My 1987 Ranger build up "complete"

Heres my ranger build up, it’s a 1987 Ford Ranger 4x4 regular cab, short bed, 2.3L 4 cylinder. I bought it about 7 years ago as my first 4x4 it already had a well worn 4” Skyjacker class 1 lift on it and some very bald 31x10.50 mud tires and a blown cylinder ring and the 4 wheel drive diddent work due to a busted axle shaft but I liked it!

This was pretty much it minus the tool box, brush guard, tint, and a few other little things.

First thing I did was strip out the old nasty carpet then herculined the interior

I also swapped out the motor with an 88 model that had been rolled but there arnt many pictures around of the swap. Lots of other things had to be fixed as well, The busted axle shafts were replaced, all of the steering linkage and gear box were replaced, all new ball joints, all new brakes all new seals and bearings in both axles and a few other misc… things but I wont bore you with maintenance pictures.

And now 7 years later new toys have been arriving for the little ranger including this 6” Skyjacker Class II suspension lift with new rear leaves.

Old coils vs. new coils

And the extended radius arms!

It took a few hours to rip all of the “stock” suspension out of the truck and get it down to bare bones so I could start the install.

First thing to go in was the radius arm brackets/transmission cross member

Next up were the new drop brackets

Once the radius arms were installed on the axle it was time to slide it back under the trck and bolt it in.



Once that was done it was time to bolt in the new coil springs and shocks


Once that was done it was time to go out back and swap the factory leaf springs and the stack of lift blocks and put in the new skyjacker leafs and shocks.

The lift is all done and the extra bald 31’s are back on and aligned horribly


Next up was a set of fully adjustable skyjacker alignment bushings and I actually had to pick up a set of napa adjustables as well because they would adjust out just a little bit further for one side of my truck that needed it.


I also went ahead and threw a new set of energy suspension poly axle bushings and sleeves


And the new lift stretched my stock brake lines pretty tight so I picked up a set of procomp extended stainless brake lines also due to a toasted wheel bearing which wiped out one of my hubs I picked up a set of warns as well

Now it was time for some new rubber just for the time being I picked up a set of 35x12.50 cooper at’s
And just to help spin them 35’s a little bigger I decided to help the motor a little bit


A new header

And some dynomax exhaust with no cats The motor has been rebuilt and has a .30 bore on it as well as a K&N air filter so it’s a pretty peppy little motor.

After the first real trip out in the truck to play I discovered the front drive shaft was 1.5” to short so I built a new one and in my adventures I managed to fry my stock clutch so a new centerforce dual friction was in order.


The trucks been out for a second run with the new goodies and ive discovered a few other things that need to be played with like a leaking rear main seal and my stock throw out bearing wasent holding up so I have a centerforce bearing, fly wheel, and new rear main comeing to be installed. I also managed to tear both of my stock motor mounts in half so with an idea from a build on here I decided to build my own, I deviated from the other guys plans by stepping up to all ¼” hardware and 9/16” bolts






I also tore the stock transmission mount in half so I went ahead and stepped up to a energy suspension transmission mount for a 5.0 mustang GT

The truck has stock 3.73 gears but somehow they worked out perfect with the 35’s the truck will cruise at 85mph on the highway and it’ll crawl over just about anything in its way while in 4 Lo.

Very nice man, no trimming of the fenders?

Looks nice.

awesome!

Nice!

ClassII FTW

solid look!!!

Damn! Now that's an awesome project seen done from the beginning.

Wow! Nice rig. Just curious, do you still have the old lift brackets and springs, cause I would buy them if you wanted to sell them.

-Nick-

The fenders are trimmed a bit front and rear but I tried to do as good of a job as I could to stick to the factory look and lines to keep it stock looking. I had a set of fabtech fiberglass fenders on there but I took them off to go back to a more stock "normal" vehicle look. And the old lift brackets and springs were pretty well destroyed from all of my abuse so they were scrapped awhile back.

well poo, oh well thought i would ask!

Hey rusty where did you get those poly beam bushings and poly trans mount? any place that you could direct me that is well priced?

I just ordered them both through a local auto parts store, but after I bought them they can be found cheaper online.

You did a good job on the fender trimming, very hard to tell unless you know what your looking for. Again nice truck!!

Looks good, but what about upgrading to a D35 front and 8.8 rear?

zainyD] said:

Looks good, but what about upgrading to a D35 front and 8.8 rear?

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I may later on but for now the 28 and 7.5 have held up decent aside from one busted stub shaft in the front and that was after alooooot of abuse, im actually really rough on my trucks and so far so good on the stock axles. Once they break ill upgrade though.