My 2wd to 4wd ranger project . . . some pics . . .

[treeguy]

Thanks for the input !

 

[04sd]

Looks good. I'm going to do almost the same swap soon, '91 Explorer donor going into an '84 Ranger. It's really a shame for my donor since it's in better shape than the Ranger but I want an old Ranger not an Ex I'm also swapping in the Ex dash, engine, and trans.

 

[treeguy]

For this project the biggest pain has been swapping out the engine crossmembers . . . what a pain in the you-know-where ! Keep me posted on your progress sounds very interesting !

 

[1986fordranger]

any new progress . this is exactly what i am going to do on my 1986 ranger and i was woundering if its possible to use a angle grinder to cut the welds on the crossmember because i dont have a torch

 

[treeguy]

I would use whatever you can to nicely cut out the donor crossmember because you have to weld it in good and flush with the frame anyways. Ummmm I used a cutting torch an angle grinder and lots of patience to cut out the old one and put in the 4x4 one. I recommend getting a bunch of cutting wheels (not just grinding wheels) for cutting through the welds. Be very careful here its easy to cut into the frame! Be patient and it will come out! My truck is put together but haven't got it to run yet . . . I ended up going back to school.

 

[1986fordranger]

thanks for the reply and info , did you have any problems doing the swap besides swaping the crossmember over , thanks

 

[treeguy]

My 1/2 cents . . .

Just go nice and easy,
-Figure out what kind of changes or improvements you want to make, such as gear ratio, do you want limited slip or open differential, or locked front and rear, do you want Dana 28 or 35, 7.5 or 8.8 rear axle ?? having this figured out will prevent you having to change it at a later time. Do you want ac, etc, etc, is there rust issues that can be resolved while making the swap . . . etc etc . . .
-Pick a donor vehicle that is the same body style (extended or standard cab) so that way everything transfers over nicely.
-When it comes to bolting up the new cross member use the appropriate grade and size of bolt (this is to hold cross member in place so it can be welded back into place and to reinforce the rivets that you ground off and pounded out). I used grade 8 cuz the larger grades are stronger, yet more brittle and will shear off and are a pain to drill out (my bro-in-law is a millwright and recommended this route)
-Don't skimp on safety, use the appropriate safety gear (ear plugs & safety glasses/face shield) any injuries suffered now will affect your level of fun with your toy later on, not to mention quality of life issues.
-Take generous amounts of pictures, things may not be as clear as it was several months ago when it was disconnected/disassembled, so come up with a way to tag stuff (like numbers or the alphabet).
-Search other threads on this topic, there is a wealth of info around here!
-While everything is apart, now would be the time to replace timing chain, oil pump, etc, or do a rebuild if you prefer peace of mind.
-Be patient with your build, there will be times when you may be tempted to go and get a bigger hammer or torch or wrecking ball and force it to your whim . . . that can be a potentially expensive mistake!
-Decide now what kind of engine you want (do you want to save gas and use a 2.9 or stick something bigger in?)
-Keep me posted on your progress and best of luck!

 

[1986fordranger]

thanks i will keep you up to date on my progress i hope to do the swap over this summer , luckly my truck has no rust and it came with no motor or tranny so that will cut down on time and effort of haveing to pull them to swap the crossmember and i can pick what engine and transmission i want , by the way what do you think about the 2.9l v6 i have herd good and bad things about them, thanks for replying

 

[treeguy]

Given the current economics I would definitely go for the 2.9L, with the right gear ratio it will perform just fine off-road. For me I also consider the cost of rebuilding an engine, currently I have a 4.0L which may need rebuilding soon, and to do it right the parts are anywhere from 1200 to 1800 dollars depending on where you source them, while the 2.9L will only cost me 600 at most plus some extra for machine work. The biggest head ache with either engine is the heads on them (which is fixed with the appropriate aftermarket heads better then trying to salvage the old ones) . . . and some oiling issues (I am not as familiar with this aspect but others are on here). For me it boils down to sensible economics when it comes to choosing the engine for me and I am certain others will feel different about it. I have driven a 2.9L, the 3.0L and the 4.0L, the latter two are most expensive to rebuild. Of course the extra power in the 4.0 is nice, but not necessary. If you have a stick, not as much parasitic power loss in the 5-speed tranny, oh I really recommend a 5 speed over an automatic . . . they are much easier for the home mechanic to rebuild vs an automatic . .. there is some really helpful info about which type of 5 speed tranny to use (some are waaaaaay better than others . . . choose wisely!). Good luck with your project!

 

[Stxrangerbumper]

keep up the good work. are the best done by pleasure than by obligation

good luck guy ............keep us informed of everything you do to on rebuilt

 

[1986fordranger]

yeah i have thought about swaping in a 3.0 or 4.0 i have owned a 1992 ranger with a 3.0 great engine but since a 2.9 can be rebuild some what cheap and i have a 2.9 in a parts truck the only other engine i would think about useing is to go with a 2.3L 4 banger over all i like 4 bangers but a 2.9 can be a good engine and it would be harder to find a 4 cyl 4x4 parts truck then a 6cyl 4x4 thanks

 

[1986fordranger]

ps i enjoy this thread a lot and i will for sure have a manual transmission yeah i don't like auto transmissions too , some can be fine for 300,000 miles and others can be junk at just 50,000 miles , thanks for all the info and reply