another ranger leaf pack question

[JoshC]

I hate how my leaf springs are under the axle, if you could weld the brakets on my axle from a ranger and change the leafs from the ranger to my explorer would it keep my same height? I know if do a SOA on my explorer now then it would give me a big lift but i don't want to do that now because i can't afford to get the front end kit to lift mine. I have what everybody else has with my year, TT with ad-a-leaf. I really just want to keep the back end the same height and get rid of the sprinds under the axle cause they suck and they got me hung up on friday in a rut! Any help would be great! Thanks

Happy trailes!

 

[rpenner54]

Nope you would need to figure out a way to make a smaller shackle in the rear to lessen the height increase. You are looking at anywhere from 4" to 5.5" of lift from doing that. However if you were to find a shorter shackle you could lessen the lift out that way but I really don't see another way without a ton of work.

 

[JoshC]

Man that sucks, i really thought that would work because of the way rangers set up. They aren't way up in the air like the explorer would be if it had the SOA. I know the springs are thinner, but are they longer or something, do they have different mounting points on the frame. Man i really really want to get rid of my mounts on the bottom, because like i said it got me hung up on friday and it was raining, and no where to hook a come-along to! The only way i got out was because i had my mud tires on and i now have a 5 speed so i could dump her a little bit.

I don't understand what you saying about a shorter shackle. Do you mean i would have to shorten it once i put the springs up there? Cause the factory shackles, as you know aren't that tall anyways, i'm not plumb dumb, just some dump!

Happy trailes!

 

[Clint]

the rangers shackle is upside down ( tension shackle) and the explorer shackle setup hangs down (compresion shackle) so the mounting point for the leaf is like 8-10 " higher on the ranger

 

[JoshC]

So i could or couldn't use the shakle for a ranger on mine and have the exact same setup and height as a ranger?

 

[Clint]

u can't use the shackles and and shackle hangers from a ranger

 

[rpenner54]

The only way that you could do this, is if you imitaded the rangers way of mounting the leafs. However it would take some major fab work, you would have to re-mount the whole leaf spring on the side of the frame just to get that to work.

I think your best bet is to just see if you can't get the rear shackle mount itself up higher and get a shorter shackle. Then do some experimenting with that.

Its doable, its just going to require some work. Frame cutting, moving springs around, etc...

 

[JoshC]

Hey thanks for your help fellas! If i get a wild hair i might try something, but for now, it's getting to cold outside here! Thanks again!

Happy trailes!