I've got a 2WD 1996 ford ranger that I want to lift up just enough to get rid of the "car with a bed" look. I plan to drop all the front suspension brackets down 3 inches on the frame, weld them down, and box 'em back into the frame. Definitely not going to run anything bigger than a 30" tire on it. I just want it to be roughly where the newer trucks sit.

Only thing that's got me concerned is the steering. TTB's are completely foreign to me... Can I simply drop the suspension 3-4" and live with a wee bit of bumpsteer, or will there be severe toe in/out issues as the suspension cycles? Aligning it isn't a concern since I can just take it to work and slap it on the rack during my lunch break.

It seems the best/simplest way to go would be to run a 4" drop pitman arm and do a 4" lift in front to keep the geometry relatively unchanged. Does anyone make a drop pitman arm for a 2WD Ranger? Do they use the same box as a 4WD?

3" body lift is the answer to your problem.

Um... no.

I guess no one knows anything about the availability of a drop pitman arm for a 2wd ranger? I can't say I'm particularly surprised, but it was worth a shot. It ocurred to me last night that a desert prerunner-oriented forum would be a better place to ask this question. I'll give that a shot.

Try Fabtech.

I am not 100% sure, but more like 90% sure the Ranger box is the same 2x4 and 4x4.

Evan: try asking over on therangerstation.com. or find 4x4junkie from here and over there. he knows all, he very wise man.

oh yeah someone broke the window at the advanced you worked at, then someone got pissed off and put a brick thru one of the company trucks back window..lovely neighborhood.

2WD/4x4 box is the same. The stock 2WD pitman arm has less drop than the 4x4 one, but a dropped one for a 4x4 will fit (and gives an additional drop amount compared to the 2WD arm).

Does the 1996 have the TTB or is it IFS? The way you are suggesting dropping and boxing the mounts makes it sound more like the IFS.

97 was the last year of the TTB. 98+ is coils or torsion bars for 4x4 and edge models.

97 was the last year of the TTB. 98+ is coils or torsion bars for 4x4 and edge models.

Thanks... I know the earlier models pretty well, but I know that Ford danced around a bit with the mid 90s models. I wasn't sure where the break-off for the TTB came. The Explorers were already IFS by then (95).

In that case, the TTB can be raised 3", but I'd recommend using brakets that are engineered by some company versus doing your own lift. BDS makes a nice set that will allow for either 4 or 6 inches lift. If you want to make your own, be sure to note the spring rates for the TTB. They are close to double what they are on a solid axle setup due to the short leverage arm of the TTB style suspension.

Steering won't be a major problem with a dropped pitman arm -- either a 4x4 model or an aftermarket model. The closer the steering angle stays to stock, the better it will steer. As has been said before, all the Ford steering boxes are identical. I just swapped one from a 91 Explorer into a 95 2wd and everything was the same. They are the same box on everything up to the F250 (and sometimes F350).

You may want to utilize camber adjusting sleeves to get the correct camber. They rotate around the top ball joint stud and will allow you to get the steering lined up properly.

You will, of course, have some bump steer when you flex out the suspension, but it is no big deal -- mainly in off-road situations when you are really working things, and then you are traveling at low speeds so it doesn't matter.

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/500/15014Front_flex.jpg

Evan: talk to jack at rough country, im sure he could give you a discount.