Dhkonrad’s 1993 Ford Ranger 4×4
2013 Off-Road Truck of the Year
Dhkonrad’s 1993 Ford Ranger started out as a fairly ordinary 4×4 and gradually became a heavily modified trail truck through a combination of fabrication, junkyard parts, and a lot of trial and error. When the build thread was started in September 2012, the Ranger was mostly stock except for 31-inch tires. By the time it was selected as The Ranger Station’s 2013 Off-Road Truck of the Year, it had evolved into a 35-inch-tired Ranger with a high-pinion Dana 44 solid front axle, an Explorer 8.8 rear axle, custom suspension components, a tube bumper and an 8,000-pound Warn winch.
What makes the build interesting isn’t just the finished truck. Dhkonrad documented the process as he learned to fabricate and build much of the truck himself. He was only 19 when the project began and was attending school full-time, so progress was often slow. He had already owned several Ranger/Bronco II/Explorer-based vehicles and had plenty of experience keeping them running, but this was his first major custom build. Much of the truck was designed and fabricated as the project progressed.
Starting With a Mostly Stock Ranger
The Ranger was purchased because it needed transmission work. Rather than repair the transmission and leave the truck stock, Dhkonrad decided it was a good opportunity to begin modifying it.
The first version of the build used the Ranger’s original TTB front suspension with a roughly 4-inch lift. He added a roll bar, custom bumpers and 31-inch tires, but the truck quickly showed the limitations of the original setup. The suspension had very little flex, and the stock radius arms caused clearance problems with the larger tires.
After saving enough money for a set of 35-inch tires, Dhkonrad began looking for ways to improve the front suspension. One of the first major fabrication projects was a set of custom radius arms. The arms were built primarily to improve tire clearance and strength, with increased suspension flex being an added benefit.
The new radius arms made a noticeable difference in steering clearance. Dhkonrad later reported that he could turn the wheels from lock to lock without the tires rubbing on the radius arms.
Building the Ranger’s Protection
As the truck became more capable, Dhkonrad began building the protection and recovery equipment needed to use it off-road.
He built a custom front bumper from DOM tubing and incorporated an 8,000-pound Warn spur-drive winch. The winch was mounted high in the front of the truck, which required cutting the grille and modifying the front structure. The bumper eventually received a large tubular stinger and additional tubing that tied the bumper back into the frame.
The stinger was designed to be removable, and the bumper also incorporated provisions for lights and recovery points.
The frame received considerable attention as well. Dhkonrad cut sections of the original frame, added reinforcing plates and boxed portions of the frame as he built the new suspension and bumper mounts. Later in the build he also constructed custom rock sliders from 2×6-inch rectangular tubing with 2×2-inch tubing tying them into the frame.
The body was modified to clear the 35-inch tires. The front and rear fenders were trimmed and rolled, and Dhkonrad made his own fender flares using inexpensive lawn edging material.
From TTB to Dana 44
The biggest change came when Dhkonrad decided to replace the Ranger’s TTB front suspension with a solid axle.
He located a high-pinion Dana 44 from a 1978/79 F-150 and began rebuilding it for the Ranger. The axle was fitted with 5.13 gears, new bearings and brakes, Warn locking hubs and custom suspension mounts. He also built his own radius arms, track bar and steering components rather than purchasing a complete bolt-on conversion.
The Dana 44 conversion became a major fabrication project. Dhkonrad built the suspension around early Bronco 5.5-inch Wild Horses Rock Crawler coils and custom radius arms using large Heim joints. The track bar used DOM tubing and Heim joints, while GM one-ton tie-rod ends were used with DOM steering components.
He spent considerable time cycling the suspension and checking clearances before finalizing the mounts. The engine crossmember required modification for track-bar clearance, the coil buckets were modified for the larger coils, and the frame received additional reinforcement around the suspension mounts.
The rear axle was upgraded as part of the conversion as well. An Explorer 31-spline 8.8-inch axle replaced the Ranger’s original rear axle. It received matching 5.13 gears and Explorer leaf springs, with custom extended shackles. Because the Dana 44 used a 5-on-5.5-inch wheel pattern, wheel adapters were used at the rear to match the front.
Learning as He Built
One of the more interesting parts of the build thread is how much of the work Dhkonrad did himself.
He set up his own gears despite having very little previous experience, fabricated his own suspension components, learned to use a tubing bender and TIG welder during the project, and repeatedly mocked up components before committing to the final design.
The Dana 44 gear setup alone became a learning experience. He measured shims, checked backlash and gear patterns, made setup bearings and worked through the process of getting both axles properly assembled. The thread shows plenty of questions and mistakes along the way, but also shows him solving problems rather than simply turning the truck over to a shop.
As he put it, almost everything was “learn-as-you-go.”
Getting the SAS on the Road
By August 2013, the solid axle conversion was finally sitting under the Ranger on its own weight.
There were still plenty of details to finish. The coil buckets needed additional work, the frame needed more boxing, the steering needed some attention and the shock mounts were still being finalized. But the basic conversion was working.
Once the Pro Comp ES9000 shocks were installed, Dhkonrad took the truck onto the freeway and reported that it had no death wobble and almost no noticeable bump steer. He said the truck was dramatically better to drive than it had been with the TTB suspension.
The 5.13 gears also gave the 4.0L Ranger plenty of gearing for the 35-inch tires. Dhkonrad described the truck as feeling almost like a new vehicle after the conversion.
The build wasn’t intended to be a show truck. It was built to be used, and the truck was already seeing snow, mud and California trails during the build. Early in the project, Dhkonrad took it to Fordyce Trail shortly after installing the lift and 35s. Later photos show it being used in snow and mud, with the truck eventually receiving the solid axle conversion and the additional protection needed for more serious trail use.
The Finished Ranger
By the time the Ranger was selected as the 2013 Off-Road Truck of the Year, the basic recipe was complete: a stock 4.0L V6 and five-speed manual transmission, a high-pinion Dana 44 solid front axle, an Explorer 8.8 rear axle, 5.13 gears, 35-inch BFG KM2 tires and a custom suspension built around early Bronco coil springs.
The truck also carried a custom tube bumper and Warn winch, rock sliders, a roll bar, numerous lights, LED rock lights, CB radio, custom fender work and a number of one-off fabricated components.
It was a good example of what could be done with a second-generation Ranger without simply buying a complete aftermarket package. Much of the truck was designed, fabricated and installed by its young owner, with the build thread documenting the process from a relatively stock Ranger to a solid-axle trail truck.
Specifications
Engine: Stock 4.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Front Suspension
- High-pinion Dana 44 from a 1978/79 Ford F-150
- 5.13 gears
- Warn non-premium locking hubs
- Wild Horses 5.5-inch Early Bronco Rock Crawler coil springs
- Pro Comp ES9000 shocks
- Custom wedge-style radius arms
- 1.25-inch Heim joints at the radius arms
- Adjustable track bar with 7/8-inch Heim joint
- GM one-ton tie-rod ends with DOM tubing
- Custom differential cover
Rear Suspension
- 31-spline Ford 8.8-inch axle from an Explorer
- 5.13 gears
- Explorer leaf springs
- Custom 2-inch extended shackles
- Factory blocks
- Wheel adapters to match the front 5-on-5.5-inch bolt pattern
Wheels and Tires
- 15×10 Bart Racing wheels
- 4 inches of backspacing
- 35×12.50R15 BFG KM2 tires
- Cut and rolled fenders
- Custom fender flares
Body and Recovery Equipment
- Custom DOM tube front bumper
- 8,000-pound Warn spur-drive winch
- Custom removable stinger
- Custom rock sliders
- Square-tube rear bumper
- Roll bar with four lights
- LED rock lights
- CB radio
- Additional auxiliary lighting
2013 Off-Road Truck of the Year
Dhkonrad’s Ranger was named The Ranger Station’s 2013 Off-Road Truck of the Year after previously winning the October 2013 Off-Road Truck of the Month competition. It remains a good example of a member-built Ranger where the story behind the modifications is almost as interesting as the finished truck.
Owner: dhkonrad
Location: Auburn, California
Vehicle: 1993 Ford Ranger 4×4
Truck of the Month: October 2013
Award: 2013 Off-Road Truck of the Year
View the original build thread on The Ranger Station forums
Video
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About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road adventures contributed by owners worldwide. TheRangerStation.com has been referenced in print, video and online by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, and experience-based information.
