rear 4" lift springs

[Spudhut]

Yeah, i was surprised when I saw them, then I looked at the leafs and saw a single mono leaf with what looked like the rest of the pack cut down to fill in the gap where the ubolts are like a block. Odd. Mine does sag and believe me, its soft over small woops.

I always laugh when i hit this one bridge in my area, my sport bounces up and down....im pretty sure the shocks are shot. LOL.

Like you, I have extensive fab experience. I had a hot rod shop for 15 yrs. So if swapping out for other leafs to get a nice level lift, I'm open to it. Bolt in units are always the easiest Mod.

 

[Bob Swaters]

The springs on my 2000 ex looked like the springs in the picture above. I replaced them with springs off an 84 Suburban, keeping the axle over spring setup that was stock. The springs are 5 leaf plus the overload spring. I have about 3 inches lift, could gain almost another inch if I remove the big fat overload spring. Ride quality is greatly improved, rides very smooth. I carried almost 1000 lbs of ceramic tile and grout in it Friday, that much weight made it just set level, and rode smooth as a Cadillac!

 

[Bob Swaters]

The springs on my 2000 ex looked like the springs in the picture above. I replaced them with springs off an 84 Suburban, keeping the axle over spring setup that was stock. The springs are 5 leaf plus the overload spring. I have about 3 inches lift, could gain almost another inch if I remove the big fat overload spring. Ride quality is greatly improved, rides very smooth. I carried almost 1000 lbs of ceramic tile and grout in it Friday, that much weight made it just set level, and rode smooth as a Cadillac!

This chart might help to find springs in the junkyard that might fit. I cqan't remember where I got it from--might've been somewhere on this site.

 

[REMPY3]

I feel soa on stock springs flexes and rides the best. But it also comes at the price of swapping leak packs every 2 years from them looking like W's from going negitive.

My ranger is factory spring over with explorer leafs + 1 extra leaf now (about 3" lift over stock ranger springs). Now I also have lift shackles which give me another inch but I removed the stock 2" blocks. Basically im setup like a soa explorer now. Here's a pic of how negitive my setup will go and a pic of the droop.

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what lift you running up front?

 

[boominXplorer]

4" superlift that has been modified for coilovers

 

[waren]

Decided to resurrect this thread rather than posting new as it contains some good information.

Fast forward to 2021 ... ive decided not to widen the front end with a long travel kit (2nd gen) for aesthetic and cost reasons. Obviously, I can’t find any lifts for 2nd gen explorers anymore, however torsion bar ranger lifts are available namely superlift and rough country. Fine that’s the front.

Now I’m in the same boat as the OP how to get 3”-4” in the rear.

I can’t find the rough country 8032 springs the OP mentions locally. The OME are only 1.5”-2” and based on information on the forum I don’t think I want to do a shackle lift so probably a dead end.

Building custom packs using 20-30 year old F150 and explorer springs seems like a recipe for frustration and disappointment.

Are my only options SOA (5.5” lift) or custom $$$ leafs?

Just so I am clear on how much I need I read that the superlift drop bracket is 3” however I don’t know how much the rough country drop is. I never thought I would be considering a RC lift but the bracket is obviously a more modern design. It’s listed as 5” so maybe it’s a 4” bracket?

 

[waren]

So skyjacker still lists two spring packs for the ranger FR34S (4”) and FR36S (6”). I know there are many suspension differences between the ranger and explorer however I understood the OEM leafs are essentially the same shape (ignoring load and locating pin). So I wonder if the ranger lift leafs would offer a good solution for achieving 3”-4” lift on a 2nd gen

 

[waren]

Modifying Ford Explorer Leaf Springs for Lift using F-150 Leaf Springs

http://www.truckspring.com/products/Ford-Pickup-Replacement-Leaf-Spring-(4-leaves-Rear)__43-781.aspx#product-specs Has anyone tried ranger springs? These are same 1250# spring rate with a stronger arc. They also have a 1750# "HD" with a bit less arc...

www.explorerforum.com

Last post confirms flipping the centering pin allows factory ranger leafs to be installed in an explorer SUA with no change in lift ... not sure why he ran into trouble with the front mounting location on the frame the springs should be the same eye to eye length.

Skyjacker lists only width (both 2.5”) and free arch

FR34S 9.25”
FR36S 11.25”

So in theory the FR34S should yield ~4” if rates and load weight was equal between explorer and ranger ... which they are not. Hmm.

 

[BKennedy]

The Ranger has the leaf springs above the axle, while the Explorer is below. You might lose height if the Skyjacker leaf packs are thicker. It will be pushing the axle location up, not down. You want down.

If you use the OME leaf packs and gained 1.5-2" it should level out the Explorer since they sit nose down a few inches stock.

 

[waren]

Yup I get the SOA and SUA. The tentative plan is to install a 3”-4” drop bracket lift in the front so I would be looking for about the same I the rear. If the pack is thicker it will eat into the specified lift. But I doubt it would be more than 1” which would still give me 3” with the FR34S

I have read lots of good reviews on the OME springs but not enough lift unfortunately

 

[waren]

whats everyone doing for leaf springs these days?

have the belltech shackles in the rear with the stock leaf springs, and the stock 2 inch lift block, leaf springs are doing that w thing. wanting to ditch the block, maybe add 1 inch lift. the front is lifted 2 inches, so id mostly like to match that. i dont really want to swap to chevy 63's...

www.therangerstation.com

Ok now I’m confused ... ranger guys say they get 1-2” from installing explorer 4dr springs on a ranger ... I assume because of increased spring rate and design load.

Now I’m worried the skyjackers will be too soft