Project: Black Betty

[Ranger44]

I love this picture. Not big into the 98 up Rangers, but his is a cool looking rig.

 

[LittleBigFoot]

I'm glad some one likes it!

I've got some sweet black on white lodged in a snow drift pictures that are pretty cool. I'll post em when I can

Thanks

 

[LittleBigFoot]

I call today a success. A stranger who was working for parts and I pulled the front axle today. No one died. It was sweet.

Over the weekend I ordered coil springs, shocks, perches, shackles, and other goodies to finish the swap. Now I'm just waiting for a long weekend to swap everything in.

Here's some shots of the axles from today.

I'm gettin close.


The funny thing is, when I first got into trucking, I asked for direction in a build. Some asshole suggested a SAS (I'm 17. I stated that). I had no clue. In the end, thats exactly what I'm doing.

 

[Black'03LevelII]

Some asshole suggested a SAS (I'm 17. I stated that)

thats ok first time someone said that to me, I just looked at him and asked "What the F**K did you just call me?"
afetr the dude explained it to me I felt kind of stupid.

HEY LBF did you get my PM?

 

[LittleBigFoot]

Today I got my buckets and shock mounts and track bar mount out. It's been a pain in the ass but well worth it.

Tomorrow I'll pull the radius arm brackets and gas tank. It's smaller then the normal bronco tank for some reason. I'm thinking of cutting out my under bed spare carrier and using the bronco tank too. we'll see.

Tonight I got steering and brakes figured out too.

I can use my stock ranger pump and my bronco gear box from the donor truck. It needs a rebuild, but thats cheaper then a new one. I talked to a guy who has done the same swap, and he showed me the way to keep abs and run lines.

I'm gettin there.

 

[Black'03LevelII]

I'm gettin there.

Slow and steady wins the race!

 

[LittleBigFoot]

Slow and steady wins the race!

Heck yeah!

I'd have those measurements for you, but currently my truck is burried in snow.

Merry Xmas!

 

[LittleBigFoot]

The grit work has taken a stand still. Too damn cold to work. I did how ever, get the oppertunity to get a new bumper. I modded a full size bumper to fit my ranger. No clue what it came off of, but it looks sick. I'm gonna try to wrap the ends back around the fender a little bit, but for now it's good for plowin down hookers

 

[danger88ranger]

likin the bumper, and yea it would look better if it was bent around the fenders

 

[mhughes165]

lookin good man, if u have any questions on what todo along the process feel free to pm me, ive done a handfull of those swaps(i work at a 4x4 shop), i would suggest savin some ponies for a set of moly axles for the 44 if u plan on havin it on a ARB, otherwise u will grenade shafts in a 44 locked with stock shafts, just a heads up, but its good that u understand the purpose of a lift kit, just to make room for bigger tires, a lift kit does nothing to make a truck better off road, its all about groudn clearance, if theres no clearance clarance then u aint gettin no where

 

[LittleBigFoot]

Thanks guys. I have almost enough lift to be happy right now. It's just with this suspension it's stiffer then an old dude ODing on viagra.

I'm thinking I'll lock the rear frist. Mollys are in the future, I just want to get it swapped and driveable.

mhughes, how did you re-enfoce the frame up front? I'm now figuring out how to brace the frame for a solid axle. The IFS frame wasn't meant for that kind of abuse

 

[mhughes165]

believe it or not u wont have todo much to ur front frame to make it stand up, if u really plan on whoopin on the rig the id suggest boxing the frame and making custom crossmembers up front vs the factory crossmember under the engine, but if its gonna be a d/d and weekend warrior u can get away without modifying the front of the frame, the ranger frame is plenty strong enough unless u swap a strong motor into the truck

 

[LittleBigFoot]

Holy shit i forgot I had a build thread for black betty. I guess I'll update.

Since last time I posted I've done a shit ton of work to the girl.

I bent the an axle shaft in my 8.8" by being a f-tard. I decided it was time to beef up.

I swapped in a 31 spline 8.8" with disks, 3.73s (I'll change em out soon) and a trac loc.

I ditched the stock 2" blocks and went with 2" lift shackles. For shock mounts I took some 1.5" square tube, drilled a hole through, tacked a grade 8 bolt through it, curved the bottom and welded her up. Great shock mounts. I'm runnin into bump stop issues cause the stock blocks had bump stops incorperated, so I'm in the decision plan. I don't get it though, I mounted my shock in the exact same place it was stock, but now it looks like something is hitting it cause I bent the fawk out of my driver side one.

Eh, I'll figure it out.

Plans for the future are:

5.0l V8 from an exploder
Leaf sprung Waggy Dana44
F150 power steering box
Loose the body lift
About 6" of lift
4.56ers in the diffs

I have everything but the gears, leaf springs, and 5.0.

Thank god for friends who can afford welders who let me borrow them.

This will begin to take place as I get the Jeep rollin' and able to be DD'ed for a while. (That'll make for a hell of a time)


Also, me and oatmealman smoked the tail lights, they look ill. I pulled the doors today just for some summer cruisin.

I'll get some updated shots of the girl soon.

 

[lil red]

yea it will be, hopefully both Black Betty and my ranger (PaleBlue) will b done by the time the TRS 10th ann. comes around

dont forget about little red
(much better than big red(no gay bowtie!!!!!))

 

[oatmealman]

Hey asshole you forgot I'm rolling with you out to the 10th anniversary in my infiniti.