Roush Ford Ranger Handling Kit

Installation Instructions

Applications: Ford Ranger (all models) 1998-2004

Before installing your Roush Performance Product(s), read through the entire installation procedure and check to make sure all the items are present. 

Equipment Required

• 1/2” or 3/8" Ratchet

• 15mm Socket (Deep)

• 16mm Socket (Deep)

• 18mm Socket (Deep)

• 15mm combination wrench

• 18mm combination wrench

• Torque Wrench

   Installation Precautions 

1.  Place ignition switch in the OFF position.

2.  Always apply the parking brake when working on a vehicle.

3.  Block the front and rear tire surface to prevent unexpected vehicle movement.

4. Operate the engine only in well-ventilated areas to avoid exposure to carbon monoxide.

5. Do not smoke or use flammable items near or around the fuel system.

6. Use chemicals and cleaners in well-ventilated areas

7. Batteries produce explosive gases, which can cause personal injury. Therefore, do not allow flames, sparks or flammable substances to come near the battery

8. Keeps hands and any other objects away from the radiator fan blades

9. Keep yourself and your clothing away from moving parts when the engine is running.

10. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry that can get caught in rotating parts or scratch surface finishes

Stock Front Sway Bar Removal 

1.      Remove the sway bar from the sway bar links by removing the 16mm bolts that run through the sway bar link while using a 15mm wrench on the bottom to hold the bottom nut.  See Figure 1.

1.      Unbolt the sway bar bushing brackets while holding the stock sway bar and bushings to the frame.  See Figure 2.

Installation of New Front Sway Bar 

1.      Install sway bar bushings onto new sway bar.

2.      Install sway bar bushing brackets onto sway bar and install onto frame.  Tighten bolts to 40-55N-m(30-41 Ft-lb)

3.      Reinstall old bolts and nuts for sway bar links.  Torque to 21-29 N-m(15-22 Ft-lb).

All the parts, minus one rear sway link that was installed to see if it would clear the gas tank.	Figure 1                 Top of front sway bar. Remove this long bolt.	Figure 2               These brackets hold the sway bar to the frame
The new front sway bar (below), and the stock sway bar

On most Ranger 2wd XL and XLT's there is no factory rear sway bar. If your truck has a factory rear sway bar, then it will be identical to the one supplied in the Roush kit. There is no benefit to replacing the stock rear sway bar if your truck already has it.

Installation of New Rear Sway Bar 

1.      Install sway bar links.  Using the smallest holes in the frame located right under bed support.  Torque to 21-29 N-m(15-22 Ft-lb).  Note: Uses silver locking nuts, wait until bolt is snug before being torqued to spec.  See Figures 3 & 4. 

Figure 3                  Shows the proper mount holes for the Right side sway link	Figure 4                 Shows the proper mount for the Left side sway link.	The left sway link is hard to install due to the gas tank location. Since a socket would not work here; I used a box wrench and estimated the torque
The right sway link has plenty of room to use a torque wrench. Leave both links hanging straight down

2.      Install rear sway bar over the center of the axle.  Install sway bar bushing brackets over sway bar bushings.  Note: It may be easier to have an assistant during this process to hold the sway bar in position while you tighten it up.

3.      The right hand stamped bracket is different than the left hand stamped bracket.  The right hand side is made so that one side with the larger radius will sit on the center axle housing and the other side will sit on the axle tube.  See Figure 5.

4.      Install LH bracket that it will just sit on the axle tube.

Figure 5                 The right bracket clamps over the tube and part of the central axle housing

The left bracket attaches on the axle tube, and has a smaller radius on the stamped bracket

Close up of left rear sway bar bracket to show how the parts are assembled

5. Position the brackets so that the cast bottom brackets align along the same angle as the RH side shock axle bracket.  See Figure 6.
    
6. Tighten the two bolts on each bracket evenly so that one doesn’t protrude more than the other out of the cast bracket.  Torque them to 47-63 N-m(35-46 Ft-lb).   Once completed, looking at the axle from the rear the sway bar should look like Figure 7.

Figure 6                 The right bracket should have the same angle as the shock bracket.

You need to align the sway bar stamped brackets to approximate the angle of the shock brackets

Both sway bar brackets should be aligned to the same angle. Verify this by looking at both from the back

Here's a large version of Figure 7, so you can see how to align the sway bar brackets.

7.      Install the sway bar link bolts and nuts.  Install them so that the head of the bolt faces inboard of the vehicle and the nut is facing the leaf spring.  Before tightening completely move sway bar through its full range to make sure it will clear shocks and brackets.  See Pictures below.  Torque to 21-29 N-m (15-22 Ft-lb).

That's it, all done. After installation is complete, double-check that all fasteners are installed securely.

Please Visit my sponsors: