1989 WALL-E Ranger Build

[Dugan]

Ok so we planned a Rausch Creek trip last week for the Oct 5th weekend. Well prior to that friday of leaving, I decided to do a clutch swap on monday. Well that clutch swap turned into a clutch/header swap. This header swap then turned into a motor pull and full modification of the heads to make the headers work since 8/12 bolts snapped off and it was impossible to remove them with easy outs... one bolt ear snapped off the head. So we found out we could over drill them and retap. This finally worked.... thursday night.. So we spent all night wrapping up the ranger and made it to rausch!

I also had the most awesome bed ever haha, yes I did have to put the ugly cap back on.

I kept dragging my hitch horribly so I took it off but the receiver still drug

Was trying to get the grip of crawling with a clutch on the smaller hills.

As you can see the drivers tire looks like it folds to the rocks amazingly!

10 psi with no beadlocks was def not a good idea..

Had to put on my spare ive never used to find out it had a nail hole in it... So I had to head back to camp fast! made it back and put a plug in it.

I hate long wheel bases! Got hi-centered on the long arm brackets

Sadly I had to have a jeep pull me out

Def one of the most fun lines we took.. ended up being hi-centered but was able to turn the wheels to get just a bit of a grab and it got us over.

Also tried the RTI ramp and didnt make it far.

And I was ashamed by the front end flex...

I was being a smart ass on this hill till I realized I was stuck on my hitch!!
Well the only way to get off it was to move forward a bit and let it come down hard... Well I was told the frame like folded in the middle... My back hurt all day from this.
Vid of me climbing the hill

 

[Dugan]

Heres a few random pictures from last week

Resurfaced

Couldnt break em free
So...

Somehow I lost 5 Lugs on the highway on the way home.. i sent Interco an email also saying that isnt very safe on a brand newish tire!

A few are down to the belt!!! Im so mad but im gonna keep driving on it cause I have no choice. Were going back to rausch in a few weeks and its getting trailered up.

 

[Dugan]

Well for shits and giggles we took the ranger to the Hill-And-Hole competition we normally go to every once in awhile. After getting some good air and a need for a new front axle, i got this!

Placed 1st in the 36" tire and smaller class competing against a bunch of v8s with 35-36" boggers...

Then we decided to push our luck in the freestyle portion and I ramped it pretty high and came down hard on the d28 snapping the slip yoke on the long side. And after getting home I realized that the TTB I fought so hard to align since it sat \--/ is now /--\. I think I might have gone pass the stress limit of these crappy TTB coils. Everything else looks fine, the toe and camber are both out which shows the coils must have sagged.

Heres the video of the timed run that won me the trophy,
http://www.facebook.com/v/4674377975825

and heres the video of me blowing the d28 finally after trying so hard for so long.
http://www.facebook.com/v/4673759600366

And heres the result of face first into mud.
http://www.facebook.com/v/4674476658292

my rear springs do this so im gonna try the same method and let them hang and see if they will de-compress. I really wanna go to xj 6" coils but I dont know if the TTB would be alignable.

Oh this is after hitting it with a hose...

d35? or SAS with the 44 I have.. Hmm anyone have input? Im building as a woods, mud, and rock crawling truck

 

[Dugan]

If i decide to SAS I would like to try a hand at 4-linking the axle. Ive done A LOT of research on heights and angles and I believe i could make it work. Have all the tools but a torch to heat the housing for NI-welding.

 

[kris97ranger]

Id sas it and truss the 44 if u plan on jumping more. but id do a 3 link i just think packaging it is so much easier

 

[Dugan]

Yea I just have to find a d44 from a fullsize to grab everything from. I guess TTB coils dont like being compressed??

Id love to put my 44 under it and use some 6" Xj coils for some flex

 

[Dugan]

Update:

Been awhile since ive posted. I got an explorer from a friend awhile back that had no title cause it got eaten by mice in the glovebox. It had the d35 and 8.8 in it, both locked with 4.56s in em.

I now have both those axles in the truck, but on 32s its killing me. So I might be picking up a set of 35s here soon.

Also since our mazda project went another way, I got back my 14bolt and d60 combo. I think im going to be putting the 14b under the truck soon and running it till I graduate and get a car for work, then the ranger will go under the knife.


Plan on:

shortening up the frame & bed n bringing the rear forward
removing fuel tank and using a cell in bed
3 link d60
4 link 14b
both with 4.56 and locked.


I dont know whether to go with coilovers or airshox. From what ive seen the airshox are better and much cheaper

 

[Dugan]

Fixed my driveline vibration. Drilled the 8.8 flange for the 1210 U joint yoke. Took the stock bolts for the D shaft and rethreaded them to 1/2-13. Then I drilled the 4 holes in the flange to 27/64 and tapped them 1/2-13. So I can reuse my stock bolts without the need for a nut . Some locktite and there is no more vibration.


As to how it wheels now we took it to a pit to test out the 4.56s and front and rear lockers and I putted up a hill thats atleas 75* angle and every other vehicle ive seen try it burys itself or gets hung up on roots. I crawled right up it with minimal throttle and no slippage. My jeep buddy was impressed, thats saying alot haha.

 

[Dugan]

Oh and i picked up my chevy 63" leafs for free today. 3 pack + overload. All I had to do was plasma cut up the truck they were on for scrap. 6-7th vehicle its do so far. Def best investment

 

[Dugan]

Well its been awhile since I updated this, I had to move out and get a house because of my 140mi round trip to work. So now im living in delaware but of course I bought the house Ive always wanted with a garage to match!

30x40 Pole barn with 14ft ceilings and a 12 ft door.

Poor ranger... hasnt been moved in over 4 months.... I jumped it once again and took out the passengerside shaft.

Came about a foot from being the fastest truck of the day... the coil spring popped out at the last foot when i landed and the tire caved in and it wouldnt move. I would have beat the blown alcohol truck....I guess I just have the larger set than the guys with the big trucks....You cant upgrade till you blow it up..

 

[Dugan]

Im stuck between a rock and a hard place though. I have a set of tons d60 & 14B. Do I:

Put them under the ranger and keep the 2.9 drivetrain (Ranger runs too good and the locked ttb 35 and 8.8 axles work great)

or find another ranger/b2 with an auto and put it under that

or find a shell and FI 302 c6 np205 it (I dont know if I can find a c6 4wd that fits a 302 but i havent looked yet.)

This will be practically a rock buggy.

I have a mazda body and bed I can use from a friend it just has front end damage on hood grill and pass fender.. but id remove all that. Prob go with a 2x4 square tube frame too.

 

[kris97ranger]

Tons in the ranger. 5:38s and bigger tires

 

[Dugan]

Tons in the ranger. 5:38s and bigger tires

I also didnt know if I should go into the 5.s or stay 4.88 for the pinion strength. I will be shaving the 14b and doing the 15 bolt kit.

Ill need to find an automatic/wiring/cpu also.. crawling a 5 spee dsucks

 

[kris97ranger]

Crawling shouldnt be bad if u actually have power though. Personally id never go away from a stick

 

[Dugan]

Well im kind of stuck, Do I get deaver 3.5" springs and stay with spring on the TTB or do i get air shox and run those till I go 1ton.