4wd to 2wd conversion

[vaprobe87]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this thread so if it needs to be moved that's OK. Also I tried to search from my phone but couldn't really find any information so if a thread exists alread with this info a link would be appreciated.

I have a 2000 Ranger XLT 3.0 5-Speed 4x4. I was letting my brother borrow the truck and he left it parked at his house she he was out of town for work for a couple months and it was stolen and had a bunch of parts stripped and wires cut and so on. I know it will take a lot to get everything back how it was so I was thinking about just making a little hot rod out of it instead. I know starting with a 2wd would be the best course of action but this truck holds a lot of sentimental value since we have owned it since almost new. My dad bought it with 12K miles on it in 2001 and I learned to drive in this truck and it was passed down to me when he couldn't drive a manual any longer. It has over 400K on it now and I've driven literally all over the country.

I am wondering what all I would need from a 2wd truck to convert this one over suspension wise or if there are any major differences that would make it impossible to convert it over. The plan is to switch it to 2wd and drop in a carbed 5.0 and 5 Speed just to get it driving again then eventually go turbo with it.

Attached are pics before and after it was stolen. Thrives suck.

 

[Blmpkn]

If your gonna go turbo might as well put an LS in it. Buying the motor will be cheaper, to buy replacement parts will be cheaper, to make gobs and gobs of power will be cheaper..

4.8 or 5.3 motors can be found for 200$ all day long, and bracket racers run them for seasons and seasons at 6-7-800 HP completely stock (stock apart from turbo stuff of course)

 

[scotts90ranger]

Suspension wise EVERYTHING up front is different between 4x4 and 4x2, other than 4x2 Edge models which are 4x4 without spinny bits and a fake transfer case... In the rear the only difference is the shocks, U bolts and lift blocks. If you want to get it lower and put a simpler drivetrain in just pull the guts out of the front, pull the outer CV joints apart and turn down the torsion screws and you'll get close to 4x2 height.

Turbo LS is fairly easy power, I have a friend with a turbo 6.0L with a turbo 400 trans in a K5 blazer with 1 ton running gear and I think 36" boggers pushing about 12psi boost and it will beat a fairly built banchee quad uphill in sand somehow... he is estimating over 500hp to the rear wheels. I mean, I'm all for keeping it ford and doing something different, but the fun per dollar is impressive with a turbo LS...

 

[don4331]

Yes, Thieves suck.

Do I have a frame for you - unfortunately, I am on other side of country and north of 49. (My '98 2wd went shiny side down and frame is about all I haven't scavenged to date). What scotts90ranger says about frames and all suspension bits being different from front of box forward between 4wd and 2wd is correct.

My solution to make your truck a 2wd would be - get a pair of Ranger Edge knuckles, and then remove all the 4wd parts from the front of the transfer case forward. You can worry about removing the transfer case when you do the V-8 swap. 2wd Bronco IIs had an empty transfer case (BW1359), so you could pretend it was stock.

On other hand, 4x4 regular cabs are less common, so I wouldn't mind seeing this truck restored to former glory.

The 2 relatively easy ones:

The wiring for box is same whether 2wd or 4wd, you just need to find a '98-00 Ranger and pull the wires for the flareside (the connector is at back of box). Hell, if I can find mine, I'll send it to you for shipping. You will of course need new tail lights..​

The underhood wiring is same whether regular cab or super cab, you just need to find the right year ('98-00) and options (4WABS being the less common one) the wiring is tedious to remove but with a little patience, not difficult to pull.​

(I probably have all the front end pieces, but you might have to pay for a couple of those - I have a '99 Ranger and they are "spares" for that).​

​

The bit more complicated one - swapping out a dash. In this case you would be looking for a 4x4 SuperCab with 4WABS. (The dash swap isn't hard, it only about dozen bolts and equal number of connectors, but it is big and bulky.)

Note: You need to fix most of those whether you go 5.0 Explorer EFI drivetrain, 5.0 Carb'ed or LS.

 

[vaprobe87]

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking they were probably different frame wise but figured I would ask. I think I will go for a carbed 5.0 with 4.2L f150 manual trans and manual T-case just to make it simple. Just have to source the parts and figure out a way to afford them LOL.

 

[scotts90ranger]

A fuel injected 5.0L from a Explorer or Mountaineer would be easier to integrate into things... I have one I think I'm going to throw into a 67 mustang and convert the 4R70W to 4x2 and make a nice cruiser... but I'm not a carburetor guy, if it has more than one or two cylinders it needs fuel injection

 

[vaprobe87]

From what I've read the hardest part of doing this swap and keeping EFI is the electronics especially since the Explorer/Mountaineer never came with a manual transmission. Either a custom tune or aftermarket computer would be needed since the auto trans control was built in to the ECU.

I figured just to simplify everything I would go with a carbed 5.0 with a one wire Chevy alternator and either a aftermarket HEI type distributor or a Duraspark style distributor with a HEI module to run it instead of the Duraspark box. Then I would just need a push button start to bypass the PATS and some mechanical gauges for oil pressure and coolant temp and a GPS Speedo and should be set.

 

[19Walt93]

I used a Pertronics distributor, the whole ignition system is under the cap and it has 2 wires that attach to either side of the coil. I also used a carburetor, the ignition should be compatible with the electronics you use. If you really want a one wire alternator, Powermaster builds junk.