87 ranger build

[mkpecor]

looking good. i see you have the old 2.9 valve covers, the older heads were known for cracking you should check them out while yuor in there. the covers look good to

 

[danger88ranger]

The guy i bought it from had rebuilt the motor and he told me he had new heads put on. So they should be alright since they only have 10,000 miles on them

 

[jaredssc17]

i see that you put the computer back in the fact. spot. ever think of moving it? you can mount it in the glove box or behind it. there is enuff wire to do it, will have to reground other place tho. can get you a pic if ya want.

 

[mkpecor]

right on i just wanted to give you a heads up on it, in case you dident know. hate to see you get it done and then have to to the heads.

 

[danger88ranger]

right on i just wanted to give you a heads up on it, in case you dident know. hate to see you get it done and then have to to the heads.

Thanks for the heads up, when i was thinking of buying the truck i was sceptacle about the motor after learning that the heads are known to crack. My friends dad owned it and said he had rebuilt it and it had a new set of heads, so it left me worry free about the head cracking problem. I did; however, install an electric fan and i'm going to get a 4.0 radiator when i get the funds.

 

[danger88ranger]

Well i got this pig out today to drive it around a bit to work the bugs out of it. The brakes need bled again, my rad is clogged so im ordering a 4.0 rad tomorrow, my temp gauge and oil pressure gauges are garbage so i'm installing aftermarket gauges. It feels nice to be driving it again, it's been raining like crazy lately so i have a lot of mud to catch up with. I'll take some pics tomorrow and get them up.

 

[danger88ranger]

Update: I got the 4.0 rad and got it installed, and i've been driving it around my farm for a week or so now, it seems to be running pretty well. I still need to bleed the brakes again, connect the snorkel to the airbox, put an exhaust on it, and get the gauges installed.
Pics as promised

 

[danger88ranger]

Welp i've been having some problems with this rig. First my tps isn't working properly, my fuel pumps are direct wired, and the u-joints in the front shaft are trashed. Then i was playing around at my farm yesterday and went in the woods and got to a creek crossing. Well before i knew it my clutch was smoking trying to get out of it because i had no 4low. When i finally got out my clutch slipped all the way back home. It was stupid of my to even think about wheeling these trails without 4low and now i'm paying for it. Besides that i have a lot of little stuff that i need to fix on it so i'm going to start working away at it. I'm ordering a new clutch tomorrow, u-joints, and shackles to replace my broken one. I'm also getting another shifter because mine is trashed. I've got a lot to do before i can really go out and wheel it again. Here's some flex pics i took before it temporarly goes under the knife.....again.

 

[danger88ranger]

Got a few things done this weekend. Trimmed my fenders, switched out my junk front shocks for some pro comp es3000 shocks off my 2wd, and started grooving my tires. It's going to take me awhile to groove them all, but all four will eventually get done, it's just the matter of when. I'm still waiting on my clutch, shackles, and u-joints to come in.

 

[crawlin91]

wow lots of work. I want to get a gen 1 or gen2 ranger from a scrap yard and rebuild like that someday. Your ranger looks really good.

 

[danger88ranger]

Well, i've been slacking on my rig. 1st gear is totally out in the FM145, so got an M5OD shipped to my door for just a little under $500 that did not shift properly. Due to a bad shift fork on the top cover i replaced it and am getting ready to do the swap. Also bought a set of 33x12.50 swampers, soon i will get a few more wagon wheels to have a complete set. As for a lift 3" xj coils will be on order along with 2.5" lift brackets. I'm not sure if ill buy the brackets or just fab some up. I will be fabbing extended radius arms and a new x-member for the trans. This week i'm going to focus on getting materials for tube bumpers. I'm going to build both front and rear out of 1 3/4" .250 wall DOM. I know its to be overbuilt but i'd rather have it that way. The extra 7.5 i have i'm going to lincoln lock it and ride it out, if it blows ill just swap it.
Heres some pics of my trans adventure

The ugly looking slave, have a new slave ready to go on

You can see in the pic on the bottom right of the plate on the fork that is brownish due to excessive heat

 

[danger88ranger]

I haven't updated this thread in awhile. Since last time i put in another FM-145, new clutch, and replaced the u-joints in the front driveshaft. Thought it was all good to go for the snow.
Right after i got it out of the shop

Not, both axleshaft u-joints were blown, bearings were blown on the snouts, and then the diff was dry as a bone. So I got new u-joints, bearings, and thanks to 86ford, ill be getting another front pig tonight and should have it all back together this week sometime.

 

[danger88ranger]

More progress, got the front pig out and it was pretty nasty. After wondering how it got that bad i noticed a nice big hole in the diff casing from the pass side bracket for the beam. Oh well, the diff i got from 86ford luckily had the same gear ratio and i'm going to put it in tomorrow and get it back together. Also got another set of rims, same as what i have now except their 15x7's and the backspacing is a bit different.
On with the pics.

Thats all for now.