2000 Ford Ranger suspension, wheels, 8.8, and wheel question

[skyhighsami]

I have a 2000 Ford Ranger RCSB 2.5 5 speed that I plan to do get an 8.8 from an Explorer for this week. I understand the leaf springs will end up flipped under the axle tubes which should yield a 5.5" or so drop. I am going to have the axle cut so the shafts are the same length and run 2 passenger shafts. For the front I was looking at the DJM UCA and LCA arms with the 3" drop coils. For wheels I want to run the Anovia Elder in 18x8.5 35mm offset and 18x10.5" with 22mm offset with 255/40/18 and 295/35/18. All of that from what I have read and done over the years should work perfectly. One question I do really have is does any of the Mustang Brembo calipers work for the Ranger? I have a Brembo BBK kit front and rear on my Yukon with 2 piece 14" front rotors and 14" rears. It's the best money spent and since there are so many wrecked Mustangs I can't imagine no one has a kit. Thank you for the help

 

[Uncle Gump]

I moved this to the 2wd suspension forum.

It's typically best to not group so many questions into one post. Rather ask those questions on the appropriate sub forum. Like brake questions in brakes forum... etc...

The mini truck forum is really not for help questions... but more for your trucks build thread.

 

[Josh B]

Hey Sami, welcome to TRS. I can't help much with your questions, just wanted to say howdy. Is that Alabama? Good luck with your truck

 

[skyhighsami]

Yes sir Montgomery/Pike Rd

 

[Josh B]

Haha, I got stranded there once around 2005 or 6.
Doing government auctions and went there to pick up my latest purchase. 250 miles of hard driving and it was getting late as I went looking for the warehouse, but when I found it was closed, mid week, locked down tighter than hek, no explanation, just closed!

No way I was going to make that 260 mile drive again so I grab a cheap hotel room. Stopped at a grocery and got snacks and a beer, nobody, but nobody could give ant explanation a state run warehouse closed up on a weekday.

I did get to cruize the town, in my 87 Ranger and look around. Early next morning I went through town and thought I'd stop an say hey to Hank but his gravesite was at a cemetery sharing the same parking lot with the police department and they were changing shifts, so I just cruised on, nothing to hide I just don't like em digging. Gave a yound lady a lift and taking off had a cop on my tail, I pulled into her drive and he went on. Went by the fairgrounds and they had some awesome huge tomato plants due to their earlier season, two of them almost crowded the cab

It finally got time the warehouse to open and there they were, doors all open wide, and I Finally get to know what just cost me an extra day on the road, what great peril had kept them from work!?

It was Confererate Remembrance Day! Only in Alabam!

 

[rubydist]

As I understand it, you want to cut one side of the EX axle tube shorter so you can use identical axles. If you do that, you will need to reposition the spring perches or you will have one tire tucked in further than the other (by however much you cut off the axle tube).

The Mustang calipers can be mounted to the normal Ranger axle (28 spline) but not the EX axle (31 spline) because the mounting for the caliper bracket is different size and bolt pattern. There is a Ford Performance kit identified for the Ford 9" axle that can be used on the 31 spline Ranger axle (and likely also on the EX axle) with a little minor modification. I used that to convert my FX4 to rear disc brakes. That kit uses the rear brakes from the 2005-09 generation of Mustang, so if you started with that kit and got whatever Brembo kit will fit that generation of Mustang it should work on the EX axle on your Ranger with possibly slight modifications. The difficulty is that I believe that Ford Performance kit is discontinued now, so you will be searching through dealer inventory to find someone who has it, if my information on that is correct. That will require a cooperative parts counter guy or a lot of internet searching...

 

[skyhighsami]

Actually Hank Williams grave site itself is GORGEOUS

 

[skyhighsami]

Uncle Gump I was really hoping to address my questions all at once instead of spamming making 6 or 7 new threads

 

[Uncle Gump]

Uncle Gump I was really hoping to address my questions all at once instead of spamming making 6 or 7 new threads

Understood...

However it's in the wrong forum... and it's my job to move it. The mini truck forum is NOT for questions.

Addressing questions singularly... in the correct sub forum also make search results better for people asking similar questions. You will likely get better answers to single questions.

It's simple... brake question... brake forum.

Wheel question... wheel and tire forum.

Etc...

It also makes life easier on the moderators by not having to move members posts to the correct forums constantly.

 

[JoshT]

Uncle Gump I was really hoping to address my questions all at once instead of spamming making 6 or 7 new threads

Spamming would posting threads to sell CBD gummies, or any variety of other items frequently spammed.

Annoying would be making 6 or 7 new posts about questions that had been answered 5 times in the last week, or posting in the wrong section.

6 or 7 new posts spread around the forum in the correct sections is perfectly acceptable and appreciated.

 

[JoshT]

I can't add anything to what @rubydist said at the moment. Will caution you to do some careful measuring of the axle and truck before getting the axle modified. The Ranger's rear differential is offset to one side. Centering the differential may put the driveshaft into or dangerously close to the fuel tank.

You are aware that the Explorer differential is wider on both sides than the Ranger axle? Not sure how that may play into your narrowing.

Is there a particular reason that you want to use the Explorer axle? I ask because the 2.5L will not need the 31 spline axle. Sticking with a Ranger axle you may not need to narrow it. It also may be easier to adapt larger Mustang brakes to the Ranger 28 spline than to the Explorer 31 spline disc axle.

If you are using the Explorer axle just for the lowering aspect, they make brackets to do the same to a Ranger axle without any welding or cutting. If the flip brackets are not an option, relocating the spring perches will likely be cheaper and easier than narrowing the Explorer axle.

 

[stmitch]

I'm not understanding the reason to narrow the Explorer axle, or center the dif. The offset dif is helpful for fuel tank clearance, and the increased width (something like 3/4" on the 98+ trucks) isn't enough to be a problem unless you're bagging the truck to lay frame and struggle with wheel offsets.

If your Explorer axle has disc brakes, switching to Cobra discs can be done, but there's really no noticeable benefit. But you can find a couple of aftermarket options online. Just remember the Explorer axle has the "Big bearing" 8.8 ends, not the smaller Ranger/Mustang 8.8 axle flanges.

No way to bolt Cobra brakes directly to the front of a Ranger. There have been some custom kits made (billet caliper bracket and machined hub for the Cobra rotor) but not in a very long time.
S&S Engineering is a couple of Ranger guys (and fellow forum members) that offer a similar kit for Cadillac ATS Brembo calipers instead of the older Cobra calipers:

Ranger ATS Brembo Mounting Kit | S&S Engineering

Ford Ranger ATS Brembo conversion kit 2 Hubs, 2 Adapter Brackets, Hardware Select spindle/year option below. If 98+ Coil Spring you must verify you have a 10.2" stock rotor as the 11.2" trucks use a different spindle (different bracket). If you have 11.2" rotor please contact us. NOTE: ATS...

www.ssengineeringllc.com