Mudbug660 ranger build

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I got her back in 2001 as my first vehicle in high school. 1996 4.0L, 4x4 xlt. Already came with a set of wore out 35s and a 6" superlift. I threw on a warn 8000 winch and bumper, running boards and the cool at the time roll bar.




She stayed like this until late 2014.

Found 31 spline 9 inch rear end and a drivers side drop hp Dana 44.
Front and back needed rebuilding. From ball joints to bearings to gears and lockers. Went with 4.88 gears and Spartan lockers all around.

 

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Off with the bed




Getting ready to install some pro comp 5.5" chevy 64" springs. item #13711. took the overload springs out and inverted the shackle.
I used a couple of the old holes but it really wasn't the best fit. But I bought the ruff stuff specialist spring perches so I could move the axle forward or back to center it.

 

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I bought and installed the Kartek drop shackle mounts. I didn't seem the take pictures of it mounted. It was fairly easy. My homemade shackles were a little too long and were making contact with the bed when articulating


Got some chevy disk brake mounts for the 9". Had to do some grinding and when it was all said and done I hadn't grinded it down enough so the pads aren't making full contact, I'll fix it later. I used the same type of rotors as the front and calipers from early 1980's chevy front.

 

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I replaced my 2 piece driveshaft with a one piece. Had to notch one cross member and add some 3/8" plate to strengthen it and cut off the edge of gas tank skid plate so it wouldn't rub.

 

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Disassembled the front end.

 

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Had to notch the front cross member and engine cradle then reinforce both.

 

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Time to mock up the front. going with home made radius arms with a pan hard bar. Bought some traction bar mounts and retrofitted them with bucket.



Made some bent radius arms out of .25" wall 2" square tubing.

 

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I moved the mounting point back as far as I could. Ruff Stuff to the rescue.

 

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More from ruff stuff. Pan hard kit and inserts to run 1 ton TRE in the knuckles.




Drill your hole. Place insert and weld in place. Did the same with the ranger pitman arm.

 

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Bottom side of the top bucket.


Front view of it.


The spring twists into the bottom then straps into the top

 

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I'm using 6.5" bronco springs from BC Broncos. Really good flex! Oh yea, it'll be riding on 37" tractor tires.

 

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Got rid of the factory flares and did a little sheet metal trimming. Snipped these tabs and bent them back into the fenderwell. Welded the tabs to add some rigidity to the fenders.



I was hoping to just heat up the inner fenders with a heat gun and close the gap but it was a no go. Ended up making a piece of sheet metal spacer to close the gap and welded it in place. Still had the utilize the heat gun.

To keep the inner fender away from the tires I needed to pin back the inner fender with this. Some pop rivets with fender washers were the ticket. Pop rivets and fender washers for the rubber fender flares worked awesome too.

 

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Maximum clearance with the integrated receiver hitch. Everything bolts up the frame.

 

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For the front bumper I started with a Warn 9.5ti. cut off a few of the scrap pieces off the front of the frame and centered the winch. I rotated the winch backwards 90 degrees to maximize the approach angle.

 

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