1st gen rangers?

[Ranger4x4.0]

What's the best year of the box style Ranger? I've always wanted one, but is there any major problems for certain years? I got to test drive an 89 once and loved it. And did they have 4.0 in them?

 

[Mike1919]

I think only the 92's had the 4.0 for the first generation. Also I believe the 6 cylinders had problems with cracked heads.

 

[97RangerXLT]

The 89 -92 Ranger is 2nd generation and I believe that the 4.0 was offered as an option as early as 1990. A 4.0 from 1990 to 1994 is almost a direct swap (minor modifications only) to any first or second Gen ranger with a 2.9 v6. The 2.9 did have issues with heads.

I would look for a 1990 - 92 with a 4.0...

AJ

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 while sitting in my underwear

 

[bobbywalter]

my uncle had a 89 ranger 4.0 5 spd right off the lot new.



box style to me is gen 1 83-88.


88 would be the best year imo and experience.


92 if you want a 4x4.... 4.0 5 spd all the way.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

To me the second gens (89-91) are more square.

83-88 has more detail on the front, the front of the hood is angled back and there is the curved stone shield under the grille. Second gen is just square, headlights are flush with the grille.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

Yeah, id like to have one with a 4.0, so i guess thatd be a 2nd gen. Thanks!

 

[Kirby N.]

my uncle had a 89 ranger 4.0 5 spd right off the lot new.







box style to me is gen 1 83-88.





88 would be the best year imo and experience.





92 if you want a 4x4.... 4.0 5 spd all the way.

Bobby- What's the difference between a 89-91 4.0 5 speed 4x4 and I 92? I am just curious.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[straycat]

I had the first gen Ranger while I was in the Navy out in California. I bought a 1 year old '83 Ford Ranger with the 2.8 L motor, standard trans with Overdrive, 4x4 and the manual locking hubs. It was a standard cab. I had it for over 12 years and never had any issues. I drove it from Coronado, Ca. to Tampa several times and stopped in Moab, Az. several times to have a great time with many of my friends. The only thing was...it was a/c delete. No factory a/c. In California it was fine, but when ever I was here in Florida the summer was really hot.
I got stationed at US SOCOM in Tampa and had to move all my gear and three motorcycles back to Tampa. I had my trailer and about 400 lbs of my gear and clothes and other belongings. It made it home without any issues.
It was running a 3 inch lift and 33 inch tires and 4.10 gears. No issues in the mountains pulling that trailer and the extra weight of my gear. I had do a brake about a year after I bought it. The 2.8 L motor was a really good motor. Easy to maintain and work on when I gave it a few god tune ups!!!

 

[turbo91xlt]

'89-'92 is 2nd gen. '90 model was the 1st year for the 4.0 and was only available with an auto trans. '91 was the first year to be able to get a 4.0 5 speed combo. '90+ rangers will have the better ttb d35 front axle. '92 was the start of more safety features such as front crumple zone frame rails. Also they got rid of the rod type door latch linkage in favor of the crappy cable setup that stretches and gets sloppy. So in my opinion a '91 truck is best year for rangers.

 

[bobbywalter]

the 92 will likely be in the best shape as it is newest as far as wiring goes in the general..






the door handles i forgot about....that is fixable but a giant pia.


its possible my uncles truck was a 90....had it a few months before christmas and i loved rowing it....it was definitely a 5 speed. a a 2wd...of course they are said not to exist....just like 87 m5od's etc and supercab hi-riders. we put it back to back on a 2.9 truck and there was no comparison.

 

[1stgen rangers]

1st gen all the way. The interior was just so nice and the 2.8 js just a strong engine and everything is easy to work on. I have a 83 and i use to have a 92. The 92 was a solid truck with the 2.3 and it was a work horse. My dad had a 00 with a 3.0 and we could drag anything that was behind it and it to was even more of a work horse and all of them were standards. So far the 83 is an amzing truck

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The 4.0 is overrated.
Drive yourself a 2.9/5sp and you wont even miss it. Plus the 1st gens are better looking and IMO have a more welcoming interior.

 

[sgtsandman]

I only like the 4.0 because that is what came in my truck. I do whole heartedly agree that the original squared trucks look so much better.

 

[adsm08]

The 4.0 is overrated.
Drive yourself a 2.9/5sp and you wont even miss it. Plus the 1st gens are better looking and IMO have a more welcoming interior.

I disagree. Having done the 4.0 swap as the last part of building my 87 I can definitively say the 4.0 is a better towing engine. With the 2.9 I was constantly searching gears when hauling scrap loads. With the 4.0 it was 4th gear and go the whole way to the scale.

 

[G8orFord]

With other things being relatively equal, there's no replacement for displacement.