1996 Ranger aka "The Pre-Runger" (56k Warning)

[Mikerod16]

Well, With this truck I seriously got lucky. I didnt pay a cent for it. It was a gift from my girfriends dad. A million thanks to him. It runs perfect, just needs some minor cosmetic things. But anway, I was originally going to drop it and make it look like a street machine, until one night, it hit me....Trucks arent meant to be low like a car....theyre meant to be trucks! So I started doing my research. I like the offroa thing, but I dont have 4WD. So I found out prerunners are mainly 2WD!! It also looked way cooler in my opinion. For now it will remain a budget build. No skyjacker kits or none of those money sucking kits. Maybe in the future, ut not aytime soon.



The engine is stock. It's a 2.3l with a Manual Mazda Tranny. 7.5" Rear with 3.73. I will obviously need 4.56 gears in the back and you'll soon see why.


OH and did I mention it has ICE COLD a/c. I love it. Cools so fast cause its a small cab.

My girls dad and my truck

Fenders installed, car washed, and toolbox removed

My loyal companion

Fenders that have been removed

Tires and rims....I never thought Cobra Rims would look that good on 35" mus tires.

I still need to install gears and cut the bedside fenders to fit the big meats in the back. Im also going to put either f150 coils or 2" spacers in the front and 2" blocks in the back.

Let me know what you think so far.

 

[Downey]

your planning on putting 35s on the truck with no lift? the wheels and tires looks great just need different back spacing.

 

[Mikerod16]

no no. I am lifting it, but not to an extreme. Just 2". I tried on the tires on stock height. Height wise, is surprisingly fine for street use. But i want a couple more inches. And also, when i turn it scrapes the bumper, and the inside chassis. SOOO that means I'm going to be buying spacers for the wheels all around so i can make actual turns. Oh and the bumper is coming off and being replaced with the tube bumper (debating if i should put a skid plate on it).

 

[RedneckSTX]

It's not everyday a guys girlfriend's Dad gives them a truck, maybe you should marry this girl and see what he gives you then LOL. Anyways it's lookin good so far, are going to put fiberglass bedsides on it too?

 

[Mikerod16]

as much as I want to, no I am not. Its wayy too expensive. maybe in the future, but for now my neighbor is going to do the cut on the bedside.he has all the power and air tools (he's in body repair). Only charging me like $30.

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

Man....I'd really lean towards an 8.8 swap....and with that engine, you'd really want at least 4.88 gears in my opinion.

Good luck on the build...it'll be a neat one.

 

[koda6966]

Fiberglass bedsides arn't that much more expensive than the fronts.

But then again, I've been wondering what a Ranger would look like with a fiberglass front and a bushwacker flare on each side in back.. you should try that.

Some states don't allow you to have tires stick out past the wheel wells.

 

[Mikerod16]

eh, down here in miami no cops really care about what you have on your car. Ive ran open exhaust for 2 days on a mustang i had before i was able to get new mufflers, and not one cop did a thing. they mainly focus on speeders and racing.

I do have an 8.8 here but its gonna be tough to find such high gears for an 8.8 rather than a 7.5.

and im not a fan of those bushwackers.

 

[Fx4wannabe01]

excuse me? tough to find 8.8 gears?!??


http://completeoffroad.com/c-65160-gears-lockers-and-install-kits-ford-8-8-ford-8-8-rp-sets.html

5.71, 5.13, 4.88, 4.56... You've got TONS more options as far as gears and lockers and limited slips on an 8.8 than you do 7.5.

 

[Downey]

not really buy brand new gears

 

[Mikerod16]

i know its not hard to find gears for an 8.8. Hell, most fords have an 8.8. I meant its hard to find 4.56 or. 4.88 gears for an 8.8.

at least down here it is. and no im not buying new gears. too pricey.

 

[koda6966]

at least down here it is. and no im not buying new gears. too pricey.

I have to agree on the gears thing. They get WAY too pricey. I will end up either buying a 4.10 axle when I upgrade to a larger tire (I might do it anyway, my gears already suck with 235/70R15's) or find used gears. Hell, I'm even gonna look for used fiberglass. At least we only have to buy gears for the back, whoot for 2wd. Your project reminds me alot of my plans for mine. I'm going to be rocking fiberglass fenders and 33's with about 4-6 inches of lift. I'd go for 35's but the price is too high IMO.

And if I had noticed your in Florida I wouldn't have mentioned the tires. Prettymuch anythings legal there.

Be careful with those spacers though, people say they shear off or something and you lose your tire. I've never seen it happen, or talked to someone who had it happen

 

[adam17]

nice build. I strongly reccomend the 8.8 rear end. waaaayy stronger. thats what I have with limited slip and I love it! also Dont cut the bedsides just pull them. I did it to mine and it gave me all the clearance i need even when i bottom out. all it cost me was 4 dollars for the screws and brackets. and i reccomend dont waste money on a 2" leveling kit or F-150 coils. coil spacers give you a bad ride and a F-150 spring rate is way to stiff for your ranger. You can send me aq message and i can reccomend some good "prerunner" lifts for cheap.

 

[Mikerod16]

by cheap i mean under $50. and im ok with a stiffer ride. i dont mind really.

and the tires are expensive no doubt about it, but i got all 4 for $90 on craigslist. Sure theyre used but have plenty of life left in them. and ive also heard of those horror sories as well, but no one ever knows the person it happens to. so im kinda skeptical on the fact that they are bad. they are cnc machined billet. i dont see whats bad about that.

 

[adam17]

well you can find your self like some eibach 5.5 lift coils and drop down brackets for anywhere from 100-150 bucks probably on race-dezert.com. take my word buddy its definitely worth the little bit of extra money for a taller, better lift(will look more prerunner)and thats a lift that can actually take a decent beating. I have ebaich 5.5 coils on mine with bent beams and bent and turned radius arms and I jump the crap out of my truck and it takes it good. Im actually puting a whole new front setup on my truck in about a month or month 1/2 and will be selling my set as a whole or will sell the coils seperate. just to let you know.