Question concerning 'DROP SHOCKS'

[Red Stripe]

I've got a '99 Ranger XLT, single cab, 2.5L, 5spd. It was purchased one month ago almost completely stock. I'm going for a 3"/4" drop (so it might actually look lowered . To accomplish this I'm getting 3" front springs, a 3" DJM flip kit and 1" blocks to get the rear down to 4" total drop.

That's all well and good but nobody makes drop shocks for a 3"/4" drop! I've looked everywhere. All I can find is one inch over or under what I'm shooting for. So my question is this: Should I get drop shocks rated for a 2"/3" drop or a set rated for a 4"/5" drop? Basically one inch over or under.

Anything helps and I thank you in advance!!!

 

[Casper98]

Go 4/5!! Trust me you might not be able to get your truck aligned with a 3" drop springs.

As far as shocks, Nissan Hard body will fit, I'm running Belltech Nitro shocks in mine

 

[JoshT]

Casper his 2009 may be align able with a 3" drop spring, it's not a TIB suspension after all. As for which shocks to get, I'd go for the 2/3 drop shocks. They may be a little compressed, but the 4/5 shocks would be partially extended all of the time. From what I hear it is fine to run stock shocks on up to a 2" drop so I would imagine that it would be the same for the 2/3" drop shocks.

 

[constant_projecttruck]

Casper his 2009 may be align able with a 3" drop spring

Its a 99...not an 09. And a 99 m...i...g...h...t be alignable with a 3 inch spring. Might be some negative camber left nothing terrible.

As for the shocks. Go 4/5 because chances are...you will want to go lower very soon in the future...not a bad thing it happens to all of us...I started with a 2/2 drop and now...

 

[Casper98]

I agree go 4/5 I started at 2/3 and 3 months later I was at 4/4 lol

 

[slammedxonair]

I sell the shocks and the lowering kits you need email me brian@illusivefabrications.com for more info or you can also check out www.illusivefabrications.com support ranger station vendors!

 

[Red Stripe]

That helps out a lot! And to chime in on the alignment discussion on my '99: 3" drop springs will put some wicked neg. camber on the front wheels, but I'm just going to rough it for a while, since i probably only drive 500 miles during the 9 months away at school. Then mabey christmas break I'm putting strut mount camber adjusters on top of my setup. Either way, my guy at the tire shop (who knows my truck) will be able to get a good alignment after the drop.

 

[slammedxonair]

yea the 3 inch coils are probably at the max end of the rangers alignment on a 98+ If you can afford it I would however highly reccomend the DJM 4/5 drop especially if you could ever possably end up bagging the truck, you would have the control arms out of the way. And since the arms are 2 inch drop and the coils are 2 inch it wont max out your alignment as bad as the belltech coils will. But thats up to you and your budget.

 

[JoshT]

I thought the newer suspension style (read post I beam style) could be aligned better with a spring drop than the earlier trucks could. Sorry guess I was wrong. GEs i lErNT sumpThiN NEu

 

[Red Stripe]

well, Summer's winding down and so is my "full time, bust-ur-ass all day, too tired to work on the truck when you get home" job! So I'm finally ordering the shocks tomorrow from Stylin'Trucks. (FYI they sell the most economic spring compression tool around: $15! Not bad if you don't use it all the time).

I've been getting mixed feed back, so to further clarify: I'm a desperate college kid with an obsession with all things mechanical (the truck just happens to be in the cross-hairs at this point). The lack of cash will prohibit me from going for lowering arms or c-notching a 5" rear drop.

The final question: if you had to choose, would you want your shocks 1" partially compressed at all times, or 1" partially extended at all times? Please let which would be worse for the shock itself.

Thanks guys!