2003 Ranger Edge 4x4 build/fix up

[CamTheHedgehog]

Hello all! Long time lurker, first time member.

I’m CamTheHedgehog, or Cam for short.

I own a 2003 Ford Ranger. Edge Plus package, Supercab, 4x4, 4.0L SOHC, Limited Slip, and step side bed.
Give or take ~250k miles.
She’s my daily driver and weekend warrior.

• Mods/projects so far: 265/75/16 BFG All Terrain T/As, (I work at a tire shop), torsion bar crank maxed out, that reversible air box mod, dashcam, new EDGE decals, and cheap Best Buy stereo from the previous owner.

Future mods: Off Road Lights, new grille, 2” leveling lift, better stereo, exhaust system, new window molding trim, new badges, new hitch(stupid rust), undercoating, and paint correction.

Known problems:

• 4x4 is broken,(motor or tccm)
• Beginnings of the dreaded timing chain rattle
• Front diff needs a rebuild (leaky and noisy)
• Some paint peeling on the hood (edge trim has fiberglass hoods lol)
• A bit of rust
• Needs new headlight housings- they are eBay special quality. I will replace them with slightly better eBay special quality ones
• Needs a new grille- it’s really faded and cracked.

This will be copied and pasted as well into a build log, for anyone who wants to waste time watching a teenager build a ranger.

I will try to add some photos of my truck later, she’s a gravel dust magnet right now though…

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Here’s some photos:

Here’s one from a WV road trip- she’s just in the way of a scenic shot though

And one of the radio I have in it

 

[superj]

thats a good-looking truck.

i, too, have an edge step side, though a single cab with the 3.0 and stick shift transmission.

 

[CrabGuy]

Nice looking truck. That's the 1st Sonic Blue Edge I've seen.

 

[Ranger850]

Nice truck. Let me know If you want to sale your current Grill to offset the cost of a new grill. I've been hunting a decent honeycomb grill for a while now.

 

[Ranger850]

Nice looking truck. That's the 1st Sonic Blue one I've seen.

he's got 2

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

he's got 2

Yeah... thats a funny story. My first car at 16 was a 2002 Camry. My parents quickly realized it really wasn't right for me, and offered to buy me (the first) 2003 ranger. I happily accepted. It was a 2003 Ranger Edge, 3L, sonic blue metallic, single cab, 2wd. Even so, the ranger bug bit me, and (now that I had a job and money) I began searching for one that was a bit more kitted out. Months of casual searching on FB marketplace ensued. This spring, I stumbled upon a local guy selling a(my now current truck) ranger. It was perfect. Bigger engine, 4x4, limited slip, supercab, all the power options. And it was also a 2003 EDGE in sonic blue. Almost identical, but more of what I wanted. I happily accepted. The guy wanted 6000. I offered $4500. he came back with the best counteroffer ever: "$5k, with a full tank of gas." Sold. The first day I brought it to work, none of my coworkers noticed becaue it was so similar! For a while, we had the first one too, and it was sold a few weeks ago to a good friend of ours. Evidently, the edge trim is already rare, let alone the edge plus (Power options and bucket seats). These trucks make great daily drivers, yet weekend tinkering machines.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Nice truck. Let me know If you want to sale your current Grill to offset the cost of a new grill. I've been hunting a decent honeycomb grill for a while now.

I have an eBay link to the same new one I got if you want- $70, but the valance has to be painted to match.

 

[Ranger850]

I have an eBay link to the same new one I got if you want- $70, but the valance has to be painted to match.

I have an E-bay one in my cart, I'm just too much of a cheap skate to pull the trigger. My '01 Edge is white, so I'd have to paint it anyways

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

I have an E-bay one in my cart, I'm just too much of a cheap skate to pull the trigger. My '01 Edge is white, so I'd have to paint it anyways

That explains it. Im willing to sell you mine, but ill give pics first- it is nowhere near the color it is supposed to be.
(yeah I have a new one- haven't gotten around to getting it painted yet lol)

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Well…. Update time.
I’m still in iowa at the moment working at a camp, but when I get home it’s full steam ahead on….. redoing the timing.

yup. I have the rattle. And while still minor, it’s getting worse. So now I begin the process of making lists parts, tools, and equipment to buy, as well as scraping together resources to follow- the videos by FordTechMakuloco, and the explorerforum posts by 2000streetrod.

On a related note, would anyone want to see a full write up of the engine out timing job on rhe 4.0 SOHC? There doesn’t seem to be a good one on here…

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Also I will be pulling an engine out before I even get out of high school! Cool, but really scary as this truck is my daily.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Well…. Update time.
I’m still in iowa at the moment working at a camp, but when I get home it’s full steam ahead on….. redoing the timing.

yup. I have the rattle. And while still minor, it’s getting worse. So now I begin the process of making lists parts, tools, and equipment to buy, as well as scraping together resources to follow- the videos by FordTechMakuloco, and the explorerforum posts by 2000streetrod.

On a related note, would anyone want to see a full write up of the engine out timing job on rhe 4.0 SOHC? There doesn’t seem to be a good one on here…

Yes, I think a write up is a good idea. However it will probably take you twice as long to do the job because now you need to take pics and make notes. If you're constrained for time maybe not a good idea.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Eh….. it’s one of those jobs where it’s going to take you wayyy longer than you initially think because it’s a new-to-you big thing, so it’s not that big of a deal to me to take the time to do the write up.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Well would you look at this! An update!
After a whole lot of… life happening, I got my timing project rolling again.

Parts have been ordered, I’m about $1200 poorer all in, but I got free ACDelco sway bar bushings for a ‘06 GMC Acadia from RockAuto by accident!