03 Ranger D60 swap w/ sliders

[seed60]

Starting to swap a D60 on my 03 Ranger using Rancho 44044's and Liquid Iron sliders.

Before the swap. RCD lift up front.

Everything is just tacked up now. Still trying to figure it out.

I'm hoping the springs wont hit the front of the sliders and the bolts wont hit the frame on the inside. The caster is 5 with the weight of the truck.

Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Caver Dave]

Digging the sliders & pink paint marker!

But it looks like the sliders are too far forward (last few pics w/ the weight on them)... when the leafs compress, the distance eye-to-eye will grow, cramming the rear eye/bolt into the rear of the sliders slot = ripping them apart/bending the leafs/combination of these + other catastrophic damages.

IMHO, with them hanging static (first couple pics), the eyes/bolts should be closer to the front of the slot... maybe 3/4"-1" off, giving you plenty of slot left for when they compress, moving to the rear of the slot, instead of almost bottomed out at regular ride height...

You can cut the u-bolts off (once you've got the axle situated), to keep them from contacting the frame...

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Looks good, those boxes def need to be moved back. What are your Plans for steering?

 

[seed60]

As best I can tell the springs are 47" eye to eye flattened out. Right now they are at 46" eye to eye with the weight of the truck and 48 1/4" to the back of the slot. It should never max out. At least I hope so I don't want to tear into that body mount.

For the steering I have a yota box and plan to use a high steer arm on the passenger side if theres room for everything.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

I'd try and flex it with a cherry picker just to make sure they don't bottom put.

 

[seed60]

Got it flexed out to where its just picking up the truck no more spring travel, probably have 1 1/2" left in the slot. Looks like it'll clear the back just fine and barely the front but the spring is hitting the side of slider with it all the way jacked up on one side. Going to try to move the slider out a hair and clearance the front a little bit.

Also picked up some shock mounts. They might work here.

 

[seed60]

Put some gussets on the sliders and moved them down a little for more clearance. Pinion angle still looks ok. Still need to setup the steering before I weld them on for good.

Steering all plumbed up with a leaky steering box. Got a new one that's tapped for assist and sky pitman arm.

Picked up this Sterling about a month ago. Finally got it under and setup.

 

[GrnRanger]

Be mindful of welding that shock tab to the cast D60 inner C. While its "only" a shock mount on a leaf sprung front end, it would suck breaking it on the trail due to lack of weld penetration.

 

[farmboy]

I know that axle.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Since the springs are out boarded of the frame a shock tab should work welded to those beefy spring plates. This worked great for me on a rear application on a narrow width 9 inch with no tube outside the springs on my ranger. This would help keep the upper mount in close to to prevent tire rubbing at full stuff. I see you already welded up those sliders, I was thinking if you pitched the mounting angle alittle you could get the springs away from the slider body during compression. Maybe atleast flat instead of ramped up toward the back.

 

[seed60]

Thanks for the advice.

Since the springs are out boarded of the frame a shock tab should work welded to those beefy spring plates. This worked great for me on a rear application on a narrow width 9 inch with no tube outside the springs on my ranger. This would help keep the upper mount in close to to prevent tire rubbing at full stuff. I see you already welded up those sliders, I was thinking if you pitched the mounting angle alittle you could get the springs away from the slider body during compression. Maybe atleast flat instead of ramped up toward the back.

A friend suggested the same things. Looks like the shock mount will work much better up there. We also talked about tilting the sliders back for more clearance. But I just cut the front out of them.



Drag link question. Should the drag link be parallel to the axle? Now that I have the pitman arm to measure I set this up assuming a highsteer arm with the hole 6" from the center of the kingpin. Definitely not parallel.

 

[88 BII]

coming along nicely

 

[Chris_Keziah]

It should be parallel to the axle.


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[MarsFab]

You should be okay with the drag link like that as long as it doesn't hit the diff cover on compression. Your biggest issue is going to be keeping the drivers spring from coming up and hitting the pitman arm/drag link when you're at full lock to the left. It's hard to tell in your pics how that part's laid out so I may be wrong. It's looking good man. I remember watching that thing wheel years ago at Stewart Farm. It did really good for IFS.

 

[seed60]

Thanks.

Finally got the ubolt plates fixed and found a FJ60 steering box to use. That should give me the clearance I need without having to cut the front body mount and help keep things parallel.

Still want to redo the brake lines and trying to figure out shocks.

 

[250krawler]

Didn't even notice this build on here. been watching on pirate, looks awesome. Does LI still make those sliders in weld on?

 

[seed60]

Didn't even notice this build on here. been watching on pirate, looks awesome. Does LI still make those sliders in weld on?

Thanks. These are the weld on ones.


With a little hammer time and moving the radiator up I think the yota box will work good.

Hopefully it will still cool good with it up so high compared to the fan.

 

[seed60]

Still trying to figure out the steering. It's gonna be close. Looks like I'll only have 3 1/2" up til the spring hits the pitman bolt and 4 1/2" on the other side. Might have to change some stuff.

Picked up some tires too. They're only 35" all terrains and letters out but I got a deal. Should be fun with the 5.38s.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Why not cut and notch the frame and run a flat arm?


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[seed60]

Drilled the axle to flip the ubolt and got the steering mount halfway drilled out. The top hole is above the frame. If I need more room I think there's enough to cut for a flat pitman.

 

[seed60]

Welded up the front this morning. Looks good without jackstands.

 

[seed60]

Still working on the steering. Looks like it'll be about 2 turns of the wheel to lockout each way.

 

[OnlyOneDR]

Looks good so far. I would definitely double-shear the mounts for your steering heims. Use fine-thread grade-8 hardware, castle nuts, and drill the bolts for cotter pins when you get it set up. Those bolts will work themselves loose over time, and possibly bend from the steering stresses.

 

[seed60]

Thanks. Steering box finally mounted. Need brakes and a driveshaft and we are rolling.

 

[seed60]

Started up the truck and took these videos to check the steering. Still need to move some stuff and brace up the shaft.




Something is going on with the speedometer. This is the first time I've started the truck since I hooked up the vss.