Payload on a Lowered truck..

[Resurrection Ranger]

So my new years resolution is to start of the spring with straight metal and paint. I then for whatever reason started thinking of a mild drop for it. But i have a Honey. And with that comes Honey Do Lists.. how would say drop blocks affect my payload capacity? I'm only looking at maybe a 2-4 drop. Or 2-3 for a little rake if they make dream beams for 2 inches. The most i haul is some mulch or 3/4 inch stone on occasion. I'm rated at 1100 lbs payload. How much less if any can i haul if lowered. I wouldn't want to render the bed totally useless..

 

[slammedxonair]

Well you cant use just lowering blocks on a ranger without a flip kit but then that combination would slam the rear of the truck. I would suggest looking into the DJM 3/4 drop beams and flip kit. If thats lower than you want to go than I would suggest going 2/2 via Belltech 2" drop coils in the front and flipping your rear hangers.

Neither drop should effect your towing or hauling due to the fact that the rear leaf springs still remain the same. Although with a 4" or more drop you will need to trim your rear bumpstops down or if hauling alot of weight look into a bolt in frame notch.

I have all of the links to the products listed in my vendor section here http://therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56199

 

[Resurrection Ranger]

Thank you for the information. As fate would have it I put my winter wheels on this afternoon and noticed that my sping mounts don't look too healthy. Neither do my shock mounts. I should probably straighten that situation out first huh? They're a wee bit rusty.

 

[Slim]

Thank you for the information. As fate would have it I put my winter wheels on this afternoon and noticed that my sping mounts don't look too healthy. Neither do my shock mounts. I should probably straighten that situation out first huh? They're a wee bit rusty.

Perfect opportunity to get new shackles and mounts, then install them in a flipped orientation. Instant 2" drop in the rear. It's a safe start. Plus, if you decide to go lower, like a 4" drop, you can always do an axle flip and (easily!) put the shackle mounts back in stock orientation.

 

[Resurrection Ranger]

Ok.. if i do that do i have to change the shock mount locations as well? I think with dream beams you don't have to change the shocks or should that be done anyway? I'd like to get everything in order before i hand a shop the task at hand. Thanks for the reply btw. Dropping is foreign to me..

 

[Slim]

Ok.. if i do that do i have to change the shock mount locations as well? I think with dream beams you don't have to change the shocks or should that be done anyway? I'd like to get everything in order before i hand a shop the task at hand. Thanks for the reply btw. Dropping is foreign to me..

For the rear, no, you don't change the shock location. Buy shocks for a lowered application. Or you could have new shock mounts welded to the axle - more expensive option and still might not have the desired valving in the shock (lowering shocks have firmer valving on the compression stroke to help prevent the suspension from bottoming out as much).

For the front, correct, stock length shocks. The Dream Beams kit replaces only the beams. The front shocks are connected to the radius arms, so there is no change made.

A very popular vendor here, slammedxonair (Brian) of Illusive Fabrication fame, would have everything you need in a 'one stop shop' scenario. He's popular on a few Ranger forums, a great guy to deal with and knows his stuff.

http://www.illusivefabrications.com/html/index.php


No worries, man - glad to help.

 

[Resurrection Ranger]

Thank you. How do you figure out whats gonna fit nicely in the wells though. I got a new set of 225/60/16 on a set of '94 Mustang wheels that I'd like to keep if possible. 2 of the wheels had 55 series on which I put up front initially but they grabbed every single groove in the road and threw me around. The tires are a 27" diameter. In a stock stance it looks like I have room to spare with them on. I guess if I'm interested in a 3-4 I would measure 3 inches down from the front flare and use my best judgement huh..

 

[Slim]

Thank you. How do you figure out whats gonna fit nicely in the wells though. I got a new set of 225/60/16 on a set of '94 Mustang wheels that I'd like to keep if possible. 2 of the wheels had 55 series on which I put up front initially but they grabbed every single groove in the road and threw me around. The tires are a 27" diameter. In a stock stance it looks like I have room to spare with them on. I guess if I'm interested in a 3-4 I would measure 3 inches down from the front flare and use my best judgement huh..

A 225/60/16 won't pose any clearance problems with a 3" drop. There are plenty of guys running bigger (wider and taller) tires with no issues.

There's a few parts to figuring out what'll fit .....

- measure what you have now and see "what will wind up where" with a drop and/or different sized tires. A tape measure and basic understanding of what you want to do can go a looooong way to knowing what will and won't fit.

- search on various forums, especially picture threads, to see who has something similar to what you like. And then .....

- search for that member and see what they have. See if they have any problems, maybe even send a P.M. or two.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to hint that you should be searching, just offering it as good advice. If you see something you like on another truck it's basic instinct to look further into that set up.

Post pics when you're done eh! Good luck.

 

[rat_ranger]

I have 285/30r20 in the back and 225/35r20 up front with a 4/5 drop. I have a little more room due to the newer suspension but 27 tall on a 3/4 drop should be just fine. youll want some 5/16 spacers to fit te center caps on there. the big thing carrying a load is that youll bottom out the suspension alot sooner without a bolt in notch.