Not real safe like.....

[Hazmat Ranger]

When I installed mine I kept the stock springs and also had no problems. Actually I have not even had it aligned, no problems pulling or with excessive tire wear.
Good Luck with yours . . .

 

[doorgunner]

CHIME! I just lowered my '89 XLT 3" (wasn't sure I could get away with 4")
I cut 2 coils off each spring---bought and installed 0 to 4 degrees eccentric camber bushings----adjusted bushings according to directions and wheels straightened up from the 1&1/2" negative camber. Drove down the street and the truck kept trying to go in the left lane! Went home and checked everything I did----noticed that one wheel was parallel with the frame and the other wheel was "turning left" (toe-in was dirt-track-toed!). Did the string thing from the tech library & adjusted the toe-in on the drivers wheel to get it true with the string---then adjusted the tie-rod on the passenger wheel to 1/16" toe-in---then adjusted the driver side wheel in 1/16" . I'll roll with that for 200 miles and check for tire wear----fine adjust if needed---shortened the shocks 1" also---cost $70 for adjustable bushings and the thrill of learning how to do a drop and alignment in one day----PRICELESS (also left the sway bar in the garage for now)

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!

 

[Insanejughead]

Wicked... Having drop beams doesn't mean that you have to have dropped springs.


Hazmat and doorgunner... Thanks for the sensical posts.



I did the DJM beams too. I kept the stock coils and guess what, had EXACTLY the same specs after as I did before. I afterwards (6 months later) cut my coils a bit, and put the 'rake' back in my truck, but did not need the drop springs.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

i never said he had to. i said he might have to.

all TTB trucks react differently to lifting and lowering. i wont be making a blanket statement as you are and telling him "it'll be ok" because i wont be responsible for the OP screwing something up if he ends up with a truck that wont align.

2" beyond the ride height the beams are designed for (be it stock beams or lowered beams) is the safe limit of assumption. after that, its a gamble.

 

[DangerangerHD]

Ok, heres the sway bar setup pics. Yea the alignment is WAAYYY off in everyway possible. The left front is toed out real bad, the right toes out a little, and there is just a lil camber in on both tires (hopefully the new springs break in soon). Shops closed today but I'm takin it in tomarrow morning, you guys think they will be able to pull it together from the pics or should I cut the springs some?

Ok, for some reason I cant post pics so here is a link to my cardomain spot:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3191818

 

[Insanejughead]

I can't say that anything appears wrong in the pics. It needs to be right in front of me for me to be able to work around it and see what's up with it.

Your truck used to be the same color as mine. I also like your idea for the Harley Edition ranger that you have planned at the bottom.


That's a good deal of work... Very nice!

 

[doorgunner]

If you really don't want to spend the cash---align CAMBER & TOE-IN on the front end yourself & get it as close as you can & drive it 50 or more miles around town to get the springs to settle (you did rotate the coil springs so that the top ends of the coils are against the stops--right---if not the camber will REALLY be out). Do the string thing to get the toe-in close---that will let the coils settle even more + it will take serious stress off the tie-rod ball joints! Now drive it a few blocks. THEN decide if you need to cut more off the coils ( if you do cut, cut 1/4 coil off each spring, set 'em back in place, drive around town, measure front bumper-to-ground clearance & compare to original height)! Until you're willing to do the above, you're destined for TWO trips to the align. shop.

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY

 

[Insanejughead]

^Agreed!

 

[doorgunner]

AMAZING how Rangers will give different results when people do the same thing to the vehicle AND how many DIFFERENT ways to do the same thing! Good thing I did what I wanted to before I read some of the threads or I would have been talked out of trying my ideas! ON THE OTHER HAND, good thing I read all the threads concerning the modifications I made so I could use other people's experience to work out the bugs without destroying my Ranger in the process!

 

[Army]

Dropping mine on DJM's and factory springs, actually corrected a slight left pull

 

[mbub16]

i bought a camber adjustment kit which aligned my front perfect if that helps

 

[DangerangerHD]

Yup, the alignment worked. It was so bad on the way to the shop my right front tire was squealing going straight (shop is 4 blocks away) Still kinda off but you cant tell, mech said its cause I need a new ball joint.

I think im gonna have to chop some coils off tho, my front end is about .75 " above the rear (which is sitting .25" up on the bumpstops that I'm cutting off in like 20min) Looks Kinda funny.... Like I got ten fat chicks in the back.

Thanks guys, good luck with your bumpstops mbub.

 

[Zipity]

Did you put the flip kit in and flip the rear shackle over too. If so, You should only use the flip kit or flip the shackles unless you want to put in a bolt in c-notch. I learned everything your learning now, just recently. Trust me it took a lot of reading and time. If you have any questions feel free to send me a pm and i can help you with what i have learned and done to my ranger. We have the same year i believe.

 

[DangerangerHD]

Nope i just flipped the shackles.

I just cut the bumpstops and took a coil off each spring, the ride is MUCH better and it looks better too. But wtf? the whole left side sits an inch higher than the right. Frame? It drives straights. Can i take another half coil out of the left side or is that asking for trouble? And the rear is an inch lower than the front on both sides, has anyone else got 4+ inches out of a shackle flip? Jesus i thought it would be 2 - 2.5'' of drop at most.

 

[doorgunner]

Maybe you didn't rotate the tops of the coil springs to match each other, causing one side of the front end to sit higher---don't cut any more coils till you find out what ain't right (maybe one coil spring was shorter than the other one OR maybe one spring is sagging)