railmans build thread....

railman · 01-05-2011, 12:01 PM

well, to be honest....I never really intended to have a build thread.....but since the Ranger is now gonna be mostly a trail vehicle and not my DD anymore ( but still legal so if i wanna drive it I can ) .......thought I would make one for the up-comming changes.....

here is basically how she started....only thing I had done at this point was the bedrails, toolbox, and the 32x11.50's....

found a 10,000# reciever mounted winch at....Sam's Club of all places......but after scouring the internet for a front reciever and seeing what was available I decided that they would have the winch mounted too low for any real wheeling....so I started to make my own front bumper with provisions to accept the reciever cradle....

and the finished product.....

then on my first trip to Turkey Bay I hydro-locked the motor....

so Rick hauled my truck to his place and within the week an EX 4.0 was in place of my hydro-locked one......

not long after I found some considerable rust and had to replace all the spring hangers...

and at the same time to compensate for the heavy winch and bumper i got some 2" Daystar coil spacers....but they lasted less tha 6 months....

so I made my own custom spacers....

then it was time for some added traction.....so in went a locker....

next I was tireing of the stock "deer hoof" wheels, so I bought some rims from a TRS member ( pretty cheap considering the oxidation that was on them ) so i cleaned and sanded them for some fresh paint to match the lower graphics on my truck....

well they rubbed too much, so I had to take them back off and do some lifting with some "poor-boy" upgrades.....

what my rear measurement was at the start.....and what she looked like....

first was some Ex 4 door leaves.....new center pin....

new Chevy lowering shackles....( cheap ones found at O'Reillys, AutoZone...etc...)

rear finished.....and the after measurement...

now for some front upgrades......2.5" lift brackets, coils, and extended arms ( which the arms turned out to be for a 2wd Ranger

).....

so up in the air she went.....

since the arms were for a 2wd, I cut off the factory radius arms and grafted the extended arms to the ends....with gussets and plating on the backside....

noticed what is leftover from the stock arms....

what she looked like afterward.....

shortly thereafter my carrier bearing on my 2 piece shaft decided it didn't like the new geometry ( or was just worn out

)......

and since Rick's truck was down, I "borrowed" his one piece aluminum one ( since the Ranger was my DD still ) until I could have a new steel 1 piece made....here you can see all 3 together....

and the new shaft with out the rubber "billows" on the slip....

well after wheeling her some more my fan got into the radiator and caused a leak....so I got a new one.....well the fan got into the new one a couple trips later.....

trail fix to limp her home....

turns out that the EX 4.0 fan is thicker than the Rangers.....

so now that I had that problem licked....and another new radiator I had a buddy ask if I wanted to buy a truck he has had....so I bought it for his pay-off and that is how I got a new daily driver and tow-rig.....

which pretty much brings me up to date....the only things not really mentioned are my EX power leather seats, Ford/Blaupunkt Focus radio, and a few other odd and ends....

but, from this point forward I have some new drivetrain, suspension, and body/armor mods on their way.....so keep watching.....

l8r, John

86 slo-vo · 01-05-2011, 12:37 PM

about time you do one of these....get the sawzall and lets start cutting shit

mjonesjr · 01-05-2011, 12:40 PM

You want to sell the 250 for what you paid for it?

Looks good.

What else are in your plans?

railman · 01-05-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86 slo-vo

about time you do one of these....get the sawzall and lets start cutting shit

yeah, yeah.....

don't know bout' a sawzall...but a cut off wheel and an air-saw do come to mind.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjonesjr

You want to sell the 250 for what you paid for it?

Looks good.

What else are in your plans?

lol....no I don't think so...already bought a toolbox, new tires, and swapped in EX-Sport seats....

as for what is next....I have quite a few ideas....but I want to surprise people.....so will post pics as they materialize.....

but a quick teaser is..." my tow-rig has got me thinking "........

l8r, John

**bobbywalter** · 01-05-2011, 02:11 PM

thinking eh?

Bennybooster · 01-05-2011, 02:43 PM

Yea, finally a legit build thread.....haha

RangerSVT · 01-05-2011, 02:47 PM

It's about time!! Maybe if you link the build thread in your sig you might get more points when Benny nominates you again

SVT

railman · 01-05-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RangerSVT

It's about time!! Maybe if you link the build thread in your sig you might get more points when Benny nominates you again

SVT

like I told Benny....if he wants to nominate me that is fine...but, I know I will never get ORTOTM......

it has never ever been about "bragging rights"....only knowing that I am able to go where I want to on the trails.....and pushing my truck to its limits...without breaking her....

and considering I have had her where 30K+ Rubicons had to pull cable and I was able to walk her right through....priceless

l8r, John

**bobbywalter** · 01-05-2011, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by railman

like I told Benny....if he wants to nominate me that is fine...but, I know I will never get ORTOTM......

it has never ever been about "bragging rights"....only knowing that I am able to go where I want to on the trails.....and pushing my truck to its limits...without breaking her....

and considering I have had her where 30K+ Rubicons had to pull cable and I was able to walk her right through....priceless

l8r, John

never find the limit that way....never break anything 1/2 way

wheel base....sometimes it wins....sometimes its a real m-fer

**alwaysFlOoReD** · 01-05-2011, 03:20 PM

Looking forward to the updates. Did you do anything special to to the arms as far as caster/camber goes?

Richard

01-05-2011, 12:01 PM	#1
railman December 2011 OTOTM Winner Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madisonville, KY Posts: 2,662 Vehicle Year: 1996 Vehicle Make: Ford Vehicle Model: Ranger SC 4X4 I use this vehicle for: everything Rep Power: 25	railmans build thread.... well, to be honest....I never really intended to have a build thread.....but since the Ranger is now gonna be mostly a trail vehicle and not my DD anymore ( but still legal so if i wanna drive it I can ) .......thought I would make one for the up-comming changes..... here is basically how she started....only thing I had done at this point was the bedrails, toolbox, and the 32x11.50's.... found a 10,000# reciever mounted winch at....Sam's Club of all places......but after scouring the internet for a front reciever and seeing what was available I decided that they would have the winch mounted too low for any real wheeling....so I started to make my own front bumper with provisions to accept the reciever cradle.... and the finished product..... then on my first trip to Turkey Bay I hydro-locked the motor.... so Rick hauled my truck to his place and within the week an EX 4.0 was in place of my hydro-locked one...... not long after I found some considerable rust and had to replace all the spring hangers... and at the same time to compensate for the heavy winch and bumper i got some 2" Daystar coil spacers....but they lasted less tha 6 months.... so I made my own custom spacers.... then it was time for some added traction.....so in went a locker.... next I was tireing of the stock "deer hoof" wheels, so I bought some rims from a TRS member ( pretty cheap considering the oxidation that was on them ) so i cleaned and sanded them for some fresh paint to match the lower graphics on my truck.... well they rubbed too much, so I had to take them back off and do some lifting with some "poor-boy" upgrades..... what my rear measurement was at the start.....and what she looked like.... first was some Ex 4 door leaves.....new center pin.... new Chevy lowering shackles....( cheap ones found at O'Reillys, AutoZone...etc...) rear finished.....and the after measurement... now for some front upgrades......2.5" lift brackets, coils, and extended arms ( which the arms turned out to be for a 2wd Ranger )..... so up in the air she went..... since the arms were for a 2wd, I cut off the factory radius arms and grafted the extended arms to the ends....with gussets and plating on the backside.... noticed what is leftover from the stock arms.... what she looked like afterward..... shortly thereafter my carrier bearing on my 2 piece shaft decided it didn't like the new geometry ( or was just worn out )...... and since Rick's truck was down, I "borrowed" his one piece aluminum one ( since the Ranger was my DD still ) until I could have a new steel 1 piece made....here you can see all 3 together.... and the new shaft with out the rubber "billows" on the slip.... well after wheeling her some more my fan got into the radiator and caused a leak....so I got a new one.....well the fan got into the new one a couple trips later..... trail fix to limp her home.... turns out that the EX 4.0 fan is thicker than the Rangers..... so now that I had that problem licked....and another new radiator I had a buddy ask if I wanted to buy a truck he has had....so I bought it for his pay-off and that is how I got a new daily driver and tow-rig..... which pretty much brings me up to date....the only things not really mentioned are my EX power leather seats, Ford/Blaupunkt Focus radio, and a few other odd and ends.... but, from this point forward I have some new drivetrain, suspension, and body/armor mods on their way.....so keep watching..... l8r, John __________________ SAS with leaves, KP HP D60 front, D60 FF rear, 4.88's, 39.5x13.50x17" Bias Iroks, 17" Allied Beadlocks, winch, and a few dents and scratches......

01-05-2011, 12:37 PM	#2
86 slo-vo 02/2011 OTOTM Winner Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: owensboro, KY Posts: 4,515 Vehicle Year: 1994 Vehicle Make: ford Vehicle Model: ranger I use this vehicle for: work and play Rep Power: 34	about time you do one of these....get the sawzall and lets start cutting shit __________________ FORD....built without your tax dollars.

01-05-2011, 12:40 PM	#3
mjonesjr I dance with the Devil... Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Salem, IN Posts: 4,968 Rep Power: 38	You want to sell the 250 for what you paid for it? Looks good. What else are in your plans? __________________ I shall not surrender... I shall not retreat... I will stand here and fight... Or I will stand here and die! All men are created equal, then a few become firemen. Support Our Troops! TRS Facebook Page

01-05-2011, 02:11 PM	#5
bobbywalter RBV Technical Advisor Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: woodhaven mi Posts: 17,297 Vehicle Year: 1988 Vehicle Make: FORD Vehicle Model: RANGERISH SORT OF THING I use this vehicle for: EVERYTHING My credo: it is easier to fix and understand than "her" Rep Power: 65	thinking eh? __________________ 88 ranger ext cab low rider 4x4 propelled by 395 cubes of of non turbo SLOBBERIN DIESEL...BLAHHH...motating a 4l80 thats AUTHORITATIVELY turnin a ford 208 spinning 410 open dana 60s and whatever tire suits the mood that day. how ya like me now?

01-05-2011, 02:43 PM	#6
Bennybooster Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Medford, Oregon. Posts: 3,102 Vehicle Year: 1996 Vehicle Make: Ford Vehicle Model: Ranger I use this vehicle for: Driving over stuff Rep Power: 29	Yea, finally a legit build thread.....haha __________________ Built not bought 1 Ton, Caged Ranger build

01-05-2011, 02:47 PM	#7
RangerSVT Oct 09 OTOTM Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: TRS since 2002 - NW KY Posts: 7,887 Vehicle Year: 1996 2002 Vehicle Make: Ford Vehicle Model: SAS Ranger SC 4x4 V8 Sport Trac I use this vehicle for: Anger Management Rep Power: 43	It's about time!! Maybe if you link the build thread in your sig you might get more points when Benny nominates you again SVT __________________ *Ranger V8 Swap Expert* *Member of the Turkey Bay Crew* *SVT Build Thread (96 V8 Ranger)* ST Build Thread (02 V8 Sport Trac) *V8 swap Club/Info* *Tuning with SCT*

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