Make a 2x4 a 4x4!!!! Or can I????

[1983dieselranger]

I have a 1986 Ford Ranger with a 2.3 turbo diesel engine. I am wanting to make it a 4x4. I have the transfer case and that isn't a problem but what am i getting into in changing out the front suspension? I have a manual transfer case so imagine i need manual hubs versus the automatic hubs found on the push button 4x4 rangers. The rear axle i am sure will need changed because its a 3.45 and i don't know if they made many if any 4x4 rangers with that ratio. All and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanx!!!! BTW does anyone know how i can post a pic when i reply to a thread?

 

[metalmacguyver]

I would love to see a 4x4 diesel ranger.

Manual hubs are recommended as they are far more durable than the auto hubs.

You will need a 4x4 tranny. I dont know what the diesel rangers had for a bolt pattern so you might need to tear down the tranny and swap in a 4x4 output shaft and use a 4x4 tranny extension housing.

As far as factory suspension is concerned: The 2wd rangers used a different front crossmember. You could replace this crossmember and put the entire front end of a 4x4 ranger under there.

IMHO, This would be the best way to go. A turbo diesel 4x4 ranger done with completely factory parts would be amazing. Then use a lift kit and put some 32s or 33s on it and you would have an awesome and unique rig!

Welcome to the forum!!!!

 

[rboyer]

I have never done such a swap, so this is just my opinion and that's all. I believe you would be better off finding a nice looking 4x4 Ranger and swapping the whole motor setup into it. It just seems like it would be more of a hassle to convert the thing to 4x4. Either way though a 4x4 diesel Ranger would be pretty sweet.

 

[krazyk]

I've been wanting to do the same thing, I have plans to do a SVO 2.3t and a 4x4 conversion.

when you say different crossmember are you talkin about the main one or the radius arm crossmember?

 

[Cwheeler]

my truck was a factory diesel and 4x4

 

[metalmacguyver]

my truck was a factory diesel and 4x4

So when you selling it?

 

[Cwheeler]

not gonna sell her(in fact its getting much bigger very soon, got D44 9 and 35s"? details and pictures soon)

a 4x4 conversion shouldnt be too hard just find yourself a 4x4 FM145 transmission and swap the bellhousing off your 2wd trany bolt on a manual 1350 Tcase and your laughin,(I murdered the factory transmission and im running an fm145 trany from my old 85ranger with a 2.8 and thats all I did was swap the bellhousing) as far as the front end your prob better off going with a D30 from a jeep as the crossmember for the TTB is different and prob more difficult to change then its worth.

 

[bobbywalter]

for that powertrain...jeep dana 30 is the best bet for this.


i could do that swap under 400 bux easy.

 

[AllanD]

the easy way to do it is get a rolling frame from a 4x4 truck
and move your cab, bed, powertrain onto the "new" frame.

Frankly I'd go with a later frame and fit and 8.8" D35 into it
the extra weight is trivial when compared to the increased durability.

I'd also think seriously about adding another fuel tank out back provided
it isn't already a dual tank truck.


You are in Columbus so moving a rolling frame from out this way
where the county's best junkyards are wouldn't be terrible...

If you don't mind doing the work you can also swap out the
engine crossmember. you'd have to pull the engine and there's
some torch work, getting the old crossmember out isn't too bad.

the hard part of a crossmember swap is getting a crossmember
out of another frame without destroying it.

If you decide to go the crossmember route I have one loose
It's one of my "practice pieces" that I cut out of my '86 Bronco2.

the Explorer crossmember I installed in my ranger doing
my 2wd-4x4 conversion was the fourth crossmember I
torched loose. I'm pretty good with a torch, but I
made a hacked up mess out of the first one.

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[bobbywalter]

damn allan, with a truck that old, unless its been regulary disassembled i think swapping a 30 in and 4x4 trans would be much easier and with better results.

 

[AllanD]

With a Torch, a sawsall and both a stick and a MIG welder you can basically do anything

having the cab off lets you repair the inevetible body mount rust and install new body mount bushings.

a frame you can take apart, likeake the spring buckets off of?
Is one you can inspect in detail.

a frame with a known condition is better than one you don't know...

I already knew my frame was "ok" behind the passenger side spring bucket
(THE big worry on TIB/TTB RBV frames)

But Like I said getting another frame and doing all the prep work to it first
(mounting fuel tanks, axles etc) then simply moving the engine and trans, then the cab over is fairly straight forward and much easier than you'd think.

My brother and I moved a "loaded" F-series supercab frame from the trailer
we brought it home on and onto the "roller frame" it was being installed on
with two heavy duty ratchet straps a couple of 16' long doubled up 2x6's
for it to slide on.

By comparison swapping a '93 explorer crossmember into my '87 supercab was easy.

It literally took me all of an hour to remove the 2wd crossmember and I could have done it faster if I had bothered to remove the 2wd beams before I started.

It took ~45min of grinding to prep the frame for the new crossmember.

I used a 5'length of 3/4" threaded rod to spread the frame rails to slip
the crossmember in.

then I had to wait for my buddy to show up with his welder
(The carb was fubar on the 14hp Kohler engine that powers my stick welder)

with the engine already out removing and replacing the engine crossmember
actually only took about 6 hours before the frame was ready for me to start
bolting stuff back on.

BTW, I specifically used a Gen2/3 style crossmember.because I prefered the more accessable brake line routing of the later crossmember
The early crossmember runs the brake line to the passenger side INSIDE the crossmember and that makes it a Royal PITA to work on or replace.

Of course I won't need to because I made my own hardlines of stainless steel

The big question on his diesel is does he want a Solid axle or a TTB?

Frankly I prefer the TTB because I could actually put bigger brakes on it.

I'm also not a fan of the wheel bearing setup on the most common Dana 30,
the XJ (cherokee) front axle...

the hidden thing with a Solid axle swap is the fabrication required to create mounts and links, to connect the steering linkage...

Often it's more than someone wants to get into in a "sink or swim" situation.

The EASIEST way would definatly be to get a Gen1 or Gen2 4x4 frame and
move his stuff onto it.

Yes the pieces that must be moved are bigger and heavier than those man people are used to moving, but it doesn't require an engineering degree to create pieces that are correctly dimensioned AND CRASH WORTHY like fabricating your own suspension links in an SAS conversion.

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[RickyRanger]

Hi, I made a search on this subject and thought I would ask my question on the newer one.

I have a 97 std cab with short bed. If I want to take the suggestion of Allan and swap a 4x4 frame under my truck, are they all the same ? Do I need to find a std cab short bed or another model would fit ? Does the year mather ?

Thanks

 

[djschick88]

im considering the same thing actually except with a 95 stick 4cyl std cab and bed any advice is appreciated.

 

[AllanD]

Yes, you need another cab of similar vintage and same body/bed configuiration

It's easiest if you have a cooperative junkyard that'll sell you a rollerframe.

I have such a junkyard local to me

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