Leafs or coils up front

[RockRanger]

When I swap the front 44 in I am trying to decide which way to go. I am using a dana 44 out of a jeep wagoneer.

I can probably get the leaf spring setup under the truck for under $500. I should beable to get plenty of travel out of it. It is simple and could probably have it done in a few days.

If I go a coil route I am probaly lloking atleast $1000 if not closer to $1500 to get it in. It would be a 4 link with a panhard similar to what rick and fakarwee have. It would probably take me atleast a week if not more to gett it in and working. I plan on using a coil and a spring beacuse coilovers are out of my price range currently.

Or I could just toss the leafs on there and see how it does. I can always reuse the brake lines, shocks, driveshaft and steering if I go coils down the road. Only thing I couldnt resue would be the springs and the mounts for them.

I am shooting for five inches of suspension lift at the maximim and plan on running 37"s with some serously trimmed fenders.

What are your guys opinions.

 

[RangerX]

Leaf springs.

 

[FROADER]

 

[svande8952]

Coils all the way

 

[RockRanger]

Front or rear shackle?
If I do a front shackle, I think I can get away with even less lift and flatter srings. But the shackle will stick out front and I could run it into things and bend the springs.

If I do rear shackle I can get a better ride but because of the design of the frame the shackle will hang down pretty low and could become rock anchors. I also may not have the same problems with bending springs. But I will need a long spline driveline probably which will probably cost me a few hundred bucks more then just having my front one lengthened.

I am leaning towards front shackle cause I wont need a long travel front shaft and could probably get away with less lift 4" lift on 37"s would be

 

[RockRanger]

Coils all the way

I would love to do coils cause I know there are tons of advantages to them vs a traditional leaf setup. However are the benefits worth that extra grand?

For the $1000 extra a coil setup would cost I could get a winch, front bumper, front locker, and a cage. I could always take the leafs off if I dont like how it works and all I would be out is the cost of leaf springs and some plate steel.

Still leaning more and more towards leafs because of the cost factor alone. A 4 link coil setup sure would be nice. Maybe then I might be able to acually keep up somewhat in the washes with the rest of you guys.

 

[RiverRat]

Save up and do the coils. Then you can help me with mine.

 

[410Fortune]

what makes the coils another $1000? radius arms? custom trac bar?
You need a trac bar with leafs up front anyways.

Yes they both work well, coils ride better. Your truck wants coils, its a natural fit!
I have seent he EB D44 coil swap done in place of the TTB in two days, its a natural fit like I said......using ford parts it almost completely bolts up

okay I am biased, front leafs are like going backwards in evolution.

 

[IZwack]

When I swap the front 44 in I am trying to decide which way to go. I am using a dana 44 out of a jeep wagoneer.

ahaha i too have been pondering this!!! and i'm using the same axle as you (80s wagoneer).

a question (if you dont mind):
is ur d44 a narrow trac? if its not, do you plan on cutting it down a few inches?

please do a writeup when you do the swap !!

 

[FROADER]

4" lift on 37"s would be

Indeed.

A 4 link coil setup sure would be nice. Maybe then I might be able to acually keep up somewhat in the washes

You can do that with leafs.

 

[RockRanger]

what makes the coils another $1000? radius arms? custom trac bar?
You need a trac bar with leafs up front anyways.
QUOTE]

10 jonny joints = $400
Bolts thred inserts etc. = $150
1 stick of heavywall DOM= $200
Long travel driveline=$200 more then just lengthening stock
Shocks and coils vs leafs would be the same on eather as well as using some scrap metal.

If i was using an early bronco axle the coils would be easy to do. If I am going to build any kind of link suspension I might as well do it all the way and get more travel.

I am going to try to run without tracbar at first. If I can keep the lift low enough I should be able to keep the steering angles tollerable. Im not building a race car I'm building a rock crawler A trac bar would defently make it handle better on the road though.

 

[RockRanger]

Save up and do the coils. Then you can help me with mine.

Send me the parts and Ill do a long term test fit on my truck for you. I dont think coils are that hard just more $$$ and that is something I dont have much of right now.

 

[RockRanger]

ahaha i too have been pondering this!!! and i'm using the same axle as you (80s wagoneer).

a question (if you dont mind):
is ur d44 a narrow trac? if its not, do you plan on cutting it down a few inches?

please do a writeup when you do the swap !!

I am not sure if it is narrow track or not. It is about 61.5" from WMS to WMS. I plan on leaving it that width. I still need to convert it to 5 on 5.5 so that is one of my soon to be done projects.

In the explorer projects forum I have a thread call rockranger II the build up. Thats where ill be posting stuff up.



Another thing I thought of if I go with a rear shackle is that with a low pinion front end like I have I may end up with the ujoint on the driveshaft binding on full uspension drop.

 

[RiverRat]

Send me the parts and Ill do a long term test fit on my truck for you. I dont think coils are that hard just more $$$ and that is something I dont have much of right now.

I don't have any parts yet. Still dreaming about a solid axle front end. Maybe next year if i'm lucky.

 

[Stic-o]

I say Coils, but it sounds like you have aleady made up your mind

I'm going to do coils...when I do the SAS (another year probbaly) but I bought the coil bukets already Thank you Dave!

 

[FROADER]

I know it's not a Ranger or a Wagoneer but it's a SAS conversion with leafs and it flexes pretty damn good.

 

[410Fortune]

there is no question leafs flex well when setup propely, but IMO the coils are right at home on your TTB equipped truck, and can flex just as well if not better with the right trac bar, steering, and radius arms.

leafs are the "easy" way out and if you ask me just to get the axle under there they are more work because you could just use a D44, narrow it 6" (either way) and bolt it up using the factory radius arm brackets and coil buckets, just like we have all seen 100 times. Just have to fab the trac bar mount. You can worry about getting more flex little by little once its under there.

 

[IZwack]

Wow that is pretty good articulation FenderGuy.

 

[tdavis]

Personally, put leafs on it and wheel for the next year, while saving up the money for the 4 link parts.

It gets you out there, and you can find the other weak links and get them fixed.

 

[FROADER]

^^perfect idea^^