I just cranked my torsion bars today pretty much to the max, which lifted it a little over 2".
Do I need / is it a good idea to get new shocks for the height adjustment?

 

Adjusting the torsion bars doesn't change anything except the static height within the factory range of travel. It is not necessary to change the shocks.

 

You'll be just fine with your shocks you have now. I drove my truck with maxed t-bars for 6 months before I lifted and I never had a problem.

 

Sounds good, now that I think of it, i'm not lifting it to over what the stock size shocks can do, I don't know what I was thinking.

 

We all learn somethin new everyday. It's ok bud

 

i tried to do this today... cranked each torison adjuster 4 times... didnt see a difference after driving around... could i reverse the process juts cause i really dont carE? pull the back out 4 turns?


really dont want bad camber and all that jaz just for a lil tiny lift..that did nada

 

Welcome Tyler. You can certainly just back out the bolts and it will undo what you did, you'll be right back where you started.

 

The bolt threads come from the factory coated with a locking compound. When you tighten them, the threads travel to a new area coated with compound. But when you loosen them back to a previously used section of thread the compound is already gone.

Ford recommends replacing the bolts if backed off; personally, I would just put some light duty threadlocking compound on them like blue Loc-Tite or Wick 'n' Lock. Don't make the mistake of using a heavy duty, permananent thread locker like "Stud and Bearing Mount" or you may have to drill them out if you ever need to adjust them again!

 

well im not pulling them all the way out so how would i be able to put thread lock on them... i juts want to back them out a bit... not to hard right?!

my truck didnt really get any lift at all... then again.. i didnt measure but... in any case... it still looks like a stink bug... butt in the air..

 

Just crank them in almost the whole way, I did it today and got over 2" of lift, and the alignment looks the same as when I started and in other posts it seems that cranking them doesn't change the alignment enough to worry.
My ride height is definately noticeable, it matches the height of the rear.

 

I use a LocTite product called Wick 'n' Lock or "wicking grade" threadlocker. I believe it is LocTite 290. This stuff can be applied to threads that are already assembled. It has a carrier that draws it into small spaces by capillary action, then the anaerobic locker sets and locks the threads.

 

Well if im right... to get the locktight into small holes.. gravity would have to reverse so that the locktight could pull itself up.. and i dont think im gonna be flipping my truck upside down any time soon...

 

If you put it on the top part of the bolt it will flow inside to where the threads are where it needs to contact. The bolt will not work its way through because the locker is on that side of the bolt and will stop it.

 

"It has a carrier that draws it into small spaces by capillary action"

trust him, if you put it right under where it needs to be, it will seep into the hole. also, i cranked mine like 8-9 times on each side. 4 isnt really noticable

 

I am with Alon, 4 turns is not going to show any change at all.

 

well maybe ill go to alons house and see what we can do... i dont want my camber going all off maybe im juts paranoid

 

capillary action or wicking action will pull the thread loc in between the threads just like a penetrating oil. You can coat the threads above the tab before backing them back out by using a small piece of plastic fish tank air line or small vac line pushed onto the tip of the tube and maneuvering the other end onto the threads above the tab if your having a hard time getting the tube in there.

 

I have an 01 xlt 4x4. ^^Does the last quote mean you're talking ONLY about 4x2's.

 

On a 98+ Ranger 4x4, you need to be very careful about fitting shocks that have a longer extended length than the factory shocks. The shocks themselves are the rebound travel stops and extending them will allow the wheels to travel farther downward, increasing the angle of the CV joints on the half shafts. The CV joints will not tolerate much more angularity than the factory shocks allow and can bind. This is not a good thing.

In addition, there could be interference issues between the half shaft components and the shocks. Most replacement shocks will not clear.

 

That's what I figured.
I lowered my truck about an inch, the cv joints were at a decent angle and I figure they would get destroyed sort of quick when I use 4x4.

 

4x4's have some issues with longer travel shocks but the clearance issue isnt there with a 4x2 b/c there are no axles to hit the shock...which means 4x2 Edge guys get the short end of the stick b/c replacement shocks are the same as the 4x4 ones and we get those short bodied peg leg shocks. I guess 4x2 Edges just have to watch out for compressed length and make sure the ball joints dont bind up right? I was looking at Ranchos website and found some with the same upper and lower mounts and were about 13 collapsed, i think the replacement ones for the ranger were 13.25 but the travel was closer to 7.5 rather than 4.5 of the replacement ones...so about 20.5 on ext length...i have the actual numbers, just not with me right now

I havent seen what bilstein has with the same upper and lower mounts. i dont think any of the special offroad shocks have that type of mount...ie 5100, 5150, 7100 etc...maybe 5100 (not sure) but 5150s are all eye to eye i think.

 

you can get a set of 7100s with the pin at the top and an eye on the bottom. you need to get a special bracket for the bottom of the shock.

i think you can get em through camburg or kartek

 

on a stock ranger... well on mine at least, the camber was off from the factory. the front end alignment bolts are square... therefore you cannot adjust the camber "just a tiny bit". ford was really cuttin corners with that one. but on my truck the camber was off just enough to wear down just the outside of my front tires, yet the inside still had a lot of treadlife. so i bought a camber kit from pepboys and had them install it whenever they did an alignment on my truck. the kit included everything i needed to be able to adjust my camber easily and precisely... so you could get one of those and adjust the camber accordingly