'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

Mine were pretty shot. Swelled and petrified.

I got a pair of Moogs and a pair of some other brand on Rockauto. The radius arm ones are kind of hard to come by, I was surprised Moog (or anyone else really) didn't make them.

I had thought about just going with the style to go with my axle, JY got stupid on their pricing though. Every bracket is $10min... so like $40 for just the brackets and I didn't know how the different sway bar would be with my lighterish truck (compared to a third gen)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sorry about the rust but glad you found it. Also, how are your sway bar bushings? I had a heck of a time finding first gen ones. Mine were NOS, though.

I found these in the trash in my garage. The crossmember ones were cut off and thrown in the dumpster at work, I ain't dumpster diving for them.



I didn't realize that the bumpstop didn't mount to the frame, only the coil bucket (center hole on bottom) Also front hole needs to be enlarged for the fancy bolt that also holds the pivot bracket. Otherwise everything on the bottom lines up.





the three side mounting holes are all just a little off.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sway bar is painted:



Plate bolted to frame, back bottom bolt caught a brace on the inside of the frame that bubbles up so I had to drill a hole kind of in the center:



Bucket bolted on:



Frame and plate are painted, they have to dry overnight and i just gotta drill out the front bolt for the pivot bracket bolt and I can start throwing parts together!

 

[1996xlt]

Forgive my ignorance, but why a bolted doubler vice cutting out the bad section of the frame and replacing it with that plate?

 

[Shran]

Those sway bar bushings are indeed a PITA to find. Through a bunch of research I found that O'Reilly sells them but doesn't list them for a Ranger - you have to buy them for a 1982 Granada. They were $8. Part #K80092... that part fits a 1" diameter sway bar... there are other bushings listed for that car that have other diameter sway bars.

I had to order them and haven't installed it yet but it looks like it will fit. Hope someone else finds this useful - NAPA and CarQuest/Advance didn't have these at all.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Best I can do at the moment. No welder to weld it and the truck can’t go too far as it is.

Torn if I should weld in a patch or keep an eye out for a better frame for a final fix.

As near as I can tell most of the load is carried off the bottom flange of the rail, spring bucket is pushed in against the side of the rail... so it should be fine for a long time with the bolt in plate. I have good meat to bolt thru all around the hole, even the factory holes are still factory thickness. There is a lot of boxing on the back and the engine crossmember is right there too. I have done a lot of head scratching on it...

If I had a welder I would have welded it though. I don’t drive it in salt anymore which should help too. If/when I get a worthy welder I would like to revisit it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Those sway bar bushings are indeed a PITA to find. Through a bunch of research I found that O'Reilly sells them but doesn't list them for a Ranger - you have to buy them for a 1982 Granada. They were $8. Part #K80092... that part fits a 1" diameter sway bar... there are other bushings listed for that car that have other diameter sway bars.

I had to order them and haven't installed it yet but it looks like it will fit. Hope someone else finds this useful - NAPA and CarQuest/Advance didn't have these at all.

I don't always buy no name made in China suspension parts... but when I do they are overbuilt for durability.



Figured they had to be better than what I had and I couldn't really tell the old ones were that bad.

Spring plate and bracket are installed:



Pivot bracket is installed:



Axle is loosely installed... but it is in there:



I have a not fun dentist visit planned tomorrow so I hit it hard tonight and got the heavy lifting part done.

 

[Ranger850]

How'd that dentist apmt. go? Get any extractions or fillers?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Either extraction or root canal.

Pretty bad when you are hoping for a root canal...

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Just bring the truck up here. I’ll weld you up good and solid

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just bring the truck up here. I’ll weld you up good and solid

If I could get it town I could have it done at work.

It can't go too far without the front axle though... can't even haul the stupid thing.

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Does your work provide steak and beer? I didn’t think so!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Does your work provide steak and beer? I didn’t think so!

Well crud... now I just gotta figure out how to get on a trailer so I can haul it halfway across the country and get me a steak!

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Well crud... now I just gotta figure out how to get on a trailer so I can haul it halfway across the country and get me a steak!

Too bad me and the wife aren’t still in Peoria IL. maybe one day we’ll return.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Too bad me and the wife aren’t still in Peoria IL. maybe one day we’ll return.

Still a pretty good haul from here, I am about 40 miles from Nebraska. It would be a lot closer than NY though.