98 ford ranger solid axle swap

[max07]

i have a 98 ford ranger wanting to do a arm to solid axle swap. 98s don't use coil springs what axle will work

 

[Dirtman]

Anything you want... You have to fab leaf spring mounts, or coil buckets and control arms no matter what. Nothing will just bolt on obviously so go nuts. A full size Dana 44 with a full size 9" would be a good combo.

 

[pjtoledo]

take a good look at the front frame crossmember. then envision how much will need removed to clear the new axle.
now that you have the cross member figured out, what's gonna happen to the steering rack?

I'm not trying to rain on your parade, it's just that a good parade needs a lot of detailed planning.

 

[max07]

once i get the leaf springs on do i just line them up with coil pads on the axles

 

[Dirtman]

Why would you have coil pads if you're going with leaf springs?

 

[max07]

Why would you have coil pads if you're going with leaf springs?

im not going to run coil springs im just asking if you just run the leafs on the axle coil pads

 

[bobbywalter]

im not going to run coil springs im just asking if you just run the leafs on the axle coil pads

What axle?

That is usually the determiner of the footprint the mounts will need.

If it's a 10bolt or 70,s d44 of any type...

I would run a 2wd gm steering gear and hybrid it's steering shaft to the ranger steering shaft and a 4x4 pitman with a bridge beam in front and offset the hangers with angle in the back.

Depending on what you want...it's all bolt in. Cake. Shock towers can require some patience..

 

[bobbywalter]

After the previously mentioned time spent with a grinder and herd of cut off wheels and flap disks...

 

[lilgrnranger]

is it true that if i SAS a 2wd it will be 4wd?

 

[scotts90ranger]

If you swap in a solid axle then a 4x4 transmission (or convert yours) then add a transfer case and a front driveshaft then yes...

 

[lilgrnranger]

If you swap in a solid axle then a 4x4 transmission (or convert yours) then add a transfer case and a front driveshaft then yes...

can i keep my 5spd manual transmission or does it have to be one from a 4x4 ranger

 

[bobbywalter]

can i keep my 5spd manual transmission or does it have to be one from a 4x4 ranger

you either run a divorced t case
, or buy a 4x4 tcase and trans from a 4.0 ranger...or convert yours to 4x4 and buy a t case.


its a case of you needing a case.

 

[That_4.0_ranger]

is it true that if i SAS a 2wd it will be 4wd?

you dont have to SAS it to be 4x4 you can just buy trans,t case, frontend and drive shaft from a stock 4x4 ranger and not mess with all the mods needed for a SAS

 

[scotts90ranger]

No, you can't really do that on any Rangers shy of the Edge models that were just missing some parts, the rest of the Rangers have different engine crossmembers and other bits that are hard to swap over... it's honestly easier to find a donor frame and swap bodies, that's what I did...

 

[That_4.0_ranger]

No, you can't really do that on any Rangers shy of the Edge models that were just missing some parts, the rest of the Rangers have different engine crossmembers and other bits that are hard to swap over... it's honestly easier to find a donor frame and swap bodies, that's what I did...

oh i thought they used the same frames but just had an axle in the front and a tcase