How to Lift a Ford Ranger with a Lift Kit

Installing a lift kit on a Ford Ranger does not have to be difficult and can really improve your ride and look.

So, there you are driving down the road in your shiny Ford Ranger and another truck passes you. You look to your left to get a look at the pickup, but all you can see is undercarriage and huge humming off road tires. You look up and there is the driver’s passenger looking down on you with a smug grin and you think to yourself “this sucks, why haven’t I lifted my Ranger yet with a lift kit?”

It’s Far Easier than You May Think

What can you do to get yourself on an even keel, so this type of roadway social fopa doesn’t happen to you again? How can you be the guy with the smug grin when you pass other truck owners in traffic? Its simple, get a Ford Ranger truck lift kit installed in your iron carriage, it is now much easier then you may think.

A Wide Choice of Truck Lift Kit Styles

Truck lift kits now come in a wide choice of styles. In fact, you can now buy a kit that is so simple to install that you can do the installation work yourself in your driveway in one afternoon! How does that sound, great right?

Simple and Easy to Install

Of course, we are talking about a basic lift kit that would enable you to do light off roading, but if you have something more extravagant in mind, or really want to tower above fellow truckers you are going to want to go for a beefier lift kit.

The video below shows a Wulf suspension lift being installed on a 1999 Ford Ranger.

No Ford Truck Lift Kit – No Off Road Tires!

Don’t even think about getting large off road tires fitted without lifting your pickup first. If you do, you will end up with tires that rub on the inside of your wheel wells, which will drive you nuts. Even smaller off road tires will rub when you go over speed bumps and make sharp turns.

Super Selection and Deals Galore

The good news is that you are no longer at the mercy of high priced specialty truck and off road shops. You can easily find a huge assortment of Ford Ranger truck lift kits online at really competitive prices, so there is no excuse not to lift your ride.

Ford Ranger 2 Inch Lift Kit

RTZ 1998-2013 Ford Ranger Pickup Full Lift Kit Adjustable 1-3″ Front Lifted Torsion Keyways + Adjustable Rear 1-2″ Lift Shackles + Set of Doestch Tech Premium Nitrogen Gas Charged Shocks 6 Cylinder Motor 4wd More Details

Ford Ranger 2.5 Inch Lift Kit

RTZ – Ford Ranger 2WD 1998-2013 Full Lift Kit 2.5″ Front Lift Coil Springs + Adjustable Rear 1-2″ Lift Shackles + Set of RTZ Primo Nitrogen Gas Charged Shocks 6 Cylinder Motor 2WD More Details

Ford Ranger 3 Inch Lift Kit

WULF 1998-2011 Ford Ranger 3″ Front 2″ Rear Lift Leveling Kit w/Extended Shocks + Shackles 4X4 4WD Torsion Bar Suspensions More Details

WULF 1998-2012 Ford Ranger 3″ Front 2″ Rear Lift Kit – Adjustable Leveling Suspension More Details

Performance Accessories Ford Ranger/Mazda B Including Edge 2001-2011 (Manual Trans Req 3700) 3″ Body Lift Kit, PA70033 More Details

Performance Accessories (883) Ford Ranger 1998-2000 Body Lift Kit for Ford Ranger More Details

Ford Ranger 4 Inch Lift Kit

MaxTrac K883032 Ford Ranger 1998-2010 2wd 4″ Lift Kit More Details	RTZ – Ford Ranger 2008-2013 Pickup Full Lift Kit 4″ Front Lift Iron Spindles + Adjustable Rear 1-2″ Lift Shackles + Set of Doestch Tech Premium Nitrogen Gas Charged Shocks 6 Cylinder Motor 4WD More Details	Rough Country 430.20 – Ford Ranger 1983-1997 4WD -4-inch Suspension Lift Kit w/Premium N2.0 Shocks More Details
Ford Ranger 4×2 Truck 4″ Front Spindles 2″ Rear Shackles Lift Kit More Details	Rough Country 515.20 Ford Ranger 2WD 1983-1997 – 4-inch Suspension Lift Kit w/Premium N2.0 Shocks More Details

Ford F150 Lift Kits

Rough Country – 528.20-3-inch Suspension Leveling Lift Kit w/Premium N2.0 Shocks for Ford: 97-03 F150 2WD, 04-04 F150 Heritage 2WD More Details

Rough Country 599S Ford F150 2009-2010 – 4-inch Suspension Lift Kit w/ Performance 2.2 Shocks More Details

BDS 1511H Ford F150 2010-13 Raptor 4in System Suspension Kit More Details

BDS 573F Ford F150 2009-2012 4wd 6in w/Fox Coilovers Suspension Kit More Details

Ford Ranger Lift Kit Buyers Guide

Which type of lift is best for your truck?  Do I really need one?  What about my tow hitch, do I need to do anything to still use that for my boat trailer?  Should I replace my sway bars and track bars?  These are all great questions and things you should consider before buying a Ford Ranger lift kit.  We hope this guide helps you find the right kit for your pickup truck and we would love to see some pictures once you are done!

Which Lift Type?

So, you’ve made the decision to lift your truck, but there are so many options, how do you know which one is right for you and your vehicle?

Body Lift or a Suspension Lift, What is the Difference?

Body Lift

A body lift lifts only the body from the frame using blocks or spacers.  It is generally a 1″, 2″, or 3″ lift and is less expensive  than a suspension lift.  It does not increase ground clearance but keeps the center of gravity lower than a suspension lift.  The lifted body raises the wheel well and allows for slightly larger tires.  I would recommend this kit to someone who wants the lifted look but doesn’t plan on doing a lot of off-roading and wants to save some money.

This video shows you step by step how to install a body lift with spacers or blocks.

Suspension Lift

A suspension lift is generally preferred by offroaders because it offers better handling and ground clearance.  You can get a suspension lift as high as 18 inches.  Steering stabilizers are usually needed as well as brake-line extensions with the higher lifts.  This type of lift raises the suspension of your vehicle by replacing the front and rear leaf springs and shocks.  Springs are used to raise the frame, body, engine, and power train above the wheels.  This allows for much larger tires.

What a Truck Lift Can Do to Your Pickup Truck

Truck enthusiasts define truck lifts as a system that uses springs to raise a vehicle. The simple process involves heightening or suspending the power train of the wheel, frame and body of the vehicle to a desired height to improve offload performance or create ‘the look’.

Generally speaking, most folk want to lift their truck to add some comfort to the ride when offloading, others to make it look good.  There is nothing wrong with making your pickup truck look awesome, at Pickup Truck World, we love a good raised truck both for off-road and for cruising down the highway.

Truck enthusiasts definitely want to make heads turn. They monster-size their rigs with a beefy truck lift kit for imposing style and impressive handling.

If you intend doing any serious off-roading, you will want to raise your ride with a lift kit, specifically designed for your specific Ford Ranger pickup truck.

By simply lifting your truck, you will obviously gain additional ground clearance, which means that the underside of your truck is protected from sharp rocks, inclines, and anything else in your path (obviously within reason!).

If you have ever heard that scraping sound as you have bottomed out either going up a steep driveway or having some off road fun, you will have cringed wondering what damage you have caused to your vehicle.  Even a small lift to your truck will make all the difference and perhaps save your oil sump!  With the perfect lift kit, you’re free to tackle even the toughest trails.

Suspension upgrades gain you clearance for bigger tires, control for adverse terrain, and stronger parts to handle the abuse of real-world off-roading. Unfortunately, lift kits are also complicated systems, so be careful, and be sure to choose a system which is well engineered for safety and performance. Also remember, if you intend to install this yourself, you need to find a kit which is easy to install.

Do Not Forget Your Tow Hitch!

Don’t forget that by changing the height of your pickup truck, it can effect how you use it in the future.  For instance, adding a lift kit and larger than stock wheels and tires can affect the vehicle’s tow hitch. You may now need a new rear bumper because of the change in ride height. Also, in some extreme cases, the trailer tongue can’t even reach the hitch. With long trailers, such as a four-horse stock trailer or a boat trailer, you may be able to mate trailer and hitch, but the trailer angle from front to back could be enough to cause the trailer to scrape the rear end on the road.

With factors like these to consider, you need to put some thought into the height you want to lift your truck and what you use it for now and plan to use it for in the future!

Truck Lift Kits | Sway Bars & Track Bars

Truck lift kits can give your 4X4 or 2WD vehicle an off-road look to complement your style. But, for the best rough country experience, additional off-road truck parts including beefier 4X4 wheels & tires, variable rate coils and brake upgrades can add value to your ride.

• Suspension Lift Kits – If you are a serious off roader, you will want to use a suspension lift kit to improve your 4X4’s maneuverability. If you are only trying to increase your 4X4 wheels & tire size, an less expensive body lift kit may do.
• Body Lift Kits – If you only need a couple of inches of wheel well clearance for larger 4X4 wheels and tires, an inexpensive body lift kit may be the right truck lift kit.
• Body Lowering Kits – If looking to add high performance low-profile street wheels and tires to your sports truck or SUV, suspension lowering parts and kits designed to enhance the low-rider appearance and road performance are what you are looking for.
• Sway Bars & Track Bars – Once you’ve equipped your truck with a lift kit, sway bars and track bars are useful parts to fine tune the handling of your truck, jeep or SUV for on and off-road driving.

Tire Fitment Guide

So you have lifted your truck, what size tires should you buy?  The below table should help you make the right choice for your pickup truck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question – Why is rear height of my truck lower than the front?

Answer – Most pickup trucks come out of the factory with the rear a couple of inches higher when empty than the front.  The reason for this is so your trucks rear end is not too low when fully loaded.

If you are lifting your truck, you will be more concerned with performance, tire clearance and how your pickup looks.  Having a level suspension will improve handling when not carrying a load as the unladen weight distribution is generally better when levelled out front to back.

Note – most kits give you the option of altering rear lift height and / or method.