Rough Country 3.5" vs. SuperLift 3.5" Lift/Level kits

[DangerRanger01]

Hey there!

I've got a few quick questions for all you lifted/leveled ranger owners out there. I've been wanting to lift the truck for quite some time. the stock rake on the ranger doesn't look too appealing to me, and it's time for a change. Being in Canada, I've chosen to not go through stage3 motorsports for the sole purpose of avoiding the hefty levy fees that come with the purchase. I've managed to narrow the supplier down to partsengine.ca as tdotperformance seems to have very negative reviews with the customer service, to the point of having lost packages with no refunds? seems a little far-fetched, but I've decided to turn towards partsengine.ca.

anyways, after the speil, my real question is how does everyone feel with spacer lifts/levels? I do plan to do some light off-roading in the future, just running up and down forest maintenance roads etc, anything for the perfect campsite haha. but I don't have much experience with spacers. but the kits that I am seeing that are a direct fit for the ranger is the below options:

Rough Country 3.5" Lift Kit

SuperLift 3.5" Lift Kit

These seem to be the best bang-for-buck. I have read reviews on both, and Rough COuntry seems to have the best overall reviews, but I am still a little iffy.
Just wondering what everyone else is using, and if anyone has different recommendations for a 2.5" to 3.5" level/lift. I'd like to get the sponginess out of the rear, as the truck really likes to float and it's quite annoying going over the smallest bumps and being thrown around all the time, I know that's mostly due to the fact that the truck has such a small wheel distance, but I've heard that new shocks in the rear do help.

Any criticism and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

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[Frenchy]

So spacer kits are ok if you plan to stay on the street. Why? Well even though they can lift(or level) your truck they will put extra stress on certain suspension components(front struts mainly). Leveling kits are ok if you dont understand truck suspension and why a truck has a rake from the factory.

Lift kits on the otherhand tend to be the better way to go for OffRoad to an extent. It depends on the lift kit to begin with. For most vehicles out there(Ranger included) the most practical lift for a vehicle will be between 2-3 inches not counting the lift from the tires. Why so little you ask? Well any more then that can cause possible binding issues depending on the kit and some kits(lile the ones you are looking at) makr you drop the front diff. The problem with droping the front diff comes down to the fact that you were lifting the truck to get clearance but yet one piece of the puzzle was not brought up all the way with the rest of the truck. It can also cause some issues if you want to install skid plates(other members have ran into this).

With all that said there is a lift kit I do recommend(no you dont necessarily have to pick it either) is the Old Man EMU. Even just the basic kit with make enough of a difference for what you are looking for. What I like about it is it replaces not just the struts and shocks but also all the springs(including the leaf springs). With that being done you do gain travel up front and the rear. You also gain just enough flexability vs stock and leveled trucks where you can go over different obsticles that may bot look that bad that others may struggle with. I have been runing the basic kit for a little over a year and a half now. No major problems with. Nice comfortable ride both on and OffRoad. Still able to tow as needed. And compliments the truck well. How much does it lift? 2.4 inches front and 1.6 inches rear. Cost? Roughly $1,400 USD(not sure on the Canadian dollar).

I will also add that I do have Firestone Destination XT'S in 285/70-17 on stock wheels with no spacers and only rub the frame at full lock.

Here is the link so you can see the kit I'm talking about
https://www.stage3motorsports.com/o...d-man-emu-2-suspension-kit-standard-load.html

Again thats just my input. You do what you feel is right for you and your truck.

 

[DangerRanger01]

So spacer kits are ok if you plan to stay on the street. Why? Well even though they can lift(or level) your truck they will put extra stress on certain suspension components(front struts mainly). Leveling kits are ok if you dont understand truck suspension and why a truck has a rake from the factory.

Lift kits on the otherhand tend to be the better way to go for OffRoad to an extent. It depends on the lift kit to begin with. For most vehicles out there(Ranger included) the most practical lift for a vehicle will be between 2-3 inches not counting the lift from the tires. Why so little you ask? Well any more then that can cause possible binding issues depending on the kit and some kits(lile the ones you are looking at) makr you drop the front diff. The problem with droping the front diff comes down to the fact that you were lifting the truck to get clearance but yet one piece of the puzzle was not brought up all the way with the rest of the truck. It can also cause some issues if you want to install skid plates(other members have ran into this).

With all that said there is a lift kit I do recommend(no you dont necessarily have to pick it either) is the Old Man EMU. Even just the basic kit with make enough of a difference for what you are looking for. What I like about it is it replaces not just the struts and shocks but also all the springs(including the leaf springs). With that being done you do gain travel up front and the rear. You also gain just enough flexability vs stock and leveled trucks where you can go over different obsticles that may bot look that bad that others may struggle with. I have been runing the basic kit for a little over a year and a half now. No major problems with. Nice comfortable ride both on and OffRoad. Still able to tow as needed. And compliments the truck well. How much does it lift? 2.4 inches front and 1.6 inches rear. Cost? Roughly $1,400 USD(not sure on the Canadian dollar).

I will also add that I do have Firestone Destination XT'S in 285/70-17 on stock wheels with no spacers and only rub the frame at full lock.

Here is the link so you can see the kit I'm talking about
https://www.stage3motorsports.com/o...d-man-emu-2-suspension-kit-standard-load.html

Again thats just my input. You do what you feel is right for you and your truck.

Thank you for such a detailed explanation! that helps me in my search, unfortunately, the source I am looking to order from does not carry the OME lift kit, which is a bummer considering that it is one of the kits that I was greatly considering.

 

[Frenchy]

Thank you for such a detailed explanation! that helps me in my search, unfortunately, the source I am looking to order from does not carry the OME lift kit, which is a bummer considering that it is one of the kits that I was greatly considering.

Something you could do is see what options you have to get the Old Man EMU lift kit. You could also ask the particular supplier you want to go with if they will consider selling the Old Man EMU lift kit as well.

 

[Frenchy]

So I just verified that the particular retailer you want to go through is an ARB dealer. With that said it may be in your best interest to call them with the part number for the Old Man EMU lift kit and you should be able to order it woth no problems.

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