My Truck Transformation - 94 4x4

[rkneeshaw]

Well it feels like much more of a transformation to me. This was her the day I bought her for $1000.

Before:

This is her, 6 months and $2000 later:

Doesn't look too much different from the photos, but from behind the wheel, its a totally different truck. For fun, I've been keeping my to-do list along the way, here it is:

X Clean glass
X Wipe down surfaces
X Remove stickers
X Attach tailgate latch cover
X Remove bug deflector
X Remove mud flaps
X Clean MAF
X Steering cover
X Replace Wipers
X Haynes manual
X Replace tie rod assembly
X Replace ball joints
X Replace radius bushings
X Replace outer u joints
X Replace Heater blower
X Replace PCV
X Replace air filter
X Replace Headlights
X Shampoo carpet and seats
X Change transfer case fluid
X Change coolant
X Change spark plugs
X Replace shocks
X Replace leaf hangers
X Replace leaf shackles
X Install stereo
X Replace belt tensioner
X Remove mud flap mounts
X Fix driver wiper
X Replace transmission
X Replace 4x4 hubs
X Install coil spacers
X replace clutch
X replace slave cylinder and bearing
X Wheels and Tires
X Alignment
X Remove purple window tint
X replace speedometer cable
X Replace speed sensor
X Exhaust leak
X Replace LH spindle
X Change differential seals
X Replace speakers c6882ie
X Replace starter
X Change front shaft U-joint
X Fix vacuum leak
X Brakes
X Replace exhaust hanger
X Fan clutch
X O2 sensors
X Replace dash trim
X Replace drivers door panel
X Powerwash carpet
X Replace seats
X Install speaker brackets
X Fix ash tray
X Replace fuel door
X Reseat front bumper
X Rearview mirror
X Steering tension adjustment
X Pedal covers
X Coolant temp sensor
X Front valance w/fog holes
X Wire aux light switches
X Install fog lights
X Fix POS battery terminal
X Powerwash passenger door panel
X Replace passenger door lock
X Replace passenger door mirror
X Replace passenger window sweep
X Ignition lock cylinder
X Replace drivers door mirror
X Remove ABS indicator bulb
X Replace spark plugs again
X Replace spark plug wires
X Remove RABS valve
X Front brake lines
X Flush brake fluid
X Rebuild cardan joint in front drive shaft
X replace battery
X Replace battery terminals
X replace negative bat cables
X replace starter again
X replace speedo gear
X Install tow hooks
X Fix 4x4 lighted switch

So in short, the front end was all redone, replaced transmission, new brakes, 2" lift and level, 32" tires on rockcrawlers, and a whole lot of love

94 Ranger 4x4
4.0L V6
5-speed manual
2" leveling coil spacers
1" lift shackles in the rear
32x11.5x15 BFG T/A KO's on 15x8 rockcrawlers
187,000 miles and running strong

 

[railman]

i like....

and man have ya knocked out quite a list.....

keep up the good work....

l8r, John

 

[Ranger Kip]

nice work!
buy the old rims off you?

 

[bcost882]

looks pretty cool, i like it

 

[straycat]

Me likes it alot, Bro!!!!!!

 

[rkneeshaw]

Thanks guys. It went from being a pile of poo to a fun toy that has a special place in my heart... much to the frustration of my wife

 

[cr_the_machinist]

Your truck looks good. The new tires and wheels make it look great.

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

good work!!! looks awesome

 

[eduardo95]

You dont have a bodylift right.?

 

[rkneeshaw]

Nope, no body lift, just 2" coil spacers in the front and a 1" lift shackle in the rear. 32's on 15" rims with 3.75" backspacing. Going to install my JD 3" kit this weekend though

EDIT: To be fair, my rear leafs are jacked up and the passenger side of the truck sits slightly higher than the drivers side, so the pics here might show some slightly generous wheel wells.

 

[eduardo95]

Looking forward to it. Post pics as soon as possible

 

[rkneeshaw]

Making slow but steady progress on the lift. Here are a few pics so far

Stock spring next to James Duff spring:

Passenger side (spring isn't set yet in the coil bucket, shock not connected, etc):

Radius arm drop brackets installed:

Drivers side almost complete and drop pitman arm installed:

Finished up the front end tonight, but didn't get any updated pics. Just need to bleed the brake lines. Replacing the rear leafs and shocks tomorrow, then an alignment and a test drive. Replaced the pivot and leaf bushings with polyurethane replacements by Energy Suspension, and installed Moog's latest radius arm bushings that are supposed to stand up to the heat of the exhaust manifold but flex as good as the stock rubber bushings.

The only bushings not replaced were the sway bar bushings and end links. I'm still deciding whether or not I want to keep the sway bar connected so for now it stays as is. I really wish there were extended end links available that weren't priced to rape.

I've got to say, replacing the pivot bushings is a bitch. I lucked out and was able to install this lift at a shop so I have extensive tools and a torch. Had to use it on couple occasions. Also the pitman arm nut requires the strength of a guerrilla to remove. Actually a guerrilla with 8ft of cheater pipe. And using a lift is a gift from god.

 

[rkneeshaw]

Updated pics of the front end complete:

 

[Blacked-Out FX4]

sharp looking rig! your giving me another jealousy craving to have a project ranger. I would love to have one to just wrench on.

 

[rkneeshaw]

Well I ran into a problem. Thinking I had the right ES bushings for the leafs I went ahead and burned out the stock bushings. They were prefectly fine, since I got these leafs off a 2006 ranger with only 30k miles from New Mexico, but I wanted the stiffer bushings. Went to put in the ES bushings and to my horror, they are too small for the main eye! Now at first I thought that I'd just get the right bushings, but turns out ES does not make a kit for the 2006 ranger. In fact I can't find ANY aftermarket bushings at all for the 2006 ranger, only the stealership seems to offer them but not a single dealership in Michigan has any in stock.

I'm off to a leaf spring specialist shop to see if they can fit anything together for me, but its not looking good...... what an unpleasant surprise.