I want to convert the front suspension to coil over and lose the antiquated tortion bars.Mine are "f" rated and worn out anyway. I'm not looking to raise my truck anymore than the 2" I already have.

Does anyone make aftermarket upper shock mounts or shock mouns for IFS explorer/ranger suspensions? I know RCD has them in thier kit but they are just weld in gussets for the stock mounts. I'm pretty sure I can fab a lower mount fairly easily.

I guess what I am really looking for is some sort of an aftermarket shock loop to bolt or weld to the frame and replace the stock shock mount. I could probably fab some but I'd rather not take 2 full weekends to reinvent the wheel if someone already know's a company who makes them and does not charge $500 each for them.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

Presto!

That is exactly what I am looking for. Where did you get them or did you make them? Would you happen to have the dimensions if you made them?

 

that looks like it is off of Nick's truck...

 

More pics or a link would be helpful. I'd like to see how much it is gusseted on the back side and if he filled in where it is notched for the upper arm. It looks like he notched the tube on the bottom but I can't quite tell from that angle

 

I was thinking about this before and if you can buy the upper and lower mounts from RCD they are actually designed very very well for mounting the coilover. If I ever go ahead and convert the '03 to coilovers i'm gonna try and get ahold of a set of those mounts from RCD.

 

I just don't get a warm fuzzy about how the RCD upper mounts look. That really is a lot of weight/force on the top of the front shock when using coil overs.

 

take a piece of DOM, like that one that is 1.5" .120 wall and put a 95* bend in the center then it will for the most part line up.

at the bottom are 2 triangle shaped pieces gusseted on each side.

here are some pics
http://www.pdpracing.com/projects/v/Misc/irs/

 

That helps a lot, thank you.

 

I bent the tube and had those lower pieces cut for Nick, but I think I should have left the tube a bit longer so you would not have to notch it for the A-Arms.

 

The lower mounts on the RCD relocate the shock's position some.

Other dilema....good luck finding coilovers that'll fit our oem shock location...others have tried to do this on Off-Road Rangers (offroadrangers.com) and failed.

As with the RCD kit, and just like the pic above, the coilovers are longer due to modifying the OEM shock mounts (and RCD kit "lowers" the a-arms with the front crossmember bracket).

This is all easier said than done. If it was just that simple you'd most likely see or hear of people doing just this versus shelling out $2000+ for a t-bar to coilover conversion kit!

 

I was thining that too or when I was thinking my own design, I considered/am stil considering bending 2 90's making a full U shape. I've also considered adding an additional piece from the top of the loop down to the frame where the factory mount is.

My other idea is to make an bolt on upper brace that goes over the motor sort of like a strut tower brace.

 

A U wont work unless you cut all fender out and remount a bunch of stuff. you have to go high and run longer coil overs for it to work well. Nick is lowered and runs on the street he does not need the full amount of stock travel

 

I'm actually going to fiberglass fenders soon so that won't be too much of an issue. I think I can cut as much as 3" out of the inner fender and not have to worry about re-mounting anything if need be. I'm lifted and I wheel my truck so more travel is a good thing. I'm already figuring on having to run limit straps on the street to keep the CV's from complaing too much.