Ideas for lift? tires? mods? HELP!

[mason_411]

so i just bought my first ranger and i want to do a lift (4" suspension 3" body??) on it and some aggressive tires (35's??) and some small engine mods? ... or maybe more of a pre-runner approach? im not too sure im just looking for ideas (pics and info)... but im on a TIGHT budget!!! this truck is gunna be a weekend trail rig but also my daily driver so nothing too outrageous here haha but its a 94 extra cab 4.0 v6 4x4. im just looking for some ideas so post some pics and tell me whatcha got!

 

[87anger]

Well a body lift is the way to go for a budget , but if you go any higher than 31s it is highly reccomended that you get lower(numerically higher) gear ratios, which can be pretty costly.

 

[mason_411]

yeah i do quite a bit of wrenching so i know about the whole gearing issue... im not too worried about it most of the trucks i work on all have stock gearing and are running 35's or bigger (of course they are usually f-150's or bigger with v8's)

 

[brinker88]

Take a look through my build thread. The first couple pages will give you an idea.

 

[mason_411]

Take a look through my build thread. The first couple pages will give you an idea.

i like what you did with that! my truck currently has a blown head gasket so i just picked up the full head gasket kit for this weekend. im not sure i want to go as far as the straight axle just because of the price of it. i want to get mine sitting like yours but with a little more of a prerunner stance... like that guy jesse93 that posted on your build thread. but still not as extreme as his hahaha i guess what im looking for is a blend of crawler and runner?? any ideas???

 

[Pony]

I'm going to go the cheap way in the rear chevy leaf springs with shackles you can do that its a easy lift in the back for cheap

 

[mason_411]

the back isnt the part im worried about haha leafs and blocks are easy and cheap... its that damn twin I beam shit thats pricy haha

 

[daniel3507]

...im not too worried about it most of the trucks i work on all have stock gearing and are running 35's or bigger (of course they are usually f-150's or bigger with v8's)

Yeah I wouldnt even attempt that with a Ranger.

 

[mason_411]

ok so i figured it out... i think im gunna actually go with the SAS... if i did whats better, running leafs in front? or coils? and what axle should i use? if on the rear i go with a ford 8.8 with 5.13's on 63" chevy leafs. i was thinking maybe an early bronco dana 44??

 

[a31ford]

Is this 2 wheel or 4x4 ? if 4x4 the front and rear diff's will have to match.

Greg

 

[mason_411]

its 4x4... i really REALLY dont want to re gear it though... so is the power loss truely that bad on 35's? i wouldnt really think it is but like i said its my first ranger build. oh and if i didnt do the SAS swap then whats the easiest AND CHEAPEST way to make a 6" lift up front with the twin I beam?

 

[87anger]

its 4x4... i really REALLY dont want to re gear it though... so is the power loss truely that bad on 35's? i wouldnt really think it is but like i said its my first ranger build. oh and if i didnt do the SAS swap then whats the easiest AND CHEAPEST way to make a 6" lift up front with the twin I beam?

The power loss will be pretty bad from what I understand. Its not a big v8 after all. Theres really no cheap way to do it, any way you go you have to have drop brackets, coils, shocks, maybe a drop pitman or camber bushings. But the cheapest way to go is keep an eye out on craigslist or on the classifieds on here, there might be some good deals on peicing together a lift. The cheapest way to go new would be just the drop brackets, coils, pitman and shocks lifts (no extended radius arms or anything)

 

[mason_411]

ok well its kinda sounding like re gearing is gunna have to happen... so like 4.88's? or higher? and my real goal is to get 35's under this thing so would doing the 63" springs and shackles, and piecing a front end together be cheaper than getting a 4" lift KIT ($440) and then a 3" body lift ($200)? or should i just buy the kits? my whole goal is cheap here haha

 

[Ty84]

get yourself a 31 spline 8.8 in the rear or a 9 inch, and a dana 44 up front... coils if done right will give you more flex but leaf springs are easier

 

[mason_411]

ok well i only have about $2000 in total for this project... yes rims and tires included so im on a VERY tight budget... how much does a SAS usually run??