I want to buy a Ranger! Help PLEASE!!!

[Zroy31]

Thank you! That's helpful!

 

[schaffer]

Any year ranger is fine. Is get a newer one and put a body lift on it. I have a 98,4.0,5speed that has a 3 inch body lift with 31s on it. I did run 33s but they wore out so I got 31s to get some mpg back.

Mine was a great wheeler and got okay mpg.


Why not get a truck and keep the escort.

 

[Zroy31]

I would do that but then I'd be paying for insurance on two vehicles and I don't make enough money to do that. Although next year I will be making a lot of money so I would be able to do that, but I don't know yet. Do you know the average mpg's you are getting?

 

[Zroy31]

Wait so is it true you can put 31's on the stock 4x4 suspension?

 

[killj0y]

I had 31s on my stock 2wd lol. Still do actually, but I lifted it now. Love it. 4in rough country

 

[Jraymer360]

i got about...15 mpg on the trip back from getting my truck , it was mostly highway tho. ( 120 miles ~ )

 

[James86]

Anywho, I'm averaging 14mpg on E85 with a 3.0, auto, 4x4. Personally, I love the 3.0's and I can't really ask my friends with 4.0s what they think because none of them run anymore..... The 98-00's have Pulse Vacuum Hubs that can be problematic, but making a point of a couple times a month going out in the country and going thru all the 4WD modes keeps it working for me. There's a big debate about 3.0 versus 4.0, and each camp has their arguements about whats better, but it all depends on application. A 4.0 will pull better off the line because of its low end torque. Generally, it seems the 3.0's can get better mileage as well, but that's dependent on driving style of course.

 

[James86]

And passats aren't like S4's at all. Passats aren't twin turboed.

I slightly disagree, as would my wife who drives - and wrenches on her's quite a bit. The platforms are a bit different but the commonality between the A4's and Passat B5's is striking, and A4's back then had a 2.8 30V V6 like our car, or the 1.8T 20V four cylinder with single turbo. I will concede I was mistaken that S4's were twin turboed..... I was thinking RS4's were twin turbo or V8 depending on year.

 

[Zroy31]

I slightly disagree, as would my wife who drives - and wrenches on her's quite a bit. The platforms are a bit different but the commonality between the A4's and Passat B5's is striking, and A4's back then had a 2.8 30V V6 like our car, or the 1.8T 20V four cylinder with single turbo. I will concede I was mistaken that S4's were twin turboed..... I was thinking RS4's were twin turbo or V8 depending on year.

I agree that Passats are like A4's but I don't agree that they are like S4's.

What size tires and lift are you running?

 

[James86]

I'm running Uniroyal Liberators in the normal 15" size, and I don't have a lift other than what's factory for a 4WD.

 

[Rose2300]

All young kids aren't dumb and wreckless.

No pun intended hahahaha

but yeah idk why you would prefer the 3.0 over the 4.0 beacuse they get nearly similar mpgs but the 3.0 is gutless. if youre not gonna wheel it much get a 98+ 4.0, crank the t bars, and run 33's.

 

[James86]

..but yeah idk why you would prefer the 3.0 over the 4.0 beacuse they get nearly similar mpgs but the 3.0 is gutless. if youre not gonna wheel it much get a 98+ 4.0, crank the t bars, and run 33's.

It sounds almost more like you want a DD more than an off road toy. I myself do like the 98-00 gen, and nearly everyone I know who owns or has owned an RBV fall in that range. Ranger's especially have been hugely popular with my friends and I and honestly, I think the best balance wouldve been to keep making 4WD 4 poppers when they started using the Duratech because they're rated 28mpg in 2WD. I've been behind the wheel and have known people who had:

-2006 4.0 SOHC auto
-2006 2.3 Duratech auto
-2000 4.0 SOHC auto
-2000 4.0 OHV Explorer auto w/ AWD
-2000 3.0 FFV auto
-1999 3.0 FFV auto (mine)
-1998 3.0 auto
-1998 3.0 5spd
-1986 2.9 5spd

Honestly I felt the 4.0 SOHC was overkill, and there are mentions of some years on here with chain tensioner issues, so that could be something to look out for or look into. The way a motor is treated means a lot, but pretty much everyone I know who had a 4.0 had engine problems, be it blown heads, blown motor, etc. I drove the father in law's 3.0 5spd and was mildy disappointed, but he nails pretty good mileage with it (22-24 HWY) so I'm sure it's gearing. WHen I was running gas instead of E85, I got around 20-22mpg zipping back and forth to Rochester (300mile round trip), but I'm averaging 14mpg mixed with E85.

Maybe it's an odd coincidence, but all of them have been in some acident or another except mine...

 

[James86]

Best bet? fidn someone with a 3.0 and a 4.0 and test them back to back. I wasn't too blown away between a 3.0 and 4.o OHV, but the 4.0 SOHC just felt like overkill to me compared to stuff like my 4.0 Cherokee, which probably fell somewhere in the middle.

 

[Zroy31]

Yeah my dad has the 4.0 cherokee and I don't exactly want something like that because the more power the vehicle has, the more likely I will see lights flashing in my rear view mirror and I don't want that. I don't know if you're suggesting me to get a 2wd but I can't do that because I like to go up in the mountains in the winter and need the 4wd also just when it snows around here I don't want to slipping and sliding real bad! And are the Uniroyal Liberators 31's?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

No pun intended hahahaha

but yeah idk why you would prefer the 3.0 over the 4.0 beacuse they get nearly similar mpgs but the 3.0 is gutless. if youre not gonna wheel it much get a 98+ 4.0, crank the t bars, and run 33's.

For that matter they both get fullsized kind of milage... my 5.4 F-150 got better milage than my college roomate got with his '00 4.0 4x4, and now with way oversize tires it gets the same.

Honestly I felt the 4.0 SOHC was overkill, and there are mentions of some years on here with chain tensioner issues, so that could be something to look out for or look into.

I think the SOHC was just perfect for power, but the chain issues would really make me think twice about one.

My parents have babied their '02 Explorer (which is well outside of the common issues agewise) and it has a nice rattle going right now.

The 3.0 has been compared to a cockroach. It don't do much but it takes something monumental (generally) to stop them from doing it forever. For a truck that will never be heavily modified I would very much prefer that feature over any other engine Ford put in a Ranger.