Suspension Tech General discussion of suspension for the Ford Ranger.

Those with Leaf sprung SAS front ends

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  #26  
Old 06-08-2009
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what about factors in wheel hop, because i got horrible wheel hop on radius arms.

Also what about Pinion change? Caster change? all that crap that changes in travel. I hated that. Nothing like the steering wheel going all over when you hit a bump because your caster changes. And your only going to get so much droop before your driveshaft craps out.

My driveshaft only requires 2 inches of travel total
My caster stays the same all through travel

BTW I Have over 25" of useable wheel travel in the front.
 
  #27  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by TrePaul86
I pretty much know what it takes to do the swap, I just wanna basically know what my options are for the front suspension and what everyone has.... Ya know?
that wasnt my point. my point was cost, its not that much different.
 
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Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by zabeard
what about factors in wheel hop, because i got horrible wheel hop on radius arms.

Also what about Pinion change? Caster change? all that crap that changes in travel. I hated that. Nothing like the steering wheel going all over when you hit a bump because your caster changes. And your only going to get so much droop before your driveshaft craps out.

My driveshaft only requires 2 inches of travel total
My caster stays the same all through travel

BTW I Have over 25" of useable wheel travel in the front.


yea on mine ill be looking at about 18-20" of usable wheel travel with 37s.


wheel hop really isnt that bad with leaf springs for some reason. if you set your pinion and caster correctly on leaf springs the first time, you wont have to deal with it that much. i will agree that cost is very similar between the two but steering for some reason is less hectic on leaf springs because of it doesnt require as much tweaking to get around all the problem youre having.
 
  #29  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by TrePaul86
I know when it comes down to it, my wallet is only going to allow me a leaf sprung front end... Unless someone can prove to me some numbers that even a coil sprung front end is just a bit more....

Where's all the good pics?! lol
Leaves aren't really THAT easy.. they are cheap, you can build the hangers, perches, shackles etc.. but its not easy to setup, there's no way to adjust them.. you gotta find the caster and put the perches on then your done.. have to make room for the spring perch. gotta work out where the perches and hangers will go on our frames..

having been there, done that. I wouldn't say its "easier" everyone told me what I'm telling you and I didn't listen.

Originally Posted by zabeard
problem is really most 2" air shocks can only support 1000lbs per corner. the ranger is roughly 1250 or 1300 per corner in the front.

rear is around 750 on mine.
they make 2.5s... and i see them go for cheap all the time.

Originally Posted by zabeard
what about factors in wheel hop, because i got horrible wheel hop on radius arms.

Also what about Pinion change? Caster change? all that crap that changes in travel. I hated that. Nothing like the steering wheel going all over when you hit a bump because your caster changes. And your only going to get so much droop before your driveshaft craps out.

My driveshaft only requires 2 inches of travel total
My caster stays the same all through travel

BTW I Have over 25" of useable wheel travel in the front.
except you don't use it.

wheel hop from the front axle hasn't been an issue, my buddy runs a toyota truggy, linked rear, leaves front on 42s and doesn't have an issue. And i Don't have any bump steer, maybe i'm a lucky one but its no issue.
 
  #30  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by 99ranger4x4

except you don't use it.

wheel hop from the front axle hasn't been an issue, my buddy runs a toyota truggy, linked rear, leaves front on 42s and doesn't have an issue. And i Don't have any bump steer, maybe i'm a lucky one but its no issue.
well yall can run whatever. from the complaining i got from you in PMs etc.. from seeing Brentons setup. I wouldnt do leaf springs at all.

say i dont use it that is fine with me. but it works, i have no bump steer, no driveshaft issues, no caster change, and no shackles to catch stuff on.

im not going to take my truck out and wedge it through some hole that i know it wont fit and screw the body all up on it like some of you. i have no desire.

I have no desire to drive it into a lake either
 
  #31  
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Originally Posted by zabeard
well yall can run whatever. from the complaining i got from you in PMs etc.. from seeing Brentons setup. I wouldnt do leaf springs at all.

say i dont use it that is fine with me. but it works, i have no bump steer, no driveshaft issues, no caster change, and no shackles to catch stuff on.

im not going to take my truck out and wedge it through some hole that i know it wont fit and screw the body all up on it like some of you. i have no desire.

I have no desire to drive it into a lake either

haha matt BURN! lmao. did brentons setup go bad or what? i must not have lurked on that build thread. lol. this is nothing but a never ending debate on coils vs leaf springs. nothing will ever change. its all about who you are and what you like. zach likes coilovers and matt likes leaf springs. theres been many a heated discussion over this. and i wish i could say i had that much travel whether i used it or not. im pretty sure i saw you use it on that jump at the dunes zach. haha
 
  #32  
Old 06-08-2009
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did i ever say i liked my leaves? I have said they're going away. I have said IN this thread i wouldnt recommend them. I just don't have money coming out my *** to build it how i want it built.

what wedges have i gone into knowing it wouldn't fit?
the lake was an accident, you saw Kevans truck sitting out there, i found a soft spot.
 
  #33  
Old 06-08-2009
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better yet.... think about the people that want it built. do they want a weekend wheeler or a DD or a trail ****?

I built mine to do all 3. Little did I know I was getting a f150 later.

But I can in most situations beat the **** out of it and drive home i just choose not to.
 
  #34  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by zabeard
better yet.... think about the people that want it built. do they want a weekend wheeler or a DD or a trail ****?

I built mine to do all 3. Little did I know I was getting a f150 later.

But I can in most situations beat the **** out of it and drive home i just choose not to.

see thats what i have to go for. I drive mine everyday right now. and when i do my sas, not sure if ill have another vehicle to drive when i beat the mess out of it. so thats why im still thinking this through.
 
  #35  
Old 06-08-2009
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yeah i hear ya, been through all that, my biggest thing now is tire wear, i dont drive it for the fact that i dont want to wear the tires any faster than it already does. otherwise i could drive across country with it no problem.
 
  #36  
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Originally Posted by zabeard
yeah i hear ya, been through all that, my biggest thing now is tire wear, i dont drive it for the fact that i dont want to wear the tires any faster than it already does. otherwise i could drive across country with it no problem.

thats just the mud grapplers for ya. put them on several trucks and only 1 guy came back and said he had decent tire wear. the rest were back in less than 20k miles
 
  #37  
Old 06-08-2009
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oh i am sure it is. its not that they are wearing bad but you can see it. The f150 well i cant tell any wear on those tires from when i got them LOL
 
  #38  
Old 06-08-2009
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yea i have km2s on the f150 and they ride like glass. almost 8k on them you cant even tell. its awesome.


my mickeys that i have on the ranger suck *****. dont ever get them.
 
  #39  
Old 06-08-2009
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i want the KM2s in 42"x?x17" but the 650 EACH price tag is keeping me far far away.
 
  #40  
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haha if you were down here, i still have the hookup at discount tire. even though i dont work there anymore i have alot of good friends there.
 
  #41  
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even a discount on a 600+ $ tire wont be enough. LOL

the Kevlar MTRs are 503 each... tempting.
 
  #42  
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for over 600 a tire you should go super swamper. they arent too much more if that much.
 
  #43  
Old 06-08-2009
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probably less. i can get an irok for 330 each
 
  #44  
Old 06-08-2009
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sooo who wants to sas my truck??
 
  #45  
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Originally Posted by xp1ik99
sooo who wants to sas my truck??

as long as you do mine first
 
  #46  
Old 06-08-2009
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Alright, I'll be leaning more towards coils... Not 3-link, just coil sprung. That should be plenty for my snow bunny truck and DD.... Yeah?

Beard, if you want some 46's... My buddy will sell all 4 of his XML's for $650.... 80% tread, meaning about 200,000mi left on em lol
 
  #47  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by shadow905
as long as you do mine first
aight lets just double team them


that doesnt sound right
 
  #48  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by xp1ik99
aight lets just double team them


that doesnt sound right
I'll join in and we can have a threesome!!



lol
 
  #49  
Old 06-08-2009
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Originally Posted by TrePaul86
Beard, if you want some 46's... My buddy will sell all 4 of his XML's for $650.... 80% tread, meaning about 200,000mi left on em lol

psssh ive got the same tires and im closer!!

 
  #50  
Old 06-08-2009
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i dont want those heavy tires...

Steve send some cash this way, I have a D44 I can build up and put under your truck in 1 week 2 tops.

I did Evans(rangererv) in 4-5 days I am sure I could do another in that time frame.
 


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