I just bought a 87 ford ranger prerunner with custom beams and radius arms. It is supose to have 21" of travel. The front of the cage and coilover mounts were cut off of it do to a rollover. I need to setup the suspension again on it. I believe it had 16" king coilovers on it and 2.5" king air bumps. I didnt get the coilovers or the bumps, but the cans are still there for the bumps. How much up travel should I set it up for, how much before it hits the bumps? Or maybe how much down travel should I set it up for? I have the limiting straps still for it and they are connected. How much should the shock travel past the strap? Also what would be a good rate for the coils for it? It is a standard cab short bed. Fiberglass fenders and bedsides, 2.9L, manual trans.
Thanks in advance for any help, this is my first prerunner.

Dan

anybody able to point me in the right direction? Or maybe not? every time I post in here I get no answers on tech questions. Any other sites I can try:flipoff2: I really want to go have fun in the desert. This site really made me decide to get a prerunner.

Dan

without pics and knowing the type of arms and weather they are equal length or unequal length arms and how much over they are it will be difficult but i'll try... sounds to me that they are 4-6 inch over beams and it will get roughly 20 inches of travel ...It probably did have 16's and you want to give it approx 1" of shock travel left when the suspension is hanging on the straps (they will stretch ) and as far as up / down travel you probably want it somwhere around 8 inches of up (compression) and 12 droop this is a good ballpark to start...can't tell ya a distance for the bumps to pads not knowing the location of the cans and bump pads..
are you trying to figure out the best location for the upper coil over mount?

Equal lenght arm, not sure how much longer than stock. I know it has f100 spindles on it, and the front is about 80" wide with 35s. I will get so pics of it in the morning. I bought it with no front cage or coilover mounts, so I have to make all of that. It rolled and damaged the front cage, and they cut it out and threw all of it away. I want to put it together and go have some fun.

Dan

anybody able to point me in the right direction? Or maybe not? every time I post in here I get no answers on tech questions. Any other sites I can try:flipoff2: I really want to go have fun in the desert. This site really made me decide to get a prerunner.

Dan

you can try www.dezertrangers.com

My advice- get a tape measure and a jack. Cycle the susupension and make measurements.

On an I beam frontend, you have to be careful which plane you mount your shocks in. Draw an imaginary line from your beam pivot to you radius arm pivot. Your shock bolt should parallel that line as this is the axis on which your beam/arm rotates.