Ranger Mods

Now that I have the ARB bash plates fitted, my Wildtrack has turned into a grader, happily pushing sand along in front of the car until I get stuck!

This has got me wanting a lift but I also want to retain the on-road handling and dont need additional GVM so I dont really want to fit a spring/damper kit. I also think that Ford probably knew what they were doing and no aftermarket kit is going to improve the on-road handling/ride quality.

Strut spacers and extended shackles seem like an easy way to achieve a 50mm lift with no real downside other than lifting the centre of gravity.

Anyone here got experience of doing a lift in this way?

I'm looking at these: https://shop.snakeracing.com.au/px-rang ... -lift-kit/

Hi Goochie,
I did a similar exercise (not with snakeracing, different supplier but same concept) on my BT50

Two things to consider:
The extended shackles are probably not giving you 50mm.
Due to the geometry of the rear leaf springs the vehicle get only lifted by approx half of the extension of the shackles.
I am not sure if the snakeracing shackles are 100mm longer than OEM (pictures suggest othervise) and I am not sure if I would try shackles that long due to stability, twist of the rear axles etc.
The 50mm extended shackles I use are working well but it gives you only some 25-30mm lift, which is probably enough to get the car leveled with a real 50mm at the front
Installation is simple, with a jack and normal handtools some 45min.

So far so good... but front is more tricky:
50mm lift means that the spacers are probably some 25mm thick,, also due to geometry of the IFS but here it works in the other direction.
When I tried with 25mm spacers at the front I could not get them in without removing the lower control arms. Then with 25mm I wasn't sure anymore whether than the bum stop at the front would not require extension to avoid that the shock would get on block at full compression.
For me that was enough reason to replace the struts with new ones to match weight and intended height.
Again, if you are handy with tools and get complete struts, that is doable with a jack, a few ratchet straps and some two hours for the front.

Keep in mind that with the spacer you are compensation the height but your OEM struts are sitting still at the same compressed length due to the same weight. You are just lifting the car "around" it.
Means your available stroke for compression is still not where it is supposed to sit and as soon as you hit a bump you might end up on the bumstops earlier than expected.
If then the bumstop is too short due to the spacers you use the shock as bum stop and probably do damage.

I know that sound a bit complicated and intimating but it sounds worse than it is
Cheers

I fitted front spacers before I fitted my replacement struts. I had the same issue as you had and I was sitting on the bump stops. I only done the front as the back was high enough already and it leveled out nicley. End result is that I had suspension travel again.

Keep in mind I also have a bar.

Me too's point make perfect sense and I agree although I was able to get the front struts in with dropping the bottom arm, not easy though.

Honestly for what basic replacement struts cost I would just do it. You may find you still do no need to touch the rear, depending on the loads you carry anyway.

Just some more food for thought.

No offense, but I do not understand how someone can spend big bucks for a top-of-the-line ute and settle on second-rate lift solutions. Get a professionally fitted, high-quality 50mm lift kit and you will not regret it. It will last as long as the vehicle, so the yearly cost will be negligible compared to what you pay on fuel, oil, filters, insurance... It is arguably the most important modification you can do to your vehicle and in spite of your high confidence in Ford's designs, the overwhelming majority of those who install a good lift agree the handling improves.

No offense taken but, the discussion is open what is second-rate and why to use it... but one reason for not going down the path of an off-the-shelve kit is because it is "off-the shelve" and might not really address the particular needs.
Or somebody is not even sure about his needs yet?
Under that circumstances it makes sense to me to try in smaller steps to verify what you want and how you can achieve it.
And IMO big $$$ does not always equals "big" results

3” in the front and 2” in the rear drives better than it did when I bought it brand new.




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Hi I have done strut spacers in the front only and it made a huge difference. My ride quality still feels the same. The last picture is without the spacers and the first picture is next to a wildtrak just for comparison to see how much lift i got from the spacers.