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AJE Ranger K-Member Who's Done It!?


n2xlr8n

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28x10.5
Any progress guys? I'm just about done for this summer. Lots to do this winter though. Any of you install a race column? My concern is wiring up turn signals, emergency flashers, and windshield wipers. Although I don't really need windshield wipers...
A little- I bought my awning (it's awesome working under it), got my shocks installed (went with QA1...another story), installed the warspeed alternator bracket and got exactly one (!) wiring circuit done before the heat told me I had to quit.

Tore my shoulder up, so I've hired a young guy to help on weekends (starting Saturday). I'm about twenty-thirty hours of labor from starting, tuning and driving.

BTW- I wanted to share an embarassing (but transparent) moment of ignorance with the world:

I'm using a 84 Ranger manual master cylinder, Wilwood adj proportioning valve, PBR twin piston (regular old Mustang) front and GM single piston rear discs. More than enough to stop a 2800 lb vehicle with sticky rear tires.
First thing, I bleed the MC. Then the brakes. I'm noticing the pedal is not really getting any better, so I get another human to help, old-school style. Nope- same thing. Troubleshooting brakes. Great- here we go.
I isolate the MC. Pedal is rock solid. Add the rear brakes, pedal is fine. As soon as I add the front PBRs, little/no pedal resistance. WTH? I call Wilwood- is my MC too small, I ask? Surely, they say. You need a 1-1/16" bore, $400 MC.
:oops:
Okay....on a hunch I call (imo) the best tech support group around at Maximum Motorsports- the LAST thing the guy says before we hang up is...."I've heard you can put those PBRs on the wrong sides". As he's telling me this, I'm rotating cell phone through space (as if it were the caliper)...uh-oh. Let me go look. Yep- the bleeder screw is on the bottom (supposed to be on top...duh).
Swap sides, done. Good brake pedal now.
At least I didn't blow $400 to find out it was a mistake I made.

PXL_20220707_212226308.MP.jpg

Gotta be 20* cooler under here
PXL_20220709_201036436.MP (1).jpg

Rear of the truck is done (other than a competent welder finishing my tacks)
PXL_20220715_174113326.MP.jpg

QA1 Pro, double adjustable. I can do pretty much anything with these- add a sway bar and go to Barber Motorsports or run it at the dragstrip.

Til next time.
 


Yotaismygame

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I’ll admit I did the same thing on my dodge with the rear calipers. Somehow just completely over looked the fact that the bleeders were on the bottom. Couldn’t get it bled right convinced myself it needed a special computer to activate the abs pump. Took it in and I got embarrassed lol.
My truck is pretty much ready to go at this point. Took it home for the weekend. After carpet and sound deadener I’m done with it until winter. Finally turned the boost up. Running 10psi now. Much more fun. Swapped the Borla muffler for pipe, much more enjoyable sound. That Borla was working well! I’m going to toss a resonator on it now to tame it down just a touch. First official bath too after owning the thing for two years! If you have Instagram I started a page. #bigbirdranger
F1F32508-45B6-48BB-BBAE-0EC29EA1FC46.jpeg
 

Yotaismygame

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I'm saving up for the AJE kit. I plan to K swap my ranger and make it a whole dedicated track truck. Currently have an 8.8 sitting in the garage and 02' Sport trac front calipers that need to be rebuilt then ill throw them on for bigger brakes all around. Truck's currently my daily until I get my 92' Sentra up and running again.
Sounds interesting. I've seen that green truck on YT that's K-swapped. Seems like a good idea. Not all that cheap though if looking for big power. Honestly even a stock 5.3l with a good cam would be fun in these trucks. The calipers are you talking about putting the sport tracs on the aje kit? I dont know if that will work. As the AJE kit uses mustang parts.
 

clippii

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2WD
Any progress guys? I'm just about done for this summer. Lots to do this winter though. Any of you install a race column? My concern is wiring up turn signals, emergency flashers, and windshield wipers. Although I don't really need windshield wipers...
Nothing more on my end, waiting for some shop space to free. ETA on the motor has been pushed back again as the block is backordered still. Will be posting as soon as I have more to show for sure thou!

oh and also I bought two of these guys 🐌🐌
 

Ghst

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Sounds interesting. I've seen that green truck on YT that's K-swapped. Seems like a good idea. Not all that cheap though if looking for big power. Honestly even a stock 5.3l with a good cam would be fun in these trucks. The calipers are you talking about putting the sport tracs on the aje kit? I dont know if that will work. As the AJE kit uses mustang parts.
Yeah. The brakes are from the Sport Trac. It's more of I want the 12 inch rotors over the ranger's stock 10in. Once I get the AJE kit ill be swapping over to mustang parts. I saw that video on the green ranger as well lol. That ranger used an RX8 transmission which isn't all that great for holding a bunch of power. I don't plan to go turbo either. I plan to aim for 270-300 on the K24. Currently battling problems with my ranger shorting out the fuel pump and frying my PCM fuse.
 

Yotaismygame

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Any of you guys with a stock steering column could you post a pic of the interior connection to the steering shaft? Trying to remember how far down that connection is.
 

n2xlr8n

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LS
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Automatic
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2WD
Tire Size
28x10.5
Any of you guys with a stock steering column could you post a pic of the interior connection to the steering shaft? Trying to remember how far down that connection is.
@Yotaismygame

PXL_20220723_215641722.MP.jpg

PXL_20220723_215652853.MP.jpg

PXL_20220723_215712127.MP.jpg


Hopefully these are what you're referring to- let me know if you need more detail.
 
Last edited:

Yotaismygame

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That sort of helps. I cant quite tell whats going on there. I need a pic of the column in the truck where it goes through the firewall.
 

n2xlr8n

Member
V8 Engine Swap
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Bama
Vehicle Year
1990
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Ford Ranger XLT
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
LS
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
28x10.5
That sort of helps. I cant quite tell whats going on there. I need a pic of the column in the truck where it goes through the firewall.
@Yotaismygame
I have a race-only rack, but it uses the same mounting point as the stock column- would that help?
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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91 ranger stock steering column.

20220723_202853.jpg
20220723_202847.jpg
 

Yotaismygame

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So this part here detaches from the column inside the cab?
6A54FFA0-3733-4BB3-80D1-143D8EFA3210.jpeg

So without the the stock steering shaft the column is strictly inside the cab? The way mine is setup now my column is inside the cab about 4inches or so from the firewall and the steering shaft enters the firewall at a pretty steep angle to clear my manifold. Trying to determine if I could use a stock column or if I need to use a race column to delete my modified stock column that has the electric motor on the end of it.

btw this truck handles pretty dang good. With the proper sway bars I think I could push it pretty hard in the turns
 

n2xlr8n

Member
V8 Engine Swap
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Joined
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Messages
98
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Location
Bama
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Ford Ranger XLT
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
LS
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
28x10.5
So this part here detaches from the column inside the cab?
@Yotaismygame No- it is part of the column.

So without the the stock steering shaft the column is strictly inside the cab? The way mine is setup now my column is inside the cab about 4inches or so from the firewall and the steering shaft enters the firewall at a pretty steep angle to clear my manifold. Trying to determine if I could use a stock column or if I need to use a race column to delete my modified stock column that has the electric motor on the end of it.

btw this truck handles pretty dang good. With the proper sway bars I think I could push it pretty hard in the turns
No- it extends through the firewall as pictured. It's where the black tube ends and the coupler begins.

The 1st gen Ranger is almost the same as a Fox body, but shorter mount to firewall distance. The only direct drop in I could find was the guy on ebay that fabricates them for our Rangers; he was pretty adamant about it not being for street use, and I definitely can see why- there is a marked difference in quality of materials between the $300 Motion Raceworks column (for Fox) and his $275 column. No comparison, imo.

FWIW, the ebay race-only column saved 27 pounds over the stock piece.
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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Undo the bolt...

20220729_084355.jpg
 

Yotaismygame

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@Yotaismygame No- it is part of the column.



No- it extends through the firewall as pictured. It's where the black tube ends and the coupler begins.

The 1st gen Ranger is almost the same as a Fox body, but shorter mount to firewall distance. The only direct drop in I could find was the guy on ebay that fabricates them for our Rangers; he was pretty adamant about it not being for street use, and I definitely can see why- there is a marked difference in quality of materials between the $300 Motion Raceworks column (for Fox) and his $275 column. No comparison, imo.

FWIW, the ebay race-only column saved 27 pounds over the stock piece.
I might just have to make my own then. The ebay one looks quite nice I thought.

I'm still a little confused on the stock column. Mainly because of this pic. I just can’t remember what the setup looked like when I originally took it all apart.
46F1E7A4-6F55-4970-96DD-980E9219A222.jpeg
 

Roert42

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That is the output side, the bolt in the above picture that is circled in red goes into the notch in the left side of your picture.
 

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