Impressed.... but wondered if I can improve performance?

[axelar]

I've had my 97 ranger xlt for 20k now and have to say for a truck, the handling is very impressive. With a miata and a 931 sitting in the driveway. I'm still impressed by the trucks ability to be slung through corners. I'm not one to modify suspensions extensively, but has anyone found an easy to install lowering kit that actually improves handling. Or even stiffer springs and sway bars that doesn't dramatically effect it's ability to be used as a truck. Just curious figured I'd put it out there for those with real experience. Any advice welcome.

Edited: Whoops typos.

 

[mhughes165]

drop beams up front with good stock shocks and springs, flip kit in the rear with some bags or just replacement air shocks, and shell be a straight corner shredder

 

[axelar]

Any experience with a particular manufacturer? Looking maybe just for a rear sway bar... springs are cool. Just need this truck to a truck first... for fun second.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Just an idea, never heard of or seen it but. Maybe you could use some swaybars out of a TTB Exploder, I know they are stiffer.
Just thought I'd put that out there. Not that I know about street suspension, but I think it makes a little sence.

 

[rickcdewitt]

jc whitney has stiffer aftermarket sway bars.i think hellwig is the brand.they sell ones that are up to twice as stiff.

 

[mhughes165]

Any experience with a particular manufacturer? Looking maybe just for a rear sway bar... springs are cool. Just need this truck to a truck first... for fun second.

look around on here, if someone has a used set of Dream Beams (forget the manufacturer), those are the absolute tits, rock solid and will never break

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

Get a sway bar for the back of your truck first. I have hell-wig bars front and rear. The rear bar made the biggest difference on my truck. The front was an improvement, but I had a stock one so not as dramatic.

After that, if you decide you don't want to lower the suspension, get GOOD shocks. Ask at your local places for what they reccomend. I had a shock that was called "DIOMANDBACK" that was great when I was at stock height. I now have KYB MonoMax's up front and love them. The rear has some Toxic Shocks that need replaced, I would like to install KYB GR2's. They are a little softer and with less weight in the rear I think they will work just fine.

I have 2"coils and 3" chassis tech beams up front. The rear has 3" drop leaves that netted me 6+" for some reason. I did my sway bars and have upgraded my shocks. I am running 15x8 rims and 225/60 front with 275/60 rear private lable tires. My truck handles better then my wifes '05 AWD Outback IMO. A better rim combo would improve my truck even more, but money is tight.

James

 

[Insanejughead]

Damn IllegalConcepts... the more I read and find out about your truck, the more ironic it is that I'm wanting to do the same things to it!!!

I'm damn sure turning my Ranger into a corner hugger. I have stock sway bars front and back. The next thing for me to do is get new body bushings and fix all the rust on the mounts themselves. Next will come new swaybar bushings. If it's still not what I want, I'll go another 1.5-2" lower and get a bigger swaybar for the front.

Also, I need to get traction bars for the back someday.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

I keep tossing around the idea of tractions bars. I want the ones that mount above the springs and connect to the front of the axle. I am not sure I will see a big enough improvement though to want to spend the money. I have NO wheel hop and the last thing I need to do is make the rear end too tight. Without my cap on my truck, the rear becomes way to easy to kick out. I am not sure trhe hell-wig bar would be the way to go without some for of weight back there. Of course maybe the front was too loose and that led to some weird handling. IDK, it's just what I've experienced.

I did my tranny crossmember several weeks ago and have nothing but positive to report. My stocker was shot and the new one from suicidedoors.com really tightened things up. I have the rad arm crossmember here and need to go use my buddies shop to do it. I don't feel like crawling around on the ground again plus all the damn rivits that have to be ground off.

I need to do my body mounts as well. I noticed last year on one of them the metal washer is gone but the rubber is holding up so far. They are all cracked though and have seen better days.

I would also like to get new leaf spring bushings. Even with the newer springs and bushings, the rubber has already started to show its age.

One nice thing, I now have a garage to keep the truck in and a beater to abuse daily. Once I get these things done, I would hope that I won't have to do them again for a very, very long time.

James

 

[Hazmat Ranger]

Only one word - Cal-Trac. Ok so it is two words used as one LOL. Seriously though - Cal-Trac Bars are the best way to go when considering traction bars. You can buy them for around $350 - $400 or build them yourself but have to be able to weld and fab. Do a google search for them and read up first - I have my templates formed, but I have a side exhaust and that will impede the installation - so a decision must be made - no bars or move exhaust outlets.