1991 Ranger Long Travel Woods / Prerunner Build

[nooch450]

OK... so I started out with my stock 1991 Ranger XLT 4x4 Extended cab with the 4.0L OHV...

So far I removed the stock radius arms, their mounts, the front sway bar, stock coils and shocks... (none of which will get reused...)

I put Skyjacker Class II drop brackets in and mounted my TTB's on the upper holes, which I guess is for 4 inch lift while the bottoms are 6 inch...

Any opinions on this?

I didnt want the beams sitting so low, I may cut the bottoms off the brackets to give me an extra 1"-2" of ground clearence. Ground clearence is the only disadvantage I see with Drop brackets VS Cut n' Turned beams, but one advantage I do have is keeping my center U-Joint happy.

I will be building radius arms but befor I can take measurments for my beam caster at ride height I would like to put the new skyjacker adjuster bushings in and pull my nuckle caster as positive as I can. This way I can angle my TTB so its tilted forword at ride height giving my front driveshaft U-Joint a streighter angle without sacraficing wheel caster...

Please feel free to comment on my ideas, this is my first TTB build and Im trying to get it right the first time...

Im planning on centering the beams bettween the fender well to get the center, but I will have heim joints on my radius arms to make that slightly adjustible... Any better way of getting the center?

I still need to remove the plastic wheel wells and cut out the stock spring / shock tower, I will be replacing these with shock hoops which will mount coilovers, so far as I see it the bottom of the coilover will mount in front if the TTB kind of where the stock sway bar is mounted, only on new mounts...

I will be using bump stops, prob 2" unless for some reason somebody would recomend 4". Havn't got there yet but thats how my thinking is going right now... They will bump into the radius arms directly behind the bolt that mounts the radius arm to the beam.

Im going to be moving my battery and some wire/fuse box from under my hood above the wheel well so i can get more up travel, I want to run Perry's Fab n Fiber 3 Inch Fenders (Anybody know if its a 3 inch rise and 3 inch flare, cant really find that info anywhere) I like those fenders, I hate the look of the newer style fenders...

Under these fenders Id like to mount 35"x12.5"x15" BFG KM2 Mudds... I think on 15"x8" wide rims with 3.75" backspacing. Do you guys think that it will be wide enough to look good with the fender flares or should I go with 3" backspacing although than it will prob wear my wheel bearings out faster?

Anyway, im all for the comments and please give me advice!

Check out how it sits so far...

 

[nooch450]

OK... Even though nobody seems interested, I did some more work last night.

First I put the Skyjacker Camber/Caster bushings in and set my camber as negative as possible so i could have the ride height as high as possible, the passenger beam is maxed while the drivers beam is not...

I had to mount the passenger beam in the lower hole in the skyjacker drop bracket while the drivers side beam is in the upper hole. Without doing this I would have to sacrafice ride height, and in turn up travel and ground clearence, we cant let that happen...

Anybody see a problem with this or have other people done so?

So now at my projected ride height I have about 23.5" from the center of the hub to the lip of the fender, and my camber is at 0 degrees.

My only concern is that I may not be able to get the caster I want on the passenger side beam, if thats the cast I may decide to build extra caster into the Radius arm for that side... Comments??

After I got them set I decided it was time for the shock/spring towers to go, along with these I also removed the air box, battery, and plastic wheel wells, which Id like to eventually put back in for dirt and water blockage if i can.

I only got to remove one shock tower last night, it got late and I was tired, Progress is slow but sure.

Soon im going to be picking up steel to build my radius arms, but i need to get an angle finder and check my caster befor i can get the angles right for the radius arms.

Check out the pics! More Updates soon!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Don't get frustrated if there is no immediate response, not everyone is on 24/7 I can't comment on what your doing as I'm still learning. There is a sticky for ttb systems that seems to explain fairly well.
Good luck,

Richard

 

[nooch450]

Don't get frustrated if there is no immediate response, not everyone is on 24/7 I can't comment on what your doing as I'm still learning. There is a sticky for ttb systems that seems to explain fairly well.
Good luck,

Richard

Well thanks for being honest... At least I know somebody is interested and is following my build. Its good to know that im not typing away and taking pictures for no reason.

 

[aspevacek]

look thru this link at the pics of my truck. I used to run a Skyjacker Class 2 6" lift with 35's but swapped to 33's. I went to a James Duff 5.5" and went back to 35's. I do not run any flares on my truck and have next to no tire sticking out of th ewheel wells on the truck.

PA is pretty strict what you can and can not get away with. Hell during the saftey inspection they still pull wheels off and inspect brake pads.

editted my dumb ass forgot to post the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66488091@N06/

 

[nooch450]

look thru this link at the pics of my truck. I used to run a Skyjacker Class 2 6" lift with 35's but swapped to 33's. I went to a James Duff 5.5" and went back to 35's. I do not run any flares on my truck and have next to no tire sticking out of th ewheel wells on the truck.

PA is pretty strict what you can and can not get away with. Hell during the saftey inspection they still pull wheels off and inspect brake pads.

editted my dumb ass forgot to post the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66488091@N06/

Nice truck! What size rims are you running and whats there backspacing??

 

[4x4junkie]

Im planning on centering the beams bettween the fender well to get the center, but I will have heim joints on my radius arms to make that slightly adjustible... Any better way of getting the center?

Looks like you could push the axle forward a good inch or so from where you have it in your pic (maintaining about ½ - ¾ inch clearance between the axle shaft and the bolt for the driverside beam pivot).

I had to mount the passenger beam in the lower hole in the skyjacker drop bracket while the drivers side beam is in the upper hole. Without doing this I would have to sacrafice ride height, and in turn up travel and ground clearence, we cant let that happen...

Anybody see a problem with this or have other people done so?

Could drill a hole right in between the two holes for the passengerside beam...
For reasons that are probably only known to Skyjacker, the holes on that side aren't quite matched up with those for the driver's side axle. Having it the way you have it shouldn't cause any major issues though.

 

[aspevacek]

I know th erims are a 15 X 8 but not sure about the back spacing on them. I have had them on the truck since 99.

 

[nooch450]

Looks like you could push the axle forward a good inch or so from where you have it in your pic (maintaining about ½ - ¾ inch clearance between the axle shaft and the bolt for the driverside beam pivot).




Could drill a hole right in between the two holes for the passengerside beam...
For reasons that are probably only known to Skyjacker, the holes on that side aren't quite matched up with those for the driver's side axle. Having it the way you have it shouldn't cause any major issues though.

In the picture the axle was not centered but thats good to know, Ill try to keep 3/4 clearence, which supprizingly is pretty close after I centered my axle in the wheel well!

As long as having the beams mounted in those holes the way they are (passenger in bottom hole, drivers beam in top hole) doesnt bother anything thats good because I like the way they sit. For close to $300 you figure they would be closer? But than again I measured the old brackets from new and they did drop the wholes down the same amount so who knows where the error is...

Anyway with my beams level and having 0 degrees camber I have 5 Degrees of caster which I am happy with.

 

[nooch450]

I drew up some Radius arm designs... I want the pivot to be directly under the frame where the center of the stock trans cross member about 2 inches down.

Keeping the Radius arms under the frame will make sure I dont hit my tires on them, but It looked like I was restricted on up travel with my original design that contained 2 streight 1.5" .250 wall Tubing. (they would hit my frame unless i dropped down my radius arm mounts lower, but if i did than I would cause more caster) So I came up with the design in the drawing below. They have a 10 degree bend about 13 inches from where they mount on the frame (so it sort of follows the frame bend). The arms are roughly 37 inches long and will be made of 1.5" tubing .250 inches thick (if I can get it) and 1/4" and 3/16" steel plating.

Any comments on my design or tubing sizing?

 

[4x4junkie]

In the picture the axle was not centered but thats good to know, Ill try to keep 3/4 clearence, which supprizingly is pretty close after I centered my axle in the wheel well!

If you turn the pivot bolt around so the nut faces forward, you could gain maybe another ¼" or so you can move the axle forward.


Arm design looks good to me. With that design, even .180 or .188" wall tubing should be sufficient.

 

[nooch450]

If you turn the pivot bolt around so the nut faces forward, you could gain maybe another ¼" or so you can move the axle forward.


Arm design looks good to me. With that design, even .180 or .188" wall tubing should be sufficient.

Should I push the passenger axle forword as much as I can with safe clearance than make the drivers side even with it?

I dont know what material is available, DOM may be too expensive , I was thinking CREW.

I need to find tubing with a 1" ID because that is the only treaded tubing adapter size I can find for the heim joints...

I was looking on summet machinery. Does anybody know any other places to look?

 

[RangerBoy94]

I like the design of your arms alot. If they come out good would you take a order for a pair???

 

[KTM RAPTOR]

Oh those look like good mock ups!!

Keep them coming.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Should I push the passenger axle forword as much as I can with safe clearance than make the drivers side even with it?

I dont know what material is available, DOM may be too expensive , I was thinking CREW.

IMO that would be fine. Here's a link explaining the differences;
http://www.xxxoffroad.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49:whats-in-a-name-dom-erw-hrew&catid=31:general&Itemid=46

I need to find tubing with a 1" ID because that is the only treaded tubing adapter size I can find for the heim joints...

Adding to above, pipe is dimensioned from the inside diameter so it may be better for your application. I don't have enough knowledge of metal to say if it would work. Best idea is to tell your supplier what you plan on doing including dimensions and go with their advise.

I was looking on summet machinery. Does anybody know any other places to look?

Look in the yellow pages for steel/metal suppliers. In smaller amounts local fab shops will sell less than full lengths.
Good luck,

Richard