project $1000 ranger

[alaskan155]

well guess i need to change how i host my pictures...

Not much to update, work has basically be a priority since the new year ...BLAH


basically how she has been sitting since the last time i updated

built a shackle mount for it today, (going to build a second one for the other side when i have time)

think i am doing pretty good, trying to keep everything tucked up to the body

kinda been on the back burner until i get a welder(money has been tight), in debate of picking up another bed and building around that, but we will see

 

[alaskan155]

not to much took her out to pole hill this weekend and played on some of the trails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO1vkdWh7Tg
(need a better camera)


then i got tired of the rubbing tires

so i opened the wheel wells up,

more to come eventually.

 

[alaskan155]

took her out to kelly flatts today.

blew a cv joint up(apperently they don't like 35s)

and bumped the mirror

all fixed for now

guess i should have took the bypass, chutes 2 ME 0

and also the top of heart attack hill

the tranny was getting pretty warm the time i got up to the top.

 

[alaskan155]

no pics in the ranger, by myself this time, but this was a couple years ago in the chutes

part of heart attack hill

my bronco in the chutes

the carnage last time

same tires, same gearing, different week points on the ranger vs bronco.

 

[alaskan155]

not to much to update, been wheeling her atleast 1 day a week that last few weeks, while i look for a new job during the week days.(may have found one)


got me some cheap tail lights for the rear

(ignore the jetta in the background i modified , thats my fiancee's, its lifted 2" and has firestone destination a/t tires on it)


my poser shot on t-33a

well worth the end of the trail though

truck has been running good so far, here is my list of trails this far this summer..
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=37 kelly flatts
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=187 old flowers
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=174 T-33a
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=175 Iron Clads



this torsion bar SLA sucks compared to my broncos TTB dana 44, it barely wants to move, cant wait to start collecting my SAS parts this winter (i know that is more of what you want to see

btw if any one wants to remove there sway bars i cant tell that much difference on the highway/corners beside slightly more body roll.
i removed mine front and rear.


as far the carnage the last few trails i have only killed one cv-shaft, and 1 t-case shift motor(have to crawl under now to shift into 4 low)

she has actually been doing pretty good, sadly my front diff might be on its way out though i notice about a 1/4 turn in the pinion when i was doing my walk around after that last time out without the cv-shafts turning, so my bet is the ring/pinion are going, or the spiders





going out to moody hill and crystal mountain tommarrow
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=72

 

[AzLizard]

Looks good

Wondering what the horror stories you have heard about the
Mini spools?
I was looking at running one myself.

 

[alaskan155]

Looks good

Wondering what the horror stories you have heard about the
Mini spools?
I was looking at running one myself.

Your better off welding it. Mine is siting on the shelf collecting dust(probally sell it eventually). With 35s it puts all the stress on the shafts and just the retaining pin vs welding it which transfers the stress to the carrier. And i drive my ranger to the trails. So i came to the conclustion c clip axle and mini spool are a bad combo.

 

[prerunner]

Agreed about the extra stress the spool puts on the shafts but 8.8 shafts are pretty heavy duty. You could do the c clip eliminator kit to get rid of that issue too.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/search/part-type/c-clip-eliminator-kits/axle-model/ford-8-8-in
Then you can use that spool. You'd be better off with a locker if you plan to street it in my humble opinion though.
You have a hella cool truck, Alaskan.

 

[AzLizard]

Your better off welding it. Mine is siting on the shelf collecting dust(probally sell it eventually). With 35s it puts all the stress on the shafts and just the retaining pin vs welding it which transfers the stress to the carrier. And i drive my ranger to the trails. So i came to the conclustion c clip axle and mini spool are a bad combo.

Thanks.
But not really all that big on the idea of welding gears and carriers.
Daily drove and wheeled my first zuk stock axels and mini spooled.don't get much smaller than stock samurai axel.
What mini do you have?
And what would you want for it?

 

[alaskan155]

Thanks.
But not really all that big on the idea of welding gears and carriers.
Daily drove and wheeled my first zuk stock axels and mini spooled.don't get much smaller than stock samurai axel.
What mini do you have?
And what would you want for it?

its either a us standard or yukon, was a amazon special...
never installed it, think i paid $80 for it,
http://www.amazon.com/8-8-FORD-SPLINE-MINI-SPOOL/dp/B00L2IFAF4/?tag=959media-20

some of the threads over at pirate scared me, and i have a heavy foot.... so decided it wasn't worth it in the end

i think it is that one i ordered, its the black one, PM me a offer if your are interested,

 

[alaskan155]

Agreed about the extra stress the spool puts on the shafts but 8.8 shafts are pretty heavy duty. You could do the c clip eliminator kit to get rid of that issue too.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/search/part-type/c-clip-eliminator-kits/axle-model/ford-8-8-in
Then you can use that spool. You'd be better off with a locker if you plan to street it in my humble opinion though.
You have a hella cool truck, Alaskan.

my problem is time i get done buying the shafts/kit, the locker(even a lunch box runs around $300). at the end of the day i still have a 28-spline 8.8
also you get metal fatigue on the shafts running them with a spool, and the cross pin is only 3/4"

either a 10.25 or 10.5 sterling is going in the back(depends on front axle), and i would rather spend the $300 towards my welder or my axles(a sterling runs about $250-$400 in my area)

and thankyou, i love her, she is basic and cheap right now, but she works even with the open diffs


and some pics from today.

second step and the quarry, just not enough traction and articulation to get up.... tried a few times....

no flex in the front end

view from the bottom

the section i was trying to go up(photo doesn't do it justice

what makes it worth it.

another trail i ran

ended up in the middle of the forest on this one, was expecting it to go somewhere


sorry don't get many outside pics. i think i am going to invest in a GO-Cam eventually...

 

[AzLizard]

its either a us standard or yukon, was a amazon special...
never installed it, think i paid $80 for it,
http://www.amazon.com/8-8-FORD-SPLINE-MINI-SPOOL/dp/B00L2IFAF4/?tag=959media-20

some of the threads over at pirate scared me, and i have a heavy foot.... so decided it wasn't worth it in the end

i think it is that one i ordered, its the black one, PM me a offer if your are interested,

28 spline ill have to pass.
I put in a explorer 8.8.

 

[AzLizard]

Looks like some fun wheeling.
For sure a nice veiw.

 

[alaskan155]

well went out shooting yesterday...and started making a noise on my way back....so i did a walk around....

1. ripped the shock out of the upper mount on the Right front....need a new bushing set...not even sure how i did this one...
2. bent the bump stop on the same side up probably 2 or 3" and looks like the upper a-arm hit the shock mount, so i guess i have been a little hard on her.
3. and the noise is coming from the rear driverside , so either the brakes or wheel bearing, lost some of my pedal so not sure if i boiled the fluid or if i have issues there.

ill grab a few pics in the daylight.... the SLA rangers can take some abuse.... the front end is still tight...

update:

if you look close you can see where the upper a-arm hit the shock tower...

suppose to be flat....

 

[alaskan155]

well pulled the front diff today.

removed the rear drive shaft and continued to tow it, happened 50 miles out of the house flat towing it from colorado to portland,oregon.

more to come, build will be a snails pace, but we will see where it goes now.....

thankfully the transfer case still works, shifted into 4wd, 2wd and 4 low, going to take it apart and reseal it and inspect it still though....probably just end up getting a NEW esof motor for it.