94' ranger lightbar/skidplate

[Greg5567]

Running a 94' Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 and I cannot seem to find any skidplates for my truck, any help?

As for the lightbar ive read a bunch about how rollbars and lightbars are totally different as...the lightbar will just crumble under the vehicles weight but a rollbar wont...so im kinda looking for a lightbar, with the strength of a rollbar....

 

[BeefStew42791]

do any come with suspension lifts? you might have to have some custom made, sorry, I can't help either in that, I've looked myself and can never seem to find any. Which is probably a big hint..SELL SKIDPLATES lol.

As for that what if you tried simply using the roll bar as a lightbar? A traditional lightbar probably wouldn't be a good roll bar simply cuz they aren't made to handle that kind of weight and pressure. But a rollbar maybe could double as one? At least if your ok with the lights being above and behind the cab.

 

[Greg5567]

about the skidplate your probably right ha, and as for the rollbar doubling as a lightbar thats like exactly what i was trying to say ha but even then i still cant seem to find a rollbar or lightbar for a ranger, and i dont have the tools needed to fabricate my own

 

[BlackBII]

What skidplate are you looking for? For the Front end?
These are the only ones I've ever seen for the Pre 97 Rangers
http://www.jamesduff.com/broncoII/bumpers_carriers.html

CopyCat has one on his BII, I think he made it tho..


Rollbars:
http://www.trsfabandoffroad.com/products/go_rhino_bed_bars.htm

 

[Greg5567]

thank you so much BII, you have no idea how long ive been looking for this, and about the skidplate, yea, i was looking for one that would cover the front, and the undercarriage. Will those bars you linked take a roll though, or will they just crumble under my trucks weight?

 

[ckblum]

They will most likely bend and break through the bed. If you want real roll-over protection the best bet is to make a cage or a custom roll bar like on the TRS-2 Ranger out of strong tubing with braces, also have it tied into the frame and not just the bed.

 

[BeefStew42791]

They will most likely bend and break through the bed. If you want real roll-over protection the best bet is to make a cage or a custom roll bar like on the TRS-2 Ranger out of strong tubing with braces, also have it tied into the frame and not just the bed.

x2 with all the weight on it and everything if you truely rolled the truck and it stopped there your bed would be toast. I would think it'd be much better to drill a hole in to be a little bit larger then your tubing (consider flexing) and have it bolt right to the frame however way you can. lol, the frame's a lot stronger then the bed.

 

[Rallytruck69]

let me clear something up about roll bars and light bars. they are the same thing. neither will save your ass in a roll-over, only a cage will do that. if you take a truck and put it on its lid it will rest the cab and front of the hood on the ground and lift the bed in the air because the the front is the heavy end, with the motor and trans. i once saw a 12" lifted toyota roll with a roll bar/light bar and never even scrach the 5 6" kc offroadlights that where mounted to the bar behind the cab. worse case senario is you endo the truck and land flat on the lid at high speed, that sucks i watched a buddy do that, and beacuse you would hit at speed with a sliding motion, the standard 4 point roll bar mount, even attached to the frame, would likely fold over and not help. your best bet it to look for a roll bar or light bar that you like for a mini truck and bolt it in and not roll the truck. i made mine for my 2002 ranger because i didnt like the ones i found, and made it so my lights would fold back prerunner style with bolt on supports. i found out that the lights up would eat 3 mpg in the up position and folded below the top of the cab stoped that problem. anyways, in the end its your truck and i hope you can find what you want or need for it.

 

[Greg5567]

Well a big thanks to you guys that helped me out. I read something about Lightbar = Lightbar ONLY and the Rollbar was basically a stronger metal lightbar.

I will most likely end up caging the cab and like you said in the post before, find a nice lightbar/rollbar that I like and put the lights up on it, and not flip it, however I do with it was as easy as just saying "Well im never going to flip my truck!"

But its not....lol