lowering a 4WD 95 ranger

[95ranger]

i was wondering is there alot to lowing a 4WD ranfer its a 95 xtra cab 4.0 XLT can i still use the 4WD if i do this and is it alot of fab work or is it eay like just dropin in spring and stuff just wondering if it will be cheaper to lift or lower my ranger thanks

 

[ghost_rader]

i'll trade you a lowered 2wd 96 std cab

i think its a decient ampount of work to go really low, (you need 2wd bII brackets and 2wd ranger drop beams with drop springs) but you should be able to do it

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

if he replaces his beams with 2wd beams he wont be able to use his 4wd.

you should be able to lower the front 2" with springs and still be able to align it. after that you'll likely have to cut and turn the beams to maintain correct camber (they dont make lowered 4wd beams).

dont let these guys talk you out of doing it. i think a lowered, AWD street truck would be killer.

 

[Sunk]

Yeah I think it would be pretty badass. I remember talk on here of using an Explorer AWD system, but that was just a hypothetical thing...

I don't really you could shorten the pivot brackets, but some lowering springs should get a little bit. Does TTB steering start to get funky when a truck is lowered like it can when lifted?

 

[Insanejughead]

There is a guy on RangerPowerSports.com that finished his 4x4 lowering project a few months ago.

I'll go get his page and copy the link here.

Here ya go!


http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222777

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

serious props to the guy for making all those RPS nay-sayers eat their words.

thats one of the reasons i dont frequent that site so much these days.

looks like he got about 4" total drop in the front...but he says he still has some camber issues...so i still think 2" would be the safe maximum alignable drop without modifying the beams.

 

[Insanejughead]

I sent him a few PM's a while ago saying the same thing.

I had plans on getting an '85 4x4 w/ 2.8L and lowering it.



It's a bit more effective on the first gens. At least that's what I would imagine.

 

[mjonesjr]

Any lower than 2" and you will have to do some major fab work to the beams.

Also, any lower than 2" and you will have problems with the axle hitting the engine crossmember.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

did you even bother to read the thread Insanejughead posted?

a 4" drop in the front with shaved bumpstops still doesnt hit the crossmember.

 

[mjonesjr]

Yea I read it, I also read that he can't get it aligned.

Unless you drastically modify the brackets, anything over 2" won't be very streetable.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

your right...like i said 5 posts ago, anoything over 2" runs the risk of not being alignable.

but the engine crossmember is not a problem until over 4".

 

[Insanejughead]

I'm sure there's a machine shop that is willing to do some cut/reweld job on your beams so that the linkage isn't screwed all to hell.


I'm sure you'd have to sign a long waiver to keep them from being reliable for if something breaks and causes you to wreck.



I would personally be willing to have something like that done. I know I don't push my truck hard, and I don't think I ever will.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

i think 2-3" would be more than enough drop...and it doesnt require hacking the beams up

 

[Insanejughead]

I agree. I just want to see someone with some modified beams so that they can say, "Yeah, it's a 4wd"...



As it's sitting next to a regular lowered s-10.


Or, even better yet! It would be the amazing lowered truck that can pull people out of the ditches in winter like they weren't there!!!

 

[92slammedX]

i know everybody is talking about rangers but i have a first gen explorer that 4x4 and i wanted to lower it about 3 or 4 inches and i was wondering if anybody knew if this would work i planned to just go buy everything off the front of a 2wd like the beams, spindles, hubs and possibly the crossmember? not to sure if i need that but just some thoughts of what you all think? -thanks