expo 8.8 shock mounts in a 94 ranger

[michaelconklin]

whats the esiest way to shocks to from the 8.8 to my ranger i undersytand howthey mount plate style in the expo and axle tube style in the ranger is there a way to use the plate style on the truck without major mods? or cutting/welding? jus wanna knw the esiest way to go about the swap to make it as smooth as possiable

[nagelandy55]

I think if you use two of the plate style ones on the ranger it will work with no welding or curring required. I ground off my shock mounts and welded them on the explorer axle.

[michaelconklin]

ok so if i was to swap the mounts from the 7.5 to the 8.8 whats the best way to makesure i weld back in the right spot? could i grind them off rebolt them to the shocks, mount the rearend on the leafs and then with the shocks all bolted up and with the lower mounts on them place them on the rearend and then weld them where they touch, or what is the best way to makesure they are welded in the right place on the 8.8? my truck already has the flip kit and toxic shocks. and i know i dont need the kit anymore i just wanna makesure the shocks and all will fit smoothly and i dont mess up. thanks

[D94R]

Just take the passenger side explorer leaf bracket/shock mount and rotate it 90*. Then everything will go together and line up so you can use the Ranger upper shock mounts and the explorer leaf/shock brackets. Thats how I did it on my 94.

No need for cutting/torching/moving/welding anything that way.


*note though the holes in the explorer plates are not truly square and you will have to squeez the u-bolts in about an 1/8" to get them into the mounts holes. No big deal, and it won't effect anything once you get it all together.

[nagelandy55]

That sounds like the best way to do it right there.

[Riddle_Rob]

Same way I did it.
2 of the same side (passenger iirc) brackets and just flipped one 90*.
The shock tabs are a bit twisted also. Like, it puts a twist on the actual shock. So I just bent mine up so the shock wouldn't bend. Also using Belltech Nitro's which came with a poly bushing that doesn't mind helping provide some flex for the not perfect shock mount tabs.

[michaelconklin]

awesome thanks guys save me time and money on buyin shock mounting tabs. also do i need a new protioning vavle at all?

[D94R]

Rob, I used the stock passenger and driver side explorer mounting plates. Just rotated the one. I think you can use TWO of the same plates (i forget which side) though and avoid having to rotate the one 90* if you are worried about the holes not being totally square. It's just added work/time trying to find the spare plate at a junkyard.

Michael, no need per say for a new valve. Normal breaking is still OK, the rear just grabs harder than the ranger drums ever did. My only beef is hard stops will lock up the rear brakes. I have rear ABS and it over powers that function. It's easier to make them lockup in wet conditions too.

My recommendations are to buy an adjustable proportioning valve and set it up. But it's not totally necessary IMHO, just have to be cautious when driving.

When my Ranger goes back together it's getting a proportioning valve regardless of if I stick with the explorer rear or go IRS.

[michaelconklin]

once again thank you for the help... i just one more favor do any of u hav a pic of the rearend in your truck using the mounts? so i can makesure i get the right ones and just so i have a visual refrence to know what it all should look like when its all installed.w.. i just dont want to spend money on the wrong stuff or mess up these days and you guys have been a great help. thanks

[D94R]

Unfortunatley, this is the best picture I have, and it doesn't focus on the passenger mount. But picture this. The two explo mounts I believe mount the shocks behind the axle. So in stock form they would both be facing the direction the driver side one is. Now, take that passenger one, rotate it 90* towards the cab and you can now use it as the lower shock mount for the Ranger.

I can take some closer ones in a day or so if needed.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w239/D94R/Turbo%20Ranger/IMGP1797.jpg

[michaelconklin]

thanks that helps i was just concerned because i know the explorer mounts are kind of at and angle left to right not straight front to back like the ranger ones

[michaelconklin]

well i got it in guys took 3hrs by myself with no air tools so i think i did pretty good thanks for all the info all worked out great

[Riddle_Rob]

Good stuff. That's pretty quick.

[D94R]

you didnt by chance get a better picture than I have did you? incase someone searching finds this post?

[michaelconklin]

ya i do i hav to transfer it from my phone to comp on monday im away from it all weekend also how can i adj for the 373 in the 8.8 for my speedo or how far does the gears make it off from stock?

[D94R]

what gears did you have stock? 3.55's or 4.10's per chance? If either of those, the ratio's are so close that it shouldn't effect your speedo by more than a mph or two. Considering the stock speedo usually reads fast anyhow it might be closer to being correct if you had 4.10's.

Though based on your picture, you look to have smaller than stock tires so you're reading fast anyhow.

Tell us your stock gears and your current tire size.

[michaelconklin]

355 and the tires r 275,40,17s in the rear

[D94R]

Ok, so I believe stock tire size was about a 225/70/14.

275/40/17 vs 225/70/14 = 2.8% difference. Figure it to be 3%, so you're reading 3% faster than stock on tires alone.

3.55 vs 3.73 = ~5% difference. You'll be reading 5% faster than if everything was stock.


SOOOOOO, 3%+8% puts you right around ~10% fast on the speedo(fudging numbers because the stock speedo isn't exactly accurate).

So, at 50mph on your speedo, you're actually doing about 45.
at 60, you're doing 54
70, you're doing 63, etc.


If you have any of those road side speeding signs that tells you your speed, drive by it at the speed limit on your speedo, and see what that sign says. Should show you going slower than your speedo shows.



I swapped a Ranger rear with 3.73's for a Explorer rear with 3.73's so I'm only off by tire size difference on my speedo. You could probably go to a junkyard and pull the speedo gear out of the trans from a Ranger that had 3.73's and you should be better I think.

[michaelconklin]

one thing i will suggest is to cut off the swaybar mounts that are on the truck. with enough weight in the bed they hit my frame. also my shock tubes rub the frame with weight but i its just because of the shocks i am running

[D94R]

not sure if we have to have a myspace account to see those or not as it takes me directly to a home/sign up page. try hosting them using photobucket or something better than myspace


or email them to me and I can host them for you (PM for email addy)

[michaelconklin]

ok i deleted the previous links ill get a photobucket account tomorrow i cant make one from my phone go figure and post em up tht way if i need to post more pics i can.

[michaelconklin]

here are some pics i took of the drivers shock. i dont have any weight in the bed so nothin is hitting in the pics

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae192/turboranger94/rangershock3.jpg

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae192/turboranger94/rangershock4.jpg

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae192/turboranger94/rangershock2.jpg

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae192/turboranger94/rangershock1.jpg

[salating]

If you are worried about them rubbing, you can always take a grinder to the frame where they rub and cut out for them.

[michaelconklin]

ya im going to grind the frame and cut off the sway bar mounts. no big deal i was just showin for future projects

[D94R]

Hrmm,.... the sway bar mounts on my axle dont hit. Odd.