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My backyard build (56K warning)


dude772

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To start this off, i want to say that spite is a fantastic modivator. If someone tells you that you cant do something or shouldn't, doesn't mean you can try.

So I started this about a year ago by taking the body off the frame. Which was easier teh second time after doing a body lift. The box was easy, lift it off by hand. The cab however was a little tricky. I used 4x4s between the cab and frame, used several combanations of jack stands and jacks to get it high enough to clear the engine. I ended up building a jackable stand out of a rim, angle iron, and a old bumper jack.

Then i left it alone cause this is canada and it gets cold and snowy in the winter. When spring came i got to work.

First I took out the rad support. I used and air chissel with a flat blade and broke all the spot welds. Took the old on out laid it on the floor, put the new one in lined it up best i could and welded everywhere i could. It took about an hour to do after countless hours of taking it off the frame and removing all the wireing... you get the idea.



Next was the floor/firewall area. This is why i parked the truck, i developed a huge hole/crack in the firewall/floor seam.


Using a cutoff wheel and a grinder i cut out all the rotten metal and replaced it with some 1/16th steel and angle iron to brace it even more. I did this a little at a time so that nothing would weaken anymore and sag.





After that i did alot of work on the frame, taking off the engine/transmission, cutting off the old 2wd suspension, grinding it down, sanding and painting.


Origonally for the 4x4 conversion i was going to use a stock setup and swap crossmembers. I even bought a parts explorer for this, but the guy i bought the explorer off of threw in a FREE dana 44 front axel. So now i had both options, so im now going with the dana 44 and i have to re-weld and bolt the origonal crossmember back on. oopsy.


Durring the winter months i was in the garage at night cleaning the engine stripping it down and painting it when i could, its ready to go back together once i get a rebuild kit from summit.


So thats where i have gotten to so far. Trying to figure out this dana 44 thing right now.
 


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To start this off, i want to say that spite is a fantastic modivator. If someone tells you that you cant do something or shouldn't, doesn't mean you can try.
I definitly know what you mean!:icon_rofl:
 

PARKINGLOT

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dang man, nice build so far...next time I'm down that way I'll have to stop by and check it out!
 
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Yeah!! Oh "its just a pile of shit, just pull the plates off it and leave it in a ditch", or "hey ill even haul it off for you" best yet, my dad offered me wheels and tires for my 77 if i got rid of my ranger..... i was like WTF!?!?!? Kiss my ass
 

ChrisR1S

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Man thats awesome. Looking at your sig, what are your plans for the interior?
 

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If thats a fullwidth D44, which it looks like, extend the radius arms 14", than build a new radius arm crossmember and use some flat bar to move your coil mounts farther in....It's pretty damn easy with our ttb trucks....

-andrew
 

dude772

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Yea its a D44, but I want to narrow it bout 6" to get it back to about the stock width.

I know that i SHOULD leave it the way it is to compensate the high centre of gravity, but i really dont like the look of a full width on a ranger, way too much wheel stickout.

I have the axle damn near ready to start cutting, but i need theres a lil bit of info i need. I was told on the old forum that if i cut 6" off of the (drivers or passengers side) of the axle that it would be a stock replacement axel shaft from something else for if it ever breaks. I need to know what that vehicle it is that would have that length of axle shaft? And if im corrent on the 6".

I need an answer soon before i get impatent and start cutting. hahaha I want this to be driveable by the time winter rolls around. And once i get the front axle on, i can get the egine in there and put the cab back on. So its really holdin up my project here. hahaha

And the custom interior im not 100% on, i know im doing 86 cougar buckets redone from grey cloth to black leather with some blue in there somewhere, and everything redone in black, maybe some custom made door panels wraped in black leather and some blue suede? If it will fit, i wouldn't mind putting a newer dah in there with a larger radio hole, for an in dash monitor, and a possible onboard computer and gps?, just because that would be cool as hell expecially if i get lost in the bush. and of course a big thumpin stereo.
 
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PARKINGLOT

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get lost in the bush....around caledonia? damn...it's been forever since I've been out that way...is there good stuff? last place I was at was oshweken...
 

dude772

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lol ive never been around here only up around pembroke, altho... today i did take my sunfire threw a farmers field around the outside of the corn stalks... looked like there was a trail leading into the bush.

But there are guys around here who somehow get their jeeps COVERED top to bottom in mud:dunno:

I dont know where the hell they are going but im definitly jelous that im not invited!
 

PARKINGLOT

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ever heard of www.jeepkings.ca ? It's a mostly ontario based site, mostly jeeps, as the name implies, but there and ford guys, zook guys, etc, on there too...they know alot of places in S.W. ontario area...
 

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I don't know exactly what length, but check either early bronco or wagoneer axle length, wagoneer being 2-3 inches wider then stock, but narrower than fullwidth.

-andrew
 

dude772

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ever heard of www.jeepkings.ca ? It's a mostly ontario based site, mostly jeeps, as the name implies, but there and ford guys, zook guys, etc, on there too...they know alot of places in S.W. ontario area...

Yea apparently the guy i bought the explorer off of knows the owner of the site:S crazy... when im done the ranger i might roll over to the site and check em out, find out where they are going.
 
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dude772

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*UPDATE*

Workin on the dana 44 today an yesterday.

Its hard to cut the weld holding the end of the tube without cutting too much, takes a lil while. I was 1 grinder cutoff wheel width away the first time.



I tried to take the hub and the rotor and all the stuff off the end of the axle and decided it was too much like work after getting the ball-joint nut off.



Now ive come to a point where i need to ask myself .... how am i going to line it all up again.

I've got it all figured out for the end of the axle, but how in the world will i do the other 2 pieces that line up the radius arm:icon_confused:.

Well if it stops raining i'll get back to it.

P.S.
Who sells aftermarket radius arms?
 

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