Hi, I have a '94 Ranger XLT Supercab 2WD that I'm puting B.A.T.'s (Big Ass Tires) on. I bought a 2" lift kit that will give me all I need. It consists of rear add-a-leafs and 2' urethane front coil spring spacers. Also Rancho 2' over RS5000 shocks. I installed the rear add-a-leafs no problem. None of the local shops want to install the front coil spring spacers which they make clear by pricing the job out of reality. Been quoted $600.00. I have no problem installing them myself as I have the tools and knowledge as well as the factory service manual. However, single digit temps and piles of snow are preventing me from doing it until the weather improves. The front end has to go up 2" to give adequate clearance for the B.A.T.'s. I need the truck on the road asap. So until I can install the spacers and new shocks I think I came up with a temporary fix.
I'm thinking of puting air adjustable shocks up front and pumping enough air pressure to raise the front exactly 2". I put the new tires on and will measure from level ground to the top of the fender then pump the shocks up
2". They don't make air adjustable shocks for the front of any vehicle. The Monroe site explains that because air adjustable shocks are usually tee'd together which would make for scary cornering as the air shifts from one shock to the other. But I'm not going to tee them together. I'll have seperate air valves for each side. BTW, I used the Monroe catalog to get the specs for the stock front shocks then went to the back of the catalog that shows the specs for all their shocks including the air shocks and found a pair that have the same mounting configuration and approximately the same stroke.Ok, the questions:
- Does this sound like it will work temporarily?
- Any comments on using air adjustable shocks on the front of my ranger?
- After raising 2", either with the spacers or the air shocks, I'm going to need an alignment to take care of the toe-in that will occur. The shops arounf here all tell me I'll need upper tie rod bushings and/or cams to have enough adjusment for the alignment. I have a problem with that. First, I contacted the manufacterer of the lift kit (located in Montana, the only State where trucks like Big Foot, etc. can legally drive on the road....they know trucks!) and was told Ford offered a "Hi Rise" option on Rangers by adding a rear leaf spring and using 2" longer coil springs in the front with no other changes - the same as the kit I bought. And I verified that with my local Ford dealer The company I ordered the kit from also told me that if the shop I take it to says that because of that kit installed they couldn't allign it properly then I should not let that shop do the work. They also said that there, that's about the first thing people do on two wheel drive Rangers because a mere 2 inch lift requires no other mods. Whereas any higher kits require adjustment cams, longer pitman arms, lots of bushings, etc. Sounds clear to me, how about you guys?
- The coil spring spacers raise the front exactly 2". If I use air shocks to raise it also exactly 2", when I do replace the air shocks with the spring spacers will I need it aligned again?
- Do you think ride quality will be negatively affected with air adjustable shocks up front? I don't think so because I put them on the rear of my Chrysler New Yorker 5th avenue and even with 90 to 100 PSI the ride is actually better.
- If the air adjustable shocks work out fine, ie; I like the ride, a front end alignment straightens things out, can I just leave it that way without replacing them with the spacers, or should I replace them with the spacers and the appropriate Rancho shocks for that application?
Thanks in advance,
Jay
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