1999 Ranger Offroad Build

[Thedankytrain]

Hey just joined today and I got a 1999 ford ranger xlt 4wd. I got an automatic, 3.0 v6. I am trying to get an off-road/overlanding build going, but I am a junior in high school. So I gotta do it cheap while also quite capable off-road. I will keep updating if any more info is needed. Thanks, cant wait to get out on the trails!

 

[91stranger]

Start with the essentials then, suspension lift, tires and gear swap in the rear end if needed. Since money is tight there are some decent 3-6 inch suspension lifts out there and still decent quality. Tires will be best to find some used mud tires with good tread left. New mud tires aren't cheap and they can wear easily if driven on the highway for long periods of time. I see good tires on craigslist all the time for good prices because people don't like the road noise so they take the loss to get some money for other tires. The gear swap may not be needed depending on what size tires you get. Everyone one here swears to swapping the gears but I used to have a 91 4x4 with 3.55 gears and 33" tires and I never got stuck or had any kind of issues. Those were just the stock gears in it.

 

[fastpakr]

The good news on the newer Rangers is that you can fit a 33" tire pretty easily. I threw in a block (about $50) in the back and cranked the torsion bars slightly, then had it aligned. Treadwright sells 285/75-16's for about $150 each.

You almost certainly have a 4.10 axle stock behind the 3.0 in your '99.

 

[don4331]

According to Ford (Canada) brochure for Ranger, the 3.0 came with 3.73s as stock (auto or manual/2 or 4wd) so I wouldn't put one's life savings on it having 4.10s (A lot came with lower ratio, but it was an option).

Never got stuck - you haven't been trying hard enough

Tires make the biggest difference. I was sort of disappointed with the lift in my '98 (for '98 up, there is only the Superlift and it is PRICEY). While it allowed for one size larger tires, it really didn't add ground clearance or suspension travel. A body lift would have allowed the same for <1/4 the cost...

 

[fastpakr]

According to Ford (Canada) brochure for Ranger, the 3.0 came with 3.73s as stock (auto or manual/2 or 4wd) so I wouldn't put one's life savings on it having 4.10s (A lot came with lower ratio, but it was an option).

Never got stuck - you haven't been trying hard enough

Tires make the biggest difference. I was sort of disappointed with the lift in my '98 (for '98 up, there is only the Superlift and it is PRICEY). While it allowed for one size larger tires, it really didn't add ground clearance or suspension travel. A body lift would have allowed the same for <1/4 the cost...

There's the True Travel Dynamics lift at $4200, but I'm not convinced it actually exists in the wild.
https://truetraveldynamics.com/shop/98-12-ford-ranger-4wd-4-5-long-travel-kit/