What did you do to your Ranger today?

[RedDakooter05]

I installed my Wildtrak/global leaf springs today. All I can say is, WHY DIDN'T THE TRUCK COME THIS WAY?!

It's a night and day difference.

Did you need any additional hardware? Any rear lift?

These seem to be a cheaper alternative than the icons which never seem to be in stock when I have the means to blow money...

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[Dahveed]

Did you need any additional hardware? Any rear lift?

These seem to be a cheaper alternative than the icons which never seem to be in stock when I have the means to blow money...

Only thing extra I needed was longer U-bolts. I opted for the Rough Country 7604 set. They're $40 for a set of 4, whereas the Tremor U-bolts are around $20 each. I forgot to measure the rear ride height before I started, so I'm not 100% sure. Most others have ended up with around 1/2" of lift in the rear. I think that's probably accurate, but like I said I haven't measured.

1. Jacked up the rear end by the pumpkin, put jack stands under the frame, let the axle down until the springs were almost all the way at full droop, and removed the lower shock bolts (in retrospect I might not have needed to do this since I have Eibach shocks).
2. Unbolted the U-bolts on one side and let the jack down a bit to let the axle drop away from the spring.
3. Unbolted the rear shackle and slid it to the side to let the rear of the spring drop and then removed spring-to-frame bolt. (Make sure to keep track of the original shackle bushings, you'll probably need them.)
4. Removed the spring, reused the factory driver's side shim, and knocked the saddle off the factory spring to reuse on the new spring.
5. Placed the new spring, got everything lined back up, and loosely bolted it back up. Final torque should be done with weight on the suspension so the bushings don't get twisted.
6. Repeated 2-5 on the passenger side.
7. Put the wheels back on (100 ft-lbs.) and dropped the jack quickly to let the suspension bounce and settle a bit.
8. Torqued everything to spec.
   1. Lower shock bolt - 52 ft-lbs.
   2. Spring-to-frame bolt - 119 ft-lbs.
   3. Shackle bolts - 76 ft-lbs.
   4. U-bolts - tighten in a cross pattern in four steps
      1. 26 ft-lbs.
      2. 52 ft-lbs.
      3. 76 ft-lbs.
      4. 98 ft-lbs.
9. Go enjoy your truck that no longer tries to throw you through the windshield on dips and bumps.

 

[deleriumtremor]

Finished installing the Y cable for my AMP step install. The AMP steps use the ODB port for trigger sense (knows when a door is opened or closed). I wanted my ODB port free, so installed a Y cable and put one end on the AMP plug and the other tail to a bracket I fabricated to mount where the old OEM ODB port was located. I then zip tied the old ODB port/bracket and cable and all the extra Y cables back so they sat behind the foot well trim cover.

Now looks and operates like the original ODB port.

 

[deleriumtremor]

I installed my Wildtrak/global leaf springs today. All I can say is, WHY DIDN'T THE TRUCK COME THIS WAY?!

It's a night and day difference.

I am very interested in your spring swap.

I am contemplating upgrading dampers (now have stock FX4 dampers). My big issue is washboarding we drive on almost every day on one of the dirt roads (fire roads, 4x trails, etc.) we use to get up into the hills.

My damping and spring setup is so bad, if I am not creeping over the washboards, I literally am not fully in control steering and braking wise. Over maybe 5 MPH on the toughest stuff, the truck just slides around wildly and control is a very fleeting thing.

I will be researching as much as I can about which dampers will perform best in these washboards but know some of the issue is how the truck is sprung.

Any feedback you might have with regard to the above on your setup would be very appreciated.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Only thing extra I needed was longer U-bolts. I opted for the Rough Country 7604 set. They're $40 for a set of 4, whereas the Tremor U-bolts are around $20 each. I forgot to measure the rear ride height before I started, so I'm not 100% sure. Most others have ended up with around 1/2" of lift in the rear. I think that's probably accurate, but like I said I haven't measured.

1. Jacked up the rear end by the pumpkin, put jack stands under the frame, let the axle down until the springs were almost all the way at full droop, and removed the lower shock bolts (in retrospect I might not have needed to do this since I have Eibach shocks).
2. Unbolted the U-bolts on one side and let the jack down a bit to let the axle drop away from the spring.
3. Unbolted the rear shackle and slid it to the side to let the rear of the spring drop and then removed spring-to-frame bolt. (Make sure to keep track of the original shackle bushings, you'll probably need them.)
4. Removed the spring, reused the factory driver's side shim, and knocked the saddle off the factory spring to reuse on the new spring.
5. Placed the new spring, got everything lined back up, and loosely bolted it back up. Final torque should be done with weight on the suspension so the bushings don't get twisted.
6. Repeated 2-5 on the passenger side.
7. Put the wheels back on (100 ft-lbs.) and dropped the jack quickly to let the suspension bounce and settle a bit.
8. Torqued everything to spec.
   1. Lower shock bolt - 52 ft-lbs.
   2. Spring-to-frame bolt - 119 ft-lbs.
   3. Shackle bolts - 76 ft-lbs.
   4. U-bolts - tighten in a cross pattern in four steps
      1. 26 ft-lbs.
      2. 52 ft-lbs.
      3. 76 ft-lbs.
      4. 98 ft-lbs.
9. Go enjoy your truck that no longer tries to throw you through the windshield on dips and bumps.

Nice, thanks for the info.

Who was the seller? I'm finding a few on ebay but they don't sell in pairs for some reason...

 

[Dahveed]

I am very interested in your spring swap.

I am contemplating upgrading dampers (now have stock FX4 dampers). My big issue is washboarding we drive on almost every day on one of the dirt roads (fire roads, 4x trails, etc.) we use to get up into the hills.

My damping and spring setup is so bad, if I am not creeping over the washboards, I literally am not fully in control steering and braking wise. Over maybe 5 MPH on the toughest stuff, the truck just slides around wildly and control is a very fleeting thing.

I will be researching as much as I can about which dampers will perform best in these washboards but know some of the issue is how the truck is sprung.

Any feedback you might have with regard to the above on your setup would be very appreciated.

As others have said, these must have a much lower spring rate than the USDM springs. The ride is massively improved to me. As soon as I dropped off the curb on my driveway, I could tell it was better. I went and drove around town and then headed towards a friend's house that has a poorly grated/washboard dirt road. It still rides like a truck, but the springs actually absorb it instead of transferring all of the energy to the truck. Highly recommended.

My Eibach shocks were a huge improvement over the stock non-FX4 shocks, but this is another level.

 

[Dahveed]

Nice, thanks for the info.

Who was the seller? I'm finding a few on ebay but they don't sell in pairs for some reason...

UK Automotive Ltd: LEAF SPRING FORD RANGER WILDTRAK LIMITED REAR SUSPENSION 2019 2020 2021 2021 | eBay

I offered less than they were asking and they accepted right away.

 

[RedDakooter05]

UK Automotive Ltd: LEAF SPRING FORD RANGER WILDTRAK LIMITED REAR SUSPENSION 2019 2020 2021 2021 | eBay

I offered less than they were asking and they accepted right away.

Can't drop the cash now but by god I hope I do in the next 3-5 months.

 

[subquark]

Installed the Bilstein 4600 rear shocks onto 2WD XL Soupie.

I gathered far more crap than I ended up using, but I should have used the tape measure to get new shocks to the right length and then used a strap to hold them compressed

equally important prep, a spot for the foreman and a spot for this old fart - ended up not taking a break, I was on a mission! =p

only the best wheel chocks! I did, at least, "preload" them by putting the truck in neutral and letting it roll into them, I didn't want my jack shifting too much later

friggin' spare took 10 minutes of screwing around - move Cheech's supercab bed, get out the jack, and then trying to line up the hole? had to get the work light out, and was I frustrated, ugh - but down it came and it's at 40psi. When I put it back up, I flipped it so I can get to the valve stem. It's in the back and if it ever got ripped off, then that'll be one hell of a dump run story! =D

it's a Dynapro! my other tires are Bridgestone Duellers

and the crap starts to accumulate under the truck, and thank God for knee pads! didn't need any extensions or wrenches or the hand ratchet

used my tire iron to break the 4 bolts loose (I keep my 30-inch breaker next to the driver seat, for those fast tire changes ...) =p

as you can see I also took off the rear tires, I have an impact wrench so it was an excuse to use it. I did scratch the plastic cap Ford logos because I put the lug nuts in them like a bowl and then promptly slid them around on the asphalt - derr!

super easy to reach all the bolts and captive nuts make it easy to take them out

patient foreman as I cuss like the Pacific Fleet's in town! =p

driver side went in super easy, but I had a hard time compressing the passenger side, so I did this "creative" thing

finally, it's in there!

torque all four bolts to 52 lb-ft

I jacked on the leaf spring hangers using a Safe Jack square plate that diagonally fit inside of the four bolts and placed the jack stands, as the manual says, on the axle. I also pushed the rear tires under the frame. That oil spot where a bolt is? My brand new $315 US Jack! I'm fit to be tied that it leaks and it'll get returned!

you can kind of see how that jack plate fit between the hanger bolts. You can also see the foreman keeping an eye on me =)

then the foreman insisted on a test run and we went to Wendy's for a double cheeseburger (by the time Cheech was done, it was a single for me!) =p

Odds and Ends

I had brought out tape to hold the upper captive nut on the passenger side, but it stayed in place and there was no way I could have gotten tape on it anyway. I did hold the nut when I placed the bolt back in until I ran it in with the air ratchet.

It probably took me two hours going at a very leisurely pace - it was nice out and I decided to take it very easy. It certainly can be done without removing the tires or even the spare. And hand tools would have simplified setup and take down. I imagine 15-20 minutes would be more than ample going this route.

You only need a breaker bar, a 3/8" ratchet, and a 15mm socket. No wrench needed since the nuts are partially captive. Three of the nuts fell loose into my hand and they are easy to hold in place when reinstalling.

The Verdict

It's really hard for me to quantify it.

It does feel different and the best I can say is the ride feels muffled - like a heavy blanket's been tossed over Soupie.

It's different than having a heavy load or having several hundred pounds of trailer tongue weight. The bounciness is less harsh and slower. For $158 I'd do this all day long - I'm very glad that I did this.

Thanks to all who steered me to the Bilstein 4600s, they're just right for Cheech adventures and dump runs!

 

[deleriumtremor]

As others have said, these must have a much lower spring rate than the USDM springs. The ride is massively improved to me. As soon as I dropped off the curb on my driveway, I could tell it was better. I went and drove around town and then headed towards a friend's house that has a poorly grated/washboard dirt road. It still rides like a truck, but the springs actually absorb it instead of transferring all of the energy to the truck. Highly recommended.

My Eibach shocks were a huge improvement over the stock non-FX4 shocks, but this is another level.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I definitely could use softer more progressive spring setup for where we go. I don't mind a little more squat when loading, just a more progressive setup on both the springs and dampers I think will be the ticket.

 

[NOVA_Ranger]

Another trip up the mountain to hang out at our 'hideout'. Some pics from the drive in and one at our spot.

 

[Bsenecal]

Installed the Bilstein 4600 rear shocks onto 2WD XL Soupie.

I gathered far more crap than I ended up using, but I should have used the tape measure to get new shocks to the right length and then used a strap to hold them compressed

equally important prep, a spot for the foreman and a spot for this old fart - ended up not taking a break, I was on a mission! =p

only the best wheel chocks! I did, at least, "preload" them by putting the truck in neutral and letting it roll into them, I didn't want my jack shifting too much later

friggin' spare took 10 minutes of screwing around - move Cheech's supercab bed, get out the jack, and then trying to line up the hole? had to get the work light out, and was I frustrated, ugh - but down it came and it's at 40psi. When I put it back up, I flipped it so I can get to the valve stem. It's in the back and if it ever got ripped off, then that'll be one hell of a dump run story! =D

it's a Dynapro! my other tires are Bridgestone Duellers

and the crap starts to accumulate under the truck, and thank God for knee pads! didn't need any extensions or wrenches or the hand ratchet

used my tire iron to break the 4 bolts loose (I keep my 30-inch breaker next to the driver seat, for those fast tire changes ...) =p

as you can see I also took off the rear tires, I have an impact wrench so it was an excuse to use it. I did scratch the plastic cap Ford logos because I put the lug nuts in them like a bowl and then promptly slid them around on the asphalt - derr!

super easy to reach all the bolts and captive nuts make it easy to take them out

patient foreman as I cuss like the Pacific Fleet's in town! =p

driver side went in super easy, but I had a hard time compressing the passenger side, so I did this "creative" thing

finally, it's in there!

torque all four bolts to 52 lb-ft

I jacked on the leaf spring hangers using a Safe Jack square plate that diagonally fit inside of the four bolts and placed the jack stands, as the manual says, on the axle. I also pushed the rear tires under the frame. That oil spot where a bolt is? My brand new $315 US Jack! I'm fit to be tied that it leaks and it'll get returned!

you can kind of see how that jack plate fit between the hanger bolts. You can also see the foreman keeping an eye on me =)

then the foreman insisted on a test run and we went to Wendy's for a double cheeseburger (by the time Cheech was done, it was a single for me!) =p

Odds and Ends

I had brought out tape to hold the upper captive nut on the passenger side, but it stayed in place and there was no way I could have gotten tape on it anyway. I did hold the nut when I placed the bolt back in until I ran it in with the air ratchet.

It probably took me two hours going at a very leisurely pace - it was nice out and I decided to take it very easy. It certainly can be done without removing the tires or even the spare. And hand tools would have simplified setup and take down. I imagine 15-20 minutes would be more than ample going this route.

You only need a breaker bar, a 3/8" ratchet, and a 15mm socket. No wrench needed since the nuts are partially captive. Three of the nuts fell loose into my hand and they are easy to hold in place when reinstalling.

The Verdict

It's really hard for me to quantify it.

It does feel different and the best I can say is the ride feels muffled - like a heavy blanket's been tossed over Soupie.

It's different than having a heavy load or having several hundred pounds of trailer tongue weight. The bounciness is less harsh and slower. For $158 I'd do this all day long - I'm very glad that I did this.

Thanks to all who steered me to the Bilstein 4600s, they're just right for Cheech adventures and dump runs!

Great write up and excellent foreman.
Glad you are happy with the modification.
Brian

 

[subquark]

Great write up and excellent foreman.
Glad you are happy with the modification.
Brian

Thank you, anyone with questions, feel free to ask. The answers may help others.

I had some trepidation but it really is an easy mod. I found it easier than bolting on my sidesteps!

Thanks Brian! =)

 

[RedDakooter05]

Thank you, anyone with questions, feel free to ask. The answers may help others.

I had some trepidation but it really is an easy mod. I found it easier than bolting on my sidesteps!

Thanks Brian! =)

Did you make sure the blue boots were seated and sealed after install? They tend to get bumped off the little notch they're supposed to reside in.

Pull down, you'll feel a soft click as they reseat. Dunno if it helps prolong their life but why not right?

 

[Venom_z89]

Got driver side bronco coilover installed. So i was correct in my math. Both my driver and passenger are both at same height except i have no preload on the bronco coilover side plus i can raise it safely up to 3 inches from where its at. On shock. Im sure id have some bind with the axles. So far comparing passenger to driver i have 2 more inches of droop from 9 inches to 11 inches. Im beat for today. Tomorrow ill finish passenger side.

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