Okay I'm planning on putting a 4" superlift on this Christmas as some of you may know by now and I obviously don't want to use the blocks superlift provides. I've done some research and I think what I want to do is get the Skyjacker FR34S 4" lift leaf springs and take the 6400 shackles I have in there now and the factory 2.5" block out. Thus giving me exactly 4" of lift from only leaf springs.

First problem that arrises in my mind is what to do about the u-bolts because they wouldn't be the right size without the block in there. any suggestions/solutions?

Second problem is I bought my truck with the 6400 shackles in there (i think). I'm assuming the truck comes stock with some kind of shackle? (maybe not.. would actually be perfect if it doesn't) can I just remove the 6400 shackles and then attack the leaf spring where the shackle attached to the truck? or do i need to find some stock shackles?

Anything else I'm missing here? I honestly have no idea how to replace leaf springs (currently watching youtube videos about it) but I don't imagine it'd be to complicated if you got the 3 surfaces that it makes contact with the truck (both ends and on the axle) squared away you should be good right?

 

You should replace your U bolts with shorter units. You need to run a shackle or your truck will ride like S""". you can purchase the stock shackles from an auto parts store or a wrecking yard. don't forget about your shocks.

 

The truck would have come with stock shackles... I would just leave the ones you have in. If the rear comes out a bit too high for what you want you can just drop down to the other set of holes in the shackles.

As for the U-bolts you would want to get new ones anyways. They're not a big deal... look up a spring shop in your area and give them the measurements you need. If you don't know of any just go to your local auto parts store and they can either order them or direct you to someone who makes them!

Leaf springs are simple to replace...
Put the truck on stands
Take the weight of the axle off the springs with a floor jack/stands and unbolt the u-bolts
Lower the axle out of the way
Remove bolts on each end of the spring and then take out the springs
Install new springs and snug the bolts but don't tighten
Bolt axle back on to bottom of springs
Snug up u-bolts making sure they are seated in the hole on the axle correctly
Put the weight of the truck on the wheels and torque everything down to spec

 

The shocks he needs will be part of the Superlift kit.

 

okay cool. i'm assuming I could get u-bolts from an auto store as well but does anyone know the right size I would need?

 

Measure the diameter and width of the ones you have then overestimate a little on the length you need... you can always cut off the excess once they're in!

 

thanks for explaining the install up there. i knew it wasn't to complicated and just finished watching my video which told me the exact same thing you said. but ur last comment made me realize that I could reuse the stock ones and just cut off the excess. You say I should get new ones so I guess if all else fails I could get replacement stock ones and just trim those down right?

edit: oh and for the shackles I have the lift shackles right now (6400 bell tech i believe) and there already on the lower hole. I'm pretty sure I will have to get the original shackles and put them back on for it to be lvl.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...1758988154____

those are the original shackles right?

 

Yes, those are the stock ones. If I were in your shoes I'd still run with the shackles you have. When I put my SL on, I used an AAL and 6400 shackles. I got about 1.5" out of the AAL and another 1.5" out of the shackles. Adding those to my stock 2.5 block the rear is level with the front. Removing that block and those shackles and adding the 4" leaf will only get you 1.5" above stock... unless those springs are supposed to give you 4" of lift including removing the stock block.

You're definitely better to get new u-bolts. The original ones can stretch when they're torqued down. The only time I've reused them is when the vehicle is still pretty much new!

 

oh ****! I'm retarded! why was i thinking it was 4" + the 2.5" block?! this actually makes things a lot easier.. now i just buy the 4" skyjacker leaf spring, new OE shackles, and leave the original block, and get replacement u-bolts that are the same. that would work right? and it would be 4" lift in the rear which should match up nicely with the front end? also would be the smoothest ride in the rear except maybe getting the 6" and then dropping the 2.5" blocks but that would put me at 3.5" in the back which might be good maybe not?? How far did the front end really come up.. 3 or 4 inches?

has anyone confirmed that these skyjacker leaf springs that are made for the pre 98 rangers still fit the newer rangers?

 

How much more $ are the 6" springs? To me the best way to go would be no block, 6" springs and keep the shackles you have.

 

$20 difference between the two. PN is FR36S for the 6" springs on 4wheelparts. but once again they only say these fit on the pre 98 rangers but I have read some where that they fit on the new ones too... i.e. i think KLC and some other people who didn't like the superlift blocks used these skyjacker lift leaf springs. any modifications needed to make fit?

back to you fullscale, so your saying 6" springs, remove 2.5" blocks, keeping 6400 shackle (on the lower of the two holes)? that means 6-2.5 = 3.5+1.5 = 5?? thats to much?! but does the shackle really give 1.5" lift?

 

That is exactly the combination you want. Then you just crank your torsion bars a little extra to get it to sit level. I used the the hole on the shackle to get the most lift and i sit a little higher in the back

 

yeah i see thats what your rockin. you mind postin up a picture of your truck so i can see how it turned out?

okay so thats an option but what if i wanted to be close to 4" exactly instead of maxing out everything as high as possible.. since I'm only trying to fit 33x12.5 tires i think i would rather just superlift the front, put 4" skyjacker leaf springs in the rear on top of the factory blocks (they came from the factory that way so they can't be THAT bad...) and replace the OE shackle. That way basically all I did was take a stock ford ranger and install a 4" superlift in the front and got 4" leaf springs to match it in the back.. sounds pretty ideal in my opinion. That should level out right? Only thing I'd even be worried about is the front being higher than the rear at that point and I would have 6400 shackles sitting right there with 2 hole options so i guess I would have plenty of options to lvl it out... pretty much just rambling my thoughts but thats the way I'm looking at it right now.

Only thing that deters me from the 6" is that even with no factory block and OE shackles i'd still be worried i'd have to crank the hell out of my tbars just to get it lvl and i'd much rather not have to crank the tbars to much if possible so i can retain as much ride quality as possible. (actually gaining ride quality in my case because i've never driven or ridden in a ranger that didn't have the torsion bars maxxed out and I'm 99% sure my truck has the keys on it which makes it even worse haha)

 

FR36S Springs fit on my 2003 short bed, STD cab but ride is different from the OEM Units.
I had to replace the shocks with adjustable units and play with those settings before all worked ok.

 

What shackles do you have?

 

I think I'd still go with the 6" ones and no block... your truck would be 3.5" taller than it is now and then you'd have the option of going up a little higher with your current shackles or if it was too high then you could go and buy new stock shackles.

If it were me, I'd get the springs with the most lift that is usable so then down the road it's easier to go up a little more in height with using a small block if you were to do coilovers or something to get an inch or two more in the front.

Why not go an inch or so higher in the rear for a little rake? That's the way mine would be if I had the option to buy new springs at the moment... mine sits level and every time I have a bit of a load in the back of the truck it sags lower than the front.

 

OEM Stuff

 

Does it sit level or higher in the back end?

 

I am using the Coil-Over setup in the front so I adjusted the front to ride level with the rear.
I think the FR36s ride harder than the intended ride of the SuperLift setup but with these shocks it is bearable.

 

hm i might get the 6" leafs after all but what do you mean ride harder than intended for the kit? and you still running super lift shocks?

fullscale what AAL did you get?

 

I started out with SuperLift Shocks the ride with the FR36 Spring and the SL Shocks sucked , IMHO...
I changed to the Rancho Adjustable Shock, got a ride that is acceptable adjustng the shocks.

The Ride... On my short bed, Std Cab Ranger the FR36 springs are a ittle too much.
If I had custom made springs that might have been better or if I had an Ext Cab the extra length of the truck may have worked better.
If I did it again I would go to a custom house for springs.

 

Procomp 13120... I think that's the number!

 

I agree with Fullscale... go with the 6" springs now.. that way you can eliminate that block and you can always add it back or move up a notch on your adjustable shackles.

There is always the option of using Deavers springs... I don't think they give as much lift, but they are supposed to be softer (so soft in fact I hear it sucks to haul anything really heavy).

 

This is what my truck looks like

 

I am currently running the FR36S (6") springs with stock shackles, no blocks and no t-bar crank. It sits with a tail high rake similar to factory but you could always just bump the front bars to level it if you want. Personally I think the truck rides better than stock even with the Superlift and rear Skyjackers. I use the truck regularly for camping and load it up with dirt bikes, dogs, etc. and I am very pleased with how the rear springs handle the extra load. I attached a picture for reference: