increasing Ranger's wheel travel/articulation?

[RoadBoss]

any suspension components or modifications out there yet to help with this? I should also add, without significantly increasing ride height or changing axles/widening the track. 2-3" is about all I want to do

I'm not trying to make my ranger super flexy, but I've already lifted enough tire to realize how limited the suspension travel is in stock form, so I'm starting to think about some slight modifications to give it a little help.

From what I understand so far:

the extension/compression of the front shocks are the limiting factor up there - I haven't seen any bump stops on it at least... also I'm wondering if the sway bar is thick enough that it is limiting side to side movement (one tire compressed, the other extended)?

and in the rear it seems like the leaf springs are the limiting factor? maybe the shock length could be holding it back too? I haven't done much in the back so far.



So far, I was told by Peak suspension that the Eibach front shocks are slightly longer than stock and allow for an additional 1" in suspension travel

and BDS now has a rear shackle 1" lift kit that should help in the rear a little.

anything else out there so far?

I don't see the aftermarket upper control arms as helping with suspension travel at all in this application, but if I'm wrong on that, someone please enlighten me with an explanation...

Also I would love to try disconnecting the front (and rear I guess) sway bar(s) and see if it helps at all. I'm sure it will at least help with comfort on extremely rocky terrain. the non-FX4 model at least is quite jarring off road.

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[fusseli]

I just read an article that Ford is going to offer a Fox upgrade kit for the Ranger and F150 that's similar to the Raptor level.

Have you hit any traction issues on the trail that the locker couldn't overcome? 3 wheeling doesn't worry me much because of the locker.

 

[RoadBoss]

I just read an article that Ford is going to offer a Fox upgrade kit for the Ranger and F150 that's similar to the Raptor level.

Have you hit any traction issues on the trail that the locker couldn't overcome? 3 wheeling doesn't worry me much because of the locker.

yes/no/kind of... I was able to back up a adjust mine line to get through, but I teetered over so bad I nearly smashed the side of my truck into the dirt wall.

lifting tires is actually super fun and looks cool, lol. you just don't maintain quite as much control...

video of above mentioned event in very poor quality... hopefully you can see it here.

 

[fusseli]

yes/no/kind of... I was able to back up a adjust mine line to get through, but I teetered over so bad I nearly smashed the side of my truck into the dirt wall.

lifting tires is actually super fun and looks cool, lol. you just don't maintain quite as much control...

video of above mentioned event in very poor quality... hopefully you can see it here.

Video doesn't work! Are you running the stock ATMs?

 

[RoadBoss]

Video doesn't work! Are you running the stock ATMs?

nope, I'm on 32" cooper ST maxx (on stock 16" XL wheels)

bummer about the video, maybe I'll upload it somewhere else

 

[Andy]

I'm wondering the same thing. I've been on three wheels a decent amount without to much of an issue with control but I would like to get more travel out of it. Hope that icon will have a set of rear leafs out that will help with some travel.

 

[doug910]

The short answer is that a leaf spring or independent suspension system will NEVER achieve the same kind of articulation/flex that is seen on coil sprung solid axles.

The long answer:

• Independent suspension systems can allow for great suspension travel. Given that you have proper control arms, ball joints, shocks, and springs that can handle long travel, you have the potential for an amazing off road suspension. Just look at side by sides! They have suspension systems that allow for true independent travel - if the right side of the vehicle drives over a giant rock, it has no effect on the left wheels. Here's the kicker: road cars have sway bars. The moment you introduce a sway bar into an independent suspension system, you're reducing the wheels' abilities to move independently from each other. If the right tire hits a rock, it transmits vertical force into the suspension, and the vertical force moves the sway bar up as well. At the other end of the sway bar that's moving up, it pulls up on the left wheel, which is exactly the problem that you're facing. Sway bars absolutely kill a vehicle's ability to keep more wheels on the ground. A lifted coilover kit and larger tires help with ground clearance and a little bit with travel, but you will never achieve the ability to keep wheels on the ground until you disconnect the sway bars. A quick sway bar disconnect kit would be awesome for the Ranger and would solve most of your teetering issues.
• Leaf sprung solid axles can provide great amounts of travel, but only limited amounts of "flex". Leaf sprung solid axles like to travel one way and one way only: up and down. By design, they are also the axle locating member for side-to-side movement (i.e. they resist side to side movement). Therefore, when you try to "flex" or pivot the solid axle along the center axis, you are introducing side to side movement - the ends of the flexing axle travel along an arc, so if the right tire drives over a rock, the right tire moves up and to the left, while the left tire wants to move down and to the right (imagine the path of a circle). Leaf springs do not like that, so they will resist that kind of pivoting movement as much as possible, which is why you'll see a weird combination of up/down movement with some amount of flex. Again, a lift kit can improve ground clearance and departure angles, but you can only get so much flex from leaf springs.
• Coil sprung solid axles are king for off-roading and for good reason. Coil springs provide no amount of side to side rigidity, so they have no issues providing any flex. Once you disconnect the sway bars, there is nothing that inhibits articulation. The downside? You need pretty complicated locating members to ensure the axle doesn't break off. Radius arms/parallel links make sure that the axle doesn't move fore/aft and track bars make sure that axle doesn't move side to side. If designed properly, these locating members will pivot and swing as necessary to make sure you don't have any binding forces that prevent articulation. It just needs to be designed correctly and robustly, which can add to costs.

Hope this helps!

 

[RoadBoss]

The short answer is that a leaf spring or independent suspension system will NEVER achieve the same kind of articulation/flex that is seen on coil sprung solid axles.

thanks doug, I'm aware of the limitations of this type of suspension setup, just looking for ways to improve it.
I know its never going to move as well as a dual solid axle setup.

 

[395Runner]

Currently the longest travel option is a 2.5" coilover setup (King, Radflo, or soon, Fox) and a longer uniball upper control arm.

I even searched the Australian market, where they've had this truck for years, and there's nothing out there for real long travel setups.

In the future, there will be other options involving custom fab work and completely changing the suspension geometry- but for the time being, nobody is cutting up a brand new $30-40k truck to put in chromoly tubing that relocates the upper strut mount, or a trailing arm 4 Link , or any other race-oriented long-travel setup.

Although that will be badass- and I look forward to seeing new Rangers sending it in the dunes with 12" of travel .

The Ranger Raptor has a longer upper control arm and 2.5" coilovers, but its also 6" wider than the Ranger. And since the wheel offset is the same, the track must be widened with longer axles and lower control arms as well. (someone correct me if I'm wrong on that- pretty sure tho.) So in the future, Ranger Raptor front suspension take-offs will surely be another option for longer travel. If we can get them.

 

[t4thfavor]

Icon has a 3.5" fully adjustable set of coilovers with rear shocks, and tubular upper control arms, my "guess" is that would be a pretty good start at increasing travel. If you are currently on a spacer lift, it would be a much better option.

Also if it wasn't mentioned swaybar disconnects can help a tremendous amount.

The Icon kit is on the Stage3 site for 2500ish.

 

[I_smell_like_diesel]

Would probably be worth holding out till a long arm/long travel kit is available. Not going to elaborate much since it was covered above but the OE front suspension, with the stubby control arms / cv shafts, are pretty limiting.

 

[RANGER78]

I'm from Australia and we have had ranger for a while now the my19 px3 ranger has a slightly different front suspension then the previous 2 models the px1 and px2.
As the px3 is different there's not a lot available for it yet.
There's more setups slowly coming out
What I'm trying to find out is if our Australian my 19px3 ranger And the USA my 19 ranger have the same front suspension set up.
We have the 3.2 diesel and now the 2.0 biturbo aswell

 

[t4thfavor]

My guess from previous diesel experience is that your spring rate is significantly higher than ours. The 2.3T engine is pretty light from engine standards, and every diesel (of any displacement) I've ever owned has been 500-1000# heavier than the gasoline variant.

Might discuss directly with Fox to see if they have a heavier spring available, or if they know the difference.

 

[395Runner]

What I'm trying to find out is if our Australian my 19px3 ranger And the USA my 19 ranger have the same front suspension set up.
We have the 3.2 diesel and now the 2.0 biturbo aswell

You might check out the Brenthel Baja kit UCAs paired with a King 2.5" coils setup for the AU Ranger:

https://www.bajakits.com.au/product-page/copy-of-holden-rg-colorado-4wd-baja-kit-top-cont

Not sure where to source the King shocks but if you hit up BajaKits Australia they should be able to point you in the right direction.

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