Starting my parts collection for my SAS on my 2000 Ranger and have been looking for a WAGGY 44 and a EXPLODER 8.8 rear and was just thinkin would it be easier to just find a late 70s F150/BRONCO and just use the front and rear and parts i can use out of it instead of bothering with the waggy and exploder? Been thinkin bout goin full width too (MAYBE) if it wasnt that big of deal on a daily driven vehicle, just was unsure about it. The reason its got me thinkin is bc the waggy will be slightly wider than the exploder rear right? So ill have to run like spacers and **** on the rear for the stance to match? Is this a big deal? Spacers just seem like a waste and potentially dangerous problem. Gonna run a leaf sprung suspension also with 37-38in tires. The truck is a daily driver also but runs through some mud holes while huntin that requires 4 LO and other than that i mud it occasionally. Just in collection mode right now so im up for suggestions... DEFINITELY goin SAS though...THANKS

 

Full width is no problem, it makes it more stable. People like to keep it narrow for tighter trails.

if you go with a late 70s F150 try and get a 77 if you plan on doing leaves cause you can cut the wedges off(i made the mistake of getting a 78 axle), but you could always run extended radius arms off the wedges of the axle and run coils like im about to swap over to.

another plus of the F-150 D44 is that its high pinion rather than low pinion, and make sure before you buy a waggy 44 its driver drop, some years were passenger drop.

 

I would run coils and extended radius arms better ride IMO

 

Coils all the way....if its a daily driver thats the mistake I made with the Pathfinder. I made it so it was leave sprung and rode like $hit....Im currently in the same stage of finishing getting misc parts for my sas.

 

you keep saying that with one instance of experience..

leaves can ride just fine if done correctly.

 

Ok cool I liked how ryanrebel125s truck looked and that got my attention but didn't really wanna follow in his footsteps with fab work bc he took a beating on pirate!!! No offense Ryan but that's definitely the look I'm goin for ...I can definetly find a 77 and get the axles or the whole damn truck...yea full width seems more desirable to me and I had first wanted to do coils anyways but seen how easily leafs were done on the 98-00 models from other members on other forums and read up on it more... And with coils the steering should be a lil easier to figure out without leaves being in the way. Another thing I've seen coil buckets and shock towers fabricated and also shock hoops...what's the diff? Do they both serve the same purpose? Again I'm sorry I mostly did all my research on those damn leaves!!!

 

I know you've heard this, and you'll hear it again..

Leaves dont seem like a pain, but they are.. take it from someone who's done it. I'm swapping to coils instead of doing a shackle reversal. plus with leaves you gotta deal with clearing all the steering linkage.

 

on our year trucks(98-00), we can use the shock towers and coil buckets from the late 70's f-150/brono on our setups? if not, fabbin some up aint a problem but jw...

 

i think it would be easier to use 93-97 coil buckets with f250 shock mounts or fab some

 

coilovers, only real way to go.

3 link or some radius arm setups are ok too.

 

damn coilovers will beat me down to my drawls though right? they expensive aint they?

 

think i might stick with coils or leafs being this is my first swap...

 

Expensive, but worth it. You might as well do it right the first time, than do it over again and again.

 

I'm going to get the adjustable coil buckets from Ballistic. keep an eye on my build thread in the next month or 2

if you got Zach money its the way to go

 

yea as of right now i have "College Georgian Boy" money so leafs or coils are gonna have to be the way unless ZABEARD wants to help a cracka out...ya feel me!!!

 

keep saving and you will have enough for them...

 

sooo i guess thats a no lol jk

 

Ok, ive found a full truck for sale for 600. Its a 1978 FORD F-150 long bed 4x4,
351m, 4sp granny low, 37"swapers, new light bar, needs flywheel, cant get ahold of the guy to ask what diff he has in the truck so this all depends on it being a d44. Anyways I could use both axels from it and tires and wheels (if in decent condition till i can afford a new set). This would save me some money as far as having to buy a new set right away and with this year axel it has the cast on wedgies and if im wantin to run coils its allready set up so. Do you need to relocate the coil mounts on the axle to transfer to my 2000 ranger? I could also just extend the factory radius arms from the f-150 to work right?

 

or should i just keep lookin for a 77 so i can cut off the wedgies and fab/buy the mounts and install myself?

 

why you gotta hate on my set up man...hater!

 

bump

 

you have to move the buckets out from the frame, or move the lower mount in some which is what badkarma did..

$600 for all that is a good price, you can part the rest of the truck out, it should have the 44 front and 9" rear.

 

**** wheel the '78. love that body style f series.

 

ok, yea i had an idea of doing it the same way or something similar to the way ZABEARD did RANGERERVs coil set up...maybe fab some shock hoops and move them out away from the frame a lil to line up with the stock coil mounts from the d44...ZABEARD or RANGERERV yall got any suggestions towards that? Ok on more question, the CAGE shock hoops, there designed to mount up next to the frame so that would be outta the question towards the way i wanna set mine up right?

 

what are CAGE shock hoops?

I'm using trail gear hoops, I'm going to try and modify them and weld them to the ballistic coil buckets I ordered.. other wise I'm not too sure what I'm going to do about shocks lol.

I'm also not sure If I'll be moving the lower coil mount inboard some, or somehow kicking the coil bucket away from the frame just yet.