Eventually im going to start buying everything to lift the ranger but have a few more questions before i do so. I am not going to use the RCD shackle / AAL to lift the rear of the truck. I want to do it the right way and not the cheap way. So i was wondering if i bought a pair of skyjacker 4 inch lift leaf springs and kept the stock block will the truck sit the same height as it would with the RCD shackle and AAL?

 

it should in theory work

 

x2

 

let me know if it works, and how much it costs.. i have a feeling it will be less than deavers which is one of my other 2 choices..

edit: they make 265/75 IROKS??

 

you MIGHT be able to get away without the lift block! I'll have to measure the difference between OEM shackle and RCD shackle. I'm running the RCD shackle + 2.5in lift deavers and no lift block. It's so awesome having no wheel hop/axle wrap. The torsen l/s actually feels like it works better too!

Anyhow, with 4in lift springs you might be able to do the same. I worry though, that with 4inch springs and 2.5in OEM lift block you may be too long. That's 6.5 inches of lift in the rear - I believe the most you can get out of the front is 6inches of left through cranking the coils, which will probably lead to faster coil sag on the RCD springs. Thus causing you to need new coils.

 

Well it wouldnt actually be 6.5 inches of lift due to the fact that the truck already has the 2.5 inch blocks. If i added 4 inch leaf springs to what i have now it would be exactly that....... 4 inches of lift not 6.5

 

Well the pair of skyjacker 4 inch springs are like $410 dollars or so shipped to the house! Which is a lot less then deavers.

Also i have the ND (Non-Directional) version of the Super Swamper Iroks. They only come in these sizes:
235/75r16
245/75R16
265/75R16
285/75R16
You can get them here, i got them from a 4x4 shop in NY though.

http://www.ntwonline.com/acb/showdet...t=14&Pcount=14

 

Why not just get skyjacker 6 inch leaf springs and call it a day.

 

if you do that then you will need to cut/grind the leaf spring perches off and get new ones, change the pinion angle and weld them back on.

you have to remember that shackle does more then just lift. it is twisting the axle to where the pinion is at a better angle. it also helps with articulation. a shackle and AAL is not a "cheap" way to lift. just inexpensive.

if you do not use the shackle and you do not move the spring perches you will get axle wrap like no other and wear out U joints.

personally i think it is easier to use the shackle and the 4" skyjacker leaf springs with no blocks.

another option would be the 6" skyjacker springs with Beltech Chevy Shackles which are not as long as the RCD.

Yet another option would be Chevy leaf spring swap with 2wd 1/2 ton springs and with the RCD shackle.

another option could be the Chevy leaf spring swap with chevy 3.5" lift springs and the beltech shackle.

heck i could go on and on.

 

sweet, didnt know that, but im at the point where ill just get 36's haha 285s would be too small

 

how would not installing the shackles promote axle wrap? i don't quite understand.

i agree it would be hard on u-joints, and would probably vibrate, but i don't get the axle wrap?

 

the driveshaft being at the wrong pinion angle will cause the axle to roll/wrap.

i dont know the terms but i know it happens. we tried it once on Bill's truck

 

it will distroy the u-joints in record time...

 

hmmm i didnt know that if i just swapped out my old leafs with lifted leafs it would cause axle wrap and change the pinion angle. Also I really dont want to mess with cutting off the old spring perches and trying to figure out the proper pinion angle then welding them back on.

Would it hurt my truck in any way to run it without the block as long as i had enough lift in the springs to make up for the loss from the block. I know my blocks have the bump stop on them. So what would i have to do to run it without the block?

 

you dont hafta cut the perches off to change pinion angle. they also sell angled shims.

to run w/o the OEM block you need to get a taller bumpstop to attach to the frame.

 

So do the angled shims go between the leaf spring and the perches or do they go somewhere else?

Also without the OEM block, where do the taller bumpstops hit? The axle tube or something?

 

I was also curious how you actually check the pinion angle, does someone have a write up on it? Is there a certain tool to do it.

What is degree is the pinion angle supposed to be at?

 

oh yeah forgot about those.

 

I just eye ball it. lol

 

HAHA thats halarious

 

11-12 degrees seems to be what comes to mind, but i could be wrong.

its nothing that needs to be super accurate, it just needs to be close.

if you google pinion angle and how it should be setup you will understand how to eye ball it.

 

You use a magnetic angle finder to do it, and your proper pinion angle will depend on lots of different things, including your lift height.

 

why pay the $600 some bucks for ranger springs when u can get lifted chevys for half that? i paid $325 for my pair of chevys

 

If I'm not mistaken, Maurice has them on his truck (the skyjacker leafs) and they came with a pinion shim already installed.

Most lift springs do anyway.

 

Its $410 shipped to my house for ranger lift springs, and then i dont have to worry about welding new brackets and all like you do for the chevy springs. Last i knew they didnt just bolt on.