Question about buying a 4x4

[schlutzer]

In the next couple months I'll be looking at buying a new ranger.

my question is what are the better years? my long term goal is a lift and putting the 4.6 in it. people have done it and with a body lift its not very hard.

I'll be looking to spend about 5 grand.

I know the front suspension in 2wd changed in 97 but what about 4wd rangers?

I know lots about the 2wds cause i own one and was going to lower it but ive done some wheeling (as much as my 88 2wd lets me) and its fun as hell! kinda got me hooked for 4x4 is what it is but i wanna stick with the ranger.


I'm totally lost as to which years to really look for tho

 

[wizkid00104]

Read this carefully, it should help:
http://www.therangerstation.com/resources/RangerHistory.htm

Keep in mind that anything 98 and later is very expensive to suspension lift because of the torsion bars. You can post more specific questions as they come up.

 

[mhughes165]

honestly, id shoot for a older ranger, within the first 3 gens, u can usually pickup one with a "relatively" perfect body for about 1k, and since ur gonna put in the 4.6 id suggest u might as well do a SAS lift it to where u want it, and then be done with it, itll cost alot less then 5k todo everything u want to one of the first 3 gen rangers.....that is if u can turn a wrench and are a friend to the wiring aspect of it

 

[schlutzer]

I'm an 18 year old farm boy. I can turn a wrench. while I have a few friends who can do wiring ( I'm terrible at it) and one who even offered to make me the custom header i would need for the 4.6.

I know the 4.6 is a very difficult motor to put in but with a body lift most of the clearance issues can be delt with.

And it would need to be driven regularly on the road and some highway. dunno about a SAS for that.

But basically any of the first 3 gens are the best and cheapest to work with? Idealy then i would wanna find a 95-97 then for the OBDII but then again I LOVE the look of my current first gen and they look so beautiful lifted.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The 4.6 is a huge engine that doesn't fit well in the engine bay of a TTB truck. It can look like Ford put it there with the 98+ trucks. You not only run into problems with bodylift type stuff (firewall and heaterbox) but steering and frame/crossmembers on 83-97 trucks. Personally for that reason I would shop for a 5.0 to put in a later TTB truck, they fit much nicer.

Just for referance the 4.6 is a tad wider than a 460 but not quite as long...

 

[Blueranger99]

if i had to do it all over again i would have bought a pre 98 ranger when they still had twin ibeams. 98 and newer have ifs and for like a 4inch lift it costs around $1600. my sisters bf has an 84 ranger and paid $550 for a 6 or 8 inch lift. also idont know what state you live in but in pa where i live there is emission issues on an engine swap for anything 95 and newer. the computer has to read obd2. if you live in a state where that is an issue, when swapping a 5.0 into a 95 or newer, you can buy a wiring harness that will read obd2. personally i would go with a mid 90s or older model.

 

[mhughes165]

u could with a first or second gen still set it up to work as obd2, but they also sell carbed manifolds for the 4.6

and u can have a truck with a sas, 6" lift and 33's and it will be rock solid stable, can take it down the highway or anywhere for that matter

 

[schlutzer]

85_Ranger4x4 I suggest you look around a bit

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32615&page=2

This guy did it very very easily, the swap really didn't look any harder than your average motor swap. the body lift being the key as it let's you move crap out of your way.

And I didn't start this thread for you to tell me your opinion on my motor choice. I was asking about the 4x4 suspensions, and I got my answer so Thanks Everybody else!

Going to look at a 94 ext cab 4.0 5spd, manual transfer case 4x4 in about an hour

 

[fastpakr]

85_Ranger4x4 I suggest you look around a bit

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32615&page=2

This guy did it very very easily, the swap really didn't look any harder than your average motor swap. the body lift being the key as it let's you move crap out of your way.

And I didn't start this thread for you to tell me your opinion on my motor choice. I was asking about the 4x4 suspensions, and I got my answer so Thanks Everybody else!

Going to look at a 94 ext cab 4.0 5spd, manual transfer case 4x4 in about an hour

You came to a forum and asked for advice. It would be a good idea to accept that people are going to provide their own opinion, and it may not be exactly what you want to hear. Being rude isn't going to get you anywhere here. He was trying to be helpful and the best you can do is say 'thanks everybody else'?

 

[wizkid00104]

85_Ranger4x4 I suggest you look around a bit

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32615&page=2

This guy did it very very easily, the swap really didn't look any harder than your average motor swap. the body lift being the key as it let's you move crap out of your way.

And I didn't start this thread for you to tell me your opinion on my motor choice. I was asking about the 4x4 suspensions, and I got my answer so Thanks Everybody else!

Going to look at a 94 ext cab 4.0 5spd, manual transfer case 4x4 in about an hour

Things to look for:
1. Radiator core rot where it bolts to the frame. A good indicator is the gap between the body and the bumper. This is very common.

2. Rear Cab Mounts and Brackets. These also commonly rot. The bushings will be shot as well. Not too hard to change, but a pain in the ass none the less.

3. Leaf Spring Brackets. I also had one of these break on me. I ended up replacing all of them.

I tell you these from experience with my 94. If you find any of these symptoms, talk him down in price. You can also take pictures if you want the people on here to nitpick through the truck with a fine tooth comb for anything that might be wrong. Good luck!

 

[Blueranger99]

sorry if i offended you with my opinion. i was of the same mindset as you, i wanted to put a 4.6 in my ranger, until i heard how much of a nightmare it is to swap a 4.6 into a ranger. the motor is just too long. im waiting till my 4.0 goes and then im swapping a 5.0 into it. if i had a 4.6 laying around i would attempt it but i dont think its worth the trouble otherwise.

 

[schlutzer]

fastpakr I'm all for opinions you get good ideas from them but i was asking about the suspension.

Him commenting on the 4.6 swap wasn't really relevant and in any case i provided the link that pretty much disproved what he said.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

fastpakr I'm all for opinions you get good ideas from them but i was asking about the suspension.

Him commenting on the 4.6 swap wasn't really relevant and in any case i provided the link that pretty much disproved what he said.

Heaterbox, check your link that truck didn't have air. The 4.6 is 10" wider than a 5.0, and you have to tweak the A/C box to get the 5.0 to fit, move the valve cover over 5" (or more to clear the steering) for the 4.6 and you will have major problems.

If you have A/C and want to keep it, you will have to butcher the heck out of the box and hope you have enough left to still work or you will have to redo the steering. You don't say where you are from so I don't know how important A/C is to you. On a 98+ truck with R&P the steering a non-issue and thus you have more room to play with if you leave the stock style suspension which is fine for a moderate off roader.

It has everything to do with the front suspension, one of the reasons the TTB died is so they could mount the engine lower in the engine bay and have more room.

If it were me, building an off roader, I would find a 98+, skip the 4.6 for a 5.4 and slap a solid axle under the front. A SAS would require some steering work, but it would need to be done with a TTB truck to get a mod motor in it anyway. Since I would already be changing the entire drivetrain, it wouldn't even have to be 4x4 to start with, which really cheapens the cost of the project.

 

[schlutzer]

I live in ontario, AC is nice but I'm used to not having it it's a small trade off. I'm not getting into a pissing match about the 4.6. It's been put in before I'd like to give it a shot but thats not what this thread was supposed to be about.

 

[triumphrider-1]

I'm with 85_Ranger4x4 on this one.