2WD with a little offroad?

[Cami Gilbo]

Not sure where to put this, so i'll just stick it here. I recently purchased a 1998 2WD Ranger with 109,000 miles; I had been looking for a 4x4 ranger for quiet sometime but couldn't find one in my price range (with decent mileage). The only offroading i'm planning on doing is during hunting season: to get to the woods I have to go thru a hilly pasture, maybe a very low creek (depending on where I plan to hunt) and some just wood area. The 2WD is completely stock, except for the radio. Where should I start my upgrades?

EDIT: This is also my daily driver.

 

[straycat]

Lift kit, taller tires and rear gear change. That's all you need!!!

Heres my lifted 2wd. I take it trail riding twice a month, hills and dirt roads.

 

[K.Strong]

What straycat said. My 2wd holds up fine with just better tires. Down the road you can always do a SAS

 

[cody93]

the weakest problem with my 2wd is one wheel spinning and one not moving, i wish i had a locker and an 8.8.. i drive some beaten up dirt roads/fields/rough terrain with stock 2wd suspension and 195/R14 tires and have no clearance issues, just a stupid 7.5 rear end..

 

[03ranger30]

My plan is to just level mine and put some 31s on it and take it trail riding every once in a while. Straycat, what wheels are those you got?

 

[MeatRatchet]

Lift kit, taller tires and rear gear change. That's all you need!!!

Heres my lifted 2wd. I take it trail riding twice a month, hills and dirt roads.

Nice truck stray cat, do u have a locker?

Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sunk]

I'd think about a traction aid such as a locker or limited slip as well. That said, a set of good tires will do a great deal if you're on a budget.

 

[schaffer]

First mod should be a locker. Body lift and bigger tires along with a re gear next.

 

[4x4junkie]

I wheeled a bone-stock 2WD Ranger for about a year before I got my 4WD (4.0L w/3.55 L/S rearend on P225/70R14 tires ). With about 500lbs of weight in the bed up against the tailgate, I had that thing going places where a 4WD Blazer w/open diffs struggled. My biggest obstacle was clearance (usually the rear overhang and/or the rear diff too). Some bigger tires and a small lift would help with both of those.
You'll definitely need to regear the rear axle for those tires though if you wish to keep the engine from bogging out on climbs (I'd suggest 4.10 or 4.30 gears for 31s if you have the 4.0L V6).

 

[straycat]

My plan is to just level mine and put some 31s on it and take it trail riding every once in a while. Straycat, what wheels are those you got?

The wheels are American Racing. 15x8.

 

[Cami Gilbo]

Thank ya'll for all of the input. For now, I'm just planning on putting some bigger tires on; what's the max I can put on without scraping? And what's the best tire for the money? And what lockers are ya'll using?

 

[straycat]

Nice truck stray cat, do u have a locker?

Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks, Bro. I'm running Yukon 4:11 gears and Yukon axles.I thought for a long time I had a 4:10 gear setup. When I looked at the paper work a few days ago for a friend who is ordering from Yukon the parer work says it is a 4:11. I don't have a locker.

 

[Cami Gilbo]

Would 31x10.5 fit stock? Any experience with Wide track Baja MT?

 

[06RangerXLT]

32's fit stock.

always suspension lift, a body lift if a waste of money.

talk to Doetsch shocks. they make awesome products!

mine: