Need some advice!!

[kgabbard64]

I'm interested in buying a 1996 4x4 Ranger. I'm not sure the exact lift but it has 35 1250s. I test drove it and it drove like plum crap. After the test drove the owner told me it needed a front wheel bearing on one side a shock on the driver side and a steering shock stabilizer. I don't know much about lifted trucks and my question is if i have them 3 things put on new is it gonna drive right? Any input is appreciated thanks

 

[scotts90ranger]

most likely no, usually people skip the drop pitman arm for the steering, the best one is FA600 from Skyjacker, yes it is $200 but worth every penny in drivability unless you go with a full custom steering setup...

If you get that drop pitman arm a steering stabilizer isn't needed then get an alignment and it should drive fairly well.

 

[Andy D]

I generally stay from modded vehicles. Its bad enough fixing stock Fords

 

[kgabbard64]

It has no driver side shock at all. Just the coil spring. I'm gonna put a couple pics of it up and y'all tell me how much you think it's worth the way it sits and then have to fix it to drive right. A little info. It's a 96 ranger 4x4 automatic with the 4.0 that has 160xxx miles. New set of 35 inch tires. Cold air and hot heat. Tranny shifted good. One spot of rust starting to bubble under the pass side rear door. All around good truck besides how it drives. Any and all info is much appreciated. No need for rude comments just tryin to figure this truck out cause I'm very interested. Thanks

 

[97RangerXLT]

It does look pretty decent for a 20 year old truck.

That said, the suspension issues are what concerns me. You are buying a truck that was lifted, and you don't know if it was done right. I can understand having a bad wheel bearing and not wanting to mess with that, but the steering and the shocks... one shock is missing?! really? for the love of Pete, at least throw a cheap set under there, and Scott nailed it on the pitman arm. a plus is the new 35" tires. Those will easily make up 1000 dollars of the price if they are good quality tires.

Shocks are not horribly expensive, other than you will need a set to match your lift, putting them in shouldn't be a huge issue either. If you are comfortable doing the work yourself, this might be a fun project and daily driver/ toy. If you are having a shop fix it, you are going to add some $$$ real quick lining out all of the issues from the lift that the previous owner did wrong or neglected to do.

Bottom line, if you are doing the work yourself, and the price is reasonable, go for it.

AJ

 

[97RangerXLT]

Oh PS...

check the frame and spring hangers really good for rust. common issue on Rangers of this era...spring hangers will rust completely through. cost about $150 to 200 in parts to replace all of them, not a hard job, but another bargaining point if you do need to replace them.

AJ

 

[4x4junkie]

×2, that looks like a nice truck.

I'll further back up what others already said, the steering linkage angle is probably way off because of the lift, causing much of the poor handling (the missing shock would be partly responsible too). The Skyjacker #FA600 drop pitman should take care of the steering issue if that's what it is (and it is a very common issue on these trucks).

If the truck felt gutless when you stepped on the throttle though, then it probably has never been regeared for those tires. This will be a fairly big chunk of change if you need to have it regeared. However if you had bought a stock truck and put 35" tires on it yourself you'd still be in the same boat, so it already being regeared would likely add more to the truck's value than a lack of regearing reducing it's value.

Wheelbearings are an easy job, though you do need to use quality bearings on these vehicles (Timken is preferred). Also, never mix bearings & races, buy Timken SET-37 bearing sets and ALWAYS replace the races, even the ones that come in new brake rotors.

Check around the front axle lift brackets for any cracks (the bracket-to-frame tabs of the bracket on the passengerside in particular). Also check around the top of the front differential housing for any cracks or a hole punched into it (some, but not all lifts have a drop plate extension bracket that damages the front diff housing).

If it all checks out, then I'd say go for it.

Welcome to TRS, by the way

 

[wildbill23c]

I generally stay from modded vehicles. Its bad enough fixing stock Fords

Definitely true. Most of the ones I've ran across have been hack job mods in the first place done by someone who had no mechanical knowledge to begin with.

Even bone stock vehicles I've found that people screw around with shit when problems arise and seems wires get cut, spliced improperly, or just plain cut and never hooked back up. Stuff gets removed and never put back, its just a total mess trying to sort through what a previous owner has messed with and screwed up.

I wouldn't just replace 1 wheel bearing and 1 shock I'd do all of them, if 1 is bad most likely the others are, or soon to follow especially on an unkown lifted truck which most likely has been beat on many times over which is most likely why its being sold in the first place, they broke shit and wore shit out so now they want to pawn it off on someone else.

At least when I bought my current Bronco 2 the seller was right up front with me on everything he had done, and he felt needed to be done to make it reliable again. So far he's been right on everything that I've done to it.

 

[Blown]

These trucks are getting older. Expect to have repairs. If you cannot do them, then maybe you try to find one in better condition to start with. Well, unless the price is low, allowing for repairs. There are many Rangers available.

I bet if you drove another one that was in better shape, you'd soon forget this one.

 

[wildbill23c]

These trucks are getting older. Expect to have repairs. If you cannot do them, then maybe you try to find one in better condition to start with. Well, unless the price is low, allowing for repairs. There are many Rangers available.

Definitely the way to go. Repairs are to be expected just like any other used vehicle, but when its modified those repairs may be compounded due to the modifications that in many cases were not done properly, which is why I avoid looking at modified vehicles. If I wanted it modified I'd do it myself or have someone with more knowledge of that mod do it for me rather than just guess LOL.

Many more RBV's are going to the scrap yard it seems lately . I was just at a local pick a part sunday and there's a 1989 B2 in there that other than a little minor rust on the back wheel well its in very good cosmetic condition. Must have been an engine or transmission failure that led to its placement in the scrap yard . Just sad going over and seeing all those vehicles many of which have bodies in pretty dang good condition. There's also a 1994 F-150 over there with a body in great condition, dual fuel tanks, 4x4, etc. Makes me wonder sometimes what's wrong with some of those vehicles.