Safety and Questions about setup


Ranger Kip

15+ Year Member

⭐Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
2,960
Points
3,101
City
Wellsboro
State - Country
PA - USA
Vehicle Year
2006
Vehicle
Ford Ranger
Drive
4WD
Engine
4.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Confused and Intolerant
How safe is the first generation Ranger? I couldn't find any test results, possibly (and kinda certain) that none were ever done.

As far as I saw after a brief inspection was this: No crunch zones, unsafe seatbelts, and overall death trap.

I was going to replace my seatbelts with something from an F150 or a newer Ranger. Has anybody done this? and how can you hook up the new seatbelt to the old wiring?

Also, I know I am 100% for airbags, but whats the next best idea, next to replacing the seat belt with something newer?

My idea was to reinforce the B-pillar with some black pipe or heavy tube steel. (making a roll-cage basically, just from one side of the cab, over the ceiling, and down the other side, and then back and down the C-pillar).

Or is all of this bullcrap and I should just drive asis and hope to god some miserable facktard doesn't pull out in front of me or side me good?
 
bumper like mine, rock sliders.... rear bumper (i don't have yet)... and exo cage.
 
Or is all of this bullcrap and I should just drive asis

^^This. You could also put a proper rollcage in if you so choose but not necessary for street driving, it would come in handy offroad though.
 
what 4.0 is say, pretty much make a mini tank and dont slow down. but i think the 1st gens are tough SOBs, i knew a guy who rearended a parked semitrailer at 55 ang got 3 brused (?) ribs, the steering wheel touched the seat
 
Its going to be more than me driving it, and I don't want anybody, especially a little girl that is very special to me... you get the rest. I want the truck save enough for children.
 
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Just drive it.
 
I rear ended an s10 with my gen 2 on an icy road (bad tires, bad weather, bad brakes... Great combo) and ended up with a dent in my bumper. The gen 1's and 2's I trust more than all this new airbag and seat belt stuff. I know what they do, and that they can save lives, but I don't want them. Just give me my Explorer and it's factory restraints and I'm happy.
 
My buddy walked away from this one....87 BII. It went over frontwards off of a 15 foot tall slope onto its roof. It hit hard enough to snap the frame above the rear wheels.

Safety and Questions about setup


Safety and Questions about setup
 
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Crash tests were done. They have been a requirement of the Federal government for decades. Just because you can't find the results doesn't mean they weren't out there at some point.

The Ranger's did pretty well for that time too. Going by 2011 standards, heck no it wouldn't pass, but it's 20 years old. Standards were different back then.

You just have to be a safe driver. I have never gotten hurt in a wreck in my truck because I've never wrecked my truck. Also, while I have hauled kids around in my Ranger, it is not by any stretch a kid-friendly vehicle dude. Wasn't designed to be, so no that isn't a design failure.

Also, airbags have gotten better, but they are still no good for kids or small people. Forget them. Seatbelts save lives, airbags break your face.
 
+1 adsm08 woulda asked you first, but you weren't online at 2am like me :icon_twisted:
 
Because I have a job.
 
The gen 1's and 2's I trust more than all this new airbag and seat belt stuff.

Yea, screw good seatbelts and airbags, screw saving lives and stuff! I'd rather hit my head on my steering wheel than hit that wussy airbag.

bumper like mine, rock sliders.... rear bumper (i don't have yet)... and exo cage.

I don't really think people grasp the concept of crumple zones. You can add a badass bumper and save your truck's body from damage but in turn, The energy will transfer to your frame and you! On that note, I need to build a badass bumper and I've got to go plate my frame (over the crumple zone) to reinforce for the addition of a steering box for the SAS. But at least I am informed. More stupid things have been done.
 
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I think they are like many older rigs. For low speed stuff they beat the tar out of a newer truck. Much over 15mph and things would get scary a lot faster.
 

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