Need Advice

[low~n~blue]

Ok, so i have a 1993 ford ranger splash that i currently have a DJM 4 inch drop on. It has dream beams and a flip kit to achieve the drop but now i'm into the off road and dune scene so i would like to do a desert style truck. My plan was to use stock suspension with a two inch spacer upfront to level or maybe give it a little rake combined with 31x10.5xr15 tires. Has anyone had any experience with 31's running a 4.0 V6? does it cuase any issues or make it a dog? also do the stepsides unbolt and if so can i bolt on bedsides? Finally does anyone know if the splash suspension is any different from a non splash 1993 ranger? THanks for the help, i'm new to off road scene.

 

[Sunk]

You can run 31s, but it depends what gears your axle has; 3.73s should work fairly well. The bedsides are removable, though it does take some work.

When you go back to stock suspension, you can also add a 2" block from a 4x4 truck to get a little lift in the rear since you're 2wd.

 

[low~n~blue]

Thank you. I know its not a long travel or anything but i really wanted the advice from the prerunner guys since i'd like it to eventually go that direction. Going back up is a start and getting 31's with mickey locks is the first steps.

 

[swickwake]

mine is 4.0 auto and 31 tall tires. my gears a 3.73. going from small to large tires you will feel a bog but you get use to it after a while. i dont know any thing about pre 98 susp. yes you can un bolt the bed sides. im supper stoked that i can pull the sides off it just makes things so much easier. do not get spacers. you will eat your tires up and the handling of your truck will go to shit. get new beams and rock the 31 as is. save your money until you can get a used unequal length fit.

 

[low~n~blue]

Thanks so much! i was thinking the bedsides could come off but wasn't sure so thank you! im not a huge huge fan of my step side so thats kool to know i can change it. Have you heard anything about the rough country kit? its a 4 inch lift and it basically relocates the ibeam down so im assuming geometry would stay the same.

Does the spacer cuase the wheels to go negative camber so much that it can't be aligned? Just wondering.

Thanks for the advice, helps a lot coming from guys who know and have experience. AND your truck looks sick btw!!! What suspension set up you have?

 

[low~n~blue]

Positive camber* sorry correction

 

[doyouquaxu]

drop bracket lifts + using your truck off road = bad idea 9 times out of 10. some cut and turned beams would be way better.

also, if you find a complete bed from a non stepside truck, it will swap on to your frame with no modifications.

 

[low~n~blue]

I went to a local fab shop and they were saying since im not gona be jumping the truck or anything to go with the procomp drop bracket kit with shocks/coils/brakelines ect. BUT i have also considered the bent beams like your saying and that was my original thought but my concern was wheel alignment. Since i am going to be driving it as my DD it'l see asphalt more than dirt so i didn't know. Do beams pose any problems like this? can you run a non long travel shock with bent beams? sry not to be a noob just didn't know.

 

[doyouquaxu]

bent beams are bent to account for the lift, so you can still align the truck properly. as far as a 'long travel' shock, i don't know what you mean by that.

for you, the easiest thing would probably be some bent beams, f250 shock towers, longer coils, and a 2.0 body diameter shock from a company like fox, king or f-o-a. i believe there is an article in the tech library about the f250 coil bucket/shock towers, but i could be mis-remembering. you can always go drop bracket, this is just the route i'd take if i were in your shoes.

edit: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/F250shocktower.htm
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Fall2003/F-150_coils_for_your_V8_BII_or_Ranger.htm

 

[low~n~blue]

Kool, i will look into that. I appreciate the time and advice. I just want to make sure i get it right the first time.

The shop had also suggested 5 inch lift up front and 2 1/2 rear. He's sayingt hat will give the look without dragging tailgate but 5 inch's sounds pretty high. Either way i go whether brackets or bent beams what is a good set up. Don't want to be "dragging tailgate" as he put it.

 

[doyouquaxu]

my truck sits level, so do most others that i know. i think that whole 'front higher than the rear' thing came about from people who would mod the front end and then have to save to do the rear later. personally, i think its dumb as hell, and hated driving my truck for the month i had the front 3" higher than the back.

the most common rear set up is a set of deaver (company) f-31 (model number) leaf springs. they completely replace the stock leaf springs. as you're putting the springs in, flipping the shackle hanger over will help a lot as well (cut the rivets holding the hangers on, rotate the piece 180*, bolt to frame). that will give you some lift in the back, and probably keep it even with the front if you do the 5" lift. as for shocks, bilstein makes a 5100 series shock that performs decently for what it is, and won't break the bank. they also make a 5100 series for the front end if you're a stickler for matching parts.

 

[jesse93]

if your talking about removing the bed sides to change them to the "prerunner" bed sides..you cant you have to have a fleet side bed to install fiberglass bedsides....or to save money you can get a fleet side and "pull" the sides out..i got 2.5in out of mine and it looks really good untill i get my sides to match my fiberwerx 4.5in fronts

 

[swickwake]

thank you, i have BMS's Mid Travel.

like mention above go the bent beam route. they are stronger an more reliable then drop brackets.

also get Deaver F 31's or f 23's ( older version of the F 31's). when instaling them flip the hangers, shackles and move the front holes to the rear holes and drill new holes for the rear. should resemble VV. (i modified my hangers to add lift)

move the hanger straight back not down and back like the pic ^^ and VV

 

[doyouquaxu]

there are also companies (kartek being one of them) that make hangers that you only need to drill new mounting holes for the rear holes, but still drop it lower. the reason why the drop in the hanger is ideal is because it allows you to run a longer shackle and a flipped leaf spring hanger without having to cut holes in the bed on either side to let the shackles move freely with the suspension.

i worked with a friend to design our own set of shackles and drop hangers in an engineering class at school, then he cut out a few sets on his parent's water jet machine. but i do have the deaver f23 pack as mentioned above. very nice ride on the street, but still allows me to go out in the dirt and have fun.

 

[low~n~blue]

Thanks for all the advice guys! really appreciate it! I have been looking into all the systems you have suggested and they all look like nice stuff! For bent beams I have checked into camburge, Blitzkrieg, and there was one more I can't think of off the top of my head. I also have looked into Deaver or doing 1500 chevy spring pack. So many options but i appreciate the input! Just gota make a decision now haha.

If you guys know of any other bent beam companies let me know or I have heard of a company that will bend your factory beams but i don't know how the strength is on those?