Ranger on Explorer

[jjarman]

Hi everyone, I'm new to TRS and wow what a ton of information on here! So much so, that my older brain is starting to get all the information I need mixed up
I have 2 questions, hopefully someone can assist. We have a '97 regular cab, 2wd, V6 manual.
I know alot of the Explorer interior pieces are drop in ready, and I think anything between 95-01 will fit in the '97?
Second question, I just finished reading the thread about the Ranger cab installed on explorer chassis (not worried about bed at this point), with only minor work... I believe it was a 98 explorer and a 95 Ranger in the thread. Am I correct that the 97 Ranger can should be fairly simple to install on 95-01 5.0 Explorer?

Thanks in advance!

 

[don4331]

The easier answer 1st: The Explorer is 2" wider than Ranger, and difference was made in the door panels. So, things like dash, console & front seats swap, but door panels don't. And the wiring is significantly different through those year as Explorers have wiring for thing like rear wipers which Ranger doesn't. And newer Explorers will have PATS.

I deal in '98+ Rangers more so than '93-97 ones, but I can tell you only 2 of 6 bolts (cab front) match between '93-97 Rangers regular cab and '98+ regular cab frames. And moving cab mounts isn't exactly "simple".

 

[jjarman]

Thanks don4331! The thought was to place the stripped down Ranger cab on the explorer and just move all the wiring/dash etc in. Essentially would still be an Explorer, and was thinking that the extra wiring could just be disconnected from the main harness, or worse case hide it behind seats, or am I missing something else with this?
Not to over-simplify moving the mounts, I assumed it was just either a) drill new hole in cab, or b) cut off mount and re-weld in proper spot. I realize this is not super easy and would need to be perfectly straight, but is this essentially the process?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks don4331! The thought was to place the stripped down Ranger cab on the explorer and just move all the wiring/dash etc in. Essentially would still be an Explorer, and was thinking that the extra wiring could just be disconnected from the main harness, or worse case hide it behind seats, or am I missing something else with this?
Not to over-simplify moving the mounts, I assumed it was just either a) drill new hole in cab, or b) cut off mount and re-weld in proper spot. I realize this is not super easy and would need to be perfectly straight, but is this essentially the process?

Right around the neighborhood of the transmission crossmember the Explorer frame widens out. If you notice the rear springs for the Ranger sit outside the frame while on an Explorer they sit under the frame. They are the same distance apart, the Explorer frame is that much wider.

 

[jjarman]

Thanks! I think we're still going to give this a shot, lots of work but I think it can be pulled off... we'll figure out the bed part after, maybe something custom.
One more question, are the 2002 and up frames basically the same? Will the cab sit on the frame, do any of the mounting holes line up?

Thanks!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

No direct experience.

I suspect at least the first four mounts will line up. I doubt the rear cab mounts will. The rear of the cab may need trimming to fit the wider frame.

 

[Roert42]

With a box of cut off wheels, a buzz box, and a health supply of scrap steel I'm sure you could make a ranger cab fit on just about anywhere.

 

[jjarman]

Well we're going to go ahead with this, for better or worse

The 97 Ranger

And the donor, 97 Explorer 5.0

Unfortunately it dropped to below - 40 this week, so haven't started anything yet lol

 

[19Walt93]

Those both look too clean to cut up.

 

[jjarman]

HA, I just take good pictures lol. The Ranger is actually in pretty rough shape on the inside and under the hood, runs well, but if you looked at it up close you'd notice it needs a lot of work. The explorer mechanically is is good shape, and really not bad. My wife told my son the keep the Explorer and get rid of the Ranger. My brother in-law, father in-law and myself said have some fun

 

[jjarman]

Just getting ready to finally pull the cab off the frame, what a mess. Rats nests all over the place, chewed wires, wires that were "mended" by the previous owner with bandaids. Even found an old nest beside the steering wheel airbag. Looks like the body mount bushings will need replacing, so great time to.do it, which leads me to ask if there are bushings that would lower the cab a bit, or is this a bigger job? Any thoughts on brand/type of material?

 

[jjarman]

Got the cab removed on the weekend, 5 of us (including my 78 year old father in law) to lift it off. This may be common knowledge, but anyone thinking about doing this at some point, we found a steel cable attached to the cab where the seat belt buckles bolt in, and wrapped around the cross member. It took a few minutes to figure out why the cab wouldn't come off lol.
Also, if you're working in a small space like we are, I highly suggest getting wheel dollies to move the vehicle around. We also have the cab sitting on a heavy duty furniture dolly so it can easily be moved around as well. Weather is good so hoping to get explorer stripped in the next week or so.
.

 

[jjarman]

Oh and forgot to mention how bad this truck actually was. The fuel filler neck was a piece of rubber hose, duct taped to the tank. The bellhousing was only attached with 3 bolts. The wiring was so screwed up that there was constant power to the truck without the key being in it. So as good as it looked in the picture, it was an accident waiting to happen. Guess you get what you pay for lol

 

[jjarman]

We're finally getting back to working on this. Decided to go with the Explorer hood and hinges, unfortunately not as simple as we would have liked. I thought the Ranger hinges used two bolts and 2 spot welds, ours were 4 spot welds. After a lot of measuring, we got the 8 holes drilled and mounted the hood, and were able to use the donor set as opposed to using 2 driver side hinges. Hoping to trial fit the cab on the frame now this weeked.

 

[jjarman]

After a couple months of doing nothing, we're finally getting back to it. Got the cab on the frame, core support is being drilled out this week so we can swap in the Explorer, and hopefully have rear cab mounts made up in the next couple weeks. In case anyone is wondering, the completely stripped down cab weighed about 320lbs, and the garage trusses held it just fine