Tad bit of stiff? worthy?

[Spootnuke]

http://www.jcwhitney.com/COIL-SPRIN...5888_N_111+1998+200732063+600008403_10614.jcw

I found those and wondered if maybe it might add a tad bit of lift since I can't grab some explorer leaf springs. Any ideas on whether or not they'd be worth it? I'm kinda confused about the add-a-leaf thing too....

Don't tell me to search either. I've tried a few times, and I have quite a hard time finding the exact thing I'm looking for, I hardly have any automotive experience, nor do I know much terminology.

 

[dogboy]

DO NOT get those types of spacers!!!
They are dangerous. Some more so than those particular ones, becuase some only pop in and can shoot out when you don't want them to. But any and all spacers that go IN a coil are dangerous becuase when the coil in compressed, that side of the coil in that area does not compress, unlike that part on the otherside of the coil.

They may be cheap, but for your own safety, don't be THAT cheap!

And with Add-A-Leaf's, you are simply adding another leaf to the spring pack. They give you lift by stiffening the leaf packs, which in turn gives you a stiffer ride, and less suspension travel. But if all you are looking for is the lift and don't care about the ride, then they are a good way to go.

 

[Sunk]

Don't get those. There is a reason they are $10.99. There are many other options that won't cost you much more, and will be much safer.

 

[Spootnuke]

Well, I guess that takes it. I'm definitley not dropping a measily ten bucks on those. Thanks guys. I got one question about leaf springs though, I got a 1998, and I want to switch out for the explorer leaf springs.... What year would the explorer have to be around? and is the newer the year of the vehicle that had the leaf springs better?

In the first post I said I couldn't switch out because I couldn't find any Explorer leaf springs, but now I found a set for 35$ each

 

[Sunk]

You can get the springs from any 91-01 Explorer ( I think that's when they switched to IRS). The newer ones are less likely to sag, but any will work.

 

[fleck]

What will changing to Explorer leaf springs do?

 

[dogboy]

explorer leaves are slightly stiffer apperently, although do not think it is bad at all, yet I have never drive the Ranegr without them either.


You also cannot use the "mono-leaf" explorer leaves. Or so I have heard, and it makes sense.
I know some will argue, but I got around 3" of lift out of my Explorer leaves. I did the explorer leaves, and 2" leveling kit, and it now has about a 3" front rake instead of the factory 2". Which means I got 3" of lift out of them.

I would not do Explorer leaves unless you are positive that you can lift the front at LEAST 2". Or if you are going to be doing towing/ hauling. If I'm not mistaken, 2wd Raners do not have the factory block under the rear leaf, so the explorer leaves would give you slightly more than the factory rake that 4wd's have from the factory.


So, another alternative would be to find the 2" block/ bumpstop from a 4wd Ranger/ B series, and swap it in. That is IF your B3000 does not have the block already. It is by far easier than an add-a-leaf, OR Explorer leaves.

 

[Spootnuke]

Hm.... Ok Dogboy. But whats the big deal about hauling about 3-4 hundred pounds in the bed on the explorer leaf springs? What would it do? Could you also go off-road with the springs? and by off road, I mean mostly mud, no snow or rocks.

Also, what about the blocks? I heard from someone that I could buy bigger blocks to add a bit of lift.

(This might be one to many questions.... but...)

What about the F150 coils?

 

[dogboy]

Personally, I love the Explorer leaves. With 3 dirt bikes in the back, it doesn't sag nearly as much as other Ranger that I have seen, do.

And I wheel the hell out of mine. They flex pretty well too! here's a couple pics:

The only reason I would not do the Explorer leafs, is the fact that even with a leveling kit, it will still probably have more of a rake than it did from the factory, with no load. But, if you regularly haul tools or something in the bed, I think you would be better off than no weight.

If you are hauling 3-400 pounds in the bed, I don't think you would have any problems, except maybe slightly poor fuel milage due to the weight.


I guess my first question SHOULD have been, does your truck have a rake to it right now? If it does, then the Explorer leaves will make it worse, without a leving kit, and even then it will still probably be slightly higher than a factory rake.
But if your truck does not have a rake (I don't think 2wd ever did) then the Explorer leaves, I would think, would put your at roughly a factory 4wd rake, maybe slightly more.

This is what my Ranger looked like with the Explorer leaves, and NO leveling kit:

vs with the leveling kit:

There is a differance between the blocks you get in a lift, and the blocks that alot of Rangers/ B-series had from the factory. First of all, if you look at your rear axle, and between the leaf spring, and the axle house you this:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/images/FactoryBlock.jpg
the you already have factory blocks.

These are aftermarket lift blocks:
https://www.ultimateautoaccessories.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/SuperLift-Block-Kit.jpg They are do the same thign as the factory ones, but you will pay alot more for them than you would for factory ones from a wrecking yard.

Aftermarket blocks would work for you if you have a 2wd, but I think you'd be better off with the stock blocks.


Here's a couple links that might help you too:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/LiftingOnABudget.htm
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/ExplorerLeafs.htm
Those both came form the tech library

 

[Spootnuke]

Pretty Dogboy Well... I usually never haul anything.... but... um... I don't really have the rake problem. I want to put the leafs on there, but I'm just afraid it might cause problems with my truck in general. I got a 4WD of course, so I already have the blocks. Mine sits that high right now as it is and I would like to add a little extra height to it. I've practically studied the tech library, and I'm afraid to do some of the things in there now. But, I was wondering, I want to put wider tires on my truck, would putting wheel spacers on there cause any problems? and also, I'm thinking about buying mustang wheels to drive on the street and keep my larger tires for the trail type roads and areas. Would they cause any problems? and wouldn't they help with my gas mileage if I kept like regular radials on them? I get 24-25 driving conservative now... But I guarentee I could get quite a bit more with smaller wheels. Plus they'd ride better and look better than the regular Mazda wheels I have now. any comments or answers would be greatly appreciated

 

[dogboy]

I don't really knwo anything about your Mustang wheel question, other than you MIGHT have issues with the hubs, but that might be on different trucks, I don't know.

For the spacers, you CAN do them, and it would function right, but alot of peopel consider them unsafe. The inner nuts can come loose, and you will never know, untill the wheel passes you goign do the freeway.
But if you keep up on makign sure they all stay tight, then I don;t see why they would be bad. New, wider wheels would be a better alternative though.