'84 ranger 2.8L 4x4 build thread

[Ty84]

oh cool, i have that, im considering something like that when i get around to a custom dash panel

 

[Ty84]

so my grandpa is letting me drive his '63 volvo 544 if (more like when) i get it road worthy, and thats gonna save me a lot of gas money and it will probly be my DD instead of the ranger... which is gonna give me more money to put into the ranger, and let the ranger turn into a better trail rig cause i wont have to worry about keeping it super comfortable, even though i still wont be towing it to trails, so win win i guess

 

[Ty84]

so im looking to buy springs and shocks by the end of this week, im looking at the BDS springs and shocks... on the shocks a 4.5 inch lift shock is the same price as a 6.5 inch lift shock, now would it hurt me to get the longer one and make mounts to fit it with my smaller lift? and the springs are xj springs, what length should i be looking at?

 

[Ty84]

so ive started on my tubing work, so far ive taken off the bed and iv been doing some playing around with the bender cause ive never done this kinda stuff before.... oh and i found a huuugeeee exhaust leak!

 

[Ty84]

got started on the bed!

and i bobbed it to the shackles

 

[Kevery]

looks good for a first timer. alittle big you think? You should bob the rearend more and move your springs forward.

 

[Ty84]

Ehhhh... Id like to but I'm to busy to take that on till next summer, the only thing I regret about the bob is that I didn't weld that hitch crossmember thing to the upper part of the frame, I feel like I'm gonna drag it every time I come off of a rock

 

[crawlin91]

When bending, put the weld seam of the tube on the inner radius of the bend, this puts it in compression and results in a stronger design.

 

[Kevery]

If your hitch doesnt drag your exhaust will. ^^^he's right. you'll learn as you go like most of us. good job though.

 

[Ty84]

I'm using DOM so doesn't that not have a seam? And I'm gonna rerout the exhaust before long cause I do drag that constantly haha

 

[crawlin91]

DOM tubing does actually have a seam although it is not as obvious (as CREW or HREW tube), it should be visible on the surface and run the length of the tube.



Strong and well-finished DOM is an electric resistance welded tube tested for soundness of weld and drawn through a die and over a mandrel. This process imparts significantly improved mechanical properties to the tube, due to the cold working process. It is considered a high quality tube, and is normally constructed from SAE 1020 or 1026 steel. Note that, technically DOM refers to the process by which the tube is finished after having started as an ERW tube. Technically, DOM is not a type of steel tube, but rather a process. As so often happen though - in common use the term has become accepted to mean a specific type of tubing rather than a process. In this case, when people say "DOM" they normally mean an ERW tube drawn over a mandrel at (close to) room temperature and made from SAE 1020 steel. It is normally drawn to O.D. and I.D. dimensions.

The manufacturing process for DOM tubing begins with coils of steel, which are slit to the proper width for the desired tube size. The strip is cold formed and passed through an electric resistance welder which joins the edges together, under pressure, to complete the tubular shape. After testing the weld's integrity, the tubing is cut to length for further processing.

The cold-drawing process creates a uniform, precision product with substantially improved tolerances, surface finish and tensile strength, increased hardness and good machinability. In this process, the tube is cleaned and annealed, and one end of each length is squeezed to a point so it can be gripped by the drawing mechanism. The tube is then drawn through one or more dies and over mandrels. This reduces the diameter of the tube and thins its walls to the required dimensions in a controlled fashion to provide the qualities desired in the finished product. Metallurgically, drawing improves the tube's concentricity, tensile strength, hardness and machinability. Close dimensional accuracy is achieved through tight control of both outside and inside diameters.[

 

[Ty84]

oh... well that more than answered my question!

 

[Ty84]

got a little more done in the past few days!

added the last tubing to the rear hoop section of the cage and primed what i have done

also i cut the platform part of my bed out and trimmed it up nice, forgot to take a picture of it all cleaned up and primed but its gonna go back on the truck

 

[Ty84]

the ranger is back on the road!

i sprayed some gloss black where i wont be able to get it later and bolted the bed and tubing down. and i have a temporary-ziptied-mocked up-shitty quality-light bar on the back till i get to the point where i install the lights in the correct spot...

i love its stance from the front....

 

[Kevery]

lookin good. keep it up and you'll be able to play with the big dogs. My buddy's up at shaver are pushing me to come up and do a snow run this year. Not my cup of tea but if I do I'll let you know and maybe you can join us huh?