On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:04:37 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

My new to me 2001 Supercab Ford Ranger has always sat a bit low in the
rear even when empty. Now that Ive added a utility shell
http://www.workmatebylifetime.com/

and my tools, it sags like an Okie dustbowl refugee on his way to
California.
So what do I need to lift this about 3"? Cheaply.

Check the rear springs for broken leaves or excessive sag fatigue,
replace as needed. If that isn't enough add either an overload spring
set or Air Springs.

Air shocks are bad juju - the shock mounts won't take the load.

In the good old days..I simply made up a set of shackles from 3/8 flat
stock and bolted em to the back of the leaf springs, but a mechanic
told me "it would be hard on the rear differential due to increased
thrust angle on the doofunny whichadiddly and would cause extreme wear
on the labia valves and shuztmeister bearings"

Blink blink.....

You have to keep the U-joint operating angle between the driveshaft
and the rear axle input shaft roughly the same after raising or
lowering. They sell little wedge shims in various degrees of tilt
(that go between the axle and the spring stack) for just that purpose.

And watch the overall length of the driveshaft and the overlap in
the slip splines when you move things around - more likely with a Lift
Kit but still something to watch. If you shorten the shaft to where
the splines bottom out you put nasty stresses in the driveline.

And if you pull it apart too far the driveshaft might look fine now,
but falls off the first time you hit a "DIP" too fast and catch air.
If the driveshaft comes loose at the front, drops onto the ground, and
hangs on something solid like a curb cut, this can get Real Exciting -
It'll look like something from American Graffiti (or Mythbusters) with
a logging chain and a stout power pole...

This is why race cars have a safety hoop around the front end of the
driveshaft. Even if it comes off, it can't go too far.

Also..anyone know the best sort of spare tire carrier to put on a 1
ton Ford van? It currently has one of those doofus carriers that is
mounted to the hinge and latch side of the rear door. The door that
gets opened and closed a lot....

The BIG tires on this thing...are heavy. Heavier than Im comfortable
carrying on that flimsey door hanger. Which is already bent from
carrying a spare.

The van has dual gas tanks...so there may not be a lot of room
underneith..Ive not checked yet. With all the racks and shelves
inside..there is no room onboard for the spare.
Fiberglass roof extension makes roof mounting out..plus those tires
are Heavy.....8 lug nuts each...ack!!

But you've still got to have one...

Any suggestions would be appreciated. My best customer commented on it
Friday..made an unfavorable comparison between an illegal immigrant
brick layer going down the highway with a load of bricks......

Do it on either end of the van, but put on a custom Class III/V
receiver hitch with the 'Side Tubes' like you were going to mount a
motorcycle rail carrier. (And install 'Slop Bolt' weld nuts on each
tube & hex bolts with the tips ground to a wadcutter bullet point to
clamp in whatever you've slid in.)

Then use one of the 'end' receiver tubes for the spare tire mount.
On the back you could rig it on the left (the side you open less
often) with a simple hinge swing-away arm so the door clears, but you
aren't putting all that weight on the door hinges.'

If you want to put the spare on the front, the only requirement is
that the tire and bracket comes off easily when you need to work on
the engine.

Cooling shouldn't be a huge problem if you leave a gap between
grille and tire - But some simple Plexiglas air dams on the sides of
the grille opening could more than fix that. Make any air that comes
through go into the grille rather than bleed off to the edges.

And the other side's 'side tube' receivers can also be used for pipe
carrier arms on the right side, or really tall ones to rig the pipes
over the roof...

The front receiver side tubes can easily be adapted for tow bar
points. But then you need something even bigger to tow it with...