2003 Ford Ranger Lowered 4/5 Project Daily Driver

[Z3CHYD]

So I've been out of the ranger game for the last 7 years. My last one was an 86 Ranger with dream beams and a flip kit, and I loved that truck, but I sold it when I joined the Air Force. fast forward 6 years later, I'm out of the Air Force, and traded my 2001 Dodge Dakota quad cab for a 2003 Ford Ranger. I immediately knew I would be doing several things to make it my own haha. first picture is the day I got the truck, stock except for rim/tires, tint and headlights.

First thing I did was hack off the stock muffler and tailpipe and did a side pipe with the resonator as the muffler

Then I replaced the factory speakers with some 6.5 pioneer speakers, using adapters for the mounting and plugs, so no splicing whatsoever

Threw in a single 12 in a slim truck box I had laying around with a 1200 watt amp on the passenger side so I don't lose any legroom!

Used it for hauling some firewood a few times, it did pretty decent for a 2wd 2.3 5-speed truck

It stayed like this for a few weeks, only adding my headache rack that I got from a company fleet truck in the area, and mounted some LED's to it and my front bumper.

I replaced the front wheel bearings and races, and they had some play in them. I've made good use of my works shop after hours for sure!

But then I started ordering some parts I originally bought 3 inch drop springs and a flip kit and drop shocks, but discovered the drop was too much
for stock control arms, and even with camber bolts it was way off. That and my lower control arm was resting quite firmly on the bumpstops making for a harsh ride.

When I originally put in the DJM control arms, I used my 3 inch drop springs I had bought prior. but that made them bottom out bad as well, so the next pic's stance was only that low for a day or two.

Then I took out the 3 inch drop springs, and put the stock spings back in, but those made it sit way to high and it was so tight I almost had no bounce to the suspension at all.

After figuring out the drop springs were too low, and the stock springs were too high, I decided to just cut one coil off each stock spring. That seem to do the truck nicely, as now it was dropped where I wanted it, with no bottoming out and actually had some suspension travel.

 

[Z3CHYD]

 

[Z3CHYD]

Now most recently i've bought some new tires, and plan on putting those on my black rims that came with the truck, because obviously the 235/75R15's were way too big. The mustang rims are only temporary because that's all I had to fit for now. Still waiting on the tires to come in but they should be here in a few days. In the meantime I changed my exhaust again, because the factory flex flange was getting quite wiggly.
Still comes out in the same area, just changed the tip

Since I cut off the flange and resonator, I added a short glasspack the same size as the resonator was, which worked out well. Also found out that the piping before the factory flange was 2.5 inches, so I used some 2.5 inch pipe I had laying around to fab up the rest of the sidepipe and it seems to work pretty well, and doesn't hang down near as low as it did.

Welding isn't perfect but its getting better. I don't think it's too bad for a harbor freight welder and some mig wire lol Zero leaks too.

And I can still use the truck as a truck lol Although the rear has maybe 1/2 inch of travel even with pancake bumpstops, so I think a c-notch is in my future lol. Stay tuned for more updates, new tires/rims should be on soon followed by a notch for the rear

 

[RangerFabWorks]

Good to see you around again! Whatcha got planned for the 235s you took off?

 

[Z3CHYD]

Good to see you around again! Whatcha got planned for the 235s you took off?

I'm either gonna sell them or save them to throw on my 71 F100, because she needs tires pretty bad, but is also a ways from being street legal again lol

 

[Z3CHYD]

Quick update, I got my new rims and tires on and mounted, installed my c-notch in the rear and have been loving this thing so far. I do need to do some more dremeling on the front lower control on mount on the rear mount, as the DJM LCA's hit there before they hit the bumpstops, which I found odd. Not sure if it is because my ranger was wrecked and fixed at one point, but still an annoyance.

 

[Z3CHYD]

So I got some bucket seats out of a 2000 explorer, drivers side power passenger side manual slider, and I swore I read on here that they were direct bolt in. But I found out they're not. The front bolts bolt up fine, but the rear bolt holes come up short, with the out side mount basically "floating". I even took off the explorer tracks, and tried using the tracks from my original 60/40 seat, but that made the seat sit up way too high and the width made the outside mounts easily an inch or two away from the holes, in short way too wide. i guess to make it work I'll have to use the explorer tracks and just make new holes in the rear, and make some kind of spacer for the side that isn't touching the floor. Not thrilled about that, but I've wanted to replace my standard, base model pleather seats for so long! Also have an explorer center console to put in, just ran out of daylight today lol

 

[Z3CHYD]

nevermind on the explorer buckets, I gave up trying to make them work and ended up putting some early 2000's camaro buckets I had in. I had to make two small brackets to adapt the seat to the ranger rails, but it worked out great and isn't going anywhere!

 

[Z3CHYD]

Did the 06 mirror swap on my truck, looks alot better than the ugly flag mirrors Ford used since the mid 90's.

 

[Z3CHYD]

Glamour Shots lol

 

[2Krngr]

Looking good.

The front 3" belltech drop springs ride great and can be used just fine with the djm's. It's not too low, you just need to cut off the metal bumpstop contact stopper on the frame that hangs down from the coil pocket which is pretty standard when lowering a 98+, and of course you should get a raised transmission crossmember. And you will still have plenty of suspension travel still.

That coupled with the c-notch, good shocks, and grinding the where the control arm taps the frame that you already realized and are working on with a make a great riding truck that is nice and low. You need Specialty Products 87500 camber adjuster bolts on the DJM uppers and you can get a great alignment with them, even being that low.

 

[Z3CHYD]

Not much has changed with my little ranger, Explorer center console is in, a few more stickers, etc. She's been a very reliable truck, and getting right around 30mpg's helps the wallet! This past week I thought I was going to have to tear out the trans and replace the slave cylinder, because it sounded like the bearing had failed while driving, but turned out to be the vibration dampener on the driveshaft had come off and was rattling around. took it off and noticed it was alot smoother, lol no vibrations after taking off the vibration dampener, imagine that. Now I'm on the hunt for either a low profile cap, or fiberglass bed cover. Also made an exhaust video lol. I know it's just a 4 banger, but I like it.