Ranger SASed 500 miles later Looking for some help

[fordpickupmine]

1991 ranger sas 44/9inch
well I have put 500 miles on my ranger after doing the swap.
not much offroad use yet.
1 problem is that Im not getting as much flex as i would like in the front
Im not getting enough drop in the rear. maybe longer springs???

I have stock radius arms I was thinking of wristing 1 arm

any help would be great thanks

 

[hunterdan]

What type of springs did you use in the front? The coils look to be really close together when extended leading me to believe that they are not compressing that much and could be limiting your travel. I'm no expert by any means, just throwing an idea out there.

Dan

 

[fordpickupmine]

I bought them off ebay I think they are cage
they are Progressive rate coil springs thats they way they look

thanks

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Make sure your shocks aren't limiting your travel either.

 

[fordpickupmine]

the shocks arent, I have also flexed it without them and still dose the same thing

 

[manaen]

those are progressive coils, and they look very stiff for a progressive coil. That and I don't believe I've ever seen them with that many progressive winds on one side, very interesting. As Dan said they do look very stiff, but that should not affect your droop only your compression

If you have the stock radius arms and mounts they are limiting your travel the stock radius bushing are probably almost maxed out with just the lift, and then when you try to droop it there is nothing left. You need to make them longer much longer to add some room to flex. Plus look at the angle of your radius arms, you are pushing against that every time the suspension tries to flex it is probably pushing your axle way front.

looks like your rear is working OK for a semi-stock setup, longer shackles can add some more flex, oh and do you have the stock rubber bushings in the back or did you upgrade (read downgrade) to poly? Longer springs will help allot just make sure the new geometry doesn't come up short on the slip yoke.

did you use blocks in the back? if so i would change them out for a combination of springs and shackles, blocks with bigger tires and stock springs is bad news


BTW, its really look pretty good your gonna have a great truck when finished

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

It looks like your front is flexing pretty good. What rear leafs are you running? I have also noticed that the lack of weight in the rear end can limit the flex, but the downside to softer leafs is more wheel hop, which breaks things. If you haven't done much offroading yet, it could be as simple as the springs just need to settle and losen up a little.

 

[fordpickupmine]

those are progressive coils, and they look very stiff for a progressive coil. That and I don't believe I've ever seen them with that many progressive winds on one side, very interesting. As Dan said they do look very stiff, but that should not affect your droop only your compression

If you have the stock radius arms and mounts they are limiting your travel the stock radius bushing are probably almost maxed out with just the lift, and then when you try to droop it there is nothing left. You need to make them longer much longer to add some room to flex. Plus look at the angle of your radius arms, you are pushing against that every time the suspension tries to flex it is probably pushing your axle way front.

looks like your rear is working OK for a semi-stock setup, longer shackles can add some more flex, oh and do you have the stock rubber bushings in the back or did you upgrade (read downgrade) to poly? Longer springs will help allot just make sure the new geometry doesn't come up short on the slip yoke.

did you use blocks in the back? if so i would change them out for a combination of springs and shackles, blocks with bigger tires and stock springs is bad news


BTW, its really look pretty good your gonna have a great truck when finished

I have drop radius arm brakets, and the bushings arent maxed out. and I dont think the angle of the ra are to bad but I could be wrong
I have new 6 inch sky jacker springs, and chevy shackles 3 inch block
I couldnt find a bigger set of springs

 

[IZwack]

Coils look steeeeef..

 

[Tbars4]

...i'm with the majority as it looks like your coils are still stiff...i would like to see pics of your rear suspension set up...post them in your first post...i think if you removed the blocks and change rear springs you might get better flex in the rear...
...are your blocks double stacked in the rear...:scratch:

 

[fordpickupmine]

...i'm with the majority as it looks like your coils are still stiff...i would like to see pics of your rear suspension set up...post them in your first post...i think if you removed the blocks and change rear springs you might get better flex in the rear...
...are your blocks double stacked in the rear...:scratch:

the truck drives fine and is not bouncy but I guess I will have to shop for some new coils, my buddys ranger has the wildhorse coils and they look about the same so I dont know.

the back was done just to get my hight even front and rear
I have a 1 inch block pinned to the leaf spring pack and then the factory 2 inch block. I know it is hoky
I will try to post some pics later

 

[Tbars4]

...my ranger has the 2 stock leafs, stock 2" blocks, and aal's with 8" tig shackles and it flex's pretty well in the rear and still keeps the wheels from hopping...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181043

...finding a good set of springs can be trial and error for what you want...have you looked at 90ranajo, rangerx, db1, rockranger's trucks on here??? they have pretty good flex all around...

 

[fordpickupmine]

i will check those out thanks

 

[DB_1]

FROADER's Ex has great flex with a wristed arm and WH 5.5" progressive coils. I've heard good things about B.C. Bronco's coils, they are not progressive and I believe either National or Deaver makes them to B.C. Bronco's specs.

 

[manaen]

I have drop radius arm brakets, and the bushings arent maxed out. and I dont think the angle of the ra are to bad but I could be wrong
I have new 6 inch sky jacker springs, and chevy shackles 3 inch block
I couldnt find a bigger set of springs

sorry after looking at the picture again I noticed that what I was seeing in the top picture as your left radius arm was actually the front shaft. now that I looked over the pics again your arm angles look fine. But you still have a spring problem.

you may have been better off going with a non progressive coil with a higher rate. That lower half of the spring looks pretty harsh

I would highly recomend not stacking rear blocks like that, what is your axle wrap like ?

 

[95exploderboy]

I think your on the right track with wristing an arm or by using extended arms. The design of a RA setup in stock form does not give much travel and binds easily. With heim ends a wristed arm or extended arms you will see a definate improvement in travel. It looks like you did some good fab work so far, just finish it up with some better RAs.

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

I completely forgot about the wristed arm. I also have one of those and the difference is pretty great with the locking pin removed. The entire axle acts like a torque tube/sway bar limiting the travel with the pin in place. Allowing one radius arm to pivot while the other radius arm maintains your caster angle removes the axle wanting to act like a sway bar and allowing more flex.

 

[fordpickupmine]

sorry after looking at the picture again I noticed that what I was seeing in the top picture as your left radius arm was actually the front shaft. now that I looked over the pics again your arm angles look fine. But you still have a spring problem.

you may have been better off going with a non progressive coil with a higher rate. That lower half of the spring looks pretty harsh

I would highly recomend not stacking rear blocks like that, what is your axle wrap like ?[/QUOTE

I know stacking blocks is bad news, but I have no axle wrap, I can get on it at any time street, rocks or mud. It was really bad untill I changed my pinion angle,

 

[fordpickupmine]

I completely forgot about the wristed arm. I also have one of those and the difference is pretty great with the locking pin removed. The entire axle acts like a torque tube/sway bar limiting the travel with the pin in place. Allowing one radius arm to pivot while the other radius arm maintains your caster angle removes the axle wanting to act like a sway bar and allowing more flex.

did you do drivers side or passenger??
any pics
thanks

 

[Diff Whack Daddy]

Passenger side. If you do it on the drivers side it will interfere with your drive shaft angles.