weak links?


larsen101

larsen101

15+ Year Member

Joined
Jul 28, 2008
Messages
116
Points
3,101
City
San Jose, CA
Vehicle Year
1987
Transmission
Manual
so i have only taken my ranger off roading a few times and i was wondering other than the axiles what are some of the weak links for my 1987 ford ranger stx?
 
i kinda heard something about that. more the 5th gear right?
 
Just in general the mistu trannys weren't the greatest.
 
what kind of upgrade would be simple more to the point of cheap?
 
m5od-r1 tranny. they are almost always behind a 4.0. explorers have them. i have the same tranny as you, the fm 146 and i have had no probs with it. and i wheel it almost every weekend, but i dont beat the snot out of it. they will last if you are nice to them. i am going to swap to the m5od just so i know it can handle any thing realy. if you have auto huba get rid of them as fast as you can, they will leave you stuck when you need 4 wheel drive the most.
 
no i have manuel hubs and so far they have been good. i plan to swap the axles soon just not to sure when. do you know if its better to get the axles out of an explorer or mixed ranger/explorer? i was just going to get the dana 35 and the 8.8 from an explorer.
 
I'd have to agree with everybody else.

And like Mk said, if you have auto hubs get rid of them!!! They are pure crap in my opinion.
 
If you want direct bolt in, the front axle from any Ranger will go right in (not sure about driveshafts). But in the rear, only a Ranger 8.8 will bolt in. If you use an Explorer 8.8, you'll have to reverse the spring perches becuase Explorers are a spring under, not spring over, like Rangers.
 
i went and got explorer axles they are very commen around here. x2 on what dogboy said you are gunna have to do a spring over on the explorer 8.8. if you can get a hold of a welder its not hard at all.
 
it dont matter you could get a explorer d35 and ranger 8.8. they are all the same. except the spring over if you go with the ex 8.8.
 
Auto hubs do suck ass. The ones on my 88 have been locked in maybe...I dunno... 15 times since the truck was new...and they're broken. Never even been wheeled, just driven through some snow a few times.
 
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