I know it sounds crazy, but I'm not worried about gas. I can't do anything about it, so I'll just bite the bullet and pay it.

Ok...so let me see. 31"s, 4.10s (what you guys think, new gears, used axle, or used gears? My brakes are Ford Racing Performance Parts and are practically new...so I'm not wanting to get the whole axle if I can avoid it). Will I need new shocks since it's a body lift? I need new ones anyways really...

The gears for the speedo, it's on the back of the tranny correct? Which one will I need and how do I install it?
How do I recalibrate the PC to understand the new tires/gear ratio from the VSS?
And still, what's the "shift extender" and does it affect the throws?

Thanks guys.

RP
Zach

 

Zach I wouldn't mess with a body lift, I've never been a fan of them. It gaps the front, and rear bumpers, it throws off the steering, and clutch linkage, it messes with the shifter. It's your truck, but I would go suspension lift all the way. You can easily get your 3 inches from the suspinsion with spacers, longer coils, spindles, or just a good quality complete lift kit from rough country. That catolog will be to you in a couple of days, and you can see all your suspinsion options. The most expensive 4" lift kit is only 430.00$, and that isn't bad at all. Body lifts don't even look good, you can see the gap between the body, and the frame, they look dorkey, please give that some more thought. I never mentioned a body lift to you, because they look like crap, and cause allignment problems, it's not as bad with an auto, but with a manual, it messes with clutch linkage, and the shifter, and stll looks gooffy.

 

Ranger Pilot -

Sorry I just now saw your post, and this is an area I have quite a bit of experience in, regarding the lift to get on 31's and the rear end work. First and foremost, there is a formula you need to use to get the correct size ring and pinion for the changes you are doing, existing gear ratio/existing tire height X x/new tire height = gear ratio to retain stock gearing.

Now before I go any further, from experience, you really should consider going to 4.10 gears, take into account that 31's are not only taller, they are wider and heavier, wind resistance and weight plays a factor as well. I'm not trying to tell ya' what to do, but trust me you will be happier with the 4.10's. If your hell bent on 3.73's I got a ring and pinion off one of the 7.5's I rear geared to 4.10's - your welcome to them if you want.

Now I am saying this having done minor lifts on 3 difrent rangers, 2 - 4 wheel drives and 1 2 wheel drive, all in order to get them on 31's * 8" wheels with what I consider proper clearance, in other words no rubbing issues on or off road at all. The other thing I will suggest is once you do go to larger tires, and you do re-gear, either have the dealer re-calibrate your computer for these changes or look into some sort of programmer that will do this, I know wendell has spoken very highly of Doug at Bama, and I can say so far I am pretty impressed with what I got from Doug a few weeks ago. The tires throw things off, but the ring and pinion change kind of freak the computer out on some models....it did on my 99'.

I've done both body and suspension lifts on my 93' 4 wheel drive (2 1/2" Superlift Soft Ride Coils and camber bushings, re-geared to 4.10's)and 99' Ranger 2 wheel drive(3" body lift, re-geared to 4.10's and added lock-right) , my 01' Edge 4 wheel drive I just cranked the torsion bars a very slight amount to clear 31's. There are pros and cons to body lifting, and of course if you can afford suspension it's always the better way to go - just stick to known, proven, quality components, but remember one thing, it's a ranger, they are a dime in a dozen, anything you think you are ruining by body lifting - you can readily replace if you get my drift, so if money is an issue body lifting is not a bad angle, just get a kit that includes everything, all the bracketry. Remeber when weighing out the cost to factor in a body lift will require you to have your tail pipe re-routed, unless you want it 6" below the body panel....really tacky. If you body lift - do it right, and it won't look like a noticably body lifted vehicle.

Ok I threw quite a bit at ya there, and I got a point to make - get a game plan together first. Decide what you are going to do, exaclty how much lift you need, and price all this stuff out cuz' it get's crazy expensive. If you can do some of this work and save some money, awsome, if you've never set up a rear diff - don't save your money there unless you have someone with some experience looking over your shoulder and guiding you all the way through that step. Some mods require other mods in order to make everything work right...and this is one of those mods. You can do this in steps, because for most of us, if we are driving a ranger, all that work I spoke of is way to big of hit to take at once. I am pretty sure your gonna need a good 3" of lift, maybe more, if I am remembering correctly your year model ranger is on 14" wheels and the front end set lower than the rear. If that's the case you might need more than 3". If you would like, I can ask the guys at the 4x shop I use here, I have done quite a bit of work through them and they are always willing to give advice on what works and what does not. Anyway good luck with it -

 

Ok...well I don't have $430 plus whatever else laying around. So this idea just went to the back burner.

I think I'll keep the stock height and ride for now. Waves, if you still want to get rid of that 3.73, I'd love it, how much you want for it? Oh wait...I got an 8.8" I believe (4.0L, 5 speed), so I don't guess it would work, right?

RP
Zach

 

Well there are still other options, maybe some very minor lift to level you out, try a set of 27x8.50x14's on your stock wheels in some sort of All Terrain patern. No re-gearing required, a more rugged look....might be a much easier, less expesive rout. My gears won't work for the 8.8 - but if ya' got a 7.5 they were free -

 

I gotta figure out what size my current tires really are.

Anybody got gears for an 8.8" they're lookin' to get rid of?

RP
Zach

 

You don't have to do the 4" kit, that would be the best, it's a complete kit, and worth saving for. But you will be getting my catolog shortly, there is a whole page of lift options, and prices. You can run 31's for under 100 bucks, don't get discouraged! Another option in the catolog is longer front coils, there under 200 bucks. Waves may have intimadated you, but he didn't mean to, he uses his trucks somewhat hard offroad from what I have gathered talking with him, and he knows his stuff. Your not looking for an extreme offroader, just a truck that looks good, and can get you to those out of the way fishing, and camping spots, maybe alittle feild fun. It dosen't have to be that complicated, just leveling the truck will allow 31's toi fit. Your not going to be jumping over 3 foot sand dunes at the beach. Later on if you get more into the hobby, and have a better job, you can get more extreme! Get the catolog, weigh out your options, and budget, and go from there. Everything doesn't have to be done at one time, like Waves says, you can do it in stages. Also your 4.0 powered ranger would of had 15" wheels, and 31's will fit on them, I've done it. You can get good buys on used 31's in the paper, people will start with 31's, and then move up to 33's, or 35's. Don't get discouraged, when you get the catolog it will shed awhole new light on what you can do, at any budget. If I , or Waves can help you in any way, "please", let us know.

 

Zach, I just looked at the piture of your truck again, and it looks like you have the 15" alloy wheels, I had the same wheels on my 96 ranger, and I mounted 31's on them, your ok there. "Man", you gotta sharp little truck!!

 

Just for the record - I use my truck to 4 wheel on the beach and tow a boat as well - hence the necesity for lower gears in an effort to retain the stock level of power. I have never "jumped" my truck, I am a firm beleiver in being able to drive it back to the house, treading lighty. Sand is pretty easy stuff with the right set-up all you got to do is cruise or crawl, I respect and follow the 20mph speedlimit on all Texas Beaches, I do not beat on my truck off road, I think that is unnessisary. I was not trying to scare you off, but letting you know, for a 2 wheel drive truck there can be alot involved if you are looking to retain the level of pep your truck had with the stock set-up. Now where I am a little leary on is that as I recall the early to mid 90's 2 wheel drive rangers, the ones that set low in the front with 14" rims, I recall those required 4 to 6 inches of lift in order to run 31's with proper clearence......now maybe I am off a little but I don't think I am. Anyway I will try to do some checking with the experts I know and see how much they suggest..hell you got me curious now...and wendell is right about those coils....if your truck is one of the TTB trucks the coils and camber bushings are way less expensive than a body lift....I just think the 3.08 gears are gonna suck with the bigger tires.....and I say that because 3.73's sucked with them and I eventually re-geared twice because of them....but I tow alot so it was a had to do thing for me. You know you might check some junk yards for springs & camber bushings off a 4 wheel drive ranger the same year or suspension as your 2x..might be an in-expensive way to get a couple of inches as well.

 

Thanks wendell, you've been an awesome source of info for this, and Waves is turnin' out that way, too! I measured my rims I believe at 15" or 15.5". I'll check again later.

RP
Zach

 

Zach, just read the side wall of your tire, it will tell you if they are 15's, it will say like 225-r/15, something like that. It won't tell you how wide your rim is, but if indeed it's 15, and I'm sure it is. Waves, your an offroad saint are you hee hee! All I was sugesting is that us long time offroaders do more intense stuff than beginers, I also believe in tread lightly, but some times I tread lightly hard. I've bottomed my suspension out A TIME OR TWO, maybe three hee hee. There's another guy who posted, who has a 93 4x2 with 2" front spacers, and he's running 31's, and he says he has no rub. I'm just trying to help Zack get going without breaking his budget, thats all. He allready knows he needs 4:10's to run 31's, those 3:08's like you say, will no way cut it, his clutch wouldn't like it either. Waves, do you know if f-150 front coils will fit on a ranger? It seems to me that I remember hearing that some people used them to lift their rangers, maybe it was desert racers in one of my offroad mags, I don't remember off hand. I liked your idea of using earlier 4x4 coils, I didn't think of that. We may help Zach get lifted cheaply from the bone yard. I've never jumped my truck either, but I've sure dropped it over a few banks in W,Va trail rideing. Amazingly enough (knock on wood) I have yet to even seriosly scratch it. Ranger are sure are built tough, I rate them right along with my jeeps.

 

I wrote a reply earlier that is waiting for an ok from the mods because I added a link for you to check another Ranger site that in there tech info section has some usefull info regarding lifting rangers. Do a google search on t h e r a n g e r s t a t i o n some intresting tech info on that site, not saying I agree with all of it, but some good info just to see what others have done as well. Anyway, if you have the 225 15's Wendell is talking about a less expensive option, for a smaller size upgrade would be to go to 235/75/15's - basically what comes on the stock 2 wheel drive Edge, or the other size I talked about earlier if you have the 14's, BFG even makes All Terrains in that 14" size I was talking about. Anyway just thinkin' out loud so to speak -

 

I'm in Psychology right now...can't just stroll out to my car and look what size my tires are. But I will be able to in about 20 minutes. If not 31s, then what? What comes on the 2 wheel drive edge? How big are they?

RP
Zach

 

Ok home now (woohoo!) I have the 14 inch rims, according to the tires.

So by all means, continue the suggestions...

RP
Zach

 

Personally RP, I would suggest against lifting your 2wd truck. Unless you've already found a need for a lift and 31" tires, I think you'd be fine with what you have now.