'93 Ranger Suspension and Other Advice Needed

[RanchRanger]

Hello everyone I'm new here and looking for some advice. I'm a young farmer and rancher in Montana and just picked up a cheap 1993 Ranger extended cab "prerunner". It has camburg 4.5 extended beams, camburg spindels and hubs, King 3.0 coilovers and 2.0x4.0 bumpstops, the rear has a locked 8.8 with what i believe is deaver f31's, flipped extended shackles, tubed and caged front to back, rolling on 33x12,50's, and the back has some shocks from an f-350. I was debating doing a four link and even had it all designed in google sketch up, but coming to realize I need to wait for some more funding haha. So for starters I'm looking into bypasses and bump stops for the rear. Will it be worth my while to get longer stroke than need bypasses so that I could use them if i decide to go with a link later? Im guessing since they are position sensitive its not a good idea. The interior is gutted and it sounds like riding in a beer can. I know this is the nature of the beast, just wondering if anyone has tried rhino liner or something similar inside the cab and if it helped with keeping the noise down at all? It desperately needs weight in the back since the guy before took his fuel cell out. Im planning on building a flat bed so I can tell people it at least has some purpose. Im not sure how im going to tackle it yet since i have to account for shock mounts and the cage coming through it. Hopefully I'll pick up some metal in the next few weeks and I'll keep my progress posted.

Total side note but I have a pretty stout 406 sbc, a friend with a 6.0 lq4 for sale and a fresh rebuilt turbo 350 sitting in the garage. Might try and tackle an engine swap one of these days. The only motorsport in my area is a 1\8 mile drag strip. With a fairly light pickup some slicks and a v8 it might be kinda fun to go beat some street cars in a ragged ol offroader. Anyways tell me what you think, just looking for some cool ideas.

 

[*TRD*]

I think you could get away with 16" bypasses now and later, just design your links to deliver the increased wheel travel you are looking for.

It is very common to add sound deadener and high density foam strips inside the cab to get rid of the beer can sound.

 

[RanchRanger]

So I had the pickup in the shop last night and realized that there are 9 leafs in the springs (IDK why i thought there was 7). I was told that they are deavers is there a way to identify if they are the g50's with a leaf taken out. I see deaver also makes a progressive 9 leaf package so they could be them. Any idea what weight I should shoot for over the rear axle? There is practically no weight in the back right now and I get stuck in my driveway with an inch of snow, making it practically worthless. For the hell of it I designed a mezzanine/cantilever/bell crank shock setup or what ever you want to call it last night with a progressive rate that cycles 17'' with a 12" shock. I was just seeing how low to the frame I could build it. Reason being that I could build a wider flat bed. My question is am i better off scraping the mezzanine idea because you can control the spring better and just build the flat bed around the shock? I know i could dynamat the interior but i was kinda hoping this could be a pickup you clean out with a garden hose haha.

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

I don't think you want to be surrounded by bed liner if a fire were to occur.

 

[Dirty Harry]

The only motorsport in my area is a 1\8 mile drag strip. With a fairly light pickup some slicks and a v8 it might be kinda fun to go beat some street cars in a ragged ol offroader. Anyways tell me what you think, just looking for some cool ideas.

I'm not certain where you are in Montana, but there actually is off-road racing up there. Check out YORR.

Y.O.R.R. Yellowstone Off Road Racing |

 

[PDANK Racing]

Weight: Try to shoot for 50/50 front to rear, but I wouldn't add a ton of extra weight to get there.
Rear Shocks: Bypass is probably too expensive to use on a "toy", I would do a single 2.5 or larger smooth body with reservoir per side. New ones won't break the bank and lots of used ones are available in the classifieds.

 

[RanchRanger]

So I looked into YORR and I'm really pumped about trying a few races out this summer. Going through the rules my pickup falls into the Competition Modified class. In the class there is a rule that only the front or back can have coilovers, basically ruling out your typical 4 link. It had me thinking has anyone (successfully) built a long travel 4 link with a similar setup to the old chevy pickups that had the coil spring mounted further up the lower link. Looking for 20-24" travel or its probably really not worth my while. In my mind I could see a problem with the coil binding as it would have to bend in a pretty good arc to get the travel. To solve this the lower coil perch would pivot on the lower link and its orientation would be determined by a 2 bar link to the frame that tilts the perch back as the suspension cycles up, keeping the coil inline. Just a crazy idea to stay within the rules and have a functional and unique design