This is a 99 XLT 4x4, and it has one cool suspension! The whole front suspension is a Dixon Bros. Racing product that allows 14" of wheel travel. I was puttering around on the web and found it. The stock Ranger 4x4 (with torsion bars) only allows 8" of travel. I was planning on a Superlift, but now I am going to save my money and go with Dixon Bros.!
The kit comes with upper and lower control arms, new shortshafts with high-angle CV joints, and coilover shocks to replace the torsion bars.

 

Nice truck

 

From the looks of things in that pic (front tire positions and alignment is toast, first obvious problems), that thing must be real a b***h to navigate on a public roadway over 35 mph..............Said another way, probably very fun for a weekend use only vehicle but hell and misery on wheels for a daily driver, both behind the wheel and in the pocketbook in the days to come.

 

Looks cool, though I agree with Cowboy.

The fenders look bent out?

 

those are prolly whole new fenders. most trucks like this put on new skins to help cover some of the tires (that thing would be one helluva rock throwing machine)

Matt

 

I emailed the guy, and he told me a few things. The suspension makes the truck 4" wider on each side, so the prerunner fenders are a must. He also said that this pic was taked right before his alignment. Unfortunately, he does have to get it aligned frequently, but many places near him have a lifetime alignment for ~$150. So it would just be a matter of taking it up there. He said because of the added width, the truck handles a helluva lot better on the road, with the exception of the turning radius, which is larger. I totally think it's worth it.

 

Very nice, but got to agree with CowboyBilly - I bet that thing is a handfull to drive on the road -

 

Just to elaborate a little on what I said above. I have spent quite a bit of time around big trucks and gotten to check out alot of difrent set-ups, been fortunate enough to have driven quite a few difrent big trucks, when I say big, stuff lifted 6 or more inches with 35" tall tires or much bigger. Some handle and react rather well, almost better than you would think or believe, while others can just plain scare the he!! out of you for a miraid or reasons. I don't have any experience with Dixon Brothers Suspensions other than having seen the website and read a little about them and there products, so who knows it might handle all right, but I would either have to know some people that had there suspesion and were using them, people I knew and trusted, or would have talk it over with the guys I know and trust from a local 4x shop here and see what they thought or knew about them before considering there products. Not so much to check out the quality of the product (I tend to think they make a good durable product that does what they bost off road wise by what minimal reaserch I have done on them), but I want to know more about it's drivability on the road...any way just my thoughts for what it's worth. That Ranger just looks plain bad to the bone off road wise -

 

I think they are doing a buildup of a similar truck and suspension in Four wheeler magazine. Their truck has a bedcage with some bypass shocks, though.

 

Dixon Bros are well known in desert racing, they race rangers, rangers, and desert racing is thier business. The reason you don't know alot of people with thier systems, is because of the price. Thier top notch, they race what they sell.

 

Definitely a "DROOP AND SQUASH" suspension, no wonder it needs frequent alignment. You don't want that for a daily driver.

You would also have to become your own alignment specialist just to keep up with it, unless you have a bottomless wallet...

 

Wow, that looks like something fun to drive off road. would blow mines outta the water in it's home of dessert flats and stuff like that. Beaut of a truck.

 

Can someone explain to me why it would be hard to keep in alignment? If it's built to handle off road racing, I think it would handle potholes and speed bumps allright! Although I think it's rather impractical to widen your front track width 8", I don't see why you would have any trouble controlling this truck on the road.

 

It could be due to the way the picture was taken, or the lens on the camera, but the back end looks kinda droopy to me, as if there is more lift on the front. That would look silly driving down the road. I'm still of the opinion that the front should sit lower than the back, no matter what vehicle. (you get better mileage that way, cause you're always going down-hill!) Those old Cameros etc. where they had replaced the front coil springs but left the droopy old leaf springs are a good example of what doesn't look good.

 

Just to answer a few of the posts up here:
The truck is wider to allow the 14" of wheel travel.

The truck does need to have an alignement more than stock vehicles, but originally I was wrong about the frequency.

The rear end is droopy because he is still using the stock springs. Many guys use Chevy leaf springs to lift the rear and add strength. I am considering the Chevy leaf springs myself.

The owner says the truck handles alot better than stock on the road.

The DBR suspension is about $5K-$6K, to elaborate on wendell's post.

All I know is that's one bad truck, and I want the DBR suspension on mine!