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Run the Ranger or Keep the Jeep?


my80chevette

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Okay first off let me say that I own a 1988 Ranger and a !986 Jeep Cherokee. I however have come to the point where I have to decide which vehicle I will be putting my money and time into. I am a pizza delievery guy and have been using the Ranger for my del vehicle for the past few months and I love it. It has a 2.9 \5 speed and gets really good mileage. It is very bare bones with no power anything, even down to no radio or speakers. The ground clearance comes in handy on some of my runs down less than great country roads and driveways. It does however have a couple less than great points though. Traction, well it sucks on any hill that isn't dry blacktop. If I have to stop on a slightly steep gravel road or drive I will be spitting gravel everywhere to get moving again, or stuck and have to back down. This isnt only a pain it could be dangerous. Wet pavement can even cause problems!! Clutch Slave cylinder, needs replaced and that isnt cheap for a po boy like me. Of course theres also the fact that you can only fit one or maybe two other people in the cab if your lucky. My Ranger also has some other issues but they are not such that they can't be overlooked for now. This Ranger is a beater but I do like it. I would like to overcome its shortcomings and keep it both for its mileage and the fact that I like simple to work on vehicles.
The Jeep. I have actually owned the Cherokee for 4 years and drove it for 2 1/2 years. That is until the flywheel/torque convertor plate broke from loose engine to tranny bolts!! I like the old Jeep for its 4-wheel drive, passenger room and traction even when not in 4-wheel. The downfall of the Jeep however is it poor gas mileage. Its not even close with the 2.8 chevy v6 and torqueflite 3speed auto. Plus the Jeep needs the torque plate replaced and the engine/tranny put back together. The 2.8 is also not in the greatest of shape either.

So...... I am stuck trying to figure which of these beasts I should mess with. They both have problems, I like both but only have the time and money for one. How should I go on this? I know the general consensus will probably side with the running Ranger but I dont see how I am gonna make it safe enough to drive in the winter? HELP!!
 


fredneck

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put the jeep rears under you ranger add some lift and have some fun
 

ForOffRoadDriving

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put some weight in the bed of the ranger for traction, around 250-300 over the axle will get you through at least 6" of snow. the clutch and flywheel might be expensive, but its probably a more feasable job to pull a manual trans in your driveway than to try to pull an automatic trans and transfer case in your drive way. you can get a clutch kit for around $120 and a clutch slave for around $80. a tourque converter ($190) and flex plate ($160) are going to be more money and more work. plus you have to buy 3 times as much fluid to fill the auto back up versus the manual. go with the ranger and god will be on your side ( i HATE jeeps, if youve ever seen that sticker that says "its a jeep thing, you wouldnt understand", and you kinda dont know know what it means, sell that jeep or youll find out.)
 

Will

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What about the Chevette?

All solutions will require money. If I were a pizza delivery technician I would have a little tiny front wheel drive 4-cylinder--like I have. 35mpg in town will leave a lot more money in your pocket over the Ranger. The transmission in my Civic fits in the palm of your hand and weighs like 25#. A clutch job on it, which I did, requires no hard work. It's easier than a 2.9 water pump. And speaking of waterpumps, I did that yesterday on my Honda. It's about an hour of work and a $30 part--and the timing belt has to come off--so a timing belt is less than an hour once you know what you're doing. The brakes are tiny little things and my 9 year old son and 8 year old nephew did those for me.

I would get rid of both of those things and get something like what I have. Cheap to drive; cheap to own; cheap to repair. And the front wheel drive is better than a 2wd Ranger on a steep gravel road.
 

dogboy

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What about the Chevette?

All solutions will require money. If I were a pizza delivery technician I would have a little tiny front wheel drive 4-cylinder--like I have. 35mpg in town will leave a lot more money in your pocket over the Ranger. The transmission in my Civic fits in the palm of your hand and weighs like 25#. A clutch job on it, which I did, requires no hard work. It's easier than a 2.9 water pump. And speaking of waterpumps, I did that yesterday on my Honda. It's about an hour of work and a $30 part--and the timing belt has to come off--so a timing belt is less than an hour once you know what you're doing. The brakes are tiny little things and my 9 year old son and 8 year old nephew did those for me.

I would get rid of both of those things and get something like what I have. Cheap to drive; cheap to own; cheap to repair. And the front wheel drive is better than a 2wd Ranger on a steep gravel road.
I would do this too, but the only problem is, he says he needs the ground clearance for the dirt roads, and driveways. Solution-- LIFT A HONDA!! You'd be the coolest kid in town! haha. You could put a sticker on the back that says "rice eater", because you would just drive over the rest of the imports!

But in all seriousness, I would keep the Ranger and sell the Jeep.
I don't know where you would find a clutch for 120 bucks (I payed 275 for a clutch/ slave cylinder kit, at NAPA), but that is an easier job in my opinion, and with some weight over the rear axle, I think it would have the same traction as the Jeep.

One question though, is the Ranger 4wd? (maybe I missed that part)
 

my80chevette

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Thanks for everyones input! The Ranger is 2wd and yes I definately need the ground clearance. I have a little ford Aspire that I used to drive but it is about beat to death now and will need major money to get back up and running. The roads and driveways are really not small car friendly at times around here. Not to mention all the farm trucks and equipment scare me to death in my tiny car. The Ranger pulls nearly 30mpg being as bare as it is and I am within 4mpg of my Aspire. Hate the aspires handling though and tin can feel. Believe it or not I had a Festiva at one time and loved it. Felt much more solid for some reason. Maybe a limited slip rear would help the Ranger get up those crappy drives? If I could find a factory unit at the Pic and pull I might be able to get it cheap. Thanks again for any input guys!!
 

my80chevette

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By the way the chevette sold several years ago when the shock towers go rusty and I was on my third engine. Like that car alot too!!
 

my80chevette

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So almost all the used rears around here are from later models......How hard is it and what are the differences to install one of them in my early Ranger? They all look beefier than the one I have now!!
 

dennis461

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Too bad you are in Indiana, I have a 7.5" limited slip 410 differential sittting in my back yard.
Put a heavy duty steel bumper on the rear, four concete blocks clamped down in the bed (not hollow cinder blocks).

The 4x4 jeep will cost more to maintain than a 4x2 Ranger, simply because it has more parts.
 

FordMan016

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Remember ladies love a pick-up man... but you choose i like my trucks more than anything
 

my80chevette

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Too bad you are in Indiana, I have a 7.5" limited slip 410 differential sittting in my back yard.
Put a heavy duty steel bumper on the rear, four concete blocks clamped down in the bed (not hollow cinder blocks).

The 4x4 jeep will cost more to maintain than a 4x2 Ranger, simply because it has more parts.
Actually I am in eastern Ohio but its still a couple states away. That really does suck though as I have a open 7.5 with 4.10 gears and that would be the perfect replacement. Figures that it would be forever away!!

By the way I am gonna go ahead and keep the Ranger. The Jeep would take a larger v6 like a 3.8 or a v8 to make it really work, it would probably get the same mileage as the overworked 2.8. Plus the parts are a bit cheaper for the Ranger than the Cherokee. Thanks for all the advice and now that I am keeping the Ranger I hope everyone will help me make this Ranger a fun and safe truck!! :yahoo:
 

ForOffRoadDriving

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you can get a new SACHS clutch kit (new pilot bearing, throwout bearing, pressure plate, friction disc, and alignment tool) for $125, but it doesnt come with a slave cylinder, which is why yours was so much more.
 

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