‘94 4x4 Swap/Build

[Dantheman1540]

Does the spring rub the tower? Mine are crazy close especially on the passenger side I kinda cut too much out of the stock buck but I dont see/hear any issues.

 

[DRanger024]

I think they rub a little but only because they don’t fit the buckets well. I actually had issues with the top of the bucket hitting the body of my shocks. Ripped the shock boots on the Billies all the hell. Live and learn.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Ahh makes sense. I never use shock boots, they look ugly and bother me lol

 

[DRanger024]

I agree with that! The Bilstein boots are pretty inconspicuous though so I left them until they ripped.

 

[Dantheman1540]

Ahh yes, black boots are acceptable. Those bright red ones that come with rancho shocks are the worst, they just hold the dirt and grease in and always look filthy imo.

 

[DRanger024]

I've never owned any Rancho shocks. Something about the white and red I just don't like

 

[Dantheman1540]

I've never owned any Rancho shocks. Something about the white and red I just don't like

I bought a set of 9000s way back in the day for my second ranger. Then a realized the lug nuts had been completely rounded off by the PO and I owned that truck almost two years without ever being able to take a tire off. I was able to install the rears, but not the fronts. That was a loonnggg time ago in a land far far away tho.

 

[DRanger024]

Brought a parts truck home today for $80. It's an '89 long bed 2wd 2.3 auto. I wanted it just for the frame but ended up with a decent complete dash, a good 7.5 for my Ranger based trailer and a complete front suspension to part out.

The plan is to shorten this frame, build new rear cab mount brackets and put it under my '94. The original frame that's under the truck is bent (truck was lowered the wrong way and was jumped a couple times during that phase) and has rust holes creeping through it. This also gets rid of the crumple zones and gives me an easier frame to work off of for winch/bumper mounting as well as cleaning things up with SAS brackets. Win in my book.

I'm not thrilled about shortening it and always wanted a long bed but it would be even more effort to track down a clean 7ft bed, another topper, redo my exhaust, build a new driveshaft and extend all of the wiring. I'd rather cut a chunk out and weld in some fish plates. I'm hoping to have the frame fixed, shortened, cleaned up and painted and ready to swap by fall.

Ship Rock in Coloma, WI. The donor came from about 10 minutes from here.

The frame is in excellent shape for the midwest but it does need one cab mount bracket.

The drivers side front of the frame is covered in oily dirt and looks almost brand new underneath. The rear is legitimately just surface rust. Look at those spring hangers and shackles! Passenger rear hanger still has some of the paint hanging on!

 

[DRanger024]

This will be a process that I will be watching. I remember your truck from stock to lower and to its current state. Always thought how mine would look lower, and glad I never went that route . Even making it a 4wd like you have done, didn't ever get to that point to make it happen. I've had alot of fun off road adventures with mine in the 30 years I've owned it. You only make your ranger better and I like it .

Thanks! I try to make improvements where I can. It feels like an uphill battle with a 30 year old Wisconsin truck sometimes though. I would like another lowered Ranger but I want to do it right and with a V8. Possibly super cab. My wife wants another mustang though and can’t see how much more fun an old Ranger would be with a V8 and no electronics babysitting what you do in it.

 

[DRanger024]

Made some progress on the frame donor. Pretty uneventful progress too. All that’s left to remove really is the rear bumper and the power steering gear. I’ll pressure wash it when the weather gets a little more stable. We’ve had abnormally warm temps like everyone else but we usually get a big snow in march or April. I don’t want to get too carried away then bury it in a snow bank.

The cab will go to the junkyard or a scrapper as soon as I finish stripping it out.

Should have bought a lottery ticket.

It really is clean for the year. Power steering pump must have hated life with the amount of oil that’s on the frame and the gear.

Crossmembers are pretty clean too.

 

[Dantheman1540]

That power steering oil puked everywhere is a good rust inhibitor

 

[DRanger024]

That power steering oil puked everywhere is a good rust inhibitor

I know it. I’m thankful for it lol.

 

[DRanger024]

Got the “new” frame in the garage today and started cleaning brackets off. Looks like I need to fix the front cab mount brackets below the core support. I see they’re pretty rotten now that I peeled the bushings off. Got the rear most cab mount brackets cut off tonight and started looking at where I’ll be sectioning the frame to shorten it up.
Ford put two holes in the tops of the long bed frame rails that are exactly 6” apart so I’ll be using those to make a layout. They should also locate the splice somewhere in between the front a rear holes for the leaf spring hanger after it’s moved for the Chevy 64’s.
As far as the rear of the frame goes, I’ll cross that bridge when it’s time to bolt the bed on I think but for now, I’ll probably end up drilling new bed mounting holes further toward the front and just cutting the end of the rails off.

Front cab mounts are toast. Both look about the same.

Took my 4” cut off grinder home from work to cut brackets and the frame. If you’ve never used one of these, they are the cats ass for cut off wheels.

I thought I took more pics than I did apparently. Maybe get some more tomorrow if I can. It’s going to be a busy day so not much will probably happen.

 

[DRanger024]

Parts are starting to come in..

 

[DRanger024]

Frame is sectioned. I need to pull the bed off of my truck and measure the distance between the front and middle bed mounting holes. I’d measure the box but I don’t trust it. Once I have that dimension, I’ll cut the 6” off the back of the frame rails. So far, every bolt I’ve hit with the impact has come loose. The leaf spring bolts on the other hand, aren’t even budging with a breaker bar.

Wrong or right, I put the fish plates on the top and bottom of the rails. I have to think if this thing is going to crack or break, it’s going to start there.