• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

So I'm thinking about building a 4x4.


ToyTruck

New Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
Over the years, I've acquired a virtual junkyard of parts and pieces. I've decided that I'm going to build myself a 4x4 out of them and I thought I would ask around a bit and see what path others think I should follow.


First, a list of available equipment.

1 1973 Dodge 1-ton chassis
1 1985 (?) Ranger chassis with cab and hood, no bed.
1 Ford 302 - ran (poorly) when pulled
1 Dodge 318 - runs pretty good
1 C4 Auto - don't remember its condition, but it looks fairly clean.
1 A727 Auto with Gear Vendors tail
1 Ford transfer case - indeterminate model, just remember that it came out of some Ford or other...F-150 I think.
2 Ford 9" axles
2 Mopar axles...model 30
2 Rockwell 2.5 Ton axles - one has pinion brakes
1 Rockwell 2.5 Ton transfer case
1 Dana 70
1 right MANLY assortment of springs, both coil and leaf.

I think the obvious thing is to use the Rockwell Axles and transfer case. So then the questions are:

A) What chassis? Full size dodge or Ranger
B) What Engine/Tranny?
C) Should I rebuild/reuse the Ford transfer case as a doubler?

Whatcha think?
 


BlackBII

Ranger Custom
Article Contributor
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
Truck of Month
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
7,895
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
UT
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
5
Tire Size
33
Ranger+302+c4+doubler+rockwells+44" Boggers=OneBadAssMoFo!

I'd stick with the ranger, less weight, smaller on the trails is sometimes nice...
 

krugford

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
733
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Age
41
Location
Iowa
Vehicle Year
2003
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Automatic
I'd go with the Ranger. No bed just makes it easier to cage the rear! There's a slight difference between the rockwells and the 9 inchers. How big do you want to go? Have Rockwells, will travel.
 

metalmacguyver

Yeah, I built that.
OTOTM Winner
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Messages
3,814
Reaction score
11
Points
38
Age
36
Location
Plymouth MA home, Buzzards Bay MA
Vehicle Year
1997, 1994
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0, 7.3
Transmission
Manual
a friend and i were just thinking about rocks under a ranger frame.

my first thought would be ranger cab on the beefier 1 ton frame with rocks underneath and coils. then build that 302 for some decent power. i really dont know enough to build this. just throwing that idea out there.
 

ToyTruck

New Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
The dodge chassis is just that...a chassis. It used to be a 24' Class C motor home. I've thought of grafting the Ranger body onto the heftier frame and then bobbing that frame....a LOT. Problem here is that I don't think I trust my fabrication skills with my life. I'd basically be betting my life and safety on my ability to fabricate body mounts and such that will hold up to the abuse of rocks, trees, mud and everything else and still be crashworthy should something BAD happen.

The other option would be to use the lighter Ranger frame, but I think the axles alone probably out mass that. Thus the question.

As for the motor..how much power and torque can a 302 make and still be rock-solid reliable? I know that the 318 can get right with the program and I assume the 302 can also. Just don't know enough about it. How much power is "decent power" for a 302? For that matter, if I max out a 302 will the C4 survive behind it? Would it be worth while to come up with some sort of adapter plate to mate up the heavier(?) A727? I figure the rig will have to have some sort of trans cooler either way. It'll also get remote oil cooling and filtration.

Axles...I may also be able to acquire...get this... a complete set of Clark Planetaries. 2:1 reduction at the wheels! I'm thinking I'll also have to convert the one axle over to pinion brakes so that I'll have a matched set.

Transfer case: Any ideas what it could be? I believe its from a mid- to late-80's F-150. I'll have to go clean it up to see if I can find casting numbers or something.

Tires: I have neither wheels nor tires for this application, so my thought is to go hit up some of the military wrecking yards here and maybe see about scoring a set of wheels with Michelin XMLs mounted up. I will probably look for something in about the 44x12.5 range.

It will have to be road legal, as I don't have anything hefty enough to tow it to the trail. Won't be a daily driver, though (obviously). I figure if I build it stoutly enough, it won't break...because I HATE doing repairs. I'd rather mod things than fix them. :)
 

metalmacguyver

Yeah, I built that.
OTOTM Winner
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Messages
3,814
Reaction score
11
Points
38
Age
36
Location
Plymouth MA home, Buzzards Bay MA
Vehicle Year
1997, 1994
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0, 7.3
Transmission
Manual
so basically you have the 1ton frame but not the confidence in your fab skills to use it.

if you arent confident enough to weld body mounts and shorten up the frame, then i dont really see how you could have the confidence to fab everything else that needs to be fabbed to make this project happen.

either learn how to weld really good or dont do it.
 

krugford

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
733
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Age
41
Location
Iowa
Vehicle Year
2003
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Automatic
Doing anything other than stock axles is going to take more confidence in your fab skills than worrying about body mounts, especially for the Rockwells.
 

ToyTruck

New Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
I didn't say it was a rational fear. :) I've helped put Rockwells into rigs for other people...just never done a body swap like this.

I went out and looked at it some more yesterday. I'd have to measure it out, but I think the Ranger body will sit on that larger frame just fine, but the tailshaft of the tranny will be either right at the back wall of the cab or just slightly ahead of it. That puts the transfer case entirely behind the cab. Ought to be fun building a linkage for that. For that matter, I haven't worked out exactly how I'm going to go about setting up a shift linkage for an A727 either. Oh well. One thing at a time.

It also occured that such a beast would need a name.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top