I have an 08 FX4 with the Rancho shocks. I was planning on lifting (did a 2.5" Torsion Crank and AAL) but it won't see any offroading so might as well drop. After taking the Add-a-leaf and lift block out w/ XLT U-bolts, will I need shocks from let's say a Sport 2wd?
Keep in mind I will be going to the motocross track with about 200lbs in the bed and a 6x10' trailer with about 350lbs of stuff (bike, pressure washer, parts, etc.)
Eventually I'll get a axle flip kit and front coils (if a 3" torsion drop isn't enough). Don't wanna go too low, just maybe a 2/3 or 3/4.
The shocks are my main concern...
Ok first off are you talking a 2/3 or3/4 drop from your current lifted height or from the stock height?
On the front:
If it's from the lifted you can probably decrank (for lack of a better word) the torsion bars to give you about 3" drop from lifted.
If you're going from stock height, it's a different story. You'll probably only be able to get an inch or so out decranking the torsion bars. Sorry to tell you, but you won't be able use coil springs (I'll add more on that later). What you can get are "flipped" torsion keys to get up to a 3" drop, that is IIRC.
On the rear:
Once again... If you are dropping from lifted height once you remove the factory lift block you'll get a 2" drop then add to that your AAL. I don't know how much lift your AAL gave you but if was an inch that would get you 3" from lifted height.
If you are looking to get 3-4" from stock height then an axle flip will still be more than you want, I'm pretty sure that would put you at almost 6" drop on the rear. 2" drop from removing the factory lift block + ~4" from the axle flip = ~6". My recommendation on the rear to get 4" would be remove the lift block (2") then do the shackle hangar flip (~2") should give a 3.5-4" drop on the rear.
Don't worry about the loads you're talking about. 200lbs in the bed is hardly enough to make it sag, and 350lbs on the trailer is nothing unless it's one heck of a heavy trailer. I towed my 84 the other day using a car dolly behind the 99, the 84 was hardly noticeable except it took a little farther to get up to speed and stop. Yeah I know the weight of the truck was on the dolly, but if you've got the trailer balanced right the bulk of the trailer weight will be on the it's wheels instead of your back bumper. When you get it all loaded up, including tongue weight on the trailer, it'll probably be about like 300 lbs on the back of your truck.
Okay cool thanks. I'll be doing this in a 2 step process. Lower the rear all at once (remove add-a-leaf and lift block, axle flip, XLT U-bolts and shocks) then drop the front 2.5 to 3" with a crank for now. Save up money and get coils and shocks so I can do the front right instead of half-assing it lol
Yeah well, if you don't want it to look half assed, drop that plan. Save a little dough and get your self those flipped torsion keys. Search around about lowering an Edge model truck, they have the same torsion bar setup as the 4wd trucks. If I happen to find them again I'll post up a link. To late to search tonight might try tomorrow. Then do that, remove the block, and flip the shackle/hangar. That should net you a 3" front drop, and 3.5-4" drop on the rear. Another thing to keep in mind is that you really can't go to low on the front of a 4wd before you start encountering problems with the front axle. Don't ask me how low cause I don't know.
Do me a favor and go look at the front suspension on your truck and describe to me the coil spring that you see there. I'm guessing I'll get a look similar to this:
. They ain't there right. Now if you tell me wrong you ain't got a FX4 like you think or 4wd for that matter. (Unless somebody swapped a new body onto a pre 98 frame, which I doubt.) You see coils won't do anything for that truck unless you are doing a SAS swap and from the sound of it you ain't. The last year of coil springs on a 4wd Ranger was '97. Since 98 they've used a torsion bar set up.
EDIT: Sorry about the long winded reply. Hazmat may be right about the shocks, I don't know never dealt with them other than swaping stock for stock replacement. I think he missed the fact that you were talking about a newer model 4wd, or he would have probably pointed out some of the same stuff I did.
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