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IFS Heavy Duty Upgrades!

What's the reason you guys replace the lower arms?
 



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What coil-over spring and shock combo would you guys recommend for ditching the T-bars on a rig with factory ride height? What would be a reasonable price to have them installed at a fab shop? The clunking at the key pads on my 96 is starting to get to me.

Hard to answer this, as all shops are different, and parts vary greatly in pricing. The only thing a shop would be needed for is to weld the gussets, but if you can do that, this is a driveway mod for those with a little mechanical know how.
For low end coil shocks, about $400 /pair. For mid range coil shocks about $650 /pair. High end can reach over $2000/pair or more. Coils are generally around $75/ea. Now the brackets vary, depending on how you get them. There might be a guy in TX still making them and he advertises them on ranger station & ranger forums. I wanna say around $300 for the kit w/hardware. Limit straps are around $20/ea. BTF UCA's are around $600/pair. +/- 4* cams are about $60. Now these are all general prices, but should be fairly close to give you an idea what a new setup costs.
Depending on how much over stock in weight add on's you have, and what lift your after for coils. Completely stock V-6 should be able to run 650# alright. A V-8 needs at least 750#. When you add items such as a winch, your going to want to crank more to compensate, or go up in coil tension strength rating. I use an oversized coil on mine, to help compensate with the cranking for lift, and add on items. This won't work on a setup with no lift well, as the purpose is to be able to crank the spinner nuts down the tube for lift, but without running out of threads. For no lift, no drop, the nuts should be no lower then 60% of the tube body. You start to get coil bind after that. Coil bind is when the spring touches each other.
This is hard to get right the first time, and most of us go thru a couple of different rated coils, before we get it dialed in for our applications.
Hope that helps!

What's the reason you guys replace the lower arms?

Depends. Some don't want to mess with the ball joint, some want new bushings, but don't want to deal with only replacing the old ones. Some have out worn hex holes and the bars spun. Some just want all new. Me, I have just replaced, what I needed replaced, as I needed it. I might get a new set, and use the old set to fabricate some bolt on skids, then add them to the new set. Someday....
 






...+/- 4* cams are about $60. ...

....

What are 4* cams, I thought the choices were around 1.5 to 2.5 at most? I'm about to fight my 99 truck again, it would not accept an alignment with the typical camber washers, lowered at all. I let them set it near stock to get it aligned, but rebuilding it again I want to bring it down some.

This is for my mail truck, lower is better since everyone's mailbox is way too low. The proper height is 40-45" high to the bottom of the box, but most are more like 30", or less. I run a shorter 29.5" tire and have the back lowered about an inch with blocks.
 






2* either direction. They are the biggest that I know of, and that's what I use. Believe they are ACDelco brand. You can use a bur bit and widen the bolt openings for more if needed, but it's a pain. $30/set, last I looked.
 












Just picked these up

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FOA 2.0x6 with 7/8 shafts and the long end to clear the axle, with 2.5 finned reservoirs.

Well, what length is the shock & springs? Whats the extended & collapsed #'s? How long are the extensions?

What spring rating?

What bump stops are those? Inquiring minds needs to know! (me)

Super stealth mode is activated, I see nooooo brand ID anywhere!! lol

Your gonna make us wait for install pics ain't ya!

(Longer lower tabs help with the clearing of the axle on a stock eye mount.)
 






I'm not sure what the measurements are. I do metal fabrication and I've set up a ton of front ends, so I will make them work! Spring rate is 600. Bumpstops are 2.0x2 and also FOA. Unfortunately I haven't installed them yet.
 






Yes, very nice parts. Those are over my head, but they inspire more good ideas.
 






a lot of the guys over on ranger forums started busting up their shocks and (extended) eyelets as the shocks were too long when the suspension was collapsed.
It sounds like you are well aware that you need to check this, but I just wanted to mention it to be safe.
 






I always cycle the front end with the springs out to ensure I have a small amount of shaft left at full droop and bump. I'm thinking I may put together something that bolts on so that others can run this setup
 






Are coilover conversion brackets still available from any source? I’ve been thinking about doing the switch.
 






Are coilover conversion brackets still available from any source? I’ve been thinking about doing the switch.

I believe I heard somebody say, they are still being made by a guy in TX (?) on another forum. Not sure which one, but I'm sure Google foo will help ya.
 






Last I heard the information for the coilover mounting brackets was on the ranger forums.
 









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