1994 ExCab 4.0 "Grimace"

[eaglescout94]

Oh yeah, sucked for it to happen. But even more so was the fact I sat and watched it roll away from me and bounce around. It’s only metal, mostly. Easy enough to fix and get some of my planned mods done while doing so

 

[eaglescout94]

No pics of progress yet. Currently sitting with the front on jack stands getting another inch lift up front and some extended radius arms. Hoping to get the new front bumper finished up and get it installed before too long as well.

 

[bobbywalter]

Got an update but unfortunately its not a good one. While respooling a new winch I learned the hard way that the cable retaining bolt was not even snug. Once the ranger rolled to the extent of the cable it kept on rolling down my big hill till it hit a couple trees. Destroyed the front bumper, busted headlights, the fiberglass panel, some bent sheet metal and the obvious smashed windshield.

So, I decided to build my own replacement bumper out of some 8" C channel and integrate a snowplow hoop into it so I have a useable plow for my driveway. It'll get a 2" receiver for my winch cradle, most likely some D ring mounts and attachment points for a tow bar.
View attachment 135600

 

[eaglescout94]

For those that built their own extended radius arms, did anyone pie cut the tubing to allow it to be further in from the tire?

 

[scotts90ranger]

I went a different way to get the same effect, I put a piece of 1/4" plate on the inside:

After this pic I plated the front of the tube on the drivers side arm as per 4x4junkie's recommendation.

Don't overthink those filled holes, I was working with scrap...

 

[eaglescout94]

Good idea. I’ll have to mock it up to try and see if that’ll work for mine. So i understand fully, i need to make sure the bottom of the axle housing, where the radius arm bolts on, is level to the ground? I thought that’s what I’d read and saved in a couple posts but then I look at the tube I used to extend it and it doesn’t seem like it’s pointing where others said it should

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yes, from what I'd gathered the axle housing should be square to the world which is why my radius arms are different side to side, I also pushed the axle 3/4" forward if I remember right. The thing drives night and day different, self centers and everything like it should, it's fantastic... not even one regret... other than not doing it sooner.

I put my pivots up tight into the frame as close as I could:

 

[eaglescout94]

Awesome, hopefully I can get mine tacked in place in the next day or 2. My ends are tucked as tight to the frame as I could get them, I have 2.5" springs and just under and inch washer pack for the front. Only planning to run 31s on this truck but good handling and flex will definitely be a major plus.