help please 97 explorer 5.0 in 98 mazda b4000

[Jklancaster12]

I found a 97 explorer for a descent price and my transmission is goin out in my 98 b4000 wanting to go ahead and do the 5.0 swap but the explorer is 4x4 not sure if its all time or not but it is the eddie my question is if the transmission and transfer case will work or if I can leave my 2wd frontend under the truck and keep it 2wd for now I want to convert it to 4x4 but right now I just need to do the swap before my transmission goes I can swap the front end and everything else later if I can put the 4x4 transmission under the truck and run 2wd it would be amazing because its a really good deal on the explorer and not running across to many 2wd 5.0 explorers that still run and worth the money

 

[win]

Yours would be a rough row to hoe... Your coil spring front suspension really can't be converted and the AWD xfer case won't lock up properly without the awd/4wd front end.

Think either a frame swap, or a solid axle swap would be needed to keep the awd/4wd system. But, swapping in a rear wheel drive transmission, converting the awd transmission to a rwd transmission or replacing the awd xfer case for a "locked in 2wd hi" xfer case are better/easier paths to take.

 

[Jklancaster12]

what would it take to swap the truck body onto the explorer frame cant be to much considering the wire harness is almost plug and play and the swap is practically the same might look further into the frame swap wonder if the wheelbase is the same and if the frame is the same length

 

[fastpakr]

Where are you located? I've got a 2wd Explorer 4R70W in my donor truck that runs fine (I drove it home last week and it shifted great). Got the engine and trans ready to pull today, hoping to hoist it out tomorrow night.

 

[Jklancaster12]

I'm in Alabama been wanting to do the 5.0 swap wasn't really looking for a 4wd but the one I found is in great shape I do want to swap to 4wd is there a solid axle swap for the ranger that would match the gears in the rear or would you need to swap both and will the 4r70 go on the 4.0 because that would save a lot of time and money to do the swap another day

 

[Jklancaster12]

just crossed my mind can I swap the front end from the 97 exploder to the ranger and possibly the gears in the rear hmmmm.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I don't think the AWD transfer case that's on it cares if there's anything hooked to the front, it's not a differential it's a viscous clutch, apparently a lot of people take out the front shaft...

 

[Jklancaster12]

alright so that takes care of that can the explorer front axle swap into the ranger?