prerunner build

fx2prerunner · Nov 2, 2008

after building a fun and cappible 2wd ranger its time to step it up, I have just bought a second truck for parts and planning on stripping it to the bare chasis and starting from scratch, the plan is to reuse my 5" procomp lift and my homemade radius arms, fiberglass fenders and boxsides from fiberwerx. The new truck will have a 302, full bumper to bumper roll cage, suspension seats. The new radiator, dual optima batteries and rci fuel cell will all be mounted where the inner box once called home. I am going to build a set of longer I beams from scratch and a better steering setup. My truck is currently on cardomain, just search for jonsyj to view, I have the tallent and the garage to do this build but I need help advice what has worked and failed for you? Let me know where you have gone wrong so I can avoid a costly mistake, and what should I look for in parts to make this build a success, I know this will take alot of time and moneybut the end result will be worth it, so PLEASE, any and all advice is needed

Ranger#1 · Nov 2, 2008

sounds hi class bet its gonna be verry fun to drive

bmxryder · Nov 2, 2008

haha basically what i wanna do but im just gonna end up buying long travel (one day) and i think "giantmotorsports.com" sells the brackets for the long travel seperate. i also think they sell the blueprints for stuff. you might wanna check them out

Hahnsb2 · Nov 2, 2008

My only input is EFI and a welded rear.

84projectFORD · Nov 3, 2008

sounds just like my build! haha im doin all that too but only doin the 4.0 V6 instead of the 302. might do that down the road though. if you reuse the drop brackets with your extended beams make sure you find some way to brace the bracket from folding back toward the cab. they will bend with all that leverage and a good jump.

What are you doin for rear suspension? I just picked up the Giant 64" leaf spring kit that is suppose to be just as good as a link kit.

fx2prerunner · Nov 3, 2008

thanks for the advice, if you looked at my truck you'll see that i kinda stole the designe for camburg's tranny x-member radius arms and i'm planning on copying their I beams as well, the only difference is im using coil sprinps instead of coilovers. With the right geometry my coils are good for 14" of travel the rear suspension is going to be a rough copy of giant motorsports leafspring kit with some minor differences, I live in newfoundland canada and shipping is very expensive so I tend to build instead of buy and the reward is greater also if it breaks im the only one to blame. I would love to go EFI but its going to have to be a aftermarket setup later down the road. for my rear end im going to rebuild a 9" and cut it to match the width of the front. I have access to a machine shop and a very talent machinist so nothing within budget is out of reach. im planning on stripping my parts truck to the bare chasis this weekend and sending it to the sandblasters, if I can find the time in my very busy schedual

Ranger#1 · Nov 3, 2008

fx2prerunner said:
so I tend to build instead of buy

sweeeeet

84projectFORD · Nov 3, 2008

fx2prerunner said:
if you looked at my truck you'll see that i kinda stole the designe for camburg's tranny x-member radius arms and i'm planning on copying their I beams as well, the only difference is im using coil sprinps instead of coilovers. With the right geometry my coils are good for 14" of travel the rear suspension is going to be a rough copy of giant motorsports leafspring kit with some minor differences

Oh i was talkin about the beam mount drop brackets, not the radius mounts as the five inch drop on the beam mount drop brackets is alot of leverge where the drop bracket meets the frame and will tend to bend that part of the frame or the bracket itself. Nice plan though! do yo uhave a complete plan on the rear as far as what type leafs you will use, brackets and what not?

fx2prerunner · Nov 4, 2008

from that info I will definatly brace the drop brackets, a bent bracket would definatly ruin a good day, my plan for the rear was simple, I am going to build the spring hangers and there is a local spring shop that has a lot of experience with off road applications, i have shown them pics of deaver and giantmotorsports leaf packs, and they are willing to build me a set for $450, i am planning on using bilstein 10" travel shocks with remote resovior, so now that you know my plan how can I improve it?

fx2prerunner · Nov 8, 2008

spent 4 hrs in the garage tonight and im down to a chasis with front and rear suspension and a gas tank, I plan to strip the chasis completely tomorrow, pics soon to come

fx2prerunner · Nov 22, 2008

so the chasis is stripped and ready to be sandblasted next weekend, but the big suprise was that my girlfriend bought me a early christmas gift behind my back, its a 302 and a c6 trans out of a 81 f150 with 112 000 kms(about 70 000 miles). definatly puts her in the lead for the best girlfriend in the world so now that I have all the big parts its time for me to get to work and start building something. finding the time is the only thing stopping me. more updates soon and hope to get some pics up soon

84projectFORD · Nov 23, 2008

man i wish my girlfriend knew motors and such so she could buy me things like that. you got a good one there

fx2prerunner · Dec 5, 2008

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2879150

new pics of the tear down, pics of the build up soon to come

Mutant Pony · Dec 5, 2008

The 302 in the front is going to be heavy. You want to move every possible thing to the back of the truck. You may even consider mounting the radiator to the cage in the box as many proffesional offroad trucks are.
What ever you do, don't give up because of a snag, there is a solution.

fx2prerunner · Dec 7, 2008

in my first post I said I was putting the radiator, the batteries, and a fuel cell in the rear of the truck, plus I am cutting out the inner fenders and the rad support, the fenders and grill will be attached to the engine cage, I think this will cut down enough weight to even it out

prerunner build

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