RockRangerII the build up.

[ExplorerDMB]

Good job on getting it on the road and driveable!

-Drew

 

[Rick]

Congrats Matt! Good to see your Ranger on the road. It will be better to see it offroad though

 

[zainyD]

Sweet, now I need to finish my SAS....

 

[DB_1]

Awesome Matt,
It turned out really good Isn't the Waggy axle wider than stock TTB axle? I would think tires wouldn't rub that badly with the new axle but what do I know
As for your rear leafs, have you seen those zero rates that Off Road Design makes? They are basicly 1" blocks but they actually bolt into your leaf pack with the supplied longer center bolts. They also have additional holes so you can move your axle forward/backward 1".
I would like to get out wheelin' myself but my build is going painfully slow...my goal is to finish it up within the next couple of weeks but we'll see.

 

[bmxking5]

Sweet, now I need to finish my SAS....

Now I need to start mine LOL

Looks good Matt. Can't wait for some froadin' pics of it!

 

[RockRanger]

The price was right on the Xterrains. I plan on saving up and getting some 37" MTRs or maybe an Irok or something similar. They should get me by the next few months anyway.

Dave the waggy is a little wider then stock but the springs have to be outboarded a few inches on each side of the frame to get it to work with leafs. I think with a linked setup it wouldnt be as bad. Hopefully it wont be to bad but Ill know more about the rubbing as I drive the truck more and more. Also As far as the block deal that ORD selss I would maybe consider it if I didnt already have a stock block in th rear suspension. I have thought about inboarding the springs and mounting them under the frame but havent decided if I want to try it yet. First I need to do some more driving of it and do a trip or two offroad before I start messing with it to much.

Hopefully in a couple weeks I can get a chane to hit a trail and do some wheeling to see how it works. I have to smog by the end of january so I am going to do that before I swap in the doubler and Bronco II gas tank.

 

[Stic-o]

Matt how do you like the Chevy springs in the rear so far?

 

[John_Rock]

Congrats Matt!

 

[RockRanger]

Matt how do you like the Chevy springs in the rear so far?

They work well. They ride soft and dont have near the bounce in them that my old 86 ranger did with two addaleafs in the pack. They might even be a bit on the soft side even. I still dont have the rear shock mounts right though so they will severly limit travel till I get that figured out. After moving the lower shock mounts above the bottom of the axle I couldnt get my longer shocks on there and still have any compression travel. I knew it was going to be a problem when I put the mounts on but I wanted to get the truck driveable so I just stuck them on. Eventualy when I chop the bed up I am going to try to mount the shocks outside the frame much like CG did on his explorer.

John, nice to see you around You need to make another trek out to truckhaven. I think I can find another place to highcenter you again

 

[Stic-o]

They work well. They ride soft and dont have near the bounce in them that my old 86 ranger did with two addaleafs in the pack. They might even be a bit on the soft side even. I still dont have the rear shock mounts right though so they will severly limit travel till I get that figured out. After moving the lower shock mounts above the bottom of the axle I couldnt get my longer shocks on there and still have any compression travel. I knew it was going to be a problem when I put the mounts on but I wanted to get the truck driveable so I just stuck them on. Eventualy when I chop the bed up I am going to try to mount the shocks outside the frame much like CG did on his explorer.

John, nice to see you around You need to make another trek out to truckhaven. I think I can find another place to highcenter you again

I'm Thinking of moving my leafs to the outside of the frame when I go full width. I'm just not sure what springs to use, but the perchs will match up perfect for it on a full width 8.8.

 

[410Fortune]

outside the frame = no more pesky hangers to get caught on

 

[JS91X]

you think it rides good enuf to be a daily driver ?

 

[RockRanger]

I'm Thinking of moving my leafs to the outside of the frame when I go full width. I'm just not sure what springs to use, but the perchs will match up perfect for it on a full width 8.8.

They could work pretty well for that I would think. Sounds like a good plan

 

[RockRanger]

you think it rides good enuf to be a daily driver ?

I have only driven for 10 miles this last weekend so its still a little early to say. Initial ride it seems pretty stable but a sway bar would defently make it better. I need more seat time to say for sure.

 

[Stic-o]

I have only driven for 10 miles this last weekend so its still a little early to say. Initial ride it seems pretty stable but a sway bar would defently make it better. I need more seat time to say for sure.

Matt if you don't want to use a sway bar, you can double shock it. one in front of the axle, and one behind. Made a huge differance on my old 96 Ranger after I lifted it. Of cource it was a 2wd TT

 

[034x4]

Looks sweet man congrats on getting it driveable.

Wheres the pics on the rocks?

 

[Kirby N.]

Looks sweet man congrats on getting it driveable.

Wheres the pics on the rocks?

I agree! Take it out and thrash it!!

 

[RockRanger]

Hopefully next weekend I can get out and play with it. Still need to make a front driveshaft and that 60 hour work week puts a dimple in the fun stuff. I got a chance to drive it some more tonight to get some more feelings of how it drives on the street. It seems to ride much softer then my old rancho kit or my old 86 ranger with skyjacker springs. However there is much more body roll then before. I would be hesitant to try to daily drive it without a sway bar on the front (Got one laying around Bill?) If I would have remembered to put some more air in the passanger front tire it should get rid of the slight pull to the right. Need to shorten the drag link a few turns to center up the steering wheel. Hopefully tommorow I can swing by the offroad shop and get an add a leaf for the rear to help lift the rear a bit to level it out. Right now it has a great "prerunner" look going on. I also will need to get some new rims. the 4" of backspacing in the current rims makes it turn about as sharp as an aircraft carrier. The tires rub bad on teh springs just trying to pull into a parking spot at the store.

 

[tdavis]

I would look for wheel spacers for the front.. 2.5" offset rims SUCK, they usually are reversed shell which means tires are PITA to get on them.

Besides, spacers are cheaper than rims, esp. if you want all 4 rims to be the same.

Also by using spacers, you can run just about any rim, so if you destroy one it's a quick and easy thing to replace instead of a special order rim.

Spacers however do have the problem of keeping the lugs tight - so you will have to check them, which you should do anyway, with or without spacers.

 

[RockRanger]

I have thought about the problem with mounting tires if I go with 2.5" back spacing. However these rims I have are 16" rims depending on what kind of tires I get next I might need new rims anyway.