Torsion bar vs ttb travel

[albertb]

I'm looking to buy my second ranger (my first was a 07 2wd long bed). I want a 4x4 and my budget is $3000 for the truck so I'm mostly looking at 93-02ish. I was wondering what the stock wheel travel is for the ttb vs the torsion bar. Ive heard the ttb is about 8 inches and the tbars get about 5-6 inches. Are those numbers accurate?

 

[adsm08]

I don't know if those numbers are correct, but I do know that stock for stock TTB will give much better downward flex.

In fact, shocks and sway bars are about the only thing that limit downward flex on a TTB. Well, and radius arms.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, if wanting suspension travel, stick with TTB, ditch the front sway bar and maybe add somewhat longer shocks and you're golden...

 

[albertb]

I don't know if those numbers are correct, but I do know that stock for stock TTB will give much better downward flex.

In fact, shocks and sway bars are about the only thing that limit downward flex on a TTB. Well, and radius arms.

I have about $1000 to spend on suspension. What lift kit should I go with? Ive been looking at the tuff country 4 inch is that one decent for travel?

 

[adsm08]

I dunno.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Some reading for you:

https://www.therangerstation.com/ho.../lift-kit-providers-for-your-ford-ranger-4x4/

https://www.therangerstation.com/ho...ts/getting-the-most-from-your-ttb-suspension/

https://www.therangerstation.com/ho...aximizing-your-ford-ranger-suspension-travel/

And lots more here:

https://www.therangerstation.com/how-to/suspension-and-body-lifts/

 

[albertb]

Some reading for you:

https://www.therangerstation.com/ho.../lift-kit-providers-for-your-ford-ranger-4x4/

https://www.therangerstation.com/ho...ts/getting-the-most-from-your-ttb-suspension/

https://www.therangerstation.com/ho...aximizing-your-ford-ranger-suspension-travel/

And lots more here:

https://www.therangerstation.com/how-to/suspension-and-body-lifts/

Trust me I read all of that but theres still no solid info on which kit is the best for travel. I'm leaning towards the skyjacker with new arms would that be my best bet?

 

[adsm08]

I think I would get 4x4junkie's opinions on the matter.

He has so much downward travel that he has had to build a setup to limit it.

 

[Jim Oaks]

The 1983-1997 Ford Ranger TTB front suspension will give you more travel than the 1998-2011 Ford Ranger SLA.

My Skyjacker 6-inch lift with extended radius arms had so much travel, that I had to use a hose clamp at the top of the coil spring to keep it from popping out of the coil bucket when I flexed the suspension.

The only suspension kits I would recommend for a true offroader looking for wheel travel would be:

Skyjacker 6-inch Class II with extended radius arms
James Duff 5-6 Inch Stage 3 with extended radius arms

These kits are around $2,000. You're not going to get a suspension setup with a lot of wheel travel for less, unless you break out the welder and fabricate your own.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Mainly make sure you get a kit without a "drop plate" for the drivers side beam pivot but instead comes with a new bracket all together. You want to get a drop pitman arm for the steering, get the big expensive one even on a 4" lift I believe, it helps a LOT.

Honestly I pieced together my lift off of craigslist, skyjacker coils I believe, around 6" lift, radius arm drop bracket, replaced both pivot brackets no drop plate, stock radius arms and I still lost a coil at one point on downtravel in the dunes, as Jim did I have a hose clamp on both coils now, as well as a J clamp but the hose clamps are still there . I had $500 in the used lift kit, $200 in the pitman arm, $50 in new radius arm bushings, $75/pair of shocks from Jim's store, I think $25 a piece in new high angle caster bushings and that's about it.

Of course extended radius arms are on my short list, have had the parts for 5 years...

 

[albertb]

The 1983-1997 Ford Ranger TTB front suspension will give you more travel than the 1998-2011 Ford Ranger SLA.

My Skyjacker 6-inch lift with extended radius arms had so much travel, that I had to use a hose clamp at the top of the coil spring to keep it from popping out of the coil bucket when I flexed the suspension.

The only suspension kits I would recommend for a true offroader looking for wheel travel would be:

Skyjacker 6-inch Class II with extended radius arms
James Duff 5-6 Inch Stage 3 with extended radius arms

These kits are around $2,000. You're not going to get a suspension setup with a lot of wheel travel for less, unless you break out the welder and fabricate your own.

I'll probably save up for the skyjacker. Just to clarify the suspension "systems" are the class 2 youre talking about, not the "lift kits"?

 

[Curious Hound]

Those are lift kits. You can order them with different options. But they are engineered to lift your vehicle and improve off-road capabilities. I used the complete Skyjacker 6" system/kit. That included brackets, longer shocks, leaf springs, longer radius arms, nuts and bolts, etc. It's very well designed.

This message composed solely of recycled electrons. Go green!

 

[BlackBII]

If you want a lot of travel with a ttb you'll need longer coils, shocks, radius arms, drop brackets for the axle beams and most importantly, a good steering setup.

The 6" Skyjacker kit that everyone has been talking about has all of that, though it'll probably come with a Pitman arm that isn't quite long enough. (FA400 vs FA600).

You can also piece together your own kit like many of us have done, which is what I would recommend. Skyjacker 6" coils, Skyjacker drop brackets, make your own radius arms, F-250 shock towers and build a swing style or custom K-link steering setup and you'll be able to get anywhere from 12-18" of travel, limited by shock choice and placement.

 

[Curious Hound]

I used the pitman arm that can with the kit. But combined that with the prerunner steering setup from Superlift. That combination seems to be working well for me. I forgot to mention the longer could that came in the kit.

This message composed solely of recycled electrons. Go green!

 

[BlackBII]

I used the pitman arm that can with the kit. But combined that with the prerunner steering setup from Superlift. That combination seems to be working well for me. I forgot to mention the longer could that came in the kit.

This message composed solely of recycled electrons. Go green!

Did you need to drop the super runner kit down at all to match the FA400 arm?

I know the FA600 is too long to fit with an unmodified super runner kit.