Jim Oaks
As a Ford Ranger enthusiast who enjoys modifying my Ford Rangers for off-road use, I quickly discovered that there wasn’t any websites dedicated to the subject. So in 1999, I created TheRangerStation.com.
What started as my own personal desire to help other Ford Ranger owners, has grown into a wealth of online information from numerous contributors.
20-years later, my commitment to the Ford Ranger, and the Ford Ranger community, is as strong as ever.
Jim Oaks's Latest Posts
Recent Articles #1
Not All There Racing
Not All There Racing
Recently I had the opportunity to talk to Aaron Matthew-“Air” for short, President of Uconn Off-Road and the owner/driver of Not All There Racing about the 1995 Ford Ranger he’s building to replace the Bronco he races…….. What have you done to the engine? – Stripped and gutted, Ported intake and exhaust ports, engine is on […]
Recent Articles #2
Bradley's Old Red Ford Ranger
Bradley’s Old Red Ford Ranger
I saw this truck in our forums with it’s new red paint job and was really impressed by it. I asked the forum member (rangerslim) who owns it if he would send us some pictures and details about the truck. Here is what he wrote ~ Jim Oaks: Well, I guess you could say that […]
Cummins 4BT Ranger
Cummins 4BT Ranger
This 1988 Ford Ranger 4×4 is owned and built by Rich Dunning of Smyrna, DE. Here is a break down of the vehicle as provided by Rich: Engine: 1999 Cummins 4BTA Turbo Diesel (pulled from a commercial box truck) (Cummins 4BTA Turbo Diesel) (All cleaned up and painted) Transmission & Transfer Case: 1988 Ford F150 […]
Looking Back - 1984 Ford Ranger
Looking Back – 1984 Ford Ranger
1984 Ford Ranger 2WD September 2013 – It’s not to often you find a nice original looking Ranger from the early 80’s. The Ranger shown here showed up recently in the Akron / Canton Ohio Craigslist ads for $3,750.. (Owner claims the 37,053 miles is original) So, the Ranger isn’t actually original. It was […]
Bryan Smith - TREC Racer C747
Bryan Smith – TREC Racer C747
Who says off-road racing has to be an expensive hobby? TREC = Trail Racing Endurance Circuit. TREC is a race help within the Badlands Off-Road Park in Attica Indiana. The 12-mile course traverses sand dunes, woods, hills, mud, water crossings, rocks, and about anything else you could expect to find off-roading in the mid-west. The […]
Angry Iron's Rally Ranger
Angry Iron’s Rally Ranger
On 05/28/2009 forum member Angry Iron started a build thread on their rally Ranger. I recently followed up to see what had ever become of the rally Ranger. The 1990 Ford Ranger Crew Cab was chosen and will provide ample space while remaining light weight and versatile. The truck was chosen because the parts […]
Southern Storm Monster Ford Ranger
Southern Storm Monster Ford Ranger
One of the most notorious Ford Ranger monster trucks was the Southern Storm Ford Ranger built, owned, and raced by Robbie Giles of Goose Creek South Carolina. The truck featured dual Ford 429 V8’s (you can see the second one under the bed), dual C-6 automatic transmissions, and a 2.5 ton military transfer case. Robbie […]
Jeff Davis' Class 7 2003 Ford Ranger
Jeff Davis’ Class 7 2003 Ford Ranger
After 25 years of treating other people’s race frames, Jeff Davis decided he wanted something more. So when it came time to envision his 2003 Ford Ranger in off-road trim, he saw it as a prerunner–a modified rig he could roll through the desert in, without having to give up the finer things in life […]
Safari Pacific Exploration Ford Ranger
Safari Pacific Exploration Ford Ranger
Travis Schanafelt is a member of The Ranger Station that posts under the name ‘MaoriExpeditions‘. He has a website, www.safaripacific.com. Travis is probably best known on this forum for his Ranger build that involved shortening the bed and extending the cab on his 2001 Ford Ranger. Travis then added a Flip-Pac camper to the back […]
Bray Dierker ('Bray D') 1996 Ford Ranger 4x4
Bray Dierker (‘Bray D’) 1996 Ford Ranger 4×4
Forum Member ‘Bray D’ and his Ford Ranger is well known amongst our forum members. This well thought out trail rig sees regular trail duty, and Bray and his Ford Ranger even participated in the Petersen-s 4Wheel & Off-Road 2012 Ultimate Adventure. This is how 4Wheel & Off-Road described Bray and his Ford Ranger: Bray […]
Jim Oaks' 1996 Ford Ranger 4x4 (TRS-2)
Jim Oaks’ 1996 Ford Ranger 4×4 (TRS-2)
This build-up of this vehicle has been featured in Off-Road Adventures Magazine Update 11/2018: This Ranger is in the process of being rebuilt and given an updated look for our 20th anniversary, and will receive a new patriotic paint scheme. By Jim Oaks The Ranger seen on this page is my 1996 Ford Ranger extended […]
Jim Oaks' 1983 Ranger 4x4 (TRS-1)
Jim Oaks’ 1983 Ranger 4×4 (TRS-1)
This is the original TRS-1 Ford Ranger built by The Ranger Station creator Jim Oaks. It started as a red stock 1983 Ford Ranger 4×4 with a 2.8L V-6, and a 5-speed manual transmission. The truck went through various transformations over it’s life. The more it was wheeled, the more things were changed / modified. […]
Billy Diesel 7.3L Ford Ranger Dually Diesel
Billy Diesel 7.3L Ford Ranger Dually Diesel
Billy Diesel is a member of our forum and has been building this impressive dually Ranger. You would probably never guess that there is a 7.3L turbo diesel lurking under that hood, or that one could even fit in a Ranger, but there’s one living in this Ranger. Billy started out with a 1995 Ranger […]
1990 Shelby Ford Ranger
1990 Shelby Ford Ranger
Everyone has their own idea on how they want to build their vehicle. We do it because we’re not satisfied with the same old thing that everyone else has. We want something unique – a truck unlike any others. Forum member ‘multiranger’ came across a neglected 1990 Ford Ranger shortbed with a 2.3L 4-banger, and […]
Ford78's 1999 Ford Ranger SAS 4x4
Ford78’s 1999 Ford Ranger SAS 4×4
Seeing a 1998-2011 Ford Ranger converted to a solid front axle (SAS) isn’t all that rare, but it is rare to see one that’s been done with front leaf springs. When forum member Ford78 built this 1999 Ford Ranger 3.0L 4×4, he decided to swap in a Dana 44 and use Rancho 44044 front leaf springs. […]
Badkarma 2001 Ford Ranger SAS 4x4
Badkarma 2001 Ford Ranger SAS 4×4
One of the most visually appealing Ford Ranger’s to show up in our forums has been Badkarma’s 2001 Ford Ranger Edge. The 2001 was the first year for the newer 207 horsepower 4.0L engine, but the SLA front 4WD axle has its limits. Badkarma overcame that by swapping in a Dana 44 solid front axle, […]
Hagan's 1985 Ford Ranger 4x4
Hagan’s 1985 Ford Ranger 4×4
The first generation of Ford Rangers (1983-1988) are becoming more scarce. It’s nice to find some nice well built 4×4’s still in use. This 1986 Ford Ranger 4×4 belongs to Hagan, but I’ll let him tell the story; Here is my 1986 Ranger I bought a couple years ago. It was stock and broken. Had […]
CrazyWhiteBoy 1997 Ford Ranger 4x4 SAS
CrazyWhiteBoy 1997 Ford Ranger 4×4 SAS
This 1997 Ford Ranger 4×4 is owned by forum member CrazyWhiteBoy. It’s powered by a 4.0L V6 that’s backed by a 5-speed manual transmission and BW1354 manual transfer case. After years of abusing the Dana 35, he decided to upgrade to a full width Dana 44 front with a Ford 9-inch rear. The front axle […]
Overland Expo West – 2019 views: 419
Overland Expo West 2019 – And Why You Should Go To An Overland Expo! I love to travel and discover new areas. I’ve done everything from a random 1-day roadtrip, to a trip that lasted 22-days. These trips always involve me either sleeping in my vehicle, or a tent. There is an amazing sense of […]
PetesPonies 1983 Ford Ranger views: 1464
This 1983 Ford Ranger is the creation of forum member PetesPonies. It was originally brown and tan with a worn out interior, suspension, and brakes. The engine had been replaced, but the wiring was a mess. Pete completely redid the interior, stripped the brown/tan paint, and used a 1965 Ford Tropical Turquoise and Wimbledon White […]
SVT3773’s 1989 Ford Ranger views: 2094
This 1989 Ford Ranger belongs to forum member svt3773. It was voted as Truck Of The Month in 2014, and awarded the 2014 Mini Truck Of The Year by our forum members. Owner: svt3773 Vehicle: 1989 Ford Ranger Specifications: Engine & Transmission: 1997 Ford Explorer 5.0L (306 cid) with a F303 camshaft & MSD ignition […]
‘Fire In The Hole’ Monster Ranger views: 2562
Sometimes bigger can be better. Sometimes you just want to build something ridiculous for the fun of it. Even if it’s not practical to use every day. Forum member ‘parkrangerjeremy’ did just that. He had a 1993 Ford Ranger 4×4 that had a 6-inch lift, 3-inch body lift, and 35-inch Bogger tires, but he wanted […]
