98 ranger 3 inch drop

[power ranger 2.5]

so i got to get my body work done, but then i am going to be working on my suspension, and was just seeing what you guys think.
djm upper and lower control arms
1 inch drop coils, or cut stock coils for 1 inch drop
3 inch drop beltech leafs
james duff traction bars
Belltech Street Performance Shocks
illusive fabrications Raised Transmission Crossmember
hopefully after the body and suspensoin work i can start on the turbo motor...
the only thing holding me up is lack of funds.:banghead:

[D94R]

I'd suggest 2" drop coils up front, eventually you're gonna want to go that low anyhow. You'll also need a camber kit!

Oh, and NEVER cut your coils, do it the right way and buy lowered ones, whichever amount of drop you decide.

Swap an Expo 8.8 in the rear. Natural drop due to spring pad placement. Plus you get the 8.8 ring gear, 31 spline axles, disk brakes, and easy to find with factory LS.

Go with doetsch tech shocks, these seem to be the most recommended shock for the lowered crowd, though I have no personal experience with them yet. That is what I'll be using though.

EDIT: Now that I look on Doetsch's site, I don't see lowered Ranger shocks anymore. Wonder if they quit making them or of their listing on their site is labeled wrong?






On a related note. I have a set of never used Duff traction bars. I bought them for my 07 Ranger but never got around to using them. They came with (at the time) the axle brackets for the 7.5 and the 8.8, so I have both sets with my kit. I don't have the box they came in anymore for some reason, but I'll sell them to you for $85 shipped if interested?

[nagelandy55]

D94R - Where can one get this camber kit? I've seen a part number from NAPA floating around but can't find it anymore.

[Oldmandan]

I would look elsewhere than DJM, I had their lower control arms on my Dakota and they literally fell apart while getting off the freeway. Lucky for me I was getting off the freeway and not doing 80 when they fell apart.

[fordnut71]

98 isnt beam anymore its A arms so its shimmed

[power ranger 2.5]

every one said that doetsch tech shocks are the best but ive herd that belltechs are great to, as of an 8.8, i am eventaly going to get one but right now dont realy have the time or the money to do the swap.....i have to change my leafs any way(have a broken leaf) so i am just going to get the beltechs. as of front coils the only company that makes a 1inch drop is aim and ive heard bad things about them. ive always heard good things about djm control arms.....and i dont think anyone else makes lower control arms for the 98+

[D94R]

Nagel and fordnut, his 98 uses a cam bolt to adjust the upper arm. The ibeams use an eccentric to adjust the angle of the upper ball joint to correct for the camber. Nagel, are you asking about the part number for the cam bolt for posterity? Or perhaps confused and wanting the part number for the eccentric for our trucks? Either way I can find the info for us if the OP and you need them.


The only issues I have heard of with the Ranger DJM arms is that the ball joints in the lower arms are installed in the wrong orientation. There is a dimple on the ball joints that has to point in a certain direction otherwise the range of movement is perpindicular to what it's supposed to be. This creates ball joint failure that causes them to snap. This is an issue with the bagged people, and I haven't heard of any static dropped guys having this problem since they don't see the extreme travel that creates the problem. Even still, if you are just static dropped you'd want to have the ball joints correctly installed anyhow. Keep in mind, this isn't an issue that plagued every set of arms to come from DJM, it seems to be random. Hector on the assembly line doesn't know what he's doing it seems. I think DJM has corrected the issue since the problem has been known for a few years and reported to them, however I'd still inspect the arms prior to install whether they are new or used!


I originally had some AIM coils on my 94 when I first dropped it. I got a slight bit more drop than I was supposed to out of them, and they are a soft coil which caused me to bottom out a lot on harsh bumps. Other than that, there were no problems,... it's not like they just fall apart or anything. I went with bell tech coils this time around though if that makes your decision any different.



I don't have any info or opinion on bell tech shocks. The Doetsch ones are a "performance" orientated shock where as I think the Belltech and Nitro drop shocks might just be a bit stiffer simply because you have less travel with a lower setup. But I'm not sure.

[power ranger 2.5]

cool tahnks alot for all the help....i just wish i had more optsoins with a 1" drop coil but aim is the only ones makeing them. i think ill go with the Doetsch shocks from al the good reveiws ive herd. i might run autocross next year so i think this suspensoin set up should be all right for that with out being to low. i know i need the cam bolts for alignment, i just did not mension them on my list.

btw i am intrested in those duff bars you have but i have to decide if i can afford them now, or if ill have to wait for my tax return.

[fordnut71]

Nagel and fordnut, his 98 uses a cam bolt to adjust the upper arm. The ibeams use an eccentric to adjust the angle of the upper ball joint to correct for the camber. Nagel, are you asking about the part number for the cam bolt for posterity? Or perhaps confused and wanting the part number for the eccentric for our trucks? Either way I can find the info for us if the OP and you need them.


The only issues I have heard of with the Ranger DJM arms is that the ball joints in the lower arms are installed in the wrong orientation. There is a dimple on the ball joints that has to point in a certain direction otherwise the range of movement is perpindicular to what it's supposed to be. This creates ball joint failure that causes them to snap. This is an issue with the bagged people, and I haven't heard of any static dropped guys having this problem since they don't see the extreme travel that creates the problem. Even still, if you are just static dropped you'd want to have the ball joints correctly installed anyhow. Keep in mind, this isn't an issue that plagued every set of arms to come from DJM, it seems to be random. Hector on the assembly line doesn't know what he's doing it seems. I think DJM has corrected the issue since the problem has been known for a few years and reported to them, however I'd still inspect the arms prior to install whether they are new or used!


I originally had some AIM coils on my 94 when I first dropped it. I got a slight bit more drop than I was supposed to out of them, and they are a soft coil which caused me to bottom out a lot on harsh bumps. Other than that, there were no problems,... it's not like they just fall apart or anything. I went with bell tech coils this time around though if that makes your decision any different.



I don't have any info or opinion on bell tech shocks. The Doetsch ones are a "performance" orientated shock where as I think the Belltech and Nitro drop shocks might just be a bit stiffer simply because you have less travel with a lower setup. But I'm not sure.

yes your right, i should have remembered this as my 99 explorer is the same way.
i did see summit racing has the cam bolts listed at 1 time fore the explorer, it \s fully adjustable