if you have coil springs up front right now, you are already better. i have torsion bars on my 04 and its ok for small changes but really limits what i want to do.
change your gearing and you will probably be fairly happy with the 3.0. i don't know about that trans because my truck is a 5 speed but mine is very fun to drive around town with the 4.10 gears in the back.
get an explorer front sway bar for your truck and you won't lean in the turns, barely any. and try and find a bronco2 i nteh junkyard and get its rear sway bar for ano upgrade to your rear bar, if you even have a rear bar. not all rangers came with rear sway bars.
oh, also, what is your truck plans? are you trying to make a monster truck or a street truck? i am telling you street truck stuff so if you want a lifted truck, ignore the sway bar stuff. i don't do offroading so i do everything to make the truck handle like a sports car at the track. i would autocross mine but i cannot get it low enough to meet tech requirements because the cabin is taller