- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Messages
- 5,897
- Points
- 2,001
- State - Country
- GA - USA
- Vehicle Year
- 1999
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Engine
- 5.0L
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Total Drop
- few inches
- Tire Size
- ~30"
I'm sure that there are a few people around here that like to throw their Ranger sideways and turn tires into smoke. Any of you do it with a TIB Ranger?
I've thought for many years that a cheap dirty drift vehicle would be fun and, being me, a first gen Ranger is the only acceptable choice. In the yard I've got a gutted 86 Ranger regular cab short bed. Well it's beyond gutted, the bare frame is in one spot, the stripped out cab is in another, and the bed is in a third. I'm considering throwing that 86 back together over the winter to thrash at a local track that hosts a small monthly drift event. Already got the add lightness part of building a race car covered, I just need to put back whats necessary which won't be a problem.
Biggest issue is I'm not sure what parts to pick to put on it. I know that the TIB is less than ideal, but that's what it is going to be for now. Later if I really get into and stick with it, I'll be willing to buy/fabricate custom front and rear suspension, cage, etc. Initial setup is going to be on the cheap. Primarily composed of parts I alredy have or can get relatively easily at the salvage yard. Not concerned with powertrain at the moment, have a few options, but need/want to get it rolling before driving matters. Suspension, I'm really not sure which direction to go.
For fronmt suspension... I have at my disposal and can put towards this project, a full stock first gen suyspension and brakes. I have a set of first gen dream beams and I think a set of drop springs. I have a 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 aftermarket first gen ranger anti-sway bar. I also have a set of brackets for running the 12" ST rotors on 95-97 steering knuckles, but those won't work with the first gen parts. As I see it I have two options for assembling a front suspension on the cheap.
1) Dream Beams, drop springs, antisway bar. That'l get COG down with the ~5" drop and help get rid of body roll. Add a set of 16-18" wheels from market place and wrap them with a with fairly low profile tire. Brakes are kind of anemic, but not sure if that matters on a drift car.
2) Set of stock 95-97 beams & knuckles from salvage yard, good luck finding Dream Beams there these days. Drop springs. ST brakes. Anti-sway bar. Again add in the wheels and tires. The spring will still drop COG some, the antisway bar wil help with body roll. Much better braking IMO. The lowering will induce more negative camber with the stock beams, but that might actually be favorable for a drift car.
For those of you with the experience, which would you do? What kind of alignment specs (camber, caster, toe) would you shoot for? How would you go about getting more steering angle on these suspensions?
I've got to see what I want to do for rear axle. Might have to spend a little money there. I have got an Explorer axle available, and it would be the easy button for rear discs, but not sure I want to use it for this. Might have to stay with a Ranger axle and weld the center section. I would convert the Ranger axle to discs, actually I'd probably build it for a dual caliper setup on the rear with the handbrake having its own caliper. Of course a set of anti-wrap bars. Have a 1" BII anti-sway bar I can put on. Can rebuild some leaf packs with more springs to be extra stiff if that would help anything.
FWIW this does not need to be road worthy or street legal, unlikely to ever be tagged or insured. Would be trailered to and from the events. Stuff that I wouldn't consider driving down the road is acceptable and possibly even favorable for this. This is a completely separate project from what the 85 is going to be, and I've got the gooder parts earmarked for it.
I've thought for many years that a cheap dirty drift vehicle would be fun and, being me, a first gen Ranger is the only acceptable choice. In the yard I've got a gutted 86 Ranger regular cab short bed. Well it's beyond gutted, the bare frame is in one spot, the stripped out cab is in another, and the bed is in a third. I'm considering throwing that 86 back together over the winter to thrash at a local track that hosts a small monthly drift event. Already got the add lightness part of building a race car covered, I just need to put back whats necessary which won't be a problem.
Biggest issue is I'm not sure what parts to pick to put on it. I know that the TIB is less than ideal, but that's what it is going to be for now. Later if I really get into and stick with it, I'll be willing to buy/fabricate custom front and rear suspension, cage, etc. Initial setup is going to be on the cheap. Primarily composed of parts I alredy have or can get relatively easily at the salvage yard. Not concerned with powertrain at the moment, have a few options, but need/want to get it rolling before driving matters. Suspension, I'm really not sure which direction to go.
For fronmt suspension... I have at my disposal and can put towards this project, a full stock first gen suyspension and brakes. I have a set of first gen dream beams and I think a set of drop springs. I have a 1-1/8 to 1-1/4 aftermarket first gen ranger anti-sway bar. I also have a set of brackets for running the 12" ST rotors on 95-97 steering knuckles, but those won't work with the first gen parts. As I see it I have two options for assembling a front suspension on the cheap.
1) Dream Beams, drop springs, antisway bar. That'l get COG down with the ~5" drop and help get rid of body roll. Add a set of 16-18" wheels from market place and wrap them with a with fairly low profile tire. Brakes are kind of anemic, but not sure if that matters on a drift car.
2) Set of stock 95-97 beams & knuckles from salvage yard, good luck finding Dream Beams there these days. Drop springs. ST brakes. Anti-sway bar. Again add in the wheels and tires. The spring will still drop COG some, the antisway bar wil help with body roll. Much better braking IMO. The lowering will induce more negative camber with the stock beams, but that might actually be favorable for a drift car.
For those of you with the experience, which would you do? What kind of alignment specs (camber, caster, toe) would you shoot for? How would you go about getting more steering angle on these suspensions?
I've got to see what I want to do for rear axle. Might have to spend a little money there. I have got an Explorer axle available, and it would be the easy button for rear discs, but not sure I want to use it for this. Might have to stay with a Ranger axle and weld the center section. I would convert the Ranger axle to discs, actually I'd probably build it for a dual caliper setup on the rear with the handbrake having its own caliper. Of course a set of anti-wrap bars. Have a 1" BII anti-sway bar I can put on. Can rebuild some leaf packs with more springs to be extra stiff if that would help anything.
FWIW this does not need to be road worthy or street legal, unlikely to ever be tagged or insured. Would be trailered to and from the events. Stuff that I wouldn't consider driving down the road is acceptable and possibly even favorable for this. This is a completely separate project from what the 85 is going to be, and I've got the gooder parts earmarked for it.
