Gonna build a Ranger preRunner

[Jake1]

I hope this is the right spot if not mods please move.

So a little about me Im a Junior in high school and I want to build a prerunner thats about it lol. Any ways I really want to build a Ranger prerunner or what I call a prerunner, sense I have no job(I have an interview next week for a movie theater) I will not have much money so this will come together really slowly plus I dont even have a Ranger yet after about 1 pay check I will have enough for a used 4wd. So due to low funds my "prerunner" Is basically gonna be a ranger with those really flared fenders, tires, long travel suspension kit, bumper, and a few performance things like air filter, exhaust and headers. This is no way a full blown race rig. This is a little over whelming and im not really sure were to start. So I got some questions.

1. What year Ranger would be best keep in mind I dont have much money?

2. What are some good brands?

3. How do I install them do I buy them and than go to a shop and ask them to install it or do I just go to like an auto body shop and tell them what I want or do I have to buy them and install them all on my own? Sorry for the stupid qustion im new at this

[prerunin554]

first line of advise, become a member of www.dezertrangers.com and read read read. There are some jerks over there (including me), but there is also a TON of information on prerunners as well. As you start your research you will start to figure out what you will want to build. Check out the classifieds here, pirate4x4.com, dezertrangers.com and race-dezert.com for deals on used suspension, or possibly a truck that you can just buy already done. Keep in mind, long travel suspension can be expensive, and you will more than likely have to do one modification at a time. If you have mechanical skills, you can install all the parts yourself, but if you dont, I would highly suggest finding an off-road shop in your area and asking them how much installation of the various parts would be. Good luck with the research and build!

[fx2prerunner]

First you read, then you ask. there are a few good builds on here, look through the threads and find out what direction you want to go, 2WD will be alot cheaper to build into a long travel truck than 4WD, since you dont yet have a truck id look into a 2WD first, go on some company web pages that make the parts and see what you really want to put into your truck, if you have any fab skills you can make some parts your self (I made all my suspension myself) check out threatmotorsports.com, giantmotorsports, camburg.com, autofab.com. threat and autofab will be the best for information and pricing, there is a good writeup on autofabs website that will give you an idea of what you can do and how much it will cost
http://www.threatmotorsports.com/
http://www.autofab.com/2wd_ranger_wheel_travel.htm
http://www.camburg.com/
http://www.giantmotorsports.com/

some of the builds on this site
http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...ad.php?t=36139
http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...ad.php?t=55602
http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...ad.php?t=21854

now start reading!
Jon

[Jake1]

Thanks guys I will do some more reading I have all read those build threads. After reading a little bit here it seems like 2wd is the truck of choice but I dont really understand why you would want an off road truck only 2wd. I guess if you were going only in the dessert it would be fine Idk. Are there some long travel kits that only work for 2wd`s or 4wd`s?

[Smurf Mobile]

The kits are fairly specific the only one I could think of that might work both ways would be the dixon bros 4wd kit which might work on a 2wd edge. Its not really worth making it work though since it costs quite a bit more. You just have to decide whether or not 2wd will work for what you want and go from there.

Andrew

[Jake1]

Ok well I definitely wont 4wd. But than that would mean it would be locked in 4wd?

[fx2prerunner]

ahh where are you from? what kind of terrain is in your area? what kind of driving do you plan on doing, high speed, crawling? thinking you might be building a crawler with fiberglass fenders.

reasons for 2WD, less front end weight, less to break, better travel, cheaper to build. Momentum and lots of travel and a locker can go suprisingly far off road

[Jake1]

I live in Oregon I wont be rock crawling just my every day driver thats taken off road on occasion nothing extreme though.

[Jake1]

As an alternative to a 3500 dollar kit how would these work? It looks like I woukld have to buy two sets so that about 1200 dollars.
dixon Bros 4wd shock upgrade

[Shawn@BMS]

Jake,
I strongly advise you joining DezertRanger.com and Race-Dezert.com They both have great information on building a "prerunner" ranger. Searching on DR is kinda hard as its a HUGE forum, but if you weed through it you can find great info. Im sprucing up my 95 B2300 (Ranger) prerunner style. Heres my build. It may be up you alley, im building a prerunner on a budget.

http://www.therangerstation.com/foru...ad.php?t=59637

Good luck, on your truck. Remember the search is your friend

~Shawn @ Infinity Carbon

[Jake1]

Thanks I joined deszert ranger I need to get back over there.

[Quasi242]

Originally Posted by Jake1

As an alternative to a 3500 dollar kit how would these work? It looks like I woukld have to buy two sets so that about 1200 dollars.
dixon Bros 4wd shock upgrade

Unfortunately, prerunners are not cheap. $3,500.00 for a front end kit is just the beginning. Add another $1,200.00 for coil over shocks, $500.00 for bump stops (if you want them), $100.00 for misc. hardware, not to mention labor if you are not going to install it yourself. Heim tie rods, chassis bracing will also enter the equation at some point. Fenders will run you $300.00+/- plus an additional $100+/- shipping. Prerunner bumpers generally start around $400.00-$500.00. That is just for the front of the truck.

For the back you will likely want to look at an extended locked axle, bed cage, flaired bedsides, Deaver or equivalent spring packs, smooth body or bypass shocks. All of this can easily add up to additional thousands of dollars. This does not include the cost to cage your truck which should be on your to do list.

If you want a project truck and don't mind working on it in stages, I say go for it. However, you should understand the scope of the project that you are undertaking if you are going to truely make it a capable truck. $3,500.00 is just scratching the surface.

For the record, I have the Dixon 4X4 kit and am very happy with it.