Slightly extended shocks- who makes them? 02 4wd

[cmcolfax]

It's also common to put a 1/2 inch spacer on the top stud before the washer and bushing go on. This puts the 1/2 inch back in the shock to add to its length.

I'm adding a set of these to my parts list.
Easy enough to install and/or remove.

Generally lift keys are used on the '08 and later trucks because they were indexed for a lower factory ride height than the earlier trucks. From what I remember the 98-07 factory keys will go about as high as you can reliably take the factory suspension components without having other issues.

The hex is clocked differently in the different sets of keys. The 2008 - 2011 keys sit the truck about 1.5" lower than the 1998 - 2007 ones do.

So factory 98-07 keys will equate to +/- 1.5" front lift on a 2011 before additional adjustments?

I may look into them instead of aftermarket "lift" keys.

I believe I have read the same thing about the 98-07 rear leaf block?

I may have to look into that swap as well.

I'm not a fan of shackle lifts, so I am planning on a 1.5" AAL.

Yes, I know I will need new/longer u-bolts.

 

[sgtsandman]

I'm adding a set of these to my parts list.
Easy enough to install and/or remove.



So factory 98-07 keys will equate to +/- 1.5" front lift on a 2011 before additional adjustments?

I may look into them instead of aftermarket "lift" keys.

I believe I have read the same thing about the 98-07 rear leaf block?

I may have to look into that swap as well.

I'm not a fan of shackle lifts, so I am planning on a 1.5" AAL.

Yes, I know I will need new/longer u-bolts.

Yes, it is known on here as the pre-2008 lift. The 1998-2007 torsion keys will lift the front about 1.5".

The same year range axle blocks are significaly taller that the ones I removed from my 2011. I'm pretty sure I have pictures on my build thread for when I installed them.

Looking at the two sets of torsion bar keys, I couldn't see a difference but there is a difference.

You may already know this, but just to be sure, make certain that you torque and retorque the u-bolts after several driving sessions until they no longer move. If I remember correctly, it took four trips to and feom work before the nuts were fully seated and torqued. But part of that may have been because I had installed new leaf springs as well and that they needed to settle in too.

 

[cmcolfax]

Yes, it is known on here as the pre-2008 lift. The 1998-2007 torsion keys will lift the front about 1.5".

They seem to be available at various places online at +/- the same price as aftermarket "lift" or "leveling" keys.

I may go this route to pick up the +/- 1.5" before I start adjusting.

The same year range axle blocks are significaly taller that the ones I removed from my 2011. I'm pretty sure I have pictures on my build thread for when I installed them.

These, however do NOT seem to be available.
All of the "OEM Parts" sites/dealers show them as out of stock/unavailable/discontinued.

You may already know this, but just to be sure, make certain that you torque and retorque the u-bolts after several driving sessions until they no longer move. If I remember correctly, it took four trips to and feom work before the nuts were fully seated and torqued. But part of that may have been because I had installed new leaf springs as well and that they needed to settle in too.

Ayup. Was in the Jeep world for years. A coupla CJ7's, a couple YJ's and an XJ... And my 92 F150... All leaf sprung.

I thank you.
Great thing about this community, always looking out and making sure good information and advice is shared!

 

[SenorNoob]

If you have a you pull junkyard nearby, those blocks are often left people getting axles. Just look around the truck. Sometimes under the car beside it.. Any 4x4 Ranger should have them.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yeah, junkyard would probably be your best bet.

Or, if it was me, I’d think about doing some of the 1,750# springs and extended shackles. I’m not a fan of blocks…

 

[sgtsandman]

The 1,750# springs provide a bit of lift in themselves. One, by having more leafs than the standard spring pack. Two, they don't sag as much because of the higher load capacity.

 

[Fixxer678]

Sway bar linkage will need some adjustment
But since I'm Here gonna play with shocks for a min
Blue r stock
Red r 2018 jeep wrangler need ends swapped
Hav the white Ranchos still in for the moment

 

[Fixxer678]

Even with spacers the stock shock is too short by half an inch
Thought abt swapping the bushings for glad hand rubbers I could've made it work then
But we know those only last abt 2 weeks
Put the rancho back in
Still playing with new spkrs and some dash wiring. Greased the moving parts in the window tracks while the doors apart. all that started when the plastic door handle retainer thingy popped out and I had to pull everything off to pop it back in place (replaced door handle 6 months ago hav a whole box of plastic door thingys)

 

[cmcolfax]

If you have a you pull junkyard nearby, those blocks are often left people getting axles. Just look around the truck. Sometimes under the car beside it.. Any 4x4 Ranger should have them.

I've got a couple good u-pull-it junkyards about an hour away (20 minutes from where I used to live pre-divorce) that had a fair number of Rangers.
Might be worth the drive and the $1 entry fee to look for a 98-07 4WD.
Some PB and a battery impact will make short enough work of the old u-bolts if I find one.

 

[cmcolfax]

Yeah, junkyard would probably be your best bet.

Or, if it was me, I’d think about doing some of the 1,750# springs and extended shackles. I’m not a fan of blocks…

Was never a fan of "lift" blocks.
Never used them in any of my Jeeps.
Did a shackle lift on my first CJ7 along with leaf packs with an extra leaf and "military wrap" ends (don't remember what they were sourced from... It was 25 years ago!)

My current plan is to use an aftermarket short add-a-leaf which should provide 1.5 - 2.0"

 

[cmcolfax]

The 1,750# springs provide a bit of lift in themselves. One, by having more leafs than the standard spring pack. Two, they don't sag as much because of the higher load capacity.

I see these mentioned frequently.
Where would they be sourced from?

I'm working with a fairly short budget but I'm not sure about pulling leaf packs from the junkyard.

To me there is no way to tell if they are sagged or flattened out compared to the arch they are supposed to have.

Heck, my current stock leaf packs do seem to be sagged or flattened out a little.

I'm not building a wheeling rig, this is purely for aesthetics, to change the "baby truck" look a little (I came from a 2015 F250 with a 3.5" lift/level and 35's)
The whole project has grown out of the fact that the shocks need to be replaced, they are OE and the truck spent most of its life in Upstate NY and PA...

 

[cmcolfax]

Even with spacers the stock shock is too short by half an inch
Thought abt swapping the bushings for glad hand rubbers I could've made it work then
But we know those only last abt 2 weeks
Put the rancho back in
Still playing with new spkrs and some dash wiring. Greased the moving parts in the window tracks while the doors apart. all that started when the plastic door handle retainer thingy popped out and I had to pull everything off to pop it back in place (replaced door handle 6 months ago hav a whole box of plastic door thingys)

How did the JK shocks fit?

The fronts are definitely longer.

For the rears you could use a set of Bar Pin Eliminators which will convert the lower mount to a standard eye type.
They will give you about 1" more shock length. Travel will stay the same, but they will push the bottom of the shock further away from the axle.

 

[sgtsandman]

I see these mentioned frequently.
Where would they be sourced from?

I'm working with a fairly short budget but I'm not sure about pulling leaf packs from the junkyard.

To me there is no way to tell if they are sagged or flattened out compared to the arch they are supposed to have.

Heck, my current stock leaf packs do seem to be sagged or flattened out a little.

I'm not building a wheeling rig, this is purely for aesthetics, to change the "baby truck" look a little (I came from a 2015 F250 with a 3.5" lift/level and 35's)
The whole project has grown out of the fact that the shocks need to be replaced, they are OE and the truck spent most of its life in Upstate NY and PA...

You pretty much have to go online and search for retailer websites that sell Ford Ranger springs. The ones that have them will have three or four offerings listed either by weight capacity or by the number of leafs, plus the overload plate.

From memory, there is 1,080# or 2/1, 1,250# or 3/1, and 1,750# or 4/1 leafs. Sometimes they will list the leaves as a total number instead of separaring the overload plate.

I have a couple bookmarked at home but I don't remember their names off hand. I think one was suspension king or spring king.

They will also be year specific. The older Rangers used the same bolts, front and rear. The newer ones have a bigger bolt in the front. The shackle bolt is the same size as the rear bolt, if you end up needing to replace the shackle.

Expect to be needing to replace the bolts since they will more than likely rusted welded into the spring bushings. Generally, the only way to get them out, if they are rust welded, is to cut them. And angle grinder works for some and others will need a sawzall.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’m not really a fan of the Add-a-leaf. They’re usually a short, thick, stiff leaf. The best way to get a decent ride out of leaf springs is to keep the leafs as long as possible. I’ve built my own packs out of junkyard packs a few times. I’ll cut they eyes off a main leaf and put it directly under the main I’m using and build from there, cutting down longer ones if I need to.

I’ve seen the 1,750# springs listed a bunch of places, it’s a common upgrade spring for the Ranger. Couple hundred for a pair last I saw. Been awhile since I’ve looked it up though, I built packs for my green Ranger but I’m not fully happy with them so I’ve been considering buying a 1,750# set, just don’t have a couple hundred to spend on it so I’ve been waiting to even look around.

My old method for seized bushing bolts was a sawzall with a good metal blade (they are hardened steel bolts, a cheap metal blade tends to die a quick death on them, you’ll want a Diablo, Milwaukee Torch, or a good Lennex blade), or an angle grinder with a 5” Zip disk.

These days I have less patience. I’ll try getting it to come out with an impact or breaker bar. If it’s not cooperating then I grab Ol Smokey the Blue Tipped Wrench. Can’t be tight if it’s liquid. Whack the projecting ends off the bolt then burn the bushing out.

I miss the old days of parts stores having a massive collection of books and someone who knows how to use them. Made it relatively easy to find things like a different shock length, they’d just throw the book on the counter and thumb through the appropriate section until they found what matched your needs. Now it’s all year/make/model and whatever the computer spits out is what you can get and otherwise you’re out of luck. Stupid. It’s like they don’t want us working on stuff and customizing things…

 

[Uncle Gump]

I see these mentioned frequently.
Where would they be sourced from?

I'm working with a fairly short budget but I'm not sure about pulling leaf packs from the junkyard.

To me there is no way to tell if they are sagged or flattened out compared to the arch they are supposed to have.

Heck, my current stock leaf packs do seem to be sagged or flattened out a little.

I'm not building a wheeling rig, this is purely for aesthetics, to change the "baby truck" look a little (I came from a 2015 F250 with a 3.5" lift/level and 35's)
The whole project has grown out of the fact that the shocks need to be replaced, they are OE and the truck spent most of its life in Upstate NY and PA...

Whike you can get the springs online... I opted for dealing with a local spring shop. They did cost a couple dollars more but they also had the hardware I needed and that made buying local vs online a wash. They were grateful for the business and it added a good source for other things I may need in the future.