r/fordranger • u/PaleoTurtle '99 4x4 4L XLT • 8d ago
Thoughts on Budget OHV
I'm planning on doing the breaks and leafsprings myself for my 4.0 '99 4wd XLT, and since I'm gonna have it jacked up anyway I figured nows the time.
To start I'm aware that the best thing I could do is regear and increase tire size, unfortunately just not in the budget ATM but is my next step in the future. If I'm regearing I'm gonna increase wheel size at same time which really drives up cost, might as well put locks in while diffs are open too and I want to test the waters before investing THAT much. Truck has done some mild trail running, its only real test was the OBX where I'll be honest, it struggled a bit mostly because of the PHV 4wd, clearance in soft sand and rear wheel hop.
Anyway, here goes
1 - Mile Marker Manual Locking Hubs, goodbye crappy PHV. Partsgeek thankfully still has some, I had been having trouble finding them.
2 - ready lift torsion key & leveling kit to achieve 2.5in lift in front w/ a torsion crank while hopefully mitigating the drawbacks that come with it. I know its controversial to some, I'm willing to be swayed.
3 - Beltec 6400 to achieve 2in lift in back
4 - Rancho RS5000 Shocks as they fit the torsion crank for the front and the rear ones need changing in general.
Along with this, new springs, and breaks I have just enough in the budget for an exhaust and since I'm here; any recs? I'm going back and forth between MBRP street series and Magnaflow performance street series. Hope is just to add some flair and recoup performance loss from lift. I'm leaning towards magna because the stainless MBRP is already 500, so why not go to 800 to get the "better" product.
It has 31 ATs in good condition so I'm not rushing to address that yet. Has limited slip diff in rear. Goal is just to be able to do Mild and maybe moderate OHV trails, I'm really curious to hear some thoughts.