Lifting a 97 xlt 4x4 - Suspension Tech - Tech Section

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Posted: Mon Feb 17th, 2020 07:56 pm

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Project Over Ranger
Project Over Ranger

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Considering running 3" front spacers and 4" rear spacers or 9" shackles on Bilstien 5100 lift shocks all the way around. Just as a dirt cheap way to run 33's. Anybody have any suggestions? Bad idea or no?

Last edited on Mon Feb 17th, 2020 08:58 pm by Project Over Ranger

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Posted: Mon Feb 17th, 2020 10:34 pm

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Undrstm8ed
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You can buy a decent lift kit and be and feel safe for yourself and others. IF you think you need that.

I do fine with a 2" leveling spacer however if I had to recommend it, id say go with the 2" coil setup, the ride will be less harsh IMO. If only 33's is where you're going you can do a single 2" block in the back OR do something a bit better and go on Rock Auto, find the Heavy Duty spring pack, and upgrade the rear leafs from a 3 leaf, 1100lb spring to a 5 leaf, 1750lb and actually add some payload capacity and net yourself about a 1.75" lift after they settle without blocks. Also, a 1-2" body lift can give you some extra room. I happen to run a 2", the 3" didnt seem necessary and i'm on considered 34's (33.8" Dia) now. I doubt i'll ever go bigger than a 37" Maybe a 35" at most and a wheel size smaller from 17" to a 16".

And the one thing I WOULDN'T skimp on is shocks. Not only is it the part of the suspension that controls how your car not only handles but how safely on or off the road. Don't get me wrong Bilstiens are great bang for your buck for what most people actually look at and buy even. But two things, a.] Bilstien makes better upper end products beyond the typical 4600's and 5100's as well as b.] There's far better products out there for that same money and or just better products. Nothing worse than shelling out money for something that's really designed to be only as the best of a stock shock can be. And considering OEM specs that Ford lets leave the factory, that's not saying too much more.

Cheap shouldn't be the difference between safety of yourself, family, or others on the road and less stuff happens to break when you buy quality gear that lasts a long time. To this day, i'll never understand the mentality of buying something for $150 3 times vs paying $500 for something that lasts 5x longer or better..

just my $ 0.02

Last edited on Mon Feb 17th, 2020 10:37 pm by Undrstm8ed

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Project Over Ranger

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Posted: Mon Feb 17th, 2020 11:14 pm

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Project Over Ranger
Project Over Ranger

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Very much appreciated. I was actually just looking at other shock options. Looking at some twin tube setups. Just looking for a bit more clearance and a better ride. I'm on 31X10.50's with hopes of running at least 33X10.50's and I use my truck. Both work and overlanding. So I dont want it too top heavy. Would love 35's but too much to do to get there. I have to build my bumpers this year. I'm typically alone wheeling and a winch and good bumpers would be highly useful for me. Thanks for the advice, it helps.

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 01:04 am

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Scrambler82
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I ran a 6" SkyJacker Lift on my '88 TTB, with 5.0L-W, 33x12.5x15s, work well.
Ride was good, didn't flex as much as I thought it should, but good reliable parts.

Is your truck 2 or 4 WD ?
Running additional 4" Spacer on the rear is only asking for trouble with axle wrap, and excessive stress on the U-Bolts is a concern also.
The front 4" Spacers... not even sure what that is ?

Not to critique of your vehicle, just to make a point, the Air Snorkel, done on the cheap and I would think it doesn't work very good.

You will get what you pay for, cheap snorkel minimum air, cheap lift you will get poor performance and possible broken parts.

Just me... but I wouldn't do it !

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2003 EDGE, Std Cab, Steppie, E4 Red, 5sp, 4x
5" SuperLift, 33" x 12.50 x 15"
Hurst Shifter
Mod'd Backrack to fit Steppie
Front and Rear Bumpers by Custom 4x4 Fabrication, OK; now Mike's Welding and Fabrication.
Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 02:39 am

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Project Over Ranger
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Its 4x4, and it's a 3" front coil spacer I was referring to. I must have made a mistake. The snorkel was cheap. It was free. Made it from scrap that was laying around. I did it to document the angles needed to make the final one. Its actually perfectly functional as it is. Had the truck in deep water this past weather episode. All connections are sealed with marine grade silicone. It performed without a problem. Now granted the diameter is smaller then needed, but its scrap and I haven't noticed a single issue. If anything I get a bit better mileage out of it. The final one feeds more air and looks kinda aggressive. It was actually designed somewhat. It's completely different from anything on the market. Which we all know is very limited for Rangers. I just like to make my own things if possible and learn as I go. I'll be sure to share that one as well. Thanks for the input. Honest knowledge is always appreciated.

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 10:32 am

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410customs

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You have a dana 35 ttb in the front and leaf springs over the axle in the rear
the most lift you can do is 1.5-1.75" in the front and still be able to bring the camber back into spec with a eccentric camber adjuster on the upper ball joint.
Skyjacker makes a 2" coil and shock kit for the TTB that is perfect for this, we yield exactly 1.75" of lift with the skyjacker 2" coil on the last two trucks I put them on. Exactly the right amount of coil and camber correction for an otherwise stock suspension.
Anything over 2" and you will need drop brackets for the radius arms and beam pivots
Drop brackets are weak when they get over 4" tall
So it is best to use a combo of parts, like 2" drop brackets and a 4" lift coil.....then you can still bring the camber back into spec
All of these things are simply lifting your truck frame up away from the suspension so you can fit larger tires. Not improving your ride at all. The best way to improve the ride (and front end geometry) is to add extended radius arms. With extended radius arms you will need at least 3-4" of suspension lift. The extended arms change the arc of travel of the front TTB beams, improving the arc so the suspension cycles more cleanly and the trucks handling is improved immensely over stock
So now we are into a front TTB suspension with at least 3-4" of lift, 2" drop brackets and extended radius arms. This will yield 10-12" of clean 4x4 suspension travel and ride very nicely without the weak 4-6" tall drop brackets. I f you want more lift coil then this or more 4x4 wheel travel it would then be time to consider modified TTB beams, cut and turned beams, trussed beams, beams that re locate the lower ball joint outward so that camber can remain in spec while not adding more drop at the beam pivots.

My Bronco II ttb setup:
2" James Duff axle pivot drop brackets. I am lucky enough to have an early set of duff axle pivot brackets, the drivers side beam pivot bracket is cast, these are very strong.
Skyjacker extended radius arms and transmission cross member, modified to push the axle forward 1" per side
Skyjacker 6" lift coils, I also added F150 spring seats because my old lift coils are worn out and sag (worn coils ride nicely and flex good!).
Custom cut and turned dana 35 ttb beams...we built jigs, hacked up the beams, cut plates and re enforced the beams. These beams are 1.5" wider per side then stock and have a 3" cut and turn built into them. Allows me to run a 6" lift coil with only a 2" drop bracket. Custom spicer d44 axle shaft was used on passenger side for the additional 3" of track width
My front suspension with 5-6" of lift over stock flexes 14-15" cleanly at the wheel and rides WAAAY better then any factory TTB truck ever dreamed of. I run Rancho 9000 shocks, no sway bar, ABR locker, and 97 Ranger outers with dual piston brake calipers and upgraded warn hubs from a Jeep super 35 application with 35" tires.
I also have a red head steering gear box and Superrunner steering kit modified with one ton chevy TRE
The BII handles amazing and still has stock camber bushings set to 0 degrees camber
Just to give you an idea of what is possible with the ttb to make it RIDE better

Tall lift brackets will actually make it ride worse! You need extended radius arms and you want to keep stock steering and beam geometry

Now if I could do it all over again I would skip all of this and go for a Autofab dana 44 ttb kit into a RBV. 18" of clean 4x4 wheel travel, +8 track width, huge brakes and huge wheel bearings all keeping stock like steering using mostly stock parts from a F150
https://autofab.com/i-19736288-ranger-4x4-to-model-44-front-suspension.html

For you I would start with a 2" lift coil and shock, if you want a WAY better ride then it would be time to step up to a extended radius arm and possibly some modified TTB beams

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 11:26 am

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Scrambler82
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Project Over Ranger wrote:
Its 4x4, and it's a 3" front coil spacer I was referring to. I must have made a mistake. The snorkel was cheap. It was free. Made it from scrap that was laying around. I did it to document the angles needed to make the final one. Its actually perfectly functional as it is. Had the truck in deep water this past weather episode. All connections are sealed with marine grade silicone. It performed without a problem. Now granted the diameter is smaller then needed, but its scrap and I haven't noticed a single issue. If anything I get a bit better mileage out of it. The final one feeds more air and looks kinda aggressive. It was actually designed somewhat. It's completely different from anything on the market. Which we all know is very limited for Rangers. I just like to make my own things if possible and learn as I go. I'll be sure to share that one as well. Thanks for the input. Honest knowledge is always appreciated.
First let me apologize for my comments about your Snorkel, it isnt my place to criticize anyone work or reasoning, just me trying to make a point.
Next, 3" Coil Sroing Spacers sounds sketchy at best.
410's idea sounds the best, but if the money is there, SkyJacker makes a nice kit for the '97 back Rangers.
410customs wrote:

Now if I could do it all over again I would skip all of this and go for a Autofab dana 44 ttb kit into a RBV. 18" of clean 4x4 wheel travel, +8 track width, huge brakes and huge wheel bearings all keeping stock like steering using mostly stock parts from a F150
https://autofab.com/i-19736288-ranger-4x4-to-model-44-front-suspension.html

Now that's SWEET.
When I did my '88, I thought about taking F150 TTB 4x and modifying them to fit the Ranger, I was just going to add the Ranger Mounting to the F-150 TTB.
If I had done it back then where might I be now ! LoL !

Kind of wish my suspension was a '97 TTB.

Last edited on Tue Feb 18th, 2020 11:29 am by Scrambler82

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 11:44 am

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410customs

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The D44 ttb beams are 1" different at the pivot mounting spots, so if you were to narrow your pivot points 1" per side then the stock d44 will fit under there
Or extend the D44 beams 1" each and keep your existing mounts.....

Autofab takes it a step further and re locates the lower ball joint out so you can run stock pivots, with 5-6" lift coils (or coilover) and retain factory camber.
This is the sweeeeeeeet setup.
The weak spot for the ranger D35 ttb is the wheel bearing spacing, small bearings really close together.
The D44 uses a much larger spindle and bearings spaced further apart along with huge 1/2 ton brakes = drool drool
18" of usable 4x4 wheel travel is almost trophy truck status!

My BII is begging for this, but I already have so much $$$$ in my D35 front diff (ARB and Yukon 4.1) its hard to part ways and start fresh

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Scrambler82

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 12:13 pm

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Project Over Ranger
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I really appreciate all the information and time you took to inform me. Through all my research I've seen 3 was maxing out my front end on the 97 xlt 4x4. I had planned on trying different size spacers to see all that intell for myself and record all the data so I have a better understanding. You probably saved me hours of time. Thank you. I'm trying to go about this with very little know how on doing so. I am however a fabricator with a very extensive background and shop. I will learn along the way. Due to groups like this and people like you who will help.

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 12:22 pm

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Project Over Ranger
Project Over Ranger

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It's ok, I personally like assumptions. Usually because nobody understands my goals. But, I'm not here to judge you. So, I didn't mind. I just wanted to clarify so you understood the direction. Your not the first to do so and I imagine you won't be the last. I got attached by a bunch of tree huggers because my bed storage reads "Don't be afraid to cut your own Trail ". When I was making a reference to life. Definitely not the woods. So, no worries! I appreciate where your heart was for the most part.

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Posted: Tue Feb 18th, 2020 12:27 pm

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Scrambler82
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Take The Path Less Traveled !
Just sayings not meant to ruffle the feathers !

Good Luck, actually wish I had kept my '95, short bed, would have been good with that front end !