Leaf spring conversion, then SAS

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

Aright so I have a 1977 full width Dana 44. I want to put it in my ranger, but first I want to change it over to leaf springs. Ive read about it being done, but haven't found a detailed write-up on it yet(the leaf spring conversion, not the axle swap). Anyone on here able to point me in the right direction?

 

[dangerranger83]

First off, is the axle leaf sprung, if not dont do it. If your truck is set-up with coils, its easier to just keep it that way (assuming its pre 98)

Alot of factors depend on what you plan on doing with your truck. Dont forget, going full width in the front, same goes for the back unless you plan on narrowing the axle.

The more details you give us about what you plan on doing with the truck, the better we can help you out. What year is your truck?

Welcome to TRS.

 

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

My ranger is a stock 4x4 99 ext cab. I plan on keepin the axle full width, Im getting a dana 60 or 10.25 for the rear, whatever I find first. Id like to have the axles ready to bolt in when I tear out the stock stuff. There is an article in the tech library where dude puts leafs on a 79 radius arm 44 with the cast wedges, but doesn't really go into detail about how. I want to see what can be done about the driver side spring perch and if the leaf springs have to be mounted to the side of the frame or if its possible to put them under the frame.

 

[dangerranger83]

Being a 99, its going to take a little more work to do a SAS then to a pre 98 truck. All your front is going to have to be taken out, your going to need a steering box from a ranger (some use toyota boxes) and a few other things.

On your truck, it may be easier to do leaves then coils but coils ride much better IMO.

I dont know to much about 98 and up rangers other then lifting them is $$$$$ and the IFS is weak. I've seen SAS done to 98+ rangers but they had D30's put under them and they used coils.

Above all this kind of thing requires good fabbing skills and time to do, not something that you do in a wekend. My SAS took a total of 3 weeks on the front and 3 days for the rear and that was working on it 5-7 hours a day taking my time to make sure I was doing stuff right the first time.

I did a year of research and studding before I did mine, and Im still not 100% done, going to build crossover steering for it and going to fine tune it when spring comes.

 

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

Yea thats mostly what I keep coming across, dana 30 axle swaps. I've been researching the ranger and explorer forums for a couple years now, but im still hesitant to start tearing into my truck. As far as the comfort of the ride, I feel you, but Ive taken plenty of rides in my buddies 95 silverado on 44s with ford axles and leaf springs. If thats as bad as it will get, then no worries. But someone mentioned to me today theres a company (couldn't remember which one) that makes offset leaf spring perches that I might be able to use on my dana 44. Ever heard of them?
I've been contemplating getting a late 80s or early 90s ranger for a toy anyway, aside from the steering box already being there, would that be an easier platform to do a SAS on? Thanks for all the advice

 

[dangerranger83]

IMO and from what I have seen, a ranger that has TTB is the way to go when doing a SAS, but then I would just run coils, and thre are plenty of builds on here that have done FW D44 swaps.

Only things with running leaves is thy could get in the way of steering linkage, if running a large tire you at full turn you could have the tire rub the leaves. The fronts of rangers frames have a crumple zone that will have to be re-enforced so that you can mount your brackets.

There are a few active builds on here that people are doing FW d44 swaps with there pre 98 rangers.

Good thing with running leaves is you can fine tune the leaves to ride how you want by weaving different leaves into your leaf packs, and there almost no limit to that.

When I did my SAS, I had never done something as complex to any vehicle before. But I didnt let that stop me.

One thing I didnt go cheap on was my longarms, those costed me over $600 but I didnt want skimp on safety, could have gone cheaper but I didnt. Im the second person to use the long arms I have for there ranger D30 SAS as said by the guy that makes them. If I dont include the cost of my tires Im putting on my truck I got, I have spent $1400 on my swap, that was getting the D30 for free and a few other things.

 

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

Coils seemed the obvious way to go at first but now I'm thinking simplicity. I took some measurements today on the axle and ranger frame, seems Ill be fine running leaf springs as long as I outboard them. And it seems notching the web on the differential will be simple. Ill just have to find out what angle the leaf perch has to be set at. As far as the crumple zone, I plan on just making a front crossmember out of square tubing, notching it to attach to the bottom of the frame, and maybe plating the frame where the front crossmember will go.

 

[Tbmitchell]

What All Do You Want To Know I Did A Leaf Spring On The Front Of My 83 And I Used A Full With Out Of A 79 F-250 That Was A Dana 44 High Pinion.... If You Wanna Know More Let Me Know I Have Pictures Of The Whole Thing

 

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

Mainly I need advice on the driver side leaf spring perch. Are the coil spring 44s the same width between the inner Cs as the leaf sprung 44s? If so then I could just copy the design of your driver side perch. Do you have any detailed pics of that perch?

 

[Tbmitchell]

my 44 was already a leaf springed but i do have some pictures of the axle i can can them off my hard drive and send them to you how you want me to send them to you... if you need any spec i can still measure off the truck its sittin in the back yard

 

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

You can send them to my email, ill message it to you. The measurements im in need of are the total length of the axle between the inner cs, right where the welds start, and distance between the driver side axle tube at the inner c and where the axle tube goes into the differential. Ill need to make sure those correspond with the measurements on my axle. If they do then Ill need a picture of your driver spring perch where its attached to the diff, Ill just set mine up like yours. But I'll wait to set my pinion angle til after I get my springs and weld my spring hangers and put on my shackles. Im gonna go check how you have your front crossmember attached. Does your setup work good (no problems)?

 

[Tbmitchell]

well i know on my driver side my perch was made into the diff only thing i did was some minor grinding and drilled out the whole to get a U bolt thru but i used them at the stock placed and as far as pinion angle i fixed alot of that with having my shackles in the front and can be fine tune with wedges that can be bought at Napa but my setup as not failed me yet.. and well iv abused mine quite a bit had her air born coulpe times

 

[MyTruckThrowsMud]

Well chit if yours stands up to that abuse Ill be fine. I dont plan on my tires leaving the surface of the earth, wouldn't want to eff up my baby. Is there any local stores that sell spring perches or do I have to order them off the internet? And I can't weld so Ill have to find someone who can lol. Whats average prices of getting stuff welded, if you have an idea?

 

[bobbywalter]

if you have a non leaf 44, its a terrible waste of time to make it leaf.

run coils or get a leaf axle.

that vintage of leaf axles is the easiest to swap, but converting it from coil will put the leafs out a bit farther then desirable imo. that will potentially add to tire rub and steering issues. a oem leaf axle wont have any issues as the spring pad spacing will be narrower to begin with. of course you can creativly fab around that.

the same vintage 4x4 steering boxes are worth considering as well.


the 98 plus are more time consuming conversions, but have a stouter chassis.
the steering and its lines/shaft connections is the ass biter there.


proper planning and time will make for a good swap. time spent on converting a coil axle to leaf is not proper planning or wise imo.

the ttb chassis is ridiculously easy to swap a leaf 70's d44 or 60 into, literally a 1 day deal.....hours. dont even have to dick with the k member..

 

[Tbmitchell]

here are the hanger that i used http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=123