Looking for ideas...

[RoodeMotorsports]

Well I got to thinking... with college out for the summer and some extra money.... I'd like to know if y'all have any ideas of what to do with an 84 ranger xl, 4x4 with the 2.8 auto. Right now I'd rather go for cheap yet functional instead of expensive and out-of-the-way. It has very little rust, nothing I cannot fix, so that's out of the books.

I'll tell you some details.., It has offset aftermarket rims... probably 1-2" off the stock. The bed is pretty beat up, about 1,00000% bondo, and the tailgate spit its guts at me today so i snagged out my old tailgate net. I know the truck has 2" blocks in the rear stock... but it seems to look pretty level, so i haven't put in my 2" spacers for the front yet. I only have 215's on the rims, which are 15 inch. the truck doesnt seem to be very ballsy.. i kinda expected more from a smaller truck but from looking around the gears seem to kill it.

now this is gonna be my DD so i wanna stay mpg- and reliability- effective. I'm open to any and all ideas....

 

[2.3]

put on a 4 inch lift 3 inch bl and regear it for 33's

 

[RoodeMotorsports]

put on a 4 inch lift 3 inch bl and regear it for 33's

I don't make THAT much

 

[4.0B2]

source together a lift from used parts.
take off the bed and make a flat bed.


add explorer axles with 4.10 gears (front d35 w/ 4.10's are hard to find tho).
what gears do you have now?

 

[cody93]

5spd manual swap from a 4.0L ranger, that'll make it faster, mabey a better carb, the stock feedback ones are junk and have the worst of both electronic fuel injection and carbs with non the benifits, personally, i wouldn't use blocks to lift a vehicle with 215/75/15s or any vehicle at all, if your gona lift, do it suspension wise, such as different leaf springs in the rear instead of blocks. you say your bed is beat to hell and the tail gate is shot, mabey replace the bed and give it a new coat of paint?

 

[RoodeMotorsports]

I've thought of the possibility of a flat bed, but I'm not a fab guy and personally i spent too much time with sports cars so I'm new to the truck thing :/. I also have a 4" drop bracket (the one that mounts the radius arms) as well as 3/4's of the 4" lift shocks... what else would i need for a sus lift? I'm thinking of dropping my spare 235's on tomorrow just to make the truck look proper.

as far as i know. the gears are stock. Would that be 2.73? I can't remember the number personally. As for the axle/tranny swaps... there isn't a ranger/bII/exploder to be found in over 100 miles, I swear. I'm still scouring Maine.... but it's like it's own little dead zone up here, just a pit of nothing. Someone told me to try an edelbrock 650 carb... I;m assuming they were being a smartass. It would ruin this engine. She's got some lifter ticking and oil burning issues, but the cost to fix that up here is more than what I paid for the truck... so We're just gonna keep an eye on her for now.

TL;DR flatbed is a good idea, how should i approach it? I have some parts to a 4" RC sus lift, what do i need besides radius arm drop, and what should i use for rear springs? hat are stock 84 ranger gears?

Much thanks, Justin.

 

[cody93]

650 is for a v8... i think 350's would be about the right size, im sure one the carbs 6 cyl guys could give you some better input.

 

[2.3]

their most likely 3:73s and are going to need longer brake lines pitman arm and drop brackets for the front axles. Plus an alignment

 

[Jraymer360]

Look up the axle codes in the tech section and you'll find out exactly what you have. and if you have the 7.5/d28 , etc.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Look up the axle codes in the tech section and you'll find out exactly what you have. and if you have the 7.5/d28 , etc.

Unless someone swapped out the axles, it's going to be a D-28/7.5 - the D-35 wasn't introduced until around 1990, IIRC.

I would say save your money as much as possible. IMHO, taking care of the engine should be your biggest concern if it's your DD and the engine is kind of so-so.

If you really want to do something to the truck as far as lifting goes, I'll tell you what I did for lifting my choptop. I picked up a used 3" James Duff lift (axle pivot drops and coils) for reasonable, then added F-150 spring perches on the front (see the tech library for part numbers). That got me 5" of lift up front. Want less? Do 2" lift coils or Explorer coils (4-door). For the back I did 4-door Explorer leafs with an extra leaf and chevy drop shackles. Bam, 5" out the back.

I did have to buy a drop pitman arm. I also had to re-gear. My 2.9L with a 5-speed turned 33" tires ok with 4.10 gears, but I think it's not going to like going to 35" tires so much. (I have a spare 4.10 geared D-28 axle laying around here too).

 

[RoodeMotorsports]

Well, for now my main focus will be the engine. Just found out tonight that she burns a lot more oil than I thought, and my dad told me a possible wrist pin and/or a rod may get thrown soon... looks like no more fun for a while. Just gonna baby her till I can get a rebuild I guess, though I don;t wanna go without a car for three weeks.

 

[Ranger Kip]

bodylift using wood blocks or hockey pucks, 33"tires, simple square headache rack with 2 $20 offroad lamps from advanced auto.

and maybe try get some fender flares to bolt onto your wheel wells

 

[Grey_04]

bodylift using wood blocks or hockey pucks,

PLEASE DON'T if your gonna do a body lift use a kit from performance accessories or other mfg.

 

[Ranger Kip]

he said cheap

 

[Grey_04]

he said cheap

there's used performance accessories body lifts on crags list and on here cheaper than a hospital bill for a major problem. ( wood blocks and hokey pucks are never a good idea it's been beat to death on here.)