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Kirbys 1991 Ranger Build Up and Solid Axle Swap


Bracket racer

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Socialist republic of Nova Scotia Canadastan
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
Ranger supercab
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Crap load
Tire Size
35X12.5 (bald so I don't break parts)
My credo
Low range in Nova Scotia on YouTube!
Does anyone know what the wires that go from the doors inside the fenders to the front by the headlights? I thought maybe speakers, but they go outside the truck. Its odd. I need to do some more investigating.
Those are the wires running to the interior light switch in the door jam. Not sure why ford ran them outside the inner fender but, whatever.
 


Kirby N.

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Monument, CO
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1991
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Ford
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4.0
Transmission
Manual
They are for the door speakers. I dont know why they dont just go in the dash, but they go down the inner fender to the headlight area. I was going to redo them, but with inner fenders they are fine- so I just left them.
 

Kirby N.

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1991
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I got the STX sticker set mounted up today. I order it custom from graphics express in flat black before it was painted. Its been a long time coming, but I am really happy about it.

One of my best friends has a sticker wrap and graphics company. I was going to do the install myself, but after i did the tailgate I decided I better ask for help. It was a good idea too- they took all morning and were complicated. We had to reshape and cut out the fender holes on the back. The gas take lid required some ad libbing too. I think it is ready for some wax or ceramic coating next. on to the pics:

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My wife says it looks like the 90s and she hates it. I am really happy with it.
 

Bracket racer

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Location
Socialist republic of Nova Scotia Canadastan
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
Ranger supercab
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Crap load
Tire Size
35X12.5 (bald so I don't break parts)
My credo
Low range in Nova Scotia on YouTube!
Beautiful truck! It would too nice for me to wheel though, I'd be scared of scratching it. My wife would love it though as it's clean and pretty...ain't nothing I got is either clean OR pretty! LOL!

(might be due to my "when in doubt, throttle out" mentality)
 

sgtsandman

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Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
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2WD / 4WD
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Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
I think it looks great. I think it was a good call having pros do the stickers. Tailgate lettering is one thing. Big stickers on curved body panels is another.
 

Kirby N.

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Manual
Beautiful truck! It would too nice for me to wheel though, I'd be scared of scratching it. My wife would love it though as it's clean and pretty...ain't nothing I got is either clean OR pretty! LOL!

(might be due to my "when in doubt, throttle out" mentality)
Thank you. It certainly makes me think twice before I do obstacles that might cause damage or scratch it. Right now anyway. It needs a good set of sliders and the bumpers finished to keep it safe.
 

Kirby N.

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1991
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Manual
I think it looks great. I think it was a good call having pros do the stickers. Tailgate lettering is one thing. Big stickers on curved body panels is another.
Yeah my friend was happy to help and I was his gopher- so it worked out well.
 

Jim Oaks

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Location
Nocona, Texas
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1996 / 2021
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 / 2.3 Ecoboost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6-inches
Tire Size
33x12.50x15
DAMN THAT LOOKS NICE!!
 

BlackBII

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33
Oh wow that looks awesome! Good job man. I love it.
 

Jim Oaks

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Engine Size
4.0 / 2.3 Ecoboost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6-inches
Tire Size
33x12.50x15

I feel like this needs a little theme music......​
 

Kirby N.

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I have been working on building a new rear axle for the ranger. The old one is a little bent (probably from hauling a heavy tractor or from putting 2400 lbs of rock in the bed) and I never really liked how the disk brake conversion ended up. It is a full width 31 spline 8.8. Lots of strength. And I did an explorer disk brake swap on it. You can read through the thread, but the disk swap was a little hokey. I had to chop down the backing plate, lots of machining on axle shafts and on the rotors. Here she is in the garage after a bunch of miles:
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So I got a truss from artec and new spring mounts and shocks welded on the new housing and almost ready for paint:


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I like this truss because it bolts to the pinion. I drilled the holes out to 1/2" because I run a butt load of 1/2" grade 8 stuff on the ranger- and it is always nice for consistency.

Next I did a ton of measuring to try to figure out what I could do to make the brakes work better. Originally, I wanted to keep the custom machined stuff to only the rotors- that way if the shafts were stock I could always find a stock one to replace one I broke. So they have a ton of machining on the rotors. Well unfortunately I ended up having to do some machining on the shafts too. So now they are both custom, and I still had a good amount of clearance problems with the dust shield and the e-brakes. I have been thinking about this a while- and I think the explorers have more axle shaft hanging out of the housing then the broncos and f150s do.
The bearing ends are the same.
POTPTHD.jpeg


Turns out after a bunch of measuring and comparing at the local pick and pull- the explorers- in relation to the housings- have 3/16" longer shafts than the full width axles- making for a ton of extra room for the disk brakes.

I decided to order up a set of Moser Shafts. They are Chromolly and claim 30% strength increase over stock. I can also order all the specs I want to make them play really nice with the explorer brakes. And the only thing that will need to be customized on the rotors is the bolt pattern. Easy enough to do or to have my buddy at the machine shop do. I choose the later. I actually like this setup better because rotors wear- they need turned. My current set needed turned and were out of spec for an explorer- but since they were custom they let me go ahead and turn them. With these shafts and the lack of weight in the rear of the ranger most of the time I dont think I will ever have a broken custom shaft to worry about. Here are the specs of she shafts I ordered in case you dont want to fight the brakes and want it to work right too. This includes 3/16" longer shafts, smaller hub pilot flange, smaller axle outer flange.

C31CST - C31CST - Custom Length C-Clip 31 Spline Axles (1-PAIR)
TYPE OF REAR END: 8.8" FORD
BEARING SEAT DIAMETER:: 1.618"
DRIVER SIDE "C" (OVERALL AXLE LENGTH): 33 5/16"
PASSENGER SIDE "C" (OVERALL AXLE LENGTH): 31 3/16"
HUB PILOT ("A"): 2.772"
BOLT PATTERN: 5 X 5 1/2" (FORD)
STUD TYPE: .685" KNURL PRESS-IN
2ND BOLT PATTERN:: NONE
AXLE FLANGE DIAMETER ("J"): 6 1/2"
TYPE OF BRAKES/MANUFACTURES PART NUMBER: Ford Explorer 2001 disk
TYPE OF DIFFERENTIAL/MANUFACTURE:: ARB Air Locker
AXLE FLANGE TO AXLE FLANGE ("D"): 65 3/8"
HOUSING END TO HOUSING END ("E"): 60 3/16"
DRIVER SIDE HOUSING END TO PINION CENTER ("F") (NOT MEASURED THROUGH TUBES!): 28 3/8"
PASSENGER SIDE HOUSING END TO PINION CENTER ("G") (NOT MEASURED THROUGH THE TUBES!): 31 13/16"



I ordered up a kit of timken bearings and I have had an ARB on the shelf for a year or so for this 8.8. That will be next. I am going to reuse my yukon 5.13s. They don't have but about 30K miles or so and are not noisy. I'll put in all new bearings for peace of mind.
 

Jim Oaks

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Location
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Vehicle Year
1996 / 2021
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 / 2.3 Ecoboost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6-inches
Tire Size
33x12.50x15
Looks really similar to the truss I used.
 

RJLougee

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Location
Falcon, CO
Vehicle Year
'99 Ranger
Engine Size
408 Stroker, 500+HP and TQ
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
Solid Axle Swap 4x4
Total Lift
ORI Struts, front and rear, 14" travel
Total Drop
At ride height, 6" exposed on the front and 7" exposed on the back.
Tire Size
37s and 40s
My credo
DoL
Nice looking rig. I was admiring the pics and realized, I know exactly where those pics were taken. If I'm heading north, that's where I get on I-25.
Joe
 

rngrracing96

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NH
Vehicle Year
1986
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Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
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2.9 EFI
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
33x10.5x15
This truck is basically what I had dreamed up for my 86. Love the Cavalry Blue and the STX decals!

Question: I am currently in the process of mounting some fiberglass bedsides and I was curious what you used to secure the inner top lip of the fiberglass along the top of the bed. I was thinking of using the Autofab grommets, 1 every 8 inches or so.

Amazing build, I am subscribed or "watching" for sure!
 
Last edited:

Cradh

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Location
Sparta, Michigan
Vehicle Year
1991
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Awsome build love your truck
 

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