Project: Danger Ranger

[spaz1879]

well i guess let start off by explaining my truck its an 88 ford ranger that has undergone alot of work but im just now starting my thread for all to see. So far the truck is sitting on 31's along with a 2.5inch suspension and 2inch body lift(thanks mhughes). The standard 7.5 and D28 rears are what allow my bitch to travel well all my problems started after i installed my headers, i guess old trucks dont like the same things as me Oh well. when installing the headers i had a total of 6 bolts brake on me 4 out of the 6 i had to drill out and retap;the other 2 i used the best tool ever my torch melted a brand new sparkplug wire that i just put on not even 2 days prior so i had to get a donor one Freebe. lets see what else i have installed a new cap and rotor on my brand new distributor that i installed now im just goning to list them so many: new thermostat, new o2 sensor, new starter, new cooling lines and radiator, new coolant temp sensor which i learned is not on the intake manifold but is tucked away behind the coolant lines that go to the heater core

also i have had to replace my ignition sensor. Hope you enjoy will post pics when i have time.
well i guess ill show you guys my workspace, not very big but it holds my tools and a radio. I installed a new breaker so i dont trip the circut when i weld and ran electric to the shed so i can have a light for when it is dark out.

 

[spaz1879]

this is a nice action shot of when we where customizing the roll bar to sit in the truck i got it from a junkyard with the lights for 60 dollars what a score lights work and i purchased a single switch wiring kit from olyimpic 4x4 only 12bucks.

This another in the making when i bought this nice chunk of 2x4 tube for 20$from the junkyard and it had some 1/4 inch angle steel that was attached to it so i thought that was a good deal. you can kinda see the finished product in this one. now that i have it all fab up i dont know if like it let me know what you guys think

 

[spaz1879]

These are the pacesetter headers that i put on it took a while and the y pipe they sent with the headers had to be cut and reworked i dont recomend getting these they where a very large PITA! But they are on now

the rest of the exhaust that is on there is not to great either i have no idea who hacked it apart but it apears the muffler is off a small car like a Geo metro YIKES!

when i was putting in the headers i found that i had a bad o2 sensor one wire was ripped off and the others had the insulation missing that was about 70$ for a new one. hey what do you know when i got it and went to install it i found that the headers melted the connector for the o2 sensor but luckly i got a new one from lmc truck for a couple dollars.

some of you with a good i can notice that the rear drive shaft is missing OH NOES This is because I am in the proccess of replacing my clutch. it is a major pain in the ass but i have got everything off today except the flywheel anyone have any thoughts on how to get it from spinning?

this is Borg warner transfer case well when i pulled it i noticed the gear oil isnt dark/black but is more of a coffee looking oil i know that is a bad thing! (NOTE-if you are pulling your transfer case make sure you shift it into neutral unlike me and sit there puzzled as why it wont move)

Here is my trans pulled anyone have any idea what it is? Getting that off was alot easier then i thought it would be. to my surpise the bolts came out with ease.

 

[spaz1879]

Now on to the clutch removal;
first i dropped the rear driveshaft enuff said. Then i had to remove the 5 bolts that held on the transfer case that was a little bit of a challenge with the lack of clearance but my 2 inch body lift did help out. Next i supported the transfer case with a jackstand and went after the linkage, the bolt was massive i had to borrow my friends 1 1/8 inch wrench to get it off. The transfer case was now free to pull off but im retarted and didnt shift it into neutral so after sitting for a good hour trying to figure out what was holding it back and reading the manual we had to use a lifeline and call my buddies uncle. He came over and showed us whats up. out popped the transfer case that battle was won but the war was not over to further the war waged upon my truck we moved to the trans crossmeber

i got to paint it red but nevermind that a war was afoot we got right down to it and got all the crossmeber stuff out of there now the trans is supported with a jack stand. the quick disconnect was a PITA it took about 30mins to get it out

After the 6 out of 7 bolts to the transmission where out we called it quits around 11pm. i was happy with the progress, the next morning i hit it hard and got the whole exhaust off and pull the transmission wasnt as heavy as i thought it would be. i cleaned off the rtv that was on the transfer case, drain the oil out of the trans and tcase that was NASTY! Atleast it is getting changed from that coffee like goo to good oil. more to come

 

[spaz1879]

well i made alot of progress today got the transmission, transfer case and driveshafts all bolted up. It was a pain to get the trans back on the engine due to the fact the driver side header was getting in the way but my friend and i pushed that bitch up on there and got her to bolt on. also i took the passanger side header off and the gasket has blown apart so i replaced it !@#$ pacesetter i will never buy there stuff again back to the important stuff while i had the exhaust off i decided to have the tail pipe come out before the rear wheel i think it will be cooler this way what you guys think?

Not to much left to do:
Starter, exhaust, bolt in crossmember, hook up some wires, and test drive

Anyone willing to give any input?

 

[joeslow]

Good going on starting the reassembly. I had the hardest time getting my M5OD back into my f150 this AM...so much I nearly gave up. Then after I managed that while finishing up everything(starter, exhaust, cross member, drive shaft, shifter) I got hung up on the internal slave's hydraulic line quick-connect. After another beer I got it right.


Like how your project is going, as for your bumper I would narrow it down some, possible making it angled for better approach angle. Gotta love cheap sh** from the JY though.

 

[MagnaV30]

Is it just me who thinks that trans looks like an FM146?

 

[JohnnyU]

Is it just me who thinks that trans looks like an FM146?

Yep, a quick glance at the tech article in the Tech Library would have confirmed this.

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

 

[spaz1879]

hey finally some one posts yea i started a whole new front bumper i will post some pics up of it but they wont be on the truck due to the fact the engine is being held up by a 1 ton hoist mounted to the bumper. But i will get you guys some good pics of it either way.

i too looked at the tech page and foun out that the fm146 needs about a gallon of gear oil so i picked up 2 gallons for trans and tcase maybe even the rear axle? idk yet we will see what i have left over

Also what do you guys think of the stock skid plates? i was thinking about beefing them up but if i dont have to im not gonna seeing how im not really into rock crawling but hill climbs and mud pits are sweet

 

[JohnnyU]

The stock skid plates are junk. They're just stamped 1/4" steel. You could brace them with some angle or tube, but I think you'd be better off building new ones. I bent the heck out of the t-case skid plate on my truck.

 

[spaz1879]

That is what i thought i have some beefier metal laying around so i might just do that but that project is for another day.

Also i was wondering if how hard it was to build a doubler with a BW1530 and a transfer case off a 2000 ranger anyinput would be great because im am think about doing this if it isnt super expensive+ i can get the second t case for free

 

[leumas12]

building the doubler isnt too hard, the $$$ comes in when you need a new intermediate shaft to go between the cases. I havent really looked into who can do it for the cheapest, i will let you know when i find out for myself Looking good!

 

[BII302]

Doesn't the transfer case use ATF, Not gear lube?

 

[spaz1879]

building the doubler isnt too hard, the $$$ comes in when you need a new intermediate shaft to go between the cases. I havent really looked into who can do it for the cheapest, i will let you know when i find out for myself Looking good!

thanks for sure let me know because i have read up on the doubler and saw you made one leumas and if i can get the 2nd t case for free i just might make one. i also read that you can cut and weld it yourself or is that like putting a barbie bandage on a gapping wound?

Doesn't the transfer case use ATF, Not gear lube?

im pretty sure that is on trucks with automatic transmissons because there was gear oil in the case when i droped mine and i know for a fact that the fm146 uses 4.8 pints of gear oil which is a pain in the but to put it i had to make a run to lowes to pick up 4 ft of hose to get the oil in from the engine bay

 

[spaz1879]

well guess whos truck is moving once again, thats right mine it has been off the road for some time now but today was its first stroll around the block i also got to drive straight header due to the fact that the exhaust is under going so minor relocating. The tail pipe is going to come out before the rear passanger tire.

progress- i got the transfer case and tranny pumped full of gear oil the transmission was a big pain dont really want to do that again but its good now. The clutch was bled now it feels pretty good. anyone know how much freeplay is allowed to be/supossed to be in the clutch pedal? i know the brake pedal its like 3/16 inch... Also the rear diff got drained of it fluid and a new silicone gasket i took a quick glance did really see the fill plug but im sure its there. Has anyone ever modded there diff plate to have fill and drain plugs? maybe it would be easier to just make a whole new cover from scratch?