No buget drop.

[PaintBallerCali]

Ok guys I have a 1997 Ford Ranger Extended Cab I am looking to lower it. What would be the best way to get it low with out totally killing ride quality? What would be a good height to drop it? I don't to slam it I'm looking to just drop the fenders slightly below the top of the tire. I know there are cheep ways and costly ways of doing this I just would like to hear from the guys that have done this and see what they think is the best way to do this. Even if it takes me two years to save up the money I want to do it a right as passable thanks and I look forward to your answers.

 

[Insanejughead]

Search around. I HIGHLY recommend beams and a flip kit. This will not kill ride quality because you change NOTHING about the springs.

Expect to spend somewhere around $200-$300 for beams and flip kit (search for used ones) You'll also need to get different shocks for the back because you're lowering the ride height by just over 4". The front you will not have to change because the beams are designed to keep everything original.

Anyway... just do some searching. You can find ALOT of answers out there.

Oh, and check out www.rangerpowersports.com and look at the "Lowered Suspension" forum. It has nothing but what you're looking for.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

If you are looking to "just slightly below the top of the tire", good luck. I am dropped 5-6 right now and run 225-60-15 up front and 275-60-15 out back. I am sitting (not really sitting on them, same heights) on the rear tires while the fronts have a bit of clearence.

The rear is not a real problem, I have dropped leaves and am running a Ranger Gen II axle (two inches shorter then Gen III). Then I could flip the hangers and install a flip kit and I could be very close to the ground once installing a large frame notch.

The front has many things in the way. I have 2" drop coils and the 3"beams and that is the most you can get from bolt on parts. One company did make 3" coils at one point but is no longer around that I know of. Even with this drop I have to watch tire sizes up front. The inner fender gets in the way real quick, my plastic covering have been chewed through from the different sizes I have run. If you have the time/knowledge I would make that the first thing to get changed. They need to be taller to allow more suspension travel. If that is done a nice size tire/rim combo can be run in the front. I had 255-60-15 up front at one point and loved the way it looked but could not stand rubbing on every little dip.

After that, if you want to go bags, the frame becomes an issue. Tierods need clearance which requires you to notch the frame up front. Not a huge issue if you are a good welder/fabricator.

I plan on getting my motor in this year and the hitting the front fenders up for more clearance. It shouldn't be a terrible job, just time consuming.

James

 

[BizzareCustoms]

personally if you can spend the money (and only if your going to do it right) i would say air suspension would be the way to go. you can do it with out altering the frame and it would allow you to ride at the level you want but if need you still have the ability to raise it up to get over stuff and if you go to a show you can let all the air out to get it a little lower.
air ride gets a bad rep...if its done right (4 or 3 linke the rear and maintain shocks up front and out back and completly get rid of the rear leaaf spring) the ride is great. and if you do a F.B.S.S. system it will handle better in the turns as well.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

I agree on bags having a bad rep, too many people have done them wrong over the years plus technology has really made them the "custom" suspension of choice. You would still need to get the I-beams though, you can't do anything to the stockers as far as I know.

I am not too sure about the frame not being an issue though for any kind of large drop. I have my bump stops cut in half and still only have about an inch of travel. That's not a lot of room to play with. My tie-rod ends are very close to my sway bar as well. I do have an aftermarket bar but it clears better then the stocker did. I had to rotate my adjuster sleeves to clear the stock bar and that still would hit on a bumpy turn.

The easiest way to get a good starting point IMO is to do the drop beams and flip the rear -or- flip the hangers depending on how low you want it. Then start saving for all the items to bag it. You'll need the beams anyway and the flip kit won't be more then $70-80. If you flip the hangers, the only cost is in new bolts.

James

 

[Insanejughead]

I agree on bags having a bad rep, too many people have done them wrong over the years plus technology has really made them the "custom" suspension of choice. You would still need to get the I-beams though, you can't do anything to the stockers as far as I know.

I am not too sure about the frame not being an issue though for any kind of large drop. I have my bump stops cut in half and still only have about an inch of travel. That's not a lot of room to play with. My tie-rod ends are very close to my sway bar as well. I do have an aftermarket bar but it clears better then the stocker did. I had to rotate my adjuster sleeves to clear the stock bar and that still would hit on a bumpy turn.

The easiest way to get a good starting point IMO is to do the drop beams and flip the rear -or- flip the hangers depending on how low you want it. Then start saving for all the items to bag it. You'll need the beams anyway and the flip kit won't be more then $70-80. If you flip the hangers, the only cost is in new bolts.

James

X2!!!

I know if I ever go with bags, I'll have a solid front axle fabbed up. I have planned it out and I just need to find a shop and some money to have it done.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

X2!!!

I know if I ever go with bags, I'll have a solid front axle fabbed up. I have planned it out and I just need to find a shop and some money to have it done.

Huh? What do you mean by a solid front axle?

Money is ALWAYS the key.

James

 

[Insanejughead]

I want a solid front axle so I can raise and lower it without worrying about camber. I know most people will say "WTF!" but I honestly would want one. Where I'm at right now has mostly flat smooth roads, but my hometown is surrounded by gravel roads in often poor condition. I want to be able to raise and lower it so that geometry doesn't change so drastically and that I have a range from a 5"/7" (or lower) all the way to about 3" above stock height.

Believe me... I know I want one and why.

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

Ok OK, I was just wondering. Sounds odd to me, but it's your truck so go for it.

There are some set-ups that actually help to reduce changes in suspension geometry while changing ride height. I won't even try to describe them because I know so little about them. I would say that the I-beam suspension would have to go for sure and be converted to a SALA suspension.

Wow your talking 9-10 suspension travel! Thats a lot for sure. How would you set up the shocks? They would have to have some crazy travel to be effective at both ends of the spectrum. Ususally, when doing an adjustable suspension, people pick their ride height and base all things off of that for normal driving. Any time at a different height is a compromise in other areas. You don't normally see a truck on the ground for normal driving or at full lift either.

James

 

[Insanejughead]

I was thinking about hooking up some long travel air shocks that I would fill and deflate with the bags.

Oh, and thanks for not dogging on my idea!

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

I try to never knock anyones ideas down. As long as they are safe about whatever they are doing, its their truck.

Man I hate air shocks. I have tried them several times on my truck in the rear, different brands, and never liked how they handled. I even ran them each with their own line trying to improve handling and never was happy with them. I had to run such a high pressure in them to keep them stiff it raised the truck up way to high and then that effected my handling. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I'll never run them again.

I wonder if you could make the distance between the shock mounts longer...............the lift from the shocks wouldn't be as much................maybe that would work...............but that's not helping you LOL

James

 

[canyoncritter]

sounds like someone has the ideal of the old econoline mono beam.forged too so you could section it down to the right width.
old school gasser trick....but could work very good in a bagger that pops

 

[ILLEGALCONCEPTS]

Yeah, I was thinking altered wheel base. Move the front and rears axles forward, the bags would be the icing on the cake. He could jsck the front way up for cruisin' and have everyone fooled.

James