Finally I'm doing it!!! My 2000 Ford Ranger explorer 5.0 V-8 build thread with pics!

[Jwad00]

Well guys after all the research I have done over the last few years and then reading so much that I got overwhelmed and just gave up, and also getting out of the lowered Ranger scene and selling my original 2000 back to my dad, I have picked up another 2000 Ranger supercab. This one is a flareside but is the same deep wedgewood blue as my last one so I can just slap my cowl hood on it. I also kept my crystal clear headlights and corners and DJM drop so I am mostly already there with this truck. Just gotta get the motor and trans. Good thing about this truck is it is a 3.0 automatic so it will be much easier to swap in the 4R70W into it and just running the explorer stuff instead of messing with finding a manual transmission and making that work. It also has 4 doors unlike my last 2000, has dark charcoal gray interior which I like much more than the tan that I had. It also has all power options with keyless entry, tilt, cruise, all the options my other 2000 didn't lol. Picked it up for $2,800. Already had to clean the ISH out of it because the people that had it lived down a dirt road and it was a MESS!!! Took an entire day to clean the interior. Well onto the pics!


When I first got it home:

 

[Jwad00]

Interior cleaned up. Took forever!:

Took off the door panels, took out the seats, hosed everything down and put my Ford Racing floormats in.

 

[Jwad00]

Axle:

Well with the 5.0 the stock 7.5 open just isn't going to work for me so today ex90ranger and I went to the local U pick it and I snatched up a steal!! This came out of a 2000 I believe explorer 5.0. It is an 8:8 rear end 3:73 L/S and 31 spline axle shafts disc brakes and sway bar. This is a somewhat rare axle though as it not only has the normal things that us ranger guys want so badly but it also has the factory traction bars! And I stole this thing for a whopping $100!!!

 

[Iron Ranger]

Axle:

You, sir, just scored the best deal a guy could ask for! Traction bars, L/S, 8.8, 31 spline...........and the most important!!!!..............DISK BRAKES!

Nicely done buddy!

 

[Jwad00]

Sport Trac cluster:

 

[Jwad00]

You, sir, just scored the best deal a guy could ask for! Traction bars, L/S, 8.8, 31 spline...........and the most important!!!!..............DISK BRAKES!

Nicely done buddy!

Thanks! I was excited to find this thing! I was planning to get traction bars and figured in another $200 for those and then found this axle! Couldn't have got any luckier. And for $100!!!! I am still excited as hell about that lol. About to order some slotted drilled rotors for it now. Debating new calipers as well.

 

[Iron Ranger]

I'm sure your gonna tear it apart and such to make sure the gears are still in good working order, but have you thought of taking it apart (the brake lines and such) and re-painting it?

It's a little more work, but it's weeeeeeeeeeeeell worth it!

 

[RangerSVT]

All V8 explorer's had the factory tracton bar, the V6 explorer's didn't have em...
SVT

 

[Jwad00]

All V8 explorer's had the factory tracton bar, the V6 explorer's didn't have em...
SVT

That can't be true. Out of 4-5 5.0 explorers there this was the only one with traction bars.

 

[Jwad00]

I'm sure your gonna tear it apart and such to make sure the gears are still in good working order, but have you thought of taking it apart (the brake lines and such) and re-painting it?

It's a little more work, but it's weeeeeeeeeeeeell worth it!

Yep I checked the gears and they are good. Going to put some new fluid in it and seal it up and then it is getting shot gloss black!

 

[Jwad00]

Powerstop explorer rear D/S rotors and ceramic pads ordered 3-25-11:

 

[chazzone]

Powerstop explorer rear D/S rotors and ceramic pads ordered 3-25-11:

Not to dis your choice, and I know all the kids want those, but slotted and drilled rotors are not meant for anything but race vehicles.
You'll be changing those long before you would a set of stock rotors.

 

[RangerSVT]

but slotted and drilled rotors are not meant for anything but race vehicles.
You'll be changing those long before you would a set of stock rotors.

I can say differently...I've had cross drilled and slotted rotors on the front of my ranger for about 4 years now, and I love em. They are designed to dissipate heat better which prevents fading and glazing. As far as going through brake pads at a faster rate, I have not really noticed accelerated wear on the pads, and I used new pads when the rotors were installed. I change em about once a year, but I put high miles on my truck, and my brakes are used very frequently ( a lot of stop and go and country back roads), I also tow often with my truck, and I have noticed an improvement in stopping with a load as well. I highly recommend the upgrade. How much were your rotors?? I"ll be upgrading axles soon and I need to get another set of these....
SVT

 

[--weezl--]

the biggest issue i was explained with slotted cross drilled brakes, is if they get full of mud (when 4x4ing) then they tend to destroy pads, because that dirt slowly works it's way out and acts likt sand paper between the pad and rotors...


that being said, i will soon be looking into some different options on my front brakes, as my truck does not like to stop fast when i've got my 33's on it... i hit the brakes, and imo, you should be able to lock up or put the ABS on, if you hammer on it as hard as you can... i hammered on it, and the pedal had lots there, i felt the pedal bottom out (with 200 lbs of me standing on it) and those wheels just kept turning... almost caused a serious crash! right now i've got stock rotors, and wagner thermo quiet ceramic pads

 

[RangerSVT]

33's are a lot of tire to be locking up especially with stock brakes, and especially with ranger brakes...That's why I upgraded to cross drilled and slotted rotors and performance pads. What your saying is true, but like any maintenance, you should clean the rotors after offroading/mudding...
SVT