Ranger Droop

[Lefty]

I read this on an earlier thread, It made me smile.

Our beloved Rangers, (and other little trucks) suffer from this over time. No doubt a lot of them have broken or stressed out springs in the back. My 2003 is no different. The passenger side is about a half inch lower. I could live with it, but I was wondering if there is a cheap fix, maybe a shim or a bushing.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Not that I know of...

There really is a cure for worn out springs except new springs.

Depending how worn they are... air bags. Even let's you adjust them individually if they're on seperaye lines.

 

[2011Supercab]

Ranger droop is the drivers side being lower, gas tank, battery and driver are all on the same side.

If your Ranger is lower on the passenger side I'd be looking for broken springs or suspension parts on the passenger side.

 

[Lefty]

Ranger droop is the drivers side being lower, gas tank, battery and driver are all on the same side.

If your Ranger is lower on the passenger side I'd be looking for broken springs or suspension parts on the passenger side.

maybe there's hope for me after all. maybe that driver's side will catch up to the passenger's side in another 20 years.

 

[Uncle Gump]

My truck always leaned passenger... still does after new springs.

 

[Lefty]

go figure

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm going to do an Airlift system...

I bought it new from a fella on here a few years ago. Bout time it goes on. I could have used it a few times but it was still on the shelf.

 

[Roert42]

I had the rear sagging bad, whole thing though not just one side. Just replaced both brings with new packs.

you could take the main of if the passenger side to be rearched.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I just go with heavier duty leafs or build my own heavy duty packs. In my opinion, the leaf packs the 83-11 Rangers came with were too light duty for how a lot of them got used. I know they were shooting for ride quality, but I really don’t think my heavy duty springs make the ride that bad.

 

[don4331]

I read this on an earlier thread, It made me smile.

Our beloved Rangers, (and other little trucks) suffer from this over time. No doubt a lot of them have broken or stressed out springs in the back. My 2003 is no different. The passenger side is about a half inch lower. I could live with it, but I was wondering if there is a cheap fix, maybe a shim or a bushing.

@Lefty Isn't your Ranger a torsion bar equipped Edge? For a torsion bar Ranger, a couple cranks of the adjuster and your Ranger is level again. But:

When you are outside your truck looking at it, it should droop to passenger's side. The drivetrain is offset to passenger side to make room for gas tank among other things. So, the empty Ranger is biased to passenger side. That way when you get into the truck, and add your average weight of 150 lbs (per SAE), the truck should be level.

Note: The drivetrain bias was set in '83 when 2.3 & manual were the "standard" Trucks with 4.0/automatic might have too much weight on passenger side. I make up for that by being plus sized, so my RBVs sit pretty level with me behind the wheel.

 

[racsan]

Axle mounted coil helpers. Will make it ride a bit rough though

 

[Lefty]

@Lefty Isn't your Ranger a torsion bar equipped Edge? For a torsion bar Ranger, a couple cranks of the adjuster and your Ranger is level again. But:

When you are outside your truck looking at it, it should droop to passenger's side. The drivetrain is offset to passenger side to make room for gas tank among other things. So, the empty Ranger is biased to passenger side. That way when you get into the truck, and add your average weight of 150 lbs (per SAE), the truck should be level.

Note: The drivetrain bias was set in '83 when 2.3 & manual were the "standard" Trucks with 4.0/automatic might have too much weight on passenger side. I make up for that by being plus sized, so my RBVs sit pretty level with me behind the wheel.

Most interesting!

BTW I Lowered the back end by one inch, removing the 2" lift blocks and replacing them with 1". I also cranked the torsion bar down but it only made a difference on the front end. It did not level the rear.

So I will not worry about it.

Soon I will replace the stock sway bar in the rear end. I got a deal on an Explorer bar which is about 1" thick.

 

[Lefty]

Axle mounted coil helpers. Will make it ride a bit rough though
View attachment 99164

I would imagine this would increase your load weight and maybe help with pulling pulling a trailer. Do they help with handling? Reduce sway?

 

[racsan]

They definitely help with heavy loads & trailering. They might do a little for handling but sway bars are better for that. My steering box has a bit of play in it so “handling” isn’t something my truck is very good at- and I have no sway bars at all.

 

[sgtsandman]

There is a bias in the set up because of the fuel tank and driver being on one side. So there is always going be a lean to the passenger side. You can level out the front with the torsion bar suspension but the rear won’t change unless you can fab up some shims to correct it. Don’t correct too much though or you will have a lean to the driver’s side when the tank is full and you are sitting in it.