Rear End Way Taller Than Front after 6" skyjacker class 2 lift

[Wyant]

I just got done installing a 6" class2 skyjacker kit on my 88 ranger 4x4 ext cab. The back came with large blocks (3-4 inches tall i think), casted with an angle, and leaf springs Part # FR34S- 4 inches lift. So! I put on the new blocks and springs and when i got it all together the rear end was ridiculously higher than the front. Id venture to say maybe 4 inches taller in the back.

The truck already had a 4" lift on it when i got it, and there were 2 inch blocks on the back. Im not sure if these are stock or if the springs sit directly on the perch stock. If someone could answer that, that would be awesome!

Anyways, i took off the large new blocks and put the new springs on the old 2 inch blocks. This made it a little better but it is still far higher in the back than i would like. I do have bell tech shackles so maybe i could just put the springs on the perch and use the shackle holes to level it out. Anyone have suggestions?

 

[4x4junkie]

That's what I would do (eliminate the blocks entirely).

Oddly though, that is what my truck has on it (FR34 leafs, stock 2" blocks, ext shackles) w/6" Skyjacker up front, and it seems fine. My FR34s are some 12 years old now though, I wonder if they must've changed something in that time (truck has sat the same since they were new, so it's not because of settling).

Since you have a Supercab, it's possible your front could need a bit of a boost w/coil spacers (SJ's coils are usually only good for about 4.5" actual lift on Supercab trucks).

Some Skyjacker lift tips here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Mar04/offroad.htm

 

[Wyant]

So, i took out the factory blocks and just kept the leafs with the shim ( i think i was supposed to do this). The leafs are actually FR36S! So they sent me the FR36S leaves with huge blocks and it was just ridiculously higher. Anyways without the factory blocks, it sat about an inch or more low in the back. I installed the bell tech shackles on the lowest setting (highest lift) and then it sat at .5 inches higher in the back which is right where i wanted it for use with a canopy.

I do have some issues though, at least i think they are issues. It seems like my rear axle is forward of center within the wheel wells. Also, the front wheels seem a bit rear of center within the wheel wells. Do you know of any adjustment to the front at least? Ive heard of switching the radius arms bushings. My concern is that i want to clear 33 12.50s, I currently am running 32 11.50's at about 50 % tread. Ill post some pictures to show the improved ride height and axle positions.

 

[4x4junkie]

Those are way off center I don't think shimming the RA bushings/using different bushings is gonna help much.

Any chance the RA brackets themselves are back too far on the frame? I'd see if maybe you can move the brackets forward an inch or so (weld the old bolt holes in the frame closed if you need to).

Edit:
Now that I think of it, the RA brackets I think are indexed by the factory trans xmember bolts, so I guess they'd have to be where they're supposed to be... Something doesn't seem right.

For the rear, you could try drilling a new set of holes on the axle's leaf spring perches for the leaf spring centerpins to go into, though that's far enough off center I'd be tempted to call up Skyjacker to see if they have any solutions.

 

[Wyant]

yea idk... many things about this kit didn't really line up that well. I think ill try to get some 3/4" x 1/8" washers and put them on the back of the bushing retainers for each radius arm... see how much forward i can push the axles. I feel like the rear was centered till i used the shackles. Maybe something about the fr36 springs and the shackles don't agree.. ill order some 1.5" lift blocks and see if that doesn't help. Thanks.