ranger budget lift...

[88ranger2.95sp]

ok my buddy just did a SAS on his 98 blazer, and my other wheelin buddy just bought a 78? 1 ton chevy truck with a dana 60 and a 14 bolt with 38" boggers... i am jealous....

i want my ranger to be bigger, get more flex, yet still be drivable to school and work every day.

i was thinking this: please tell me if this will work or not...

1. aftermarket drop brackets for my stock Dana 28 (where can i find these?? will i need a drop pitman arm??)
2. F-150 coils. (will i have to extend radius arms? lengthen driveshaft?)
3. explorer rear springs with add-a-leafs woven in with ranger spring pack, with lift shackles from local auto parts store.
4. obviously longer shocks the whole way 'round.

as i said, i have no shortage of equipment, tools, space, or the will to get dirty. The only shortage is that whole money thing.

i think this will give me a lift in the 3" to 3.5" range. that's all i want. a little bit more, on top of the 3" body lift, adn coil spacers and blocks. i have 32" super swampers, and deff wouldn't mind steppin up to 33x12.50's, but more is NEEDED!!

can someone help me out?!?!?

Robb

 

[jrmustranger97]

I think your best bet would be to check in the parts for sale forum and try to pick up a used four inch lift kit. I see them in there fairly often and usually pretty reasonably priced. Depending on your fabrication skills there is also an article in the tech library about fabbing your own brackets. You will need the drop pitman arm.

To put bigger coils in you do not need to put extended radius arms in as you can just drop your existing brackets. That is the method that the cheaper lift kits use. However if more flex is what you're going after than yes, extended radius arms are what you want.

As for the rear leafs JohnnyU did a nice write up on the Chevy 63" leaf spring swap. I spoke to him about it a while ago and I will be performing this swap within the next month or so. From what he told me the Chevy springs are a much better ride and will flex better than beefed up explorer springs.

Here are a few articles from the tech library that should help you out:

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/DesignYourOwnLiftBrackets.htm
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/May06/chevy_springs.htm
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Spring2003/TTBTuning.htm

 

[88ranger2.95sp]

hey thanks! but i got a different idea.... but i am questioning it... (hint hint) a whole 'nother truck...

 

[mhughes165]

just lift what u got and regear, and ull be amazed where itll take u, u will have the same gorund clearance if u go big enough for 35's as the one tun truck has, sure the one ton rears will be less likely to break but they lose ALOT of ground clearance, i know this as i have built many a trucks not just rangers, what i would do if i were u, nickle and dime together the parts todo the box bronco rear swap, should cost u about 600 in parts if u can find everything right and the rest is just the labor, ive picked up a feew eb 44's for about 250 to put under rangers, and they were complete with steering and radius arms the whole 9 yards.stick with the ranger, no matter what other trucks i get or have built i always find myself coming back to a ranger

 

[Bent Bolt]

You MAY have a issue running that big of tire with a D28. I have 31" and haven't broke one yet ( knock on wood ) but a D35 is coming. Just be aware of the snapping axle when spinning those 33x12.5's.

 

[BlackBII]

You MAY have a issue running that big of tire with a D28. I have 31" and haven't broke one yet ( knock on wood ) but a D35 is coming. Just be aware of the snapping axle when spinning those 33x12.5's.

True, you never know, I snapped one in a D28 with 31's on my old BII......Be careful....Just be easy on the gas!

 

[Bent Bolt]

True, you never know, I snapped one in a D28 with 31's on my old BII......Be careful....Just be easy on the gas!

I think %95 is the way it's driven. If the wheels are not straight and are spinning, feel the steering wheel input. If the steering wheel is jerking back and forth-- even a little bit -- the front axle u-joints are taking a beating and are about to snap. Straighten the wheels out.