Another Waggy Swap

[lunchbox]

Well, my wife and I just got back from Moonlight Maddness and I have her hooked! Now, all I need to do is rip the D-44's out of the 87 Grand Wagoneer and rig them up under the ranger. So, here's what I got, a 1991 Ranger Custom with the 4.0 and the already mentioned GW and its Dana 44's. So, I need to do a 2WD to 4WD conversion, and an SAS all at once.

Every time I think I have found an answer about this it spawns more questions.

One of them is, should I run a devorced transfer case, or replace/mod the transmission I have so its "stock" for a 4WD Ranger? I have the whole waggy sitting her so I could use that x-fer case if its worth it and someone makes an adapter, but then the whole attached/divorced thing comes up again.

Would high steer knuckles be worth the trouble?

I was planning to go spring over on the front with leafs, anyone have a recomendation for springs that will give about 6 inches of lift from stock?

 

[KELLY88]

I'd say for your situation just build up the Wagoneer. It's already got the axles and drivetrain. Trucks! did a wagoneer build once. Made it a badass machine for cheap. Would probably end up being cheaper in the end than building up the Ranger.

 

[lunchbox]

Boo. The Waggy is pooched. It had a cat die in it and decompose under the driver's seat. The smell is real bad and won't come out, so it's only good for the drivetrain.

::EDIT::

At 300 bucks I thought it was worth it just for the powertrain. I drove it in 4WD up the berm, onto the trailer, and off again when I got it home, but that's about as long as someone can sit in it without getting sick.

 

[metalmacguyver]

You will want a 4x4 ranger tranny and tcase. A manual tcase will be easier to put in than trying to set up the electric stuff in a 2wd truck.

 

[koda6966]

Boo. The Waggy is pooched. It had a cat die in it and decompose under the driver's seat. The smell is real bad and won't come out, so it's only good for the drivetrain.

::EDIT::

At 300 bucks I thought it was worth it just for the powertrain. I drove it in 4WD up the berm, onto the trailer, and off again when I got it home, but that's about as long as someone can sit in it without getting sick.

Thats.. the most.. disgusting.. thing.. I HAVE EVER HEARD!!

Haha

 

[lunchbox]

Thats.. the most.. disgusting.. thing.. I HAVE EVER HEARD!!

Haha

lol what, the cat part, or the 300 bucks for the working motor, trans, tcase, and axles? Oh, and springs, I may just keep those springs for now, rig the new mounts for them and put a Waggy lift on it later. Then flat bed and exo-cage it after that. Oh, I like that idea...

The first time I got into it to try starting it I cranked it a bit, realised it was out of gas and got out to add the 5 gal can we had with us just in case, and had flea bites all over my legs. In less than a minute those little blood suckers tore me up! So I used some blue masking tape to hold a plastic trash bag over the missing window and used 2 bug bombs in it. That's when I found the HUGE wasp nest up by the rear view mirror. I ended up throwing those shoes and pants away, due to the smell they picked up from being in that truck. Still, totaly worth $300 though!

 

[alaskan155]

if its running good and your talking about running a flatbet, why not just drop the ranger cab on the waggy frame, and run the v8 and all

 

[Shran]

Why not just swap the interior out of a...cleaner... waggy? They're pretty badass, as said above. A couple guys in the local jeep club drive those - I'd definitely drive one.

 

[Dishtowel]

Gut the interior in a salvageable way, plastic up the dash then bleach + pressure wash.
Then febreeze the crap out of it, lol

It will be a good rig for you. Less work this way. Does it have wood paneling? if it does, I say do up the waggy, 100%

 

[rickcdewitt]

screw the oversized stinky gas guzzler.sell the motor,tranny,transfer for 300$ to get back cost of truck.
find a 4wd 4.0 tranny and t-case so you can get shifters etc. easily and not hit the fuel tank.

which highsteer would depend on if it interferes with the leaf pack but flatter steering links make less bumpsteer

 

[lunchbox]

Wow Rick, it's like you are reading my mind! I was going to part out the waggy after removing the axles and anything else I may need, as well as post the stock Ranger stuff up for sale when I am done taking it off. I also plan to sell the bed and that camper as well. My brain has been buzzing all day, and I found out that someone who lives over by my sister has a SAS Ranger parked out front, so I plan to see if I can glean some info from him as well. I thought of the whole Ranger cab/Waggy chassis, but I live in Cali, and I am sure the tools in charge of this state would give me some crap about it and I don't even want to deal with them.

 

[metalmacguyver]

No matter where you live, getting a lifted truck inspected is always a bitch.

 

[Dishtowel]

Inspect BEFORE the lift if you can! I made that mistake. Bought it. built it, THEN insured it. DOH

 

[lunchbox]

Ah hell, dont tell me they moan and cry about a solid axle swap. I know they figth a motor swap, but axles too?

 

[bobbywalter]

use the waggy springs, over axle, and mounts modded to fit the chassis if they are salvageable and not rusted to death.


maybe run a slightly modded front steering link if its needed to a highsteer arm on the passenger side.

depending on what t case is in the waggy would dictate what i would do for a trans. that and what trans you currently have. if you like manuals i would consider swapping in a 435 behind the 4 leaker to use with a waggy 208, but that would cost big. likely a ranger m5 with ranger t case or case's and rear driveline disconnect is the best solution depending on intended use.


whats the intended use?