4x4prepper
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2015
- Messages
- 507
- Reaction score
- 216
- Points
- 43
- Location
- Atlanta
- Vehicle Year
- 1985
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Manual
> Other likes about the truck - easy to work on. I like the cab plus
I like the 1st generation the best, especially the square headlamps which are way cheaper then the aero ones. I dislike the 89-92 style. Since extended cabs are not plentiful in the 1st generation and the 2.9L can be a real pain and the wiring unreliable with the TFI, I would say 93-97 would be the best with a 4.0L and automatic. If you get a manual transmission see if you can avoid the 3.07 3.27 ratios. Try getting a manual transfer case, the auto hubs are easy enough to change out, as you really do not want auto hubs trying to get yourself out of a rut, trying to go backwards, in a muddy, snow, or icy, especially uphill.
There are cheap conversion kits for the 1993-1997 4.0 L if you wanted to go carb too. I had a 1997 Ranger single cab 4.0L. MT, manual transfer case XLT (all power and cruise) and was very happy with it off road.
Picture of my young kid driving it (2000?) through the woods, on an ATV trail, in Maine on my property, we hit a few low lying branches, I had to do the shifting for her :-D
I like the 1st generation the best, especially the square headlamps which are way cheaper then the aero ones. I dislike the 89-92 style. Since extended cabs are not plentiful in the 1st generation and the 2.9L can be a real pain and the wiring unreliable with the TFI, I would say 93-97 would be the best with a 4.0L and automatic. If you get a manual transmission see if you can avoid the 3.07 3.27 ratios. Try getting a manual transfer case, the auto hubs are easy enough to change out, as you really do not want auto hubs trying to get yourself out of a rut, trying to go backwards, in a muddy, snow, or icy, especially uphill.
There are cheap conversion kits for the 1993-1997 4.0 L if you wanted to go carb too. I had a 1997 Ranger single cab 4.0L. MT, manual transfer case XLT (all power and cruise) and was very happy with it off road.
Picture of my young kid driving it (2000?) through the woods, on an ATV trail, in Maine on my property, we hit a few low lying branches, I had to do the shifting for her :-D
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