need to replace gear box

94 lngbd · Sep 28, 2008

I have a 94 Ranger & I was driving through a parking lot & all of a sudden a car came flying through & i had to turn shape to the left to avoid being hit & in the process I hit the concrete base that the pole lights in the parking are attached to. dented the front bumper ,but the gear box broke. The shaft from steering to gear box is fine & all lingage from pitmit arm to wheels are fine ,but wheel just spins freely from left to right.

What years of ranger gear box's will work in my 94 2wd ranger? Im assuming 84-97 ,but not 100% sure & what about 4wd gear box's?

Need to get this repaired ASAP.

metalmacguyver · Sep 28, 2008

The only difference was between power and manual steering boxes. No difference between 2 and 4wd boxes.

Swapping the box will consist of pulling the pitman arm, 3 bolts through the frame that hold the box in, PS lines and the pinch bolt on the steering shaft.

The box pretty much falls out after the 3 bolts.

Dont forget to propperly bleed the steering before starting the truck.

Use a big honking pickle fork to get the pitman arm off. It wont be easy with a puller. You may need both a puller and pickle fork. I needed a puller and a chisle that acted like a one sided pickle fork.

94 lngbd · Sep 29, 2008

so being that there aint any difference's between 2wd & 4wd .Im I correct about the years only being from 84-97 or does the newer 98 + work also?

metalmacguyver · Sep 29, 2008

98+ has a rack and pinion set up, no steering box.

Your two options are a JY box or a reman box. I would say put a reman box in there and have no worries IMHO.

94 lngbd · Sep 30, 2008

I located a used one on a 95 ranger off of Craigslist that got rearended & it only had 92,000 miles on it . Im able to get it for $35 & the engine & hood are already gone so it makes it very easy to get it off.

Thanks for the info

94 lngbd · Oct 1, 2008

Got it finished today & the steering wheel's off center by about 45 deg. The steering wheel cant be repositioned,the shaft connecting the column to the gear box can only go on one way due to the single flat spot on the box shaft. My only option to get the wheel centered again is to remove the pitman arm & reposition it . The pitman arm was never taken off the box from the donor truck.

Earl43P · Oct 1, 2008

If you are sure you are getting full left and right travel, an alignment shop (or you) could adjust the tie rods equal amounts in opposite directions to correct that.

I'd do circles (wheel turned to max) in an open parking lot to make sure first. If you are getting a smaller circle in one direction, move the Pitman arm. Your call.

2ranger87 · Oct 2, 2008

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the pitman shaft a master spline? (can only go on one way?)

engdept · Oct 2, 2008

2ranger87 said:
Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the pitman shaft a master spline? (can only go on one way?)

You are not wrong.

94 lngbd · Oct 2, 2008

I looked at an old pitman arm & it has 4 master splines on it so it can be set at 4 different positions,so maybe the arm is off by one position. I'll check it out on Saturday.

94 lngbd · Oct 2, 2008

was there a difference between the ratio's from any of the years ,on 2wd & 4wd or between std cab & ext cab trucks .The donor truck was a ext cab & mine is a std cab & it seems as if the turning radius in both directions is a smaller radius then it was with the stock gear box.

metalmacguyver · Oct 2, 2008

It is possible that something else was also damaged when you hit the pole. Possible part of the steering linkage.

Destroyer000 · Oct 2, 2008

DO NOT USE A PICKLE FORK! i broke mine trying a pickle fork.. use a pitman arm puller .. much easier an its the correct tool for the job..

metalmacguyver · Oct 2, 2008

Good advice!

94 lngbd · Oct 5, 2008

The only part of the truck that hit the pole was the front bumper,it only has about a dent the size of a cereal bowl in it on the lower passenger corner. I tried using a pitman arm puller that I got from Sears on the donor truck & the puller broke @ one of the 90 deg. corners of the fingers ,without the pitman arm coming off. They must really be seized on there or a cheap puller,but its a craftsman so i'll be able to take it back

need to replace gear box

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