91 Ranger gets Re-Rebuilt

[farmer]

91 Ranger gets Re-Rebuilt and SAS'd

So this spring I rebuilt my 91 in 10 days for my buddies funeral, hate all you want but the Dana 35 stood up to the 40s pretty decent
F-150 springs, 3" body, hacked fenders

Then in August I took a little tumble on the way home in the morning after a long night of wheeling my buddies property

I put it back together, new doors, fenders, bed, paint. Tried pushing the front end far enough forward to clear 37s with lightly trimmed fenders, 3" body lift and F-150 springs. Long story short, it was a nice attempt but it handled like shit, wandered, and the front end was desperate for major rebuild.
I picked up a HP 44 narrowed 6" from a friend with 4.88s and a spool for $250, minus axle shafts. I had a complete front end from a 79 with suspension for a year now but wanted to stay narrow track, so I pillaged the radius arms, mounts, and 4" F-150 coils. Wound up using axles from a 79 HP44HD, dont know if theres a strength diffence using those or not, and a cromo long side from JBG. Kicked myself in the ass after for not buying the whole set, but we'll see how it goes for now. Got the DOM steering kit from RuffStuff, its beef!

Replacing the bearings and brakes, nothing like a $90k work bench

Had another little mishap tearing out the TTB, truck probably thought I wasn't going to finish it.

Snapped a jackstand in half and with no weight over the rear it came right forward. Luckily I was letting down the jack in front of it when it came down.
No pics from putting it together, got dirty and in the zone completely forgot. Pretty straight forward, stock 78/79 radius arm brackets, made a tranny crossmember with 2x2 tube blah blah.
Track bar is a stock 79 with the frame end cut off, sleeved with DOM leftover from the steering, and a heim. I know I should have gone full DOM but I used what I had.
Now sitting on 38.5 Gumbo Mudders up front, and 38.5 Boggers out back.

Rear end is Dana 44 from a Scout with 4.88s and spool. Thinking of replacing it with Cab and Chassis 14 Bolt and converting front to 8 lug. Looking at picking up a rebuilt AOD with AA adapter to the BW1354 for $400 and stealing the 5.0 from my rotbox Mustang. We'll see.
Waiting on pay day to go pick up a new rear driveshaft and it'll be on the trails by Saturday.
Hope you enjoy

 

[86MUDRCJ]

Nice rig man. Glad you switched to a 44 I've heard horror stories about those big tires and d35's.

 

[Ford78]

Truck turned out great!

 

[farmer]

Yeah I was running much technical trails with the D35 and 40s, mostly mud. now its setup for strength and flex. I need to get some Explorer springs for the back its still nose high and the boggers rub when flexing. Been working through some driveshaft issues, kept blowing Napa ujoints in the back, changed to another random driveshaft I had without a CV at the transfer case and its better but still has a vibration. Thinking the vibration is just the tires though.
Should have some new pics up first of the week, been trying to get the new clutch broken in before I do too much wheeling

 

[86MUDRCJ]

I might have missed it but how much lift are you running and did you cut the fenders to fit 38's?

 

[farmer]

It has a 3" body lift and I believe those are old 4" 78-79 F150 coils up front in stock ranger buckets. I'd say I got ~5-6" of lift with those springs.
Fenders were cut in the front before and they will stuff when flexed. The back needs to be higher so I can let it flex, only has ~4-5" lift in the back.

 

[hockeyryan]

looks good man. I wish I could do my sas in 10 days

 

[BrucesBlack]

Nice rig man , and Digging the 2nd build better of course !

 

[farmer]

Thanks, the 10 days wasnt the SAS though, it was swapping a motor, changing core support, completely cut out and rebuild the floor, finish the rear suspension after gutting it all. I litterally took what was a part truck that should have been crushed, and turned it into a running driving truck again. What can I say? There was a lot of memories in it, I'm a sentimental prick.
And thanks! I'm still fighting a driveshaft issue but it looks like the pinion angle is killing my ujoints, theres enough spring wrap it will snap them. Getting Explorer springs to boost the back some more and probably going to cut the perches and reweld them.

 

[86MUDRCJ]

It has a 3" body lift and I believe those are old 4" 78-79 F150 coils up front in stock ranger buckets. I'd say I got ~5-6" of lift with those springs.
Fenders were cut in the front before and they will stuff when flexed. The back needs to be higher so I can let it flex, only has ~4-5" lift in the back.

Alright thanks man. It didn't look like the fenders were touched. It looks good.