89 ranger build

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

Well I figured since I dont have money or parts today and I dont want to do school work I might as well make a build thread for my rig. Heres the current specs.

Previous
2.9 5 spd
8" skyjacker kit with stock radius arms and stacked blocks.
super bald 31s then almost bald 33s

Soon
Full width 8 lug 44 front and 60 rear. Both with ausies if funds allow. (60 is currently welded)
almost bald swamper sts

Future
5.0 with zf or 435 not sure what t case yet.

Picture from craigslist ad

First weekend I had it. Out ice fishing with a bunch of friends

I liked it but it needed alot of attention. I put some better but still bald 31s on it and replaced a few things. I was burning coolant and thought I had a cracked head so I did a 2 day marathon over a weekend and found just a head gasket. So that fixed that. Put on a flowmaster raptor and sold the cat. Did a bunch of random maintenence and drove it for a while. I hated the suspension and ride but did not have any money or time or a garage at school. Got a cheap set of half tread 33s with goofy wear and put them on. They helped alot with the ride. Still no flex to be found and no cash to play with.

Put some cab lights on

Did some wiring

Motor apart

Playing in the slush with bad tires

Got a cheap topper. Kinda fits

Put some f150 buckets and console in from a truck I parted out in high school. They fit good and are comfy. The center console is tight between the seats. I just bolted the ranger sliders to the f150 seats no fab required.

Got a job at a resort in northern MN for the summer. Hundreds of miles of logging roads literally a quarter mile away.

New rental house at school has a ghetto garage
I like having a garage. Even though I barely fit.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

Started out my right front wheel bearing was going bad so I pulled the ranger into the garage to work on it after I finished moving into the house im renting at college. I was bored and waiting for a ride to get parts so I pulled the bed off and YIKES!!!! Apparently the last half of the summer the mild wheeling I had been doing on the logging roads around the resort I was working at had not been good for the already ragged rear suspension. So... time for some fun with the tools I bought over the summer. Here goes a booty fab heavy shackle hanger w/ lift build. I also bought the Oreilly version of the belltech 6400 shackles for more lift so with the combination I can take out the sketchy stacked blocks I am hoping to go with the 63" chevy leaf swap soon to get the front bracket lower and the spring more level.

The passenger shackle COMPLETELY DETACHED

and the hanger in disrepair as well

A buddy brought up two of our tall jackstands that we picked up at a garage sale a few years back. And also two dana 60 rears I had back home. Im putting in the one thats welded with 4.10 gears. Thanks Korey!

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

Oops ran out of wire...got some...

Ran out of gas.....turned 21 and got hammered....

Got some gas finished one side started on another and mocked up the driver side

It is at full droop so the shackle angle should be about 30 degrees hopefully im guessing lol. My Buddy came up for my birthday party and brought me some 36 truxus sts on 16.5 rims for the dana 60. They are low tread and my least favorite interco tread but hopefully next spring ill get some hummer take offs.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

Oh I almost forgot. When my buddy picked up the truck it axle hopped bad so he made a ladder bar for it. Well he comes from a street vehicle background where there is little to no torsional flex. Instead of using a heim ha just set up a shackle on the front mounted to the frame. Fast forward 9 months after a little wheeling and I go to take it off so I can take out the lift blocks and redo the rear suspension. I unbolt the front and the rear just falls of the axle tube along with the welds and a big chunk of axle tube. Well just a good excuse for a dana 60 rear and bigger tires and then a SAS to match the rear.

Picture where you can see the ladder bar.

and the hole in the axle

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

Dana 60 prepped for ruffstuff antiwrap perches and shock tabs

 

[Kyle M.]

I'm diggin it

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

Sorry if that didnt really make sense I just copied the shackle hanger build from a thread in the fab section. Any who more pictures in no particular order.

Finally got the front axle up to duluth and picked up another front for extra parts. They are both full width high pinion dana 44 8 lug from 78-79 f250. I stripped the spare down and sold the housing to a machinist who is going to make a high pinion 44 rear for his cj buggy

Got some parts. deaver EB 5.5 linear rate coils and HALF of my ballistic fab order

Doing some random body work cause Im WAITING ON PARTS

I plumbed and bled the brakes yesterday and will hopefully drive it front wheel drive tonight. Still no shocks or driveshaft in rear.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

If you guys didnt notice before I am rather irritated at ballistic fab. I ordered my parts on October 19th and wrote a note in the comment section of my order for them to call me if they had to backorder anything. I received my package on October 27th which is slow but understandable for ground shipping. I opened my package to find HALF of it was backordered. I was never informed via email or phone and had to call the next day to see what was up. I have been waiting 2 weeks now and called again today. They said they will have it shipped by the beginning of next week. They did get me 2nd day air though. Their customer service was good but really I expect my parts within 3 weeks of ordering them.

On another note my parts from Ruff Stuff Specialties were top notch and reasonably priced. I love how fast they shipped using usps.

Also thumbs up to Jeffs Bronco Graveyard for the good service. I was worried because I had not received a confirmation email till 2 days after my order. However shipping was fast and well packaged. I ordered springs on Oct 25 and they were here 3 days later.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

found this pic of my buddys festiva when he brought up the 36s. made me laugh.

 

[Bennybooster]

nice dude, keep on workin hard on it

 

[Robert_1967]

found this pic of my buddys festiva when he brought up the 36s. made me laugh.

I think he needs more amber lights on it.







Robert

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

I think he needs more amber lights on it.
Robert

ha ha yeah he actually is going to add some amber strips on the rockers lol.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

No pics tonight but I just got done taking it for a drive. I went around the block twice. It sucks sooooo bad. lol I thought it mights be slightly streetable with front wheel drive but it is most definitely NOT. I am gonna need an aussie for the rear asap as well, you cant turn for crap in a light rig with a welded d60 and 36s. I also did some work on my front axle. I sandblasted one knuckle and banged out the old ball joints. The other day I picked up all new ball joints and a set of brake pads. I am selling some axles tomorrow so I will be able to get steel for my radius arms and maybe calipers and wheel bearings. Anybody have tricks for getting a steering arm off?

 

[wohlf 16]

Beat the bejesus out of it! I soaked mine with pb blaster, heated it, and actually took my cut off tool to it and a grinder, but the main thing was hitting the crap out of it from the bottom up. Once it finally breaks those cone washers loose you gotta tap it up and down and work them out. Once their out the arm will pull right off.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

yeah thats what I figured. I was thinkin about just cutting it off close to the studs but I might as well do it right. I gotta get a torch but I gotta buy parts first lol.