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From A Short bed to Long bed?


L34k3d

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I have 3 Rangers;
My 1998 Ranger XLT 4.0L V6 (extended cab/short bed long frame):
I got my truck 6 years ago. My mileage is around 220,000. My bed was damaged by a stop sign four and a half years ago. The Sign got between the cab and the bed on the passenger side and pried the bottom corner up. This folded the bed just a bit and caused an outward jut just in front of the wheel well. She still runs beautifully.

My 2002 Ranger Edge (regular cab/flareside short bed short frame):
My grandfather got this truck approximately 4 years ago. He his minor cosmetic damages repaired more often the he changed his oil. He Died from Lung Cancer October last year. I inherited his truck after he passed. The trucks transmission died a few months later.

Dad's 2000 ranger (regular cab/long bed long frame):
My dad’s boss (long time friend of the family) had the transmission replaced in the truck. The truck was I believe the truck was running dangerously hot and ignored which caused the engine seized up (I may be mistaken about that) after that the engine completely seized up. The company had no intent to replace the seized engine, so dad asked if he could have it for the transmission.

We have already taken out the transmission out of the 00 ranger. I have also taken out the bolts for the bed and taken it off the frame.

So far from what I can tell and from all the research I have done thus far my 98 Ranger was built on the same frame length frame as the 00. The wheel wells are located the center of both the 6 and 7 foot beds. After I rejected my dad’s ideas to;
  1. Cut around the wheel wells, then cut the long bed into sections piece it together and then weld it.
  2. trim a bit at the front of the bed so the wheel wells line up with the tires. (Probably his best idea)
  3. Cut my frame to insert an extender in the middle of the frame then weld it. :badidea:

After his last idea I started asking other people for ideas. While searching the internet I and finding long to shot bed more often then any thing else I did stumble upon a CAD drawing from a company in Boston:

rangerframefix.com said:
http://rangerframefix.com/images/frameconv118.jpg
$150 - 1 Pair of 6ft to 7ft
Bed Conversion C-channels:
Fits '93-'07 Ford Ranger and
Mazda B Series Trucks.
Allows the Installation of a
7ft Bed on a 6ft Bed Frame
*Currently out of Stock*
Personally I am not sure if they have actually fabricated these yet. I was going to attempt to fabricate them myself. But before I do I want to make sure I have a better understanding of how I should do it and make sure I am on the right track. And quite possibly actually take pictures and what not of the steps as I do this.
Once the frame is extended, the rear bumper is reattached, and the rear axle is moved. I am pretty sure I am going to need to get a longer drives haft or an extension kit for it.

Is the idea of using an extension kit with a drive shaft a good idea? Does anyone have any ideas where I might find one of the two? After extending or swapping the drive shaft (besides rewiring, replacing hoses, drilling new holes to mount the long bed down) will I need to modify/change anything else?
 
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Sunk

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I think the frames are actually close to the same length, but different. Lucky for you, on 98+ trucks are joined at the front (I think) leaf spring hanger with 4 rivets. You can swap the frame and bed along with the necessary wiring and fuel lines etc...
 

Will

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I don't see the point of going to all this trouble to build something that already exists. When you are done you can proudly display your longbed Ranger, which looks exactly like every other longbed Ranger in the Piggly-Wiggly parking lot. I'd take a deep breath and forget about it.
 

L34k3d

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Thank you so much thats awsome to hear. Because my rear differential started grinding on my way home yesterday. It has been leaking for quite some time and I forgot about it. Out of site out of mind... till its to late usually the other ranger's back half is still perfect so i was hoping it wouldn't be a little easier so to speak. Also taking out the 6 bolts on the bed was so much easier on the 98 then the 2000 lol i got all the wiring and hoses off with very little effort as well. I now have 12 bolts and removed 2 beds. But we broke my dads "Ratty Tat tat gun" (impact driver) on the 2000's bed bolts and broke 2 Cheap t-55 bits.

So will I need to something special for the Drive Shaft?

I don't see the point of going to all this trouble to build something that already exists. When you are done you can proudly display your longbed Ranger, which looks exactly like every other longbed Ranger in the Piggly-Wiggly parking lot. I'd take a deep breath and forget about it.
My 98 Has the supercab and the a short bed. my short bed has been damaged which I could live with. But we got another ranger to for parts with a long bed all my dad only intended on dropping its recently replaced transmission and get rid of the rest. I talked him out of that though.
 
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bobbywalter

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yeah....supercab long bed.....


do it, get it done.
 

RavoHimself

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I don't see the point of going to all this trouble to build something that already exists. When you are done you can proudly display your longbed Ranger, which looks exactly like every other longbed Ranger in the Piggly-Wiggly parking lot. I'd take a deep breath and forget about it.
hes talking about building an ex cab long bed. ive never seen a ranger like that before.
 

Will

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ah...I missed that bit. I'm for it. DaveR built that and I think there is stuff on the tech pages.

I would extend a Ranger frame without hesitation. There is nothing special about the steel. Weld away to your hearts content and use big diamond-shaped patches to back it up.
 

L34k3d

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I think the frames are actually close to the same length, but different. Lucky for you, on 98+ trucks are joined at the front (I think) leaf spring hanger with 4 rivets. You can swap the frame and bed along with the necessary wiring and fuel lines etc...
I went to double check and yes both frames have rivets in front of the leaf springs as you said. (4 on the side and 2 on the top 2 on the bottom)
The long Bed's rear frame was roughly 13 inches shy of 7 foot.
The frame under the short bed was roughly 7 inches shy of 6 foot.

But the fuel hose on 2000 the frame was cut when my uncle got frustrated while we removed the bed from the frame back in September 2010. The hose wasn't unclipping right so he cut it closer to the tank. As far as my 98 Ranger, every thing is still in working order.

After I mod the bed and adjust the wheel well, what should I do with my drive shaft. If my math is correct this creates a 6 inch gap between my drive shaft and the rear differential.

DaveR built that and I think there is stuff on the tech pages.
I was looking through the tech pages and all over the forum. and to me it seems like everybody asks about swapping to the short bed. It also seems like most people don't want the hassle of modifying their vehicles to this extent as well. and like Ravo said I had never really seen an extended cab with a long bed on a Ranger. After I proved to my dad the bed wouldn't fit I had actually liked it so much that I wanted to make it fit. seems like any time i go to help some one I need a bigger bed, then again I did have a small tool box in it.
 
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L34k3d

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After three days of experimenting on knocking out my rivets. We finished lining up and extending the rear frame. After I had the frames both halves lined up and welded back together. It looks awesome so far, we did some math to make sure the bed bolts lined back up before welding it.

Ill post some pictures of the frame process thus far when I get back to the house later.

Does any one know of a way to extend my drive shaft, The one that was stock on my 98 is longer then the one that came out of the 2000 ranger. My original drive shaft was aluminum. A friend of mine said something about cutting it and extending it to fit. I was wondering if there is an easier safer way to go about extending it.
 

c1skout

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You'll need to find a shop in your area that builds driveshafts and have them make one up for you. You can have one cut that is too long, but you can't make one longer by extending it. You may find one from a different ford product in a junkyard that is longer than you need that has the correct ends, then have the driveline shop cut that one.
 

Rose2300

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killj0y

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Holy thread revival! Did he ever finish? sounded like all he needed was a longer driveshaft. That would have between easy enough if he had a shop make one.
 

L34k3d

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Status update: Rebuilt now *minor* tweaks?

I did finish converting the extending the frame, I had 4.5" added to the overall length of my original aluminum driveshaft and I mounted the longer bed to the new franken-frame flawlessly. I am now having an issue where my transmission is leaking from the yoke area. (It got worse after placing the bed on the frame.) I believe by adding 6 inches to the length of the frame I may have miscalculated the amount I needed to add on the drive shaft and that is why it is leaking. The day I mounted the bed on the truck I drove a good 30 miles and it died on me, plus I saw fluid (that turned out to be power steering fluid from slightly overfilling it) on the inside of the driver side hood and the engine compartment. (I opened the radiator and it was empty) It appears that the coolant is leaking from some where around the serpentine. I hope its a bad seal on the thermostat. (I don't remember it reading hot while I was driving it.)

All of these problems (and my dad passing last October) have caused me to lose quite a bit of umph. I haven't given up completely on it yet though.

I have currently misplaced the SD card with all of my pictures but I am looking for it.

--Edit after "Thorough" inspection of driveshaft/transmission--

I just crawled under my ranger and I think I may have figured out why the transmission was leaking majorly.



I found the seal sitting right there on the driveshaft's yoke.
 
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98Ranger04Mach

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Truck bed size

Hey,

I have been reading your posts here about the truck bed changes and how your got it working.

I have a sort of similar thing going on, except its not an extended Cab, just a regular cab, but I bought a 7ft bed. I have a crushed 6ft that i want to take off the 98 ranger, but ended up buying a 7ft bed which thought would fit. someone told me flat out no, didnt really help me much with "if you do this or that" when I read your info. I couldnt really get if my regular cab 98 ranger needed something done to the frame in order to add the 7ft or what? I know this threat is a slight out dated, but im also curious how your project went and if you have a pictur of the truck with the extended bed. thanks!
 

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