1997 Ranger Rear Frame Swap – What Years Interchange?

[elliot9061]

Need some frame interchange advice.

I have a 1997 Ford Ranger, 4.0L, 2WD, regular cab (no extended cab), short bed. The frame is broken around the gas tank, and the rear leaf spring mounts have also rusted off, so I'm looking to replace the entire rear section of the frame rather than just patch it.

Which model years, cab configurations (regular cab/SuperCab), bed lengths (short bed/long bed), and 2WD/4WD frames will line up with the front half of my frame and the rear section without major modifications?

I'm mainly looking for a rear frame donor, so I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done this repair or knows which frames interchange best. Any advice or firsthand experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[don4331]

Split frames don't start until '98.

For '97, you need the whole frame - 2WD, regular cab, short bed; the front suspension mount is different between 2WD and 4WD. The regular cab/short bed is self explanatory.

 

[elliot9061]

Would I only be able to use a 1997 frame or would other years work?

 

[mtnrgr]

When the two piece frame started in 98..some found it easier as it separated into two pieces. Rangers 97 and older will need to be torched or other methods to be separated. When welding and box plating the frame back together takes precision work..dont go backyard mcgyver on it. I've seen plenty of disasters afterwards. For your application 93-97 are your options. Long bed will be to long as you have a short bed. Extracab ranger frames also have the same length of a standard cab long bed ranger. It could be possibly a standard cab short bed 4wd ranger will work...as i believe the rear was the same as two wheel drive. There should be plenty of 93-97 rangers with short beds available, hopefully in your area. Inspect it completely to make sure you're getting good parts to fix yours.

Rangers 92 and older I believe the frames were slightly different. Rangers 93-97 are your options to use.

 

[elliot9061]

I appreciate yoir feedback. Thank you!

 

[mtnrgr]

You are welcome. Hope you find parts you need.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If you think you only need a rear frame section... check around the front frame pockets really close. They are bad about rotting there where the buckets trap debris which holds moisture.

 

[Curious Hound]

Would I only be able to use a 1997 frame or would other years work?

Your truck is 3rd generation - 93-97. So, any of those should work.

You do have the twin I-beam or twin traction beam front suspension, right?

 

[SenorNoob]

Welcome to TRS BTW.

Post some pics of what you're working with.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Frame breakdown was 83-88, 89-92, 93-97, and 98-11. You had 2wd and 4x4 frames plus regular cab short or long bed and extended cab short bed for frame options in each of those.

Two-piece frames were only 98-11.

If the rear section is shot, you should very carefully check the front, there’s a good chance it’s not much better.

Technically you can cut and weld a replacement frame section, but it should be done by someone who understands how to do it because you need to fish plate the repair.

 

[SenorNoob]

Has anybody ever tried putting a 98+ rear section on an earlier frame? IIRC the assembly looks to happen right where the rear cab mount is.

 

[don4331]

When the two piece frame started in 98..some found it easier as it separated into two pieces. Rangers 97 and older will need to be torched or other methods to be separated. When welding and box plating the frame back together takes precision work..dont go backyard mcgyver on it. I've seen plenty of disasters afterwards. For your application 93-97 are your options. Long bed will be to long as you have a short bed. Extracab ranger frames also have the same length of a standard cab long bed ranger. It could be possibly a standard cab short bed 4wd ranger will work...as i believe the rear was the same as two wheel drive. There should be plenty of 93-97 rangers with short beds available, hopefully in your area. Inspect it completely to make sure you're getting good parts to fix yours.

Rangers 92 and older I believe the frames were slightly different. Rangers 93-97 are your options to use.

The engine crossmember / suspension mounts for the TIB (Twin I Beam aka 2WD) are different from that of the TTB (Twin Traction 4WD, regular cab, short bed), OP can't use a 4wd frame (unless he is making his truck into a 4wd...well at least replacing the TIB with TTB.

SuperCab frames 5" longer overall / 12" longer wheelbase than regular cab long box frames. Short box frames are 12" shorter overall / 6" shorter wheelbase than long box frames.

Pre '93 frames are shorter from front axle to front bumper - less crash crumple - so the sheet metal for cab doesn't line up (would overhang the bumper).

'98 and later frames are "deeper" than '93-97 frames - so you can't just take the back half of a newer frame and weld it on.

 

[mtnrgr]

The engine crossmember / suspension mounts for the TIB (Twin I Beam aka 2WD) are different from that of the TTB (Twin Traction 4WD, regular cab, short bed), OP can't use a 4wd frame (unless he is making his truck into a 4wd...well at least replacing the TIB with TTB.

SuperCab frames 5" longer overall / 12" longer wheelbase than regular cab long box frames. Short box frames are 12" shorter overall / 6" shorter wheelbase than long box frames.

Pre '93 frames are shorter from front axle to front bumper - less crash crumple - so the sheet metal for cab doesn't line up (would overhang the bumper).

'98 and later frames are "deeper" than '93-97 frames - so you can't just take the back half of a newer frame and weld it on.

Im aware the front suspension and front half of the frames are different from 2wd to 4wd. Its the reason I mentioned the back half of the frame to use as its the same.

 

[JoshT]

Extracab ranger frames also have the same length of a standard cab long bed ranger.

For future readers, this is incorrect. SCSB (super cab short box/bed) and RCLB (regular cab long bed) frames are not the same length. The wheel base is different, the overall length is different, the frames rails are shaped different, and the bed portion isn't even the same length. A RCLB is not a viable donor for replacing the back half of the frame on a SCSB.

If you wanted to build a SCLB on the other hand...


To coment on what @don4331 said, you can use a 4wd Ranger frame to replace a 2wd frame and keep the Twin I-beam. The caviot being that it will sit at a higher ride height with the 4wd frame. That's how the BIIs were built. They all have a 4wd frame, they just installed I-beams on the 2wd versions. A lot (most?) of the 2wd BIIs also had a 4wd transmission attached to a dummy transfercase. If you've ever noticed that 2wd BIIs sit higher than a Ranger, that is the reason why. Likewise if you've ever seam drop beams installed on a BII, they do not sit as low as the same beams installed on a Ranger.

I should note here that the opposite is not true, you can not install TTB axle in a 2wd Ranger frame. The Ranger 2wd engine crossmember wants to occoupy the same space as the front differential.

 

[holyford86]

To add, in my experience, other than from front axle forward, the rails are functionally identical if you're considering the same configuration (wheel base) from 83 to 97. There's an added crossmember over the rear axle on 3rd gens but the body mount brackets, spring mounts, and, for the most part, crossmembers.

As an example, when I needed to replace the fuel tank crossmembers in my 86 long bed 4x4 I used the crossmembers from a 96 short bed 4x2. The only difference between them was the way the forward strap mounted. Instead of hooking into the crossmember in the middle and bolting to a long carriage bolt going through the crossmember near the frame, it hooked into the crossmember near the frame and bolted into the middle. It required me to make a spacer out of tubing and use a m10x100mm bolt, the 86 strap worked fine. The rear strap attached with no modifications and the bolt holes for the skid plate were both present and in the correct locations.