Pivot Brackets for TTB Lift

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

Hello everyone, I'm struggling to find a good lift kit ideal for about a grand. I found this BDS lift kit that does not seem terrible, it comes with everything I need but it uses the drop bracket style brackets that poke holes in the front diff. I do not want that, would it be fine if i bought the lift and then also bought the 2 brackets that I need which are the pivot bracket style ones that come from like skyjacker or tuff country and just replace those rather than the drop brackets? I ideally do not wanna spend like more than 1500 on a lift and this BDS one does not seem terrible but its just the drop brackets I am worried about. I also would like ideal alignment too lol. Seems like these trucks are complicated to lift or I am just too stubborn.

Here is the BDS Lift: https://bds-suspension.com/products/4-inch-lift-kit-ford-ranger-83-97-4wd

 

[franklin2]

Where did you pick up the info that those BDS brackets poke holes in the diff? I can't find it.

 

[SenorNoob]

So that's from the link above. BDS lift kit.
This one is from Rough Country:

That driver's side drop bracket (for passenger side beam) looks VERY similar. And I've heard about the Rough Country kit poking holes in D35s as long as I've been here. I swear I remember it being in the tech library at one point, but I can't find anything now but a couple posts...

I have seen them knock holes through the diff with the passenger beam drop bracket. Im sure you can grind it a little or something. If you have the Dana28 you may not have a problem cause its smaller.

And this one claiming to be from a Rough Country employee that it was redesigned around the same time to fix that problem. Soo

hey guys just wanted to stop in and say hey, my name is adam, and i work for rough country, this review has to be an old one, because about a year and a half ago we started getting a different design bracket system made, we have had no complaints about our new brackets, i would be more than happy to provide a discounted kit for someone willing to new a new review of our product, thanks

 

[Curious Hound]

I won't comment on how good or bad those brackets are. I haven't 100% figured out exactly how they assemble. But I will make 2 points about that lift kit.

1. It achieves lift in the rear by adding a lift block or replacing existing block with a taller one. This isn't a great idea because it gives the axle more leverage to twist, thereby bending the springs in ways they really shouldnt be bending very much. It tends to try and make them S-shaped during acceleration and braking. Springs with more arch and/or longer shackles would be a better way.

2. This kit does not provide longer radius arms. So, wheel travel will be very limited. I'm not even sure which components, if any are for the purpose of lowering the radius arms mounting points on the frame, to maintain steering geometry. Looking at the kit instructions would make that more clear.

I understand lift kits seem to be expensive. But, once you install one and start trying to align the steering and finally drive the truck and find out what was affected and how, that is when you realize that it's worth paying for the best engineering. Time has a way of exposing the issues.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Ugh… there’s a lot I don’t like about the cheap lift kits…

Supposedly the drop plate for the passenger side beam was redesigned not to poke holes in the D-35. I still don’t like the drop plate design.

IMHO, the stock radius arms are too short for even stock applications. They really aren’t any good for a lifted application unless you hate flex. If you want flex in the front, you need extended arms. You can either buy or build them.

Lift blocks are garbage. They contribute heavily to axle wrap because they provide a lever. Axle wrap breaks things. It’s when you have enough traction and put enough power to the rear axle that the leaf springs bend into an S shape.

I’m not a fan of what Add-A-Leafs do to a leaf pack either. They are super stiff to combat the effects of a lift block bending the pack, but that also ruins flex.

I guess cheap lift kits are fine if it’s a pavement princess, but personally I’d rather have something better. My Choptop I bought lift coils and axle pivot drops. Everything else wasn’t from a kit.

 

[gaz]

@Colton - 94 Ranger
I have installed 3 suspension lifts on Ranger Based Vehicles (RBV), 2 on Rangers and 1 on a BroncoII; a 2", a 4" and a 3.5" lift, each of the three resulted in great alignments with even wearing tires.

All 3 lifts kits use drop brackets, the Bronco's radius arm drops were removed for Duff extended radius arms, still resulting in a great alignment. Just saying that it is not impossible to achieve.

LIFTS Kits USED: Ford Hi-Ryder (87 Ranger), James Duff (93 Ranger) and Pro-Comp (87 BII).

 

[franklin2]

You have to remember reading the above comments, modifying the suspension is like modifying the engine or anything else. You need to design and modify for the intended use.

The negatives listed above are from people who seriously do off-roading. They push the suspension to the limits. If you are just lifting it to put larger tires on it for looks and your truck will mainly be on road, with limited off road use, then I don't see a problem with the lift kits listed above.

How are they poking holes in the diff? By taking the suspension to the very limits of it's travel I suspect. Will you be doing this? If not, don't worry about it.

The rear block thing. All the comments listed above are true about axle wrap. I have 4 inch lift blocks on my f250. I never had a problem with them, and only noticed some axle wrap when towing a heavy trailer. The good thing about blocks besides being cheap, they do not affect the pinion angle during normal driving. Shackle kits will affect your pinion angle, you may or may not experience driveline vibration. Lift springs sound like a good solution, but they will ruin your ride, what little ride comfort Ford tried to engineer into a empty pickup truck.

The radius arm length is valid, but what if your suspension never see's more than 2-3 inches of travel, mainly when you hit a pot hole in the road. Again, it depends on your intent for the truck. If funds are limited, you most likely could do the extend arm kit as a later modification.

 

[Curious Hound]

Lift springs sound like a good solution, but they will ruin your ride, what little ride comfort Ford tried to engineer into a empty pickup truck.

I would expand on this by saying that adding leaves to the springs like one of the kits pictured above will mess with the ride quality. However, replacing the springs with properly designed lift springs should not. I never noticed any real difference in ride quality when I installed the leaf springs from Skyjacker for my 6" lift kit. Those springs were designed to lift while maintaining load capacity and ride quality. Again, it is totally up to you, your budget and how you intend to use the truck. In my humble opinion, it is better to wait a while longer and save up more money to be able to afford the better equipment.

 

[gaz]

@Colton - 94 Ranger
It is definitely better and more cost efficient to do it or most of it once and done. A simple change like incorporating longer radius arms later is no loss to the movement and still cost effective

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

@Colton - 94 Ranger
It is definitely better and more cost efficient to do it or most of it once and done. A simple change like incorporating longer radius arms later is no loss to the movement and still cost effective

What if I have longer radius arms built, and incorporate the pivot brackets with that BDS kit?

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

Where did you pick up the info that those BDS brackets poke holes in the diff? I can't find it.

They use the same brackets that is claimed to poke holes.

 

[Curious Hound]

They use the same brackets that is claimed to poke holes.

The radius arm brackets are not what poke the holes. Those are the axle beam pivot brackets.

To answer the question, yes. You can get longer radius arms. You will likely want new mounting brackets for them.

For example; in the Skyjacker kits, the new radius arms brackets are incorporated into a new transmission crossmember. Because that is how far back the new radius arms mount to the frame.

 

[Curious Hound]

You may benefit from reading these articles in our tech library, if you haven't already done so.

1983-1997 Ford Ranger 4x4 Lift Kits - The Ranger Station

Here is a list of manufacturers that make suspension lift kits for your 1983-1997 Ford Ranger 4×4 Notes: Question: Why does it say it does NOT fit 1987-1988 Ford Rangers with “High Rider STX” option? Answer: The Ford Ranger came … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

Build Your Own Extended Radus Arms - The Ranger Station

One of the best ways to increase wheel travel on a 1983-1997 Ford Ranger is with a longer radius arm. This is for those that make their own.

www.therangerstation.com

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Both of the sets of extended arms that I built were extended to the transmission crossmember area. Unfortunately the company I bought my joints and stuff is no longer in business, so I can’t recommend there. But I cut the factory radius arm to fit a 2x2x0.250“ bit of tube. The second set I got some 1/4” plate bent in a 90* to wrap the outside and under the frame and in far enough to attach something for a trans crossmember. I used factory holes in the side of the frame rails (may not be there for everyone, this is an 88 B2). Welded a bracket for the joint to that L plate on the bottom, got my front axle positioned how I wanted it, and connected the dots. I’ll have to look around for photos or video.

 

[Colton - 94 Ranger]

The radius arm brackets are not what poke the holes. Those are the axle beam pivot brackets.

To answer the question, yes. You can get longer radius arms. You will likely want new mounting brackets for them.

For example; in the Skyjacker kits, the new radius arms brackets are incorporated into a new transmission crossmember. Because that is how far back the new radius arms mount to the frame.

Yeah, the picture with the two brackets on my original question is what I was referring to. I understand that the drop brackets used can poke holes, I was asking if I buy the lift kit, then buy the two brackets separately in the picture and just swap them out could that work out?