engine swap in 1988 ford ranger xlt 4x4 from 2.9 v6 to 5.0 h.o.?

in the process of swapping out the 2.9 v-6 to a 5.0 h.o. in my 88 ranger i know it can be done the question i have about the front coil springs there is only an 85lb weight difference between the 2 engines if needed will the coil springs from an 88 f-150 4x4 fit or should i look for an aftermarket set of springs that are stronger made especially for the ranger v-8 swap not being mean but i need and expert opinion on this ive just about found everything i need for the swap except the springs and the aftermarket cowl induction hood and headers

The suspension depends on what you plan on doing with the truck. If you plan on taking it off-road like I do, Its best to invest in a new suspension. Those off a full size truck are a different size, they won't fit without doing a little bit of custom fabrication. That and they are meant to have more weight applied to them since the F-series is a heavier truck. But one thing is for sure, what type of tranny do you have in it? The T5 from a mustang will fit perfectly. If you rebuild the one you have with stronger gears and such, and change the bell housing, it would work. And your rear end, it may not be strong enough for the torque being applied, since it is set for a much smaller engine. I ran into those problems when I swapped the factory 2.3 turbo in my old mustang for a 302.

For your ordering, I recommend <a href="http://www.summitracing.com/">Summit Racing</a> or <a href="http://www.jegs.com/">Jeggs</a>. But there are many others out there too. just Google it