my RS9000s a couple of months ago, but I didn't try anything with the lower mounts. I might have to look into this this weekend.
MikeR

 

[pearblossomal]

Don't put spacers on the lower mount. Height wise, the inboard end of the axle is fixed. As you use travel and the control arm translates up, the fwd bolt head will ride into the boot.

 

[suzuki14258]

You likely noticed a gain in ride height too!! It is incredible the difference it made for me too. It is funny that you said it felt like a Raptor offroad, because the exact same words came out of my mouth after the first time my new setup went offroad.

Coupled with the Belltech shackles in the rear and the Duratracs @ 28psi it feels like a Cadillac offroad..

Pull off one swaybar endlink, and see how it feels! You will LOVE it, with the cranked Tbars. Be careful at first driving on pavement. It's softer, but not scary soft. I can highway and daily drive without issue, and I did not have to make limiting straps or anything anyone has talked about previously!

I was thinking about going Superlift just to get my ride back. Now i'm completely happy with the truck, and it has all the height I was ever after.

Me and my friend went playing yesterday and i was again amazed with the difference I will have to try this did you just unbolt it where it attaches to the conrol arms? I would like to make a quick disconnect for the rear somehow to.

 

[suzuki14258]

Don't put spacers on the lower mount. Height wise, the inboard end of the axle is fixed. As you use travel and the control arm translates up, the fwd bolt head will ride into the boot.

Was this with the oem hardware are after market bolts? Mine have no head on them.

 

[cstishenko]

There is no clearance issue to the CV boot at all. I am sure that if I went overkill, and spaced it WAY the hell out, there might be... But I added maybe another inch on the bottom, and an inch on the top - making it 2 inches overall of alll goodness.

I just pulled off the endlink all together. At first I made it into a disconnect by just using Wing nuts at either end... But to be honest, I kept forgetting to put it back on after offroad trips and noticed very little on-pavement difference... So now I just leave it off!

I can do traffic circles and the whole bit at above average speeds without even considering it to be any different than my truck was stock. Now keep in mind, I have 2" wheel spacers @ each corner (4" added overall width) But the endlink is not going back on for as long as I own it with this suspension setup. I keep it in the toolbox strapped in my truck bed.

 

[suzuki14258]

There is no clearance issue to the CV boot at all. I am sure that if I went overkill, and spaced it WAY the hell out, there might be... But I added maybe another inch on the bottom, and an inch on the top - making it 2 inches overall of alll goodness.

I just pulled off the endlink all together. At first I made it into a disconnect by just using Wing nuts at either end... But to be honest, I kept forgetting to put it back on after offroad trips and noticed very little on-pavement difference... So now I just leave it off!

I can do traffic circles and the whole bit at above average speeds without even considering it to be any different than my truck was stock. Now keep in mind, I have 2" wheel spacers @ each corner (4" added overall width) But the endlink is not going back on for as long as I own it with this suspension setup. I keep it in the toolbox strapped in my truck bed.

Thats how i did mine maybe a inch top and bottom and didnt think it would rub. Im gona try the wing nut idea to start . You dont remember what size they were do you? The only reason i havent taken them both off is when i put my fourwheeler in the back it goes all the way to the back of the tailgate and makes the truck a little light on the front end. Im afraid if i left them off it would go from safe to dangerous if i had to make a lane change.

 

[cstishenko]

Putting weight in the rear would make the front end lighter and less likely to DIVE, and roll. However the disconnect is a great idea.

They were 16mm headed bolts, if I remember correctly. I reccomend trying it and then go from there.

 

[VH5150]

Did the spacers today-I'll see how they work out, but the "theory" seems correct--I was amazed how much the shocks were limiting the travel of the suspension. I put a floor jack under the lower control arm before I removed the upper nut, then lowered the jack; there was like 1-1/2" extra travel in the suspension!
I used a couple of hardened 12mm nuts that I had left-over from my body lift along with some longer 5/16" grade 8 bolts on the lower mount-picked up about 1/2" there. Then for the upper mount, I used a poly busing that I had from an old pair of shocks, cut it in half, and stacked it on top of the other poly bushings--about another 1/2". I'm probably going to pick up some 5/8" hardened washers at work and stack those as spacers instead though. I was wrong about the clearance with the CV boot-pleant of room at ride height.
MikeR

 

[suzuki14258]

Putting weight in the rear would make the front end lighter and less likely to DIVE, and roll. However the disconnect is a great idea.

They were 16mm headed bolts, if I remember correctly. I reccomend trying it and then go from there.

Lets just say i started to do the disconnects then my swaybar pissed me off so ya its in the trash now and it doesnt drive that bad it was a little weird at first. I was just gona leave it dis connected but with it gone my front tires dont rub on it anymore when turning and got about 2 inches more flex

 

[cstishenko]

Yeah pretty ****in' sweet eh?

I cannot believe how much better my truck looked and felt immediately after doing these few mods.

Do the Belltech shackles in the rear! SOOO worth the $40 they are.

 

[suzuki14258]

Ya i love it!!!!! Its a totally different truck.

I have 4 inch blocks in the rear with mx6 rear shocks instead of the shackles.