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1997 Ford Ranger Sas - leaf Springs - Photo 9342443

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  • Staying with the simple theme, we bolted on a set of 6-inch Toyota mini-truck rear leaves from All Pro Off-Road. This netted the Ranger around 9 inches of lift in conjunction with the factory rear block and moved the wheelbase back around 2 inches. One thing to note is that the factory Ford springs are a little wider than the Toyota packs. To adjust for this we slid in a set of beefy industrial washers that allowed the springs to bolt properly in place.
Staying with the simple theme, we bolted on a set of 6-inch Toyota mini-truck rear leaves from All Pro Off-Road. This netted the Ranger around 9 inches of lift in conjunction with the factory rear block and moved the wheelbase back around 2 inches. One thing to note is that the factory Ford springs are a little wider than the Toyota packs. To adjust for this we slid in a set of beefy industrial washers that allowed the springs to bolt properly in place.
131 0711 02 z+1997 ford ranger sas+lift 131 0711 02 z+1997 ford ranger sas+lift The first step was to remove the original twin-traction-beam axle and suspension from under the truck. Although TTB can provide ample amounts of suspension travel when set up properly, we decided for the terrain that we would be wheeling that the simplicity and reliability of a solid front axle would better suit our needs. Removal of the factory crossmember and TTB supports was relatively easy. We used a cutting torch to burn out the rivets, then simply pounded them out. This is necessary to clear the front driveline and new control arms. We slid the Dana 30 under the truck to get a few initial measurements and determine where to place the brackets on the axle. It is important to make sure that you have correct caster and pinion angle before you perform any welding on the axle. Although the Rock Krawler control arms give you the ability to fine-tune the axle position, it is best to double-check all your measurements and degree readings before making your first tack. This is also a good time to mock up steering linkage as well as getting an idea where the shock towers will need to be positioned. The original coil buckets need to be removed to make room for the new coilover towers. Once you have successfully removed all the original conflicting crossmembers and bracketry, move on to the prep work. Quality prep work will make all the difference in the world when it's time to weld. The only real fabrication you are responsible for will be the mounts that connect the control arms to the frame. There are infinite possibilities on how you can build your brackets (crossmember, subframe, weld on mounts, bolt on, and so on). We got our friend Kevin Howard to fab up a quick set that would weld on and could be easily braced for additional support. Once you have the brackets completed and your control arms assembled, tack the brackets into place for a quick test fit. Look for the axle to be square and even on both sides and that your brackets are in the correct locations on either side. This is the best time to test-fit and look for any potential issues (shock bind, track-bar angle, steering, and so on). We knew that 35s and a full-time locker were going to be tough on our steering so we went with one of the easiest steering upgrades available for the Dana 30-the TeraFlex high-steer system complete with knuckle, drag link, and HD tie rod. The only modification we made was to drill out the pitman arm to fit the larger taper.
Considering the coilover towers were designed for a Wrangler, it was amazing how little we had to do to make them work for our '97 Ranger. About a half inch will need to be cut off the back of the tower brace to allow the tower to seat firmly against the frame. We ran into a little coilover bind due to how the original coilover tabs bolted the shock into the tower. To correct this we used a plasma cutter to remove the original tabs and replaced them with a set of weld-on mounts from Poly Performance. This keeps the ball inside of the coilover eyelet from becoming overstressed or damaged during extreme articulation. It's welding time! Since this kit is almost entirely weld-on, we must stress how important your welds are. We suggest going to a certified welder if you think your skills are not quite up to the task. Heat will be your friend here as the brackets are all relatively thick. Good penetration is not always something you can see, so double- and triple-check your welds to make certain you are burning in both metals. Rock Krawler will be happy to make you a track bar the length you need once you figure out all your measurements. Due to time constraints and knowing that they would have the parts on the shelf, we opted to let Poly Performance whip us up a track bar to get the Ranger moving in a timely fashion. We swapped out our original 7.5-inch rear for the stronger 8.8-inch axle out of a '99 Ranger. A quick tip for removing the emergency-brake cable is to slide a box-end wrench over the retainer and then pull the cable out. At this point we opted to swap our original soft line with a steel braided one from Skyjacker. This will allow our axle plenty of droop without fear of overextending the line. Staying with the simple theme, we bolted on a set of 6-inch Toyota mini-truck rear leaves from All Pro Off-Road. This netted the Ranger around 9 inches of lift in conjunction with the factory rear block and moved the wheelbase back around 2 inches. One thing to note is that the factory Ford springs are a little wider than the Toyota packs. To adjust for this we slid in a set of beefy industrial washers that allowed the springs to bolt properly in place. For coils and shocks we chose a set of 10-inch Sway-A-Way race runner shocks with Eibach springs. Two of the main factors to look at when dialing in your coils is the vehicle weight and the type of wheeling that you intend to do. We went a little heavy with our rate, running a 300/350 with the addition of a tender coil. Due to the mounting position of the shock we were limited to around 4 inches of uptravel. Normally you want as even a balance as possible (i.e., 5 inches of up and 5 inches of down for a 10-inch travel shock). Here's a teaser shot of the finished front end. In next month's issue we tackle the drivetrain and finish up the last-minute details to make the Ultimate Danger Ranger adventure ready!
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