Fat Bob's Garage's 3" Explorer/Ranger kit

[BttlScars00x]

I recently saw a post about this kit:

http://www.fatbobsgarage.com/cart/products/Ford_Ranger_Explorer_3_Complete_Lift_Kit_1998_2008-447-15.html

But no one said any info about it. I've never heard of this particular kit, so I'm looking for information on it. So, here are my questions:

How good of a kit is it? For someone without the money for a $1500+ suspension kit.
Is it worth it? (going along with the previous question)
What sort of damage it could potentially do to my truck?
Does anyone have it currently?
I tried running a search for 'Fat Bob's Garage' came up empty for the information I was looking for.
Any help would be mucho appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

IMO a complete waste of money. You can buy add-a-leafs from Summit Racing for $50. Rear shackles for $80 and do a torsion twist for free (just need an alignment) which you will need for "Fat Bob's" as well.

And you are not going to get 3" of lift either way you go. 2" top is the most.

 

[BttlScars00x]

IMO a complete waste of money. You can buy add-a-leafs from Summit Racing for $50. Rear shackles for $80 and do a torsion twist for free (just need an alignment) which you will need for "Fat Bob's" as well.

And you are not going to get 3" of lift either way you go. 2" top is the most.

I was told this wasn't a torsion twist.. I'd rather not do a twist because it can strain the torsion bar..

 

[techieman33]

I was told this wasn't a torsion twist.. I'd rather not do a twist because it can strain the torsion bar..

It's a torsion twist, why are you afraid of doing one? guys on here have been running with a TT lift for years without any problems

 

[BttlScars00x]

It's a torsion twist, why are you afraid of doing one? guys on here have been running with a TT lift for years without any problems

I've been having a lot of problems recently with my front suspension. I've had to rebuild my left driveshaft, along with a bunch of other odds and ends I've had to fix.. I'm just not sure I'm ready to purposely put more strain on it. But I want to get bigger without a 1500 dollar lift.

Maybe I'm just stuck at a catch 22

 

[Blee1099]

Just do the torsion twist.. You'll have no problems. I'm probably the only person to ever snap a torsion bar but I suspect it was cause of my whoops a year prior.

 

[BogFather]

I recently saw a post about this kit:

http://www.fatbobsgarage.com/cart/products/Ford_Ranger_Explorer_3_Complete_Lift_Kit_1998_2008-447-15.html

But no one said any info about it. I've never heard of this particular kit, so I'm looking for information on it. So, here are my questions:

How good of a kit is it? For someone without the money for a $1500+ suspension kit.
Is it worth it? (going along with the previous question)
What sort of damage it could potentially do to my truck?
Does anyone have it currently?
I tried running a search for 'Fat Bob's Garage' came up empty for the information I was looking for.
Any help would be mucho appreciated.

Thanks.

In answer to your questions, This is the same kit i got from fat bobs and actually this kit is WONDERFUL. the tortion keys are bigger and beafier to give the tortion bars the lift without actually going the full tightening of the bolts. If that makes sense . I have been running this kit along with my custom shackles and only have PRAISE to say about the kit, & for the low cost of a 2-3 inch lift without like you said paying My Arm & Both Legs for it is well worth it. But thats just my 2 cents worth bud. Really it all comes down to what you can afford and what kinda wheeling you wanna do. If it's rock crawling you wanna do then save the $$ and get either the suspension lift for $1500, or do a SAS. But for Occasional light wheeling i say ORDER er up

 

[FROADER]

To get the same height, the bars are going to have just as much strain on them, whether you have beefy keys or not. Get some longer bolts (if needed) at the hardware store and tighten them up.

Like Dan said, save yourself the money. AALs at summit are less than $40, TT is either free or very cheap (if longer bolts are needed), Shackles can be had at the local parts store for $30 (for the cheapies), and you'll need an alignment no matter which way you go.

 

[V8RangerBoy]

Agreed.... no point in paying $230 for something you can (materials/equipment permitting) make. I made my shackles, and with simple hand tools and probably some penetrating oil, you can do the torsion twist. If you need longer bolts, so be it - they're cheap. AAL's are dirt cheap too.... $50 at the very most.

Like someone mentioned above, using beefier keys won't change the bar's strain at all. Either way, the load will be the same.

 

[.Seth.]

I saw this same kit on ebay for 150 bucks shipped

 

[FROADER]

I bet you longer bolts will be less than $10.

M12-1.75 x 100mm

The 100mm part is the length. And if you're going to buy them online... or without seeing them first. Make sure they are fully threaded! Most bolts with this pitch and lenth are only threaded about 3/4 of the way up.

 

[carlover]

If you wanna keep a semi decent ride with a TT id swap in v8 torsions. I found that it gives you the same amount if lift with only a few cranks on the bolt. You keep your downtravel and it rides alot better than when i had softer bars cranked way up.

 

[brianjwilson]

I would like a good lift for cheap too, that sound's great. But it's not realistic.
Torsion keys do the EXACT same thing as cranking the torsion bars. You are just adjusting the preload on the torsion bar, no matter which way you do it. One way is free, one costs a couple hundred bucks. If you're having front end problems, torsion keys OR cranking the bars will make things worse. Your suspension will top out more causing wear on the shocks and balljoints, and the CV shafts will be at a higher angle also causing more stress. The ride will also be worse because your suspension will top out more.
All you are doing is moving the suspension "down" in it's range of travel, not getting any more travel.
If anything, just adjust the torsion bars for a small amount of lift. You should leave atleast 2-3 inches of down travel or droop from ride height. Rear shackles can be purchased for less than $80 (good ones), are easy to install, and won't make the ride more stiff. A good cheap 1.5" of height in the rear.

 

[carlover]

And you can always buy the cheap autozone shackles. Ive preran some hard desert miles with these and theyve held up 100% just fine.