Global Ranger revisited - again

[kryptonitecb]

I don't a ranger would hold up to that abuse. I've driven in an 80's Hilux overseas with a 5 digit mile reading so I don't know the mileage. However it was old and beat up but it ran. I know the military didn't maintain it and after seeing a welder made from an alternator while I was there I'm not sure how well a truck could be maintained.

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[6.2]

Meh. I have complete faith in my truck. I run it to hell and back and it never complains.

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[85_Ranger4x4]

The best example is the Top Gear episode where they trash one.

And like every other episode of that show it didn't really prove a thing.

They didn't break the engine, the trans, axles or bend a driveshaft too bad. There was no reason it shouldn't still run and move, there was nothing magically wonderfull about it.

Dad had a semi truck pull out in front of his '68 C10. The Corvette 327 was still idling when he woke up on the floorboard although the alternator had mangled two rocker arms.

That is tough.

One front tire was popped and pinched in the fender or it would have moved, he was too dazed to try. After essentially hitting a steel wall at 30-40mph that isn't doing too bad. It still lives on as a pickup box trailer.

Taking a little water on... big whoop. Happens all the time on my A-C tractors thanks to a crappy muffler/manifold design. Had to pull the head and hone it out once because it sat long enough to rust. Still runs absolutely perfect.

 

[MastuhWaffles]

But hey at least there bringing the Bronco back.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/1404-2016-ford-svt-bronco-coming-soon/?sm_id=social21068874

Just kidding, its April fools.

 

[Will]

Torsion bars?

No, man, torsion bars are car suspension. You got to have coils. That's my main gripe with the '98-on Ranger. You can't make a real offroad suspension with a 3' long torsion bar. I don't like the double wishbone on the Japanese trucks either, but it has a long spring, wrapped up in the shape of a coil, and they have good movement.

I like the old Hilux a lot--I have experience with them 20+ years ago in Africa. No power, which I need in a truck on American roads, but in every other way a super vehicle.

I'm not going to buy a car reshaped as a truck. I was passed today by a Dodge 1500 Ram with Hemi stickers on it. It was as low as a 2wd, probably on 18" rims, but it had 4X4 on the tailgate.

How much power can you put to the ground--when you are on a broken trail? An '89 2.3 4x4 Ranger would be hauling that thing around on a strap offroad. I think AWD would be a better badge for the street vehicles with all-wheel propulsion.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Torsion bars?

No, man, torsion bars are car suspension.

Used to be a big deal with army tanks...

They were "in style" when the 98 Ranger's came out and if the Ranger hadn't been back burnered they probably would have got coilovers like the '150's.

I'm not going to buy a car reshaped as a truck. I was passed today by a Dodge 1500 Ram with Hemi stickers on it. It was as low as a 2wd, probably on 18" rims, but it had 4X4 on the tailgate.

How much power can you put to the ground--when you are on a broken trail? An '89 2.3 4x4 Ranger would be hauling that thing around on a strap offroad. I think AWD would be a better badge for the street vehicles with all-wheel propulsion.

Not everybody wants or needs a jacked up offroad buggy for a dd. Most don't and never have.

But they want 4x4 so they can disconnect it. When you don't need it you don't need it... but when you do you do.

I know of one older farmer he traded in his '89 F-150 4x4 for a newer 04+ F-150. Test drove a 4x4 and it wouldn't fit in his garage. So he got a 2wd thinking that he was retired and probably didn't really need 4x4. A few years later he got tired of fighting it on the country roads and dumped it for a 3/4 ton Dodge 4x4 that did fit in his garage.

Lots of older guys like the GM trucks for that reason, and they are easier to get in and out of. Simiple solution is to make it an option.

 

[MastuhWaffles]

Torsion bars?

No, man, torsion bars are car suspension. You got to have coils. That's my main gripe with the '98-on Ranger. You can't make a real offroad suspension with a 3' long torsion bar. I don't like the double wishbone on the Japanese trucks either, but it has a long spring, wrapped up in the shape of a coil, and they have good movement.

Yeah torsion bars are a bit annoying, they hang so low it gets caught on things and it's not that fun. But I might switch to coil overs or just go pre runner suspension.

 

[Mac]

Torsion bars ugggh! I know I've adjusted more than 100 people here, rough count of 6400+. Spent a Summer working at a Chrysler plant setting the ride height on Dodges/Plymouths. Worst ones were the big police wagons with the 440 going to CA. The newer 4x4's are good as a DD but nothing hard core.
Dave

 

[Ruffinit]

I've always been a fan of Rancheros because I dislike 4 door cars and have never really found a reason to have a people hauler for my daily driver. I have had reason to load cargo and tow a trailer though. I'm a big fan of the Falcon Utes especially since you can order them with a 351C up until a few years ago.

I have two Rangers; a summer Ranger and a winter or work Ranger. They have two very distinct characteristics.

The summer Ranger is a 4x2, 2.3L, 5sp, stepside with a normal cab and averages 30 mpg on my daily 140 mile commute.

The winter Ranger is a 4x4, 4.0L, 5sp, stepside supercab that I tow everything from cars to moving and stock trailers with. It's a 4x4 so during the winter I drive it and leave the "little" Ranger at home.

They both do DD depending upon the season. IF they were to bring in the Falcon, I could see it as a replacement for the little Ranger. If it could get the 30mpg average that I enjoy now and came with AWD, it could very nicely replace that truck.
BUT I can't see it replacing the 4x4 Ranger for all of the off-pavement and towing capabilities. FORD is wrong in saying that the utility drivers of Rangers will migrate to the 1/2 tons. When I can drive my 4x4 and get 20-21 mpg relatively empty and throw a 6500 lb trailer on and still get 15.9 on the highway, why would I want a truck that gets worse mileage, is less manueverable, bigger and more costly to maintain? I've probably towed and hauled more with the Ranger than 70% of the 1/2 tons out on the road today.

The reason I like the Ranger is because of it's size and the ability of it to transform into what you need it to be. It's a mini-pickup. I had a Dakota and it was nice, but for my money, I should be able to find used Rangers for as long as I want a truck. Ford doesn't have to downsize it to give folks what they want. They don't need to upsize it and it doesn't need a V8. One last thing .. I like the idea that it hasn't been drastically changed over the years. I like the non-modern interior where everything isn't push button. I like being able to work on a truck when needed and when you grab the gear shift or the door or the tailgate you don't have to wonder if there's steel there.

 

[XLTsplash]

I think the Ford Flex front end would look good for a new Ranger, Kind of boxy like the original Ranger.

 

[brokemechanic3000]

I think the Ford Flex front end would look good for a new Ranger, Kind of boxy like the original Ranger.

plus one to that

 

[Mac]

I've always been a fan of Rancheros because I dislike 4 door cars and have never really found a reason to have a people hauler for my daily driver. I have had reason to load cargo and tow a trailer though. I'm a big fan of the Falcon Utes especially since you can order them with a 351C up until a few years ago.

I have two Rangers; a summer Ranger and a winter or work Ranger. They have two very distinct characteristics.

The summer Ranger is a 4x2, 2.3L, 5sp, stepside with a normal cab and averages 30 mpg on my daily 140 mile commute.

The winter Ranger is a 4x4, 4.0L, 5sp, stepside supercab that I tow everything from cars to moving and stock trailers with. It's a 4x4 so during the winter I drive it and leave the "little" Ranger at home.

They both do DD depending upon the season. IF they were to bring in the Falcon, I could see it as a replacement for the little Ranger. If it could get the 30mpg average that I enjoy now and came with AWD, it could very nicely replace that truck.
BUT I can't see it replacing the 4x4 Ranger for all of the off-pavement and towing capabilities. FORD is wrong in saying that the utility drivers of Rangers will migrate to the 1/2 tons. When I can drive my 4x4 and get 20-21 mpg relatively empty and throw a 6500 lb trailer on and still get 15.9 on the highway, why would I want a truck that gets worse mileage, is less manueverable, bigger and more costly to maintain? I've probably towed and hauled more with the Ranger than 70% of the 1/2 tons out on the road today.

The reason I like the Ranger is because of it's size and the ability of it to transform into what you need it to be. It's a mini-pickup. I had a Dakota and it was nice, but for my money, I should be able to find used Rangers for as long as I want a truck. Ford doesn't have to downsize it to give folks what they want. They don't need to upsize it and it doesn't need a V8. One last thing .. I like the idea that it hasn't been drastically changed over the years. I like the non-modern interior where everything isn't push button. I like being able to work on a truck when needed and when you grab the gear shift or the door or the tailgate you don't have to wonder if there's steel there.

You have my exact same thoughts. I've got a '66' Ranchero as a forever project. Followed them Falcons and then the UTS's stated coming with the dual cammed 5.8 motors, basically a gt-500 with a box. Also got a Winter and Summer Ranger and a Mustang for fun weekends. I grew up when the idea of a SUV was a Bronco bare bones as possible, something you could take out in a muddy field or back woods. Get home and open both doors and just hose it out.
Dave

 

[MastuhWaffles]

So I registered to drive the new Ford Focus ST, and they are bringing the new F-150 there so I will be looking at that.

 

[KnockKnock]

I think the Ford Flex front end would look good for a new Ranger, Kind of boxy like the original Ranger.

plus one to that

I was just messing around online when I found this:

Pretty cool, huh? B) I felt like I'd been living under a rock when I heard that the new Ranger is supposed to look like this:

...and I just thought to myself, 'I think we already have one of those, and it looks just like this:

...which really is quite different from this:'

The lesser capability is always a trade-off for the sake of efficiency, and for those of us with the 2.3L, we know this fact best. I'm wondering why the new Ranger has to be a re-worked Explorer Sport-Trac instead of a re-worked Flex. With talk about a new Bronco being made, I'm hoping that the new Ranger/Sport-Trac name-swap will make way for a new "Ranchero" with the Ford Flex. If they threw a Duratec 2.3 in there (and while we're in fantasy-land, a 5-speed ), they could come up with a truck with similar lesser capabilities, say tows ~1,500lbs; but still racks up nearly 30MPG. A little more bed-room than what's in the pic, and I'd want one of those!

...and ironically, I would put a camper-top on it

 

[Ruffinit]

The lesser capability is always a trade-off for the sake of efficiency, and for those of us with the 2.3L, we know this fact best. I'm wondering why the new Ranger has to be a re-worked Explorer Sport-Trac instead of a re-worked Flex.

Now I like this design. I couldn't have anything slammed, but the basic design is sound.

One of my very favorite utility vehicles of all time is the Bronco II. I'm afraid I'm not in the new Bronco camp simply because it's going to come out appealing to all the mall crawlers. The Platinum F-series owners will option it out and the ones of us that just want a basic vehicle that you can take out in the woods are going to be left high and dry again. I would like to have a copy of the ORIGINAL Bronco with no AC, no electric anything so you can pop the doors off and the top off and have a nice country type 4x4. Doesn't need to do interstate+ speeds, but capable of running the slab; more attuned to highway speeds. Granny low and no auto. Don't need no stinking blinkers in the mirrors and no touch screen Bluetooth infotainment system... you get the radio with one speaker and AM... get my gist?..