eightynine4x4
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2020
- Messages
- 673
- Reaction score
- 178
- Points
- 43
- Location
- New York
- Vehicle Year
- 1989
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Type
- 2.9 V6
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Total Lift
- 2.5" Suspension
- Tire Size
- 31 x 10.5 x 15
It’s not that easy, but I figured out how to make the headlights and grill work. Grill is easy, just drill some new holes to taste.
Headlight, i drilled bolt holes for the outer side position for each light. Used good solid bolts, I think like 5/16 thick. That is enough to be a sorta sturdy placeholder. Finding the exactly perfect spot in wall to drill was difficult though, since there’s weird bent metal shaping back in there making it difficult to get a nut/bolt head back in there. Super tight, had to be perfect and was stressful haha.
The lamps need some other weight bearing on other side of course or they’d sag. I just used to steel zip ties to hold up other side, hooked upper inner light hole to random hole nearby on frame, and that works. Have driven over 1000 miles like this with no issues and no rattling. Should be ok, but will look to reinforce more.
You can barely see the bolt in first pic if you zoom in. That’s a testament to how buried it is to work with down in there!
I still have to get my hands on a valance to hold the front blinkers. For now have them strapped in. Then I have to mount the bumper in some custom way which I haven’t figured out yet.
The hood is plug and play once you have the grill and lights and fenders in. Just bolt the new one on.
The 1st Gen fenders basically go on without issue once you’ve removed all the 2nd Gen stuff.
Headlight, i drilled bolt holes for the outer side position for each light. Used good solid bolts, I think like 5/16 thick. That is enough to be a sorta sturdy placeholder. Finding the exactly perfect spot in wall to drill was difficult though, since there’s weird bent metal shaping back in there making it difficult to get a nut/bolt head back in there. Super tight, had to be perfect and was stressful haha.
The lamps need some other weight bearing on other side of course or they’d sag. I just used to steel zip ties to hold up other side, hooked upper inner light hole to random hole nearby on frame, and that works. Have driven over 1000 miles like this with no issues and no rattling. Should be ok, but will look to reinforce more.
You can barely see the bolt in first pic if you zoom in. That’s a testament to how buried it is to work with down in there!
I still have to get my hands on a valance to hold the front blinkers. For now have them strapped in. Then I have to mount the bumper in some custom way which I haven’t figured out yet.
The hood is plug and play once you have the grill and lights and fenders in. Just bolt the new one on.
The 1st Gen fenders basically go on without issue once you’ve removed all the 2nd Gen stuff.