first project & a few questions

[brplante]

i have a 1992 Ranger single cab-short bed V6 3.0L 2WD that is sitting in my yard with no use, that i want to turn into a play truck, but the only problem is that my automotive skills stop at the basic engine repairs, and i dont want to mess up my truck so im running it through here first.

i am looking at 3 inch body lifts for the cab, seeing as i am making a flat bed for it that will stay even with the frame on the sides, and i was wondering if i could clear 33 inch tires with a 3 inch BL in the front?

I also want to put bigger wheels on it (the fox-body mustang wheels on it now just wont cut it), is there any particular wheel that i should look for with the same bolt pattern?

the shocks that are currently on the truck are not in good condition, rusted to hell and need to be replaced, what would be the best shocks i could put into the truck for super cheap?

and what would be the best materials to use on a front bumper? i can get that cut and built for free...

i have already converted the seats from 60/40 to bucket seats.
tomorrow i have to replace the master cylinder and front brake pads, and negative battery cable, and plug the driver side rear tire to get the truck road worthy.

any help would be greatly apreciated,
thanks, brandon

 

[strvger]

33's on just a 3 inch body lift will be tight. not sure you'll have enough room for lock-to-lock turning without rubbing the tires on something, or having any kind of travel at all.
i'd go 16 inch wheels and whatever tires you can fit on it and still have some wheel travel.
cheap shocks, probably the Gabriel gas truck shocks. should last you a year or 2, maybe longer if you need them too.
most like tube bumpers. i'm a fan of a single piece of 3/16ths or 1/4 inch x 6 inch or C channel for simplicity, ease of adding whatever you want to it, and ease when installing brackets to mount it up to your frame.
just my $.02.

btw, Welcome to TRS!!

.

 

[feellnfroggy]

First things first, if its not your daily driver, draw up a plan and jump in. What you dont know, trust me, you will learn. 3 inch lift will clear the 33's mostly. well enough not to damage anything anyways. For wheels go with the 98 and newer GT wheels, they are all 17 inch. Problem is all hte mustang wheels are a mid offset, so you must compensate for this. You wont find the best shocks for super cheap. If saving money is your goal then pick a pair, any pair, it dont matter. You do have the option of trying to find a used set on here or CL. Otherwise, spend a dime and get some quality shocks. Either 1/8 or 1/4 sheet steel would be best, But it will take some good design work, otherwise you can fab up bumpers with tube steel or 2 inch square stock. If you go with 3 or 4 inch tube steel, make sure to seal the ends completely, eventually you may run onboard air and these will make great tanks without taking up more room. Everything else is on you, check out hte tech library to get as much information on your equipment as you can before you start.

 

[brplante]

33's on just a 3 inch body lift will be tight. not sure you'll have enough room for lock-to-lock turning without rubbing the tires on something, or having any kind of travel at all.
i'd go 16 inch wheels and whatever tires you can fit on it and still have some wheel travel.
cheap shocks, probably the Gabriel gas truck shocks. should last you a year or 2, maybe longer if you need them too.
most like tube bumpers. i'm a fan of a single piece of 3/16ths or 1/4 inch x 6 inch or C channel for simplicity, ease of adding whatever you want to it, and ease when installing brackets to mount it up to your frame.
just my $.02.

btw, Welcome to TRS!!

.

people have told me that too much of a lift is a bad thing, but would it be better to go 2inches in the suspension and 2 inches in the body? and would jeep wheels bolt onto a ford? and the link below is what i want my bumper to look like.
http://gozips.uakron.edu/~crm23/truck/huey.html

thanks for the welcome and all the help!

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

2 inches in susp will keep thing in order and aligned. as for the body lift, u can go 3 inches with no problem.

 

[strvger]

^^ x2, 2 inch suspension lift with a 3 inch body lift should do it for you. you may want longer shocks to go with the suspension lift to maximize your wheel travel, but for only 2 inches, it's not a requirement.
nice looking bumper you picked out. just make sure you use thick wall DOM tubing for it for strength. and brace it as much as you can as it will also be a recovery point for you.
good luck with your build and post up pics as you work thru it.