The Dually Ranger

[hfsdude007]

Edit:

I created this thread for an article I've done in the online magazine.

Posts following this one have been added to consolidate the discussions.

Thanks,

Jim Oaks

End Edit

I know there out there, although I've never seen one in person. For those who have either done this before, or just know everything, I have many questions on how this can be done.

A: What size Tires and Rims do you need assuming you don't necessarily want to jack the truck up too much? What is recommended?

B: What parts are needed to make such a conversion? Where do you find them?

C: Where do you find the fender flares for it?

D: What are some pros and cons?

Thank you,
Tom

 

[JohnnyO]

A: Stock is fine.
B&C: J.C. Whitney has the wheel adapter kit and flares.
D: Pros...I can't think of any. Cons...need to buy two more wheels and tires and it will look like shit.

 

[hfsdude007]

hmmm.... Where can I find teeny tiny dually rims?

 

[t0x1k]

Just run 15x10 rims and the biggest offset and the widest freaking tire aviable something like 15.50 or drag slicks.

 

[3.0ranger1227]

There is a guy on here S/N F-50. his photo album shows his truck like this

 

[Ozwynn]

Use a 5.5x5 adapter and spacer and use toyota dually rims.......... Yes they are 5 lug

 

[JohnnyO]

hmmm.... Where can I find teeny tiny dually rims?

The J.C. Whitney kit has an adapter/spacer thing, you just use another set of stock wheels.
If you actually carry much weight with it, it will toast your rear wheel bearings because of the extra leverage exerted on the hubs and axle shafts.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

The J.C. Whitney kit has an adapter/spacer thing, you just use another set of stock wheels.
If you actually carry much weight with it, it will toast your rear wheel bearings because of the extra leverage exerted on the hubs and axle shafts.

thats another con...

 

[mp3deviant721]

Use a 5.5x5 adapter and spacer and use toyota dually rims.......... Yes they are 5 lug

We have a Toyota motorhome with those. Yes, they really do exist.

 

[Ozwynn]

I had a Toyota motorhome, now I got a Ford with a 460. I miss the Toyota because it got 15 mpg where the Ford get 8 mpg and the E350 is so heavy it can't tow anymore than the Toyota did. I also used to have a 1 ton Toyota dually.

 

[dangerranger74]

dually ranger

hey people. i have a 1999 ford ranger xlt. i was just wondering if anybody new of any ways to make it a dually?? seen a few around just wondering if there is a kit or a swap i can do! thanks

 

[chrwilkins30]

no kit to do it. IIRC jcwhitney sells adapters to add a second tire to the rear.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

One of our members F-50 has matching F-350 and Ranger duallies they are pretty dam sweet, heres a linky.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82016

 

[Will]

It's a bunch of work for something that looks cool to the unwashed masses, but looks gay to the people that know it's bullshit.

Get a real dually axle under it, like from a Toyota-based camper. Be aware, though, that the first Toyota-based campers were bought as chassis-cabs by RV converters with single wheel axles. The converters put wheel adapters on them to make them into duallies and sold them with the camper bodies on them. The little single wheel, semi-floater pickup axles started failing. Toyota, still new in the US market, decided they didn't want that publicity and they offered to refit anyone with a crappy wheel-adapter dually with a real full-floating, dually axle. They also stopped selling the single--wheel chassis to RV converters. You see three types of Toyota-based mini Class Cs now. Some have regular wheels on the front and Budd-type wheels on the back with real dually axles. Those are the ones that Toyota replaced. You see ones with Budds on the front and rear--those are the newer chassis-cabs. You see a few with adapters on the rear still and single-wheel fronts. Those weren't used much.

I would love to have a dually Ranger, but not a piece of trash one. A Ranger has a 2,750# axle. Using wheel adapters on it reduces that capacity because you are loading the wheel outside of the wheel bearing which gives any weight on the axle a lever to abuse the bearing with. It might look cool, but it's rubbish.

That guy (hardly a member with only one post made a year and a half ago) could have had a real dually axle cut down for the money spent on those wheels. The fronts don't matter. You don't need a one-ton front because the weight is carried by the back axle. I don't mind the IFS front on that truck. The frame on a Ranger is strong enough, too. The pathetic axle is my beef.

I have plans to do this, but I will use a 1-ton SRW axle. I have a 14-bolt, which is a 7,500# capacity axle, and will run wide singles with negative offset. I will pull an 8,000# gooseneck with it, and I don't think you want 2,000# of tongue weight on that Ranger axle with positive offset adapters.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Thats good info Will! I didnt look at the build thread just the pics looked neat of the two trucks.