1996 Ford Ranger Supercab 2WD - Prerunner - Suspension

1996 Ford Ranger Supercab 2Wd Left Side View

Specs
Vehicle: 1996 Ford Ranger Supercab 2WD
Owner/Hometown: Tim Giles/Whittier, CA
Engine: Ford 4.0 OHV/pushrod V-6
Induction: Stock EFI
Transmission: Stock 5-speed

The bed cage is made from 1.75-inch, 0.120-wall chromoly tubing, and provides a home to a pair of 16-inch-stroke King bypass shocks. The interior of the bed was coated with Line-X to deaden sound and preserve longevity.
The bed cage is made from 1.75-inch, 0.120-wall chromoly tubing, and provides a home to a
The underside of the spare tire carrier is no less impressive. S.I. integrated a hitch just in case Tim wants to do some towing.
The underside of the spare tire carrier is no less impressive. S.I. integrated a hitch jus

Front Suspension:
S.I. Motorsports Unequal-length I-beams, 4 inches wider per side, custom spindle that's pressed, welded, and bolted to the steering knuckle, S.I. Motorsports bolt-on engine cage, King coilovers, Fox bump stops, 20 inches of travel

Rear Suspension:
S.I. Motorsports leaf spring system using Deaver spring packs, flipped shackles, S.I. spring plates, S.I. bed cage, King bypass shocks, Drivelines Unlimited driveshaft, 16 inches of travel

Reinforced factory spring plates were initially part of the build, but they bent while the U-bolts were being torqued. S.I. obliterated the problem by making new spring plates out of (you guessed it) chromoly plate. Two pieces of 3/8-inch plate were cut out and welded together to form the base. "Bombproof" comes to mind.
Reinforced factory spring plates were initially part of the build, but they bent while the
A bolt-on S.I. front bumper leads the way. The screened vent holes keep large chunks out of the radiator.
A bolt-on S.I. front bumper leads the way. The screened vent holes keep large chunks out o
The factory fenderwells were deleted in favor of open air and tubing. There wasn't room for the factory windshield washer bottle, so Tom did some sleuthing and found another bottle that worked perfectly. It's mounted with a custom bracket.
The factory fenderwells were deleted in favor of open air and tubing. There wasn't room fo

Ring and Pinion:
4.88 gears with full spool, Currie Ford 9-inch rearend. Note: While a spool isn't street-friendly, it's extremely reliable and provides ultimate traction in the dirt

Tires:
35x12.50R15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2

Wheels:
Pro Comp 15x8

Fiberglass:
Glassworks Unlimited fenders and bedsides, Autofab hood

Other details:
Fenderwells deleted, custom S.I. mounts for battery, EVAP canister, air cleaner, and windshield washer bottle

Deaver leaf packs are part of the S.I. ranger formula. The spring-over configuration was retained, but the rear shackles were flipped to reduce the springs' negative arch at full bump. The factory spring hangers were retained, but the rivets were drilled out and replaced with grade-8 fasteners.
Deaver leaf packs are part of the S.I. ranger formula. The spring-over configuration was r
This is one spare tire carrier you won't want to nerf. The spare is held down by a nut that uses a special internal spline configuration for extra security.
This is one spare tire carrier you won't want to nerf. The spare is held down by a nut th
Getting the coilovers to mount at the correct angle was no easy task. The HVAC blower motor was in the way. Rather than push the coilover forward to an angle that wasn't ideal, Tom built an adapter plate for a shorter blower motor. On the driver's side, a new master cylinder with exit ports on the passenger's side was used to keep the brake lines away from the coilover.
Getting the coilovers to mount at the correct angle was no easy task. The HVAC blower moto