Hey guys,

I'm thinking about upgrading my stock 2004 2WD coil spring (SLA) front suspension. I was driving a 2004 4X4 Ranger with the torsion bar suspension. I feel like I'm driving a luxury car now and I really like the coil spring suspension. I thinking about installing a 2.5" lift by Fatech Motorsports. If I install this kit will I still be able to go around curves at the same speed or will the whole center of gravity (RCG) thing cause me to roll the truck at the same speed? Or will I actually be able to go faster around the curves with a aftermarket kit?
Do I need to change my shocks, springs or both to get more wheel travel?
I'm not really interested in lifting the truck, I'm just mainly interested in achieving a more sport-tuned suspension feel. I think the Baja trucks are awesome, but that's not what I'm going for. I just want something that'll do a little better than the stock suspension. I'm thinking about a DJM 4/5 Drop too.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks,

Brian

 

I wish John Moorhead would chime in on this one, but I don't think he gets on the Ranger-Forums anymore.
Bump

 

Lifting a truck will give you a worse ride, not a better one. If you want a more sporty ride look at a lowering kit with coilovers. The fabtech coils are stiffer I believe and they are bigger, making worse angels on the other stock parts. You will have a much worse ride with the lift coils. I had them.

 

Yeah if you are looking fora better ride on your 2WD here are a few pointers. See what front coils you have. Look at your spring code, mine is A3, that is the SOFTEST leafs and springs. If you want to keep stock height A springs and 3 leafs will improve ride.
Next, lowering will help a ton. A flip kit will give better ride in the back because leafs under axle is always better ride quality. Not sure about front lowering, it will improve handling, ride will probably be unchanged. Also look into a rear sway bar. That will help cornering. As for shocks, Bilsteins have the nicest ride quality of any shock IMO. But if you lower you will need lowering shocks.

 

honestly a truck will ride like a truck unless you bag it. lifting my truck didnt change the ride quality. I even installed an AAL in the rear and it rode better, new shocks also help

 

Hey Kevin,

Thanks for the tips ... it sounds like you know a lot about the coil spring suspension.
I'm definitely not going to raise the truck now because that would change the RCG and it would roll a lot easier when cornering. I'm going to get a sway bar installed because I've been hearing a lot of good things about them.
As far a lowering goes, I though about doing a 4/5 drop but I don't know if I could do that with my Good Year Wrangler 235/75/15 tires.

 

You can find mustang wheels and tires cheap on CL if you do the 4/5. When you say you WERE driving the 4x4 did you sell it?

 

Thanks for the tip Mike. I haven't sold the 4X4 yet, but I'm in the process of selling it. I said I "was" driving it, because it was sitting in the barn so long ... lol
I just got it out today and cleaned it up and put my new Y-Spoke aluminum cast wheels on there with the 04/05 4X4 grille.

Here's a couple of pics of the upgrades

 

I wouldn't sell that truck personally. You put way to much work into it. Plus its always good to have a 4x4 around you never know when you may need it lol.

 

Yeah, I put a lot of work into it, and I REALLY don't want to sell it. If I was well off, I'd just keep it as a back up truck for January and Febuary but I need the money to fix up my
2WD. I'm more of a street truck person and not so much of a 4X4 guy. My 2WD is nice on the outside, but now it's time to give it some more HP and put some bigger wheels and tires on it and that's gonna set me back about 4 grand.

 

If you do sell it take those Edge bed rails off hahaha. I will buy them off you for $$$ the next time there is a meet at Johns.

 

I do have a ranger myself but I plan on doing pretty much the same work to mine as you did to yours. It would be nice to have another ranger in the family, looking for another reliable vehicle for my sister to drive. My parents never bought me a car but I got myself a ranger and never want to own another vehicle. Even if the engine gives up I’ll just put a new engine in it.