Ideas for ranger

[2x4ranger]

I bought my 4.0l v6 2x4 ‘96 ranger a few months ago. Me and my dad fixed the mechanical side of things and I want to start making it nicer. I currently have 27x14 tires on it with a 1.5 in leveling kit from rough country. The leveling kit did not do much to really level it. So I’m thinking about putting a 4 in lift kit from rough country. It also has a duel exhaust with a one chamber on it. I’m looking for any ideas that anyone might have about what to do. I don’t want to lower it anymore or put chrome on it. Everything else I’m willing to take into consideration.

 

[Curious Hound]

I always recommend driving it the way it is for a while. Then, do what YOU want to do with it. It's your truck. Make it yours, not someone else's. After you drive it, you'll figure out what you want. My opinions aren't worth the toilet paper they're written on.

 

[scotts90ranger]

It all depends on what you want to do, I have all sorts of plans for my '97 daily driver, heck even have the parts.... just not the time. I have a rear slider window, rear popout windows for the rear side windows, explorer overhead console with temp and compass. What rear axle ratio do you have? Running that size tire is as big as 14" wheels get, I switched to some '09 Ranger 15" wheels and jumped up to a 225 70 15 which is about 28" which is a good balance for me but I have the 4 cylinder so less power and a finer balance... you can fit up to 30" tires or so in the fenders right now with the right offset.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

First upgrade on any vehicle *ever* is brakes.

You can build whatever you want from there. But if you can't stop it, you're always risking losing it all.

 

[2x4ranger]

It all depends on what you want to do, I have all sorts of plans for my '97 daily driver, heck even have the parts.... just not the time. I have a rear slider window, rear popout windows for the rear side windows, explorer overhead console with temp and compass. What rear axle ratio do you have? Running that size tire is as big as 14" wheels get, I switched to some '09 Ranger 15" wheels and jumped up to a 225 70 15 which is about 28" which is a good balance for me but I have the 4 cylinder so less power and a finer balance... you can fit up to 30" tires or so in the fenders right now with the right offset.

I have a 3.08 gear ratio

 

[scotts90ranger]

First upgrade on any vehicle *ever* is brakes.

You can build whatever you want from there. But if you can't stop it, you're always risking losing it all.

Conveniently on a '96 it already has twin piston calipers up front and with a 4L should have an 8.8 with likely 10" drums. Was one of the selling points when I found my '97... by that I mean selling points to myself, the owner knew nothing and it was only $450...

 

[Curious Hound]

I have a 3.08 gear ratio

If you could find an axle with 4.10 gears, you'd feel like you're driving a rocket. What size are your rear brake drums? If they're 9", then swapping in a junk yard axle with 4.10 gears and 10" brakes would kill 2 birds with one stone. Win-win!

Unless you like it the way it is now.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have a 3.08 gear ratio

I would double check that, with a 4L it should have an 8.8" axle and that was not an available ratio on that size axle, the closest is 3.27, what's the axle code on the door sticker? and because things get dumb does the VIN on the door sticker match the one visable through the windshield? Mine didn't have the stock drivers door so I didn't have that to go by but it did still have the axle tag so I was able to confirm 4.10 gears...

 

[2x4ranger]

I would double check that, with a 4L it should have an 8.8" axle and that was not an available ratio on that size axle, the closest is 3.27, what's the axle code on the door sticker? and because things get dumb does the VIN on the door sticker match the one visable through the windshield? Mine didn't have the stock drivers door so I didn't have that to go by but it did still have the axle tag so I was able to confirm 4.10 gears...

The axle code is 92 with an open 8.8” I found a look up sheet on another forum and the ratio says 3.08. I could always be wrong though.

 

[2x4ranger]

If you could find an axle with 4.10 gears, you'd feel like you're driving a rocket. What size are your rear brake drums? If they're 9", then swapping in a junk yard axle with 4.10 gears and 10" brakes would kill 2 birds with one stone. Win-win!

Unless you like it the way it is now.

I have never thought of that before let me look into that. Thanks for the idea

 

[scotts90ranger]

The axle code is 92 with an open 8.8” I found a look up sheet on another forum and the ratio says 3.08. I could always be wrong though.

Right, 2 wheel drive... I ignored a lot of random stuff because I always think 4x4 , they didn't use 3.08's in Explorers because that wasn't an available ratio for the front axle...

Yeah, I would look for a replacement rear axle if you want to go any bigger in tire size, way easier and cheaper than regearing an axle... I've done a handful of axle swaps on my '90, it started with 3.08 gears, then went to 3.73 then swapped frames and got 4.10 then regeared some explorer axles to get 5.13 gears... then swapped outers to get disc brakes in the rear...

3.08 gears are brutal with tall tires, when I had that and 28" tires back in the day with the old 2.3L 5th gear was useless...

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

3.08 gears are brutal with tall tires, when I had that and 28" tires back in the day with the old 2.3L 5th gear was useless...

Ew.

Brother, ew.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Ew.

Brother, ew.

In my defense that was still back in the fordranger.com days and I was like 19... then I found a $15 rear axle with 3.73's (yes, I did not miss a 0) and that combo was not bad. Believe me the clutch hated life with the 3.08's and 28" tires...