FORD RANGER IFS TO LONG-TRAVEL, TTB, OR SAS?

I have an '01 Ford Ranger with the 4x4 off-road package. The torsion bar front suspension sucks. I want to install a Twin-Traction Beam like what came from the factory on my '88 Bronco II. Is this possible with my truck having rack-and-pinion steering? What would fit? Maybe a frontend from a '00 Ford Explorer? I would like your expertise on this matter, please, because where I live no one knows.

- VERNE SIMONS

Great question. We understand why you are displeased with the torsion bar IFS front suspension on your Ranger. We are willing to bet that many folks have had the same thought about changing it out for the venerable TwinTraction Beam (TTB) suspension found on older Rangers, Explorers, Bronco Ils, F-150s, full-size Broncos, and more.

TTB is generally the sweetheart of offroaders who want to go fast in the desert, and it works pretty well for those of us who also like rock crawling and trail riding. Because of its popularity in go-fast off-road circles, TTB has been swapped under many trucks ... and even a few cars. So, the short answer is yes, this swap can be done on your Ranger.

But, and this is a fairly big but, your truck will need quite a bit of modification to do this swap correctly, and the parts from a '00 Explorer won't help (they are basically exactly what you already have). We're talking thousands of dollars of parts and custom fabrication, adding plating to the frame in certain areas, maybe grafting two frames together, extensive welding and more.

It would end up being a totally custom job, and that's not usually a good place to start for someone who is new at off-road fabrication. Many things will have to change, including, as you've noticed, the rack-and-pinion steering your truck currently has. You'd be better off swapping to a Saginaw-style steering box and building a single-swing steering system.