New, Intro My, Ask Some Qs

[RangerXIII]

New here! But been staring at TRS stuff for a long time/while now! Been passing on getting a truck for a while because I didn't think I needed it, and a want for me didn't necessitate a need Well...at least thats what I told myself.

Was content with my daily driver gas sipper. Well until I decided I wanted to get outside office walls and such more. I like going fishing more, and being out, I wanted a truck instead of a car, helps moving stuff too

Well in anycase, I was at local book store, and flipped through pages of Off Road Magazine? Saw a guy named Tim Giles from Whittier California, with a nice 96 ranger in some kind of brown. To say the least, it got me rather inspired.

Reading around I guess 95 and up is the way to go? I like the body styles of the 96 in the mag, as well the newer rangers but I really would like to stay under $4,500 for the truck. And after weighing my options and needs, a 4x2 or a 4x4, either would be good for me.

Someone said this to me though:
"Bigger tires have more leverage and more impact on your wheel bearings and the wheel bearings on these trucks are built in to the hub assembly and the part alone is around $450.00"

A little worried about that, I don't even know how to work on the truck, but wanting to learn! And do as much as I can! Budget is a huge problem for me, but I think it is with everyone right? My plans so far are to get a nice grill guard/bar to replace the stock bumper, fenders, from I don't know where, but wider and more open ones, I would really like to have wider wheels, and tires, I saw pro comps for $58 a wheel for 15x8, and some AT's in the same magazine for $131 a tire? To prevent rub and such what should I do to all the wheels and tire free movement without having to spend a boat load? I also wanted HID lights, actual lights, not coated bulb replacements commonly found at kragen or autozone, can anyone recommend a quality kit? How about a quality grill guard? I really like some of the ones I've seen with a plate under it. Can anyone suggest any LED tail lights? Or and, new head light housings if the truck I buy ends up having faded and discolored ones? I also want to take out the seats, and carpet, and put truck liner in the floor, I saw this on another guys truck, and he put carpet over it. He also replaced the seats, I want to do this too, and the steering wheel, keep the one seat in the rear, and on other side have a gear box for misc emergencies.

Can anyone suggest brake options? I saw a SSBC install on a chevy truck in that same magazine, would I be able to just put better pads (which would be best?), Rotors (Again any suggestions?), and lines? (any suggestions?). I just want better stopping power. How about suspension like shocks? Any good cost effective solutions?

I want to just build a truck thats great for Daily Driving, but also if theres something in the road I can go around it, or I can drive through crappy road ways and not be to concerned that the truck wont take it.

Are there any major problems I should be aware of? Stuff I should be weary of when I go to buy a truck? I'm sorry for all the questions, I just don't know very much, and wanted to see if anyone had any good advice to give? Google searchs for parts nets me nothing but endless adds and links to items that may not be of quality standards. And I don't want to build some cheap rice rocket.

Does anyone know repute shop that can rebuild the engine, or build me a spare, or do transmission work? Thats honest and reliable instead of shady and schemey? I've had to deal with alot of shady shops having to do with import cars, and its a very very bad experience on my part.

Anyone know any fabrication shops in orange county so cal, that can do body work, or stuff like the front bar, or interior cage, etc for me?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Some info on the truck I am looking for:
-95 and up
-Extended Cab
-Brown, White, Black, or Silver exterior
-Crank windows
-Automatic
-4x2 or 4x4


Not to sure on engine choice. 4cyl or 6cyl, gas would be better on the 4 naturally I assume, but with bigger wheels and tires should I just go with the 6?

Plans:
-HID headlamp conversion
-LED taillight conversion
-Front Grillguard/and plate.
-Wider wheels and tires
-Better braking options be it better pads, rotors, and lines or a brake kit.
-Suspension, have no clue where to begin or what is it I need to get, but I want to have a squeek free truck, and have it capable of going to play on the trails or pick up furniture.
-Any mechanical issues that need to be addressed. I really want it dependable and able to drive from costa mesa to delano, above bakersfield, without worry.
-Transmission Cooler maybe?
-Better radiator and thermostat my dad recommended, I don't know what that thermo part is but I know what the Radiator is.
-Optima Battery.
-Basic head deck, and speakers just for music, and tint.

I don't want to go overboard simply because money is tight, but I would like to get a decent truck going. Retaining AC, and such is important with as hot as Summer gets.

I don't really know to much, but would love to learn.






Thanks for any help anyone can give or advice too.




This is the truck from OR Magazine.

 

[RangerXIII]

Was wondering if a similar look, and simpler functions could be duplicated easily.

 

[goodie85]

well basically first buy the truck personally i love my 99 ranger and i did a 5.0 engine swap and now once summer comes around hopefully i get enough doe for a sas (strong axle swap) and do coil over suspension. but what i would do if i were you is find a ranger of your choice preferably a 4x4 then do a engine swap so the motor has enough power to even turn bigger tires then go to partstrain.com and they have any and every part you will need any of questions let me know

 

[RangerXIII]

In California as I understand it, swapping that kind of motor would require it to go to a ref? I was hoping for decent gas mileage, with the smaller motors a 4cyl or 6. I like the truck above because it looks so simple, a bit out of my price range to fully duplicate, but I have seen a truck on CarDomain, in Hawaii a blue late model ranger like yours, with 15x10's. And they looked good. After looking around I think a 4x2 would be my ticket, since I don't want to or intend to hopefully lol, to build all out a play truck. I don't want to get so serious I put a bed cage as it looks in the picture aboves truck.

 

[goodie85]

oh well if you want it nice and cheap basically if you know how to fabricate you can make your bumper you want with your skid plate very cheap and if you were to have just a 4x2 the 4 banger with a turbo would be your way to go great mileage and plenty of power. then the head lights and tail lights you can find all over the internet and your brakes you can basically go to autozone and just ask what would give more stopping power and you can find used super swamper radials all over on craigslist most the time so yea you could make a very nice ranger very cheap

 

[88_Eddie]

welcome to trs

you have ALOT of questions, most of which i dont think you need to worry about at first. but here's what i would do:

1) get the truck - so you say you like rangers? ok, go out and find a ranger that you like. if you plan on lifting and having bigger tires one day, get a ranger with an 8.8 rear axle and disc brakes. your front axle will either be a dana 35 or an IFS. i'm not certain, but the IFS rangers dont have much to choose from in suspension lifts (someone correct me if i'm wrong) a ranger with a dana 35 will be much easier to find a lift for, not to mention a D35 is much stronger.

2) decide if you need 4x4 or 4x2, the truck in the pic looks to be a 4x2 pre-runner setup (it's meant to drive around real fast and jump shit - he has coil-over shocks at each wheel to help with this) but i dont know for sure. you dont build a truck like that to take fishing and drive down gravel or dirt roads. the black tubes in the back are what the shocks are mounted to, so he probably has little or no bed space, another reason you dont wanna build this truck if you're using it for outdoor activities. (it does look like a badass rig tho)

3) if you're gonna get bigger tires, you're gas mileage will not be as good as would if the truck were stock, so i'd go with the 4.0L V6, it's a good engine - there are people with over 200K miles on them and they're still running strong, all you have to do is keep it well maintained.

4) all the cosmetic crap you're talking about will be easy to find no matter what truck you get, worry about that later.

5) the tires you are talking about are probably 31's, i think rangers can fit those while the suspension is stock.

6) poke around on this site, there is TONS of info. also, buy those off-road magazines and read them. i got a subscription to one during high school and read them all cover to cover.

good luck and keep asking questions, everyone on here will be glad to offer you advice

 

[bcost882]

wow you asked alot there. well just to crush your worries alot of people run bigger tires and yes it causes more stress but that is also with trail riding and rockcrawling. and bearings are not 450.........i don't know how much they are on a 4x4 exactly but 2wd are 40 bucks for both sides. as for the rest of your questions if you search you can find answers. ^^^ that truck cost alot to get it that way. If you want to lift a truck research it and do it the right way and safely. expect to spend atleast 1000 for a 4-in lift and wheels/tires. I would suggest the 5-speed if you want it to take some abuse, but people are successfully running the auto on their trucks. when you put on bigger tires you might have to regear the diff(s) so you have the torque you need to start off. if you start putting higher gears and bigger tires on you will get worse mpg. As 99% of the guys will tell you on here of that year truck and if you want it to go off road it will not be squeak free. the amount of preventive maintenance that you would have to do to get it and keep it squeak free is insane. i'm not sure of the 4banger but the 3.0l v6 in fine with cooling. plus the longer it takes to heat up the coolant and getting the engine up to operating temp will increase wear on the engine. I read that you want to take the carpet out of the truck and bed line it. but you want it to be squeak free........ the road noise will vibrate through the cab and be loud that part of the reason ford put parpet in the truck. otherwise hav fun with it.

 

[goodie85]

yes i have the ifs and to get a kit it costs $1600 so im thinkin axle swap go from there, also i agree with the 4.0 if your going to have a 4x4 but then i also think that you dont want a pre runner for a daily driver baisically if i were you heres my ride i buy a ranger put a 4 inch lift of it with 33in tires build my own skid plate and bumper. but if you are going to lift it make sure you have the 8.8

 

[mp3deviant721]

The body style you are looking for started in 1993. You can find those for under $2000 in decent shape. That way you can have more cash for the fancy suspension and body work that you would like to achieve on your future truck. And like 88_eddie said, you are going to need stronger axles to be able to handle those meaty tires that we all like. You will want to go with a truck that has a 8.8 rear end. Those came on Rangers with 4.0 engines no matter what the drivetrain configuration. There is also the Explorer version which has a different amount of splines (31 vs 28 for the Ranger) so those axles will be stronger yet. And I've seen some people run 4cyl. trucks off road. They do fine just as long as you regear properly so that the engine doesn't have to work as hard to move them tires. Suspension wise you are going to want to go with a long travel kit for that look you are showing me in that pic you posted. You can find information of lift kits and long travel kits here:

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Suspension_Kits.html

and here:

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2wdlifts.html

 

[RangerXIII]

You guys are awesome! Thanks for the replies, as for truck lining the floor, I was concerned about messes and ease of use cleaning. As well my brother did it in his 01 Nissan S15 Silvia, dunno if you guys know what that is, but hes a chevy, nissan guy. I like the 150s and rangers, and i don't actually like rice rockets lol. So eh. Asking him Qs is like getting a condescending reply, without anything helpful included.

So thanks guys, I really appreciate all the help and input! Well I wanted a truck that stood higher like the one in the picture, I don't intend to jump, or anything, but I would like it able to go around road blocks, like trees and etc.

I am leaning towards the 4x4 because I travel through the grape vine alot from so cal to delano above bakersfield. Right now its all about dependability, and yes cosmetic appeal

As for welding and fab? Oh boy...I tried welding a few times, some recently...I am just really not that good at it hahaha. And well today in about an hour or so I will go to sears to look around at tools. I need tools Even the most basic and generic ones most have off hand.

Would a MIG welder be fine for making my front bar? Or could anyone suggest anybody local in Orange County who could easily make one?

 

[goodie85]

for your carpet solution i do believe they make the rubber flooring for the rangers but im not sure and basically all you would have to do for your bar is get some steel tubing and steel plate bend the tubing how you want it and then have it bolt onto the frame whatever you do dont weld to the frame that will cause it to crack and a mig welder or wire feed welder would work

 

[RangerXIII]

Found a front bar with plate used for $300, says its for a 98 ranger, bolts to the frame. Would this fit other year rangers? Cause I'm still holding out for a perfect ranger atm

What do you guys think? How would I protect the inside from rust btw?

 

[goodie85]

it will fit a 98 to a 2000

 

[bcost882]

you can make it fit other years fine

 

[4x4junkie]

I see "Optima battery" in your list there...

I'd suggest doing a bit of research on those before you go and buy one, reports are rampant that pretty much any battery out there (including many standard fluid-type batteries) are better than the Optima these days.

I use a pair of Delco Voyager deep-cycle marine batteries myself and never have gotten less than 8½ years life out of them, but if you absolutely must have an AGM-type battery, I've heard Odyssey batteries are pretty good.

Welcome to TRS