When I decided it was time to lift
my ranger, the only research I had done on lifts was looking through a few off
road magazine ads. I had heard that
all suspension lifts were the same unless you chose to buy a advanced stage.
After hearing this I settled on a rough country 4” suspension lift
since it came with shocks and a pitman arm.
From the
start to the end this lift was a nightmare to
install.
The instructions consisted of 1 page (front and back) that had
approximately 4 poorly scanned/reproduced pictures.
The pictures showed 3 pictures of how the brackets attached and one
picture of all components in the kit. The
3 pictures for how the brackets attached were completely worthless.
The pictures were unclear, did not mention what side the brackets were
for, nor did they define which way they even went.
The entire process consisted of guessing/studying each bracket to figure
out what side it attached to, and which way it went.
Finally, once
we figured out where the brackets attached to, it was another job to grind the
brackets down so that they would fit properly (the instructions did mention that
some grinding would be necessary). On
one bracket, it seemed that once we finished grinding it would have never held
up, so far were wrong on that.
The construction
of the lift seemed poor, but so far has held up just fine, but my truck is
pretty much just a pavement pounder, only seeing off-road conditions maybe 2
times a year. If I had it to do
over again I would not choose Rough Country (or anyone closely related to them
like Tuff Country). I would gladly
pay out the money for a Skyjacker or James Duff lift.
Choosing the right lift
So you wanna lift your truck? You may think all lifts are basically the same, well your wrong. Below is a small jump start to choosing a lift. For more information you can go to The Ranger Station and check out the main page (tech articles) as well as browse the forums. If you want though you can also contact me by e-mailing me at [email protected]. The link below is a forum post regarding the information below, I suggest checking it out for more information, it will be more up to date than this page.
Rough
Country (83-97 TTB)
Rough country is a cheap/basic lift; you get what you pay for, including
brackets that are sometimes improperly drilled from the factory. Many people
consider rough country because they are cheap and come with most big items you
need to get rolling (shocks and a pitman arm). Rough country lifts have been
known to have problems in two areas. One is the drop brackets sometimes don’t
line up and you will need to drill them out yourself and also cut the brackets
to get them to fit, sometimes cutting down so much your wondering if its going
to hold up. The other controversy is the drop plate; this bracket is sometimes
known to puncture a hole in your front diff (other lifts avoid this). On the
better side, I have never heard many (if any at all) horror stories of the lift
itself breaking while being used, but again, you get what you pay for.
The Good
· Cheap $$
· Comes with shocks and a pitman arm in most cases
· Seems to be durable in mild wheeling situations (if you can get it on)
The Bad
· Cheap (quality)
· Brackets do not “line up” to factory drilled holes, expect to have to
drill (doesn’t bolt up like it should)
· Drop plate can puncture a hole in your front differential
· Not a good “hardcore” wheeling lift
· Does not really improve your suspension system
Skyjacker (83-97 TTB)
Skyjacker could be considered one of the “leading” suspension lift
providers. The products they make always receive positive feedback and good
recognition from consumers. The lifts tend to cost a bit more (especially once
you factor in shocks and a pitman arm) but in the end are well worth the money.
The brackets are good quality and bolt up just like there suppose to. There is
no middle drop bracket like in most other low budget lifts. The extended drop
bracket is completely replaced by a new bracket that could save your front
differential in the long run. Skyjacker offers a few options for lift (kits,
systems and class 1 and 2 lifts). The class 1 is a basic lift; the class 2 will
give you a pitman arm as well as extended radius arms. See the link below to see
how to make this one of the best lifts around. Thanks to 4x4 Junkie for
preparing this article.
The Good
· Bolts on like it should
· Quality build
· Class 2 will improve your suspension from factory (ext rad arms)
· Will keep you wheeling for years to come (especially the class 2)
The Bad
· Expensive to some, doesn’t seem worth it at first (it will in the long run
though)
· Not perfect, but close.
· Making the Skyjacker a true performance and nearly flawless lift. CLICK HERE
(http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=51)
James Duff
James Duff has been a manufacturer of lifts for many years, but not just any
lifts, specifically ranger, bronco II and classic (early) broncos. This
dedication to a small amount of vehicles and long time commitment has led to an
excellent product. James Duff offers different class setups like Skyjacker does.
Starting out with a basic 3” lift you can choose to add things like dual
shocks, extended radius arms, and new rear leaf springs. Duff is truly the only
company to challenge skyjacker with a strong solid lift.
The
Good
· Strong build
· Competitor of skyjacker
· Will greatly improve your suspension
· A long lasting lift
The Bad
· Expensive (you get what you pay for though, especially in this market)
· Does not offer a 4” lift (there are options to get 4”)
Super lift (83-97 TTB)
Often referred to as superjunk and other similiar terms. Not really a
recommended lift for wheeling.
Super lift (98+ IFS) (not
a good choice for wheeling)
Super lift is one of the few manufacturers to offer a lift for 98+ rangers. The
suspension on the 98+ rangers changed to IFS and therefore the lifts are not as
durable nor is the suspension as good for off-roading/modifying. Super lift has both a good and bad reputation, more so bad than
good though, often referred to as “super junk” and other things of the like.
If you really want to lift your truck (for off-road use, or even a lot of
general driving), think about going to the RCD lift or an 83-97 ranger.
The Good
· One of the few lifts for 98+ rangers
· Will get the truck lifted
The Bad
· Does not improve your suspension
· Known to have problems
Referred to as “super junk” occasionally.
Fabritech SAS (solid axle swap) (83-97 TTB)
This is the “all out kit” for someone who wants a “true” off-road
capable vehicle, but don’t expect it to come cheap, or easy for that matter.
This kit is more of a “swap”, replacing your TTB suspension with a Dana 44
axle out of an early bronco. You will gain more articulation, strength, and a
simple suspension set up amongst a few other things.
This kit is known for a few problems like having brackets
that could be better, but its still better than a lot of the TTB kits. If
your truly interested in doing a D44 swap then you should research what needs
done and also consider collecting the parts yourself. Most people do it
this way, its a lot cheaper and is overall a lot better. If your
interested in this check out the link below.
Bottom Line
If you want a lift with some quirks, don’t mind having to drill and cut the
brackets and risk putting a hole in your front diff, I highly recommend going
with Rough Country or Trail master, and if you want a low quality lift that
seems to bolt on fine, consider super lift. Now, for those of you who are really
interested in wheeling and want a well built lift that will with stand abuse,
bolt on like it should, and perform well, go with Skyjacker or James Duff. I
know, it’s expensive and you’re probably on a budget (how many people
aren’t?). Well if you’re on such a tight budget that you cant wait to
collect another 200-300 dollars, don’t bother lifting your truck quite yet.
Buying a lift is the cheap MAIN component. You will still need to buy wheels,
tires, gears (if you went big enough at least, and if you haven’t yet, you
will) and before you know it, you’ve spent 5 grand on your lift. So whats
200-300 dollars?
