ride height

[85 ranger btm]

i am trying to decide how to lower my truck with out spending a million bucks if anyone could help me i would really appreciate it. i want it lower than stock, but not slammed to the ground. if i could get some pictures of some lowered trucks and how you achieved your ride height it would be a big help. thanks.

[plowboy34]

On the boys 85 we used the DJM drop beams and the rear flip kit. It drops it 3" in front and 5" in rear. You use the factory springs so the ride is still very comfortable. I was very opposed to lowering the truck but the boy showed me this kit and since it used the factory springs and the kid graduated high school without giving me a lick of trouble I figured if he wanted his truck lowered that wasn't asking to much. To be honest I kinda like it and I don't really get into lowered trucks, it isn't slammed. We drve it just about anywhere. Really tall speed bumps will drag some but other than that it's good. Sorry no pics, truck doesn't look that good, still needs a paint job plus I am one of them technically challenged people and posting pics is a workout of the brain....lol.

[85 ranger btm]

Has anyone tried lowering their truck by cutting any coils out of the coil spring, if so does the truck still ride smooth and does it really mess up the camber and caster and make the tires wear unevenly

[87sc302]

DJM Dream beams and rear flip kit

[v8ranger]

Has anyone tried lowering their truck by cutting any coils out of the coil spring, if so does the truck still ride smooth and does it really mess up the camber and caster and make the tires wear unevenly

Anytime you change the ride height it will change the camber and toe. Not so much the caster... Caster wont wear the tires, just toe and camber.... You want to be carefull cutting coils off. Besides, if you cut the top or bottom coil off the spring wont sit in its place any more. Some people have heated up the bottom coil to get it to lower... If you have a torch, that would be an idea... But the rear I think your limited to an axle flip kit.

[MalcolmV8]

I would not cut coils or heat them with a torch. Both methods are a hack at best and ride quality will suffer.

[Teddyzee]

On an ibeam Ranger, the only (good) way to go is drop beams. 3" drop, and easy camber correction on the '89-'97 versions.
You probably don't want to go lower than that on an early truck, due to fender clearance.

My truck has DJM drop beams, and I cut the coils. Approximately 5" drop up front. It rides great.
I originally purchased 2" drop springs, but they dropped it 3" or more (even with the original 4.0 v6). Ditched those and trimmed my stockers with a zip disc. Turned out to be exactly 1 coil removed to get a 2" drop. This will vary from truck to truck, and is easy to fine tune, as the springs come out easily once the truck has been apart.

For 1989-97 trucks, NAPA pn 264-3950 is an adjustible camber bushing. It can correct up to 4* of camber. It is a double eccentric, so it can also set caster. Since I have them maxed out to correct camber, there is no caster adjustment however.



Here's the drop springs (and beams). Not exactly what I was after!!

[v8ranger]

I would not cut coils or heat them with a torch. Both methods are a hack at best and ride quality will suffer.

I agree... Your always better buying the right parts to do any job... But when money is tight...... We all do what we want to to get what we want... lol....

[Grumpy]

cutting or heating the front springs to lower your truck is a BAD idea as the heat from the torch removes the "tempering" from the steel the spring is made of and can run a risk of breaking a spring if you hit a bump to hard.......... been there ... done it ... not fun !!

[MalcolmV8]

I would not cut coils or heat them with a torch. Both methods are a hack at best and ride quality will suffer.

I agree... Your always better buying the right parts to do any job... But when money is tight...... We all do what we want to to get what we want... lol....

Yeah I suppose... but just informing the original poster this is not the way to do it. I've ridden in plenty of Mustangs with cut springs and they ride absolutely horrible. Yes they got the stance they wanted for cheap or free but at what cost? plus I'm sure that drastically alters handing. Hit the brakes over some bumps and you're not stopping. You'll just be bouncing all over.

As for heating, grumpy pointed out the safety issue. Buddy of mine heated the springs in his Dokota and after a couple years they started to sag at different rates and made his truck look lop sided and then one of them flat out snapped. His truck rode like crap too but I never drove in it prior to the spring heating so I can't say for sure that was it.

[Dave]

On an ibeam Ranger, the only (good) way to go is drop beams. 3" drop, and easy camber correction on the '89-'97 versions.
You probably don't want to go lower than that on an early truck, due to fender clearance.

My truck has DJM drop beams, and I cut the coils. Approximately 5" drop up front. It rides great.
I originally purchased 2" drop springs, but they dropped it 3" or more (even with the original 4.0 v6). Ditched those and trimmed my stockers with a zip disc. Turned out to be exactly 1 coil removed to get a 2" drop. This will vary from truck to truck, and is easy to fine tune, as the springs come out easily once the truck has been apart.

For 1989-97 trucks, NAPA pn 264-3950 is an adjustible camber bushing. It can correct up to 4* of camber. It is a double eccentric, so it can also set caster. Since I have them maxed out to correct camber, there is no caster adjustment however.



Here's the drop springs (and beams). Not exactly what I was after!!

Teddy, I totally agree. That last shot would make some drule, not me. I think you hit the right stance in the first shot. All mine are DD and not into that really low down stance. Did a 2-3 on my first '98' and just loved the way it handled, different year I know.
Dave of the Nord