Lowering a 98 4x4 and exhaust question

[jhbox]

Hello all, after my old truck got rear-ended and totalled I picked up a 98 ranger 4x4 3.0L. I wanted the 4x4 for the sporadic snow/ice of Oregon, and I'm interested in dropping it down a bit from the stock-lifted height. I can remove the blocks in the back easy enough, but I was wondering if anyone had any idea on if I can drop the front with only the torsion bar. I've worked on motorcycles since I was 15, but I've never messed with lifting or lowering something with four wheels so I figured I'd ask.

Also, the last guy put some very obnoxious pipes on this damn thing. Looks like a cat back job with two pipes out the rear, and I was wondering if getting a different muffler would quiet it down or if I need to go back to the single pipe to get it quieted down. Again, when I'm working on bikes I rarely have to mess with exhaust sound outside of removing/adding baffles, so i figured I would ask.

 

[superj]

Yes, you can lower it usingnthe torsion bars. I turn the same amount on each side and drive around the block and then measure to the fender to make sure its equal height. Than i bounce it to make sure it bounces evenly

 

[Uncle Gump]

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

FWIW, there is a limit to how low you can get the front before you need to remove the front bump stops. That isn’t a whole lot so you may have to pull them to start. Also your next limit is the upper control arms, the ball joint maxes out and the arms are too short to do more than an inch or so of lowering at the fender (tire to fender clearance). Nobody currently manufactures lowering arms for the front. You can back the bolt out all they way and get a little more lowering plus flip the upper arms if they have replaceable ball joints, but your camber will be permanently out without longer upper arms or something welded in.

If you don’t want much drop, then drop the rear blocks, trim the bump stops in the front and lower it an inch, then get it aligned with adjustable keys. That should keep a slight rake empty.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm not sure you want to trim stops.

I'll almost bet the torsion were turned up a bit before you bought it. It costs zero money and it levels the truck. Lots of folks do it.

I put the specs and how to measure in my previous post. Measure where you're at now before you do anything.

I will add that putting it back to factory specs is the wisest choice you could make.