re gear

[DoorKicker]

not sure I am using the right terminology but I think I want to change the gears in my son's Ranger.

We put bigger tires on it and it lost a lot of torque. How easy is this to do and how much would it cost.

I know I will need to answer lots of questions, so fire away and thanks for the help

 

[BlackBII]

What size tires? What engine? 4wd or 2wd? What is the truck used for?

 

[DoorKicker]

What size tires? What engine? 4wd or 2wd? What is the truck used for?

30" tires
3.0 v6 2wd
2004 Ranger Edge
My kids daily driver to school and back.
Don't need off road performance, just want the pep back
Thanks

 

[Captain Ledd]

Here's a good link to get you started:

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/axle_codes.shtml

4.10 is about the deepest the factory goes. It's an easy junkyard swap.

Deeper than that though, ~$200 ±$50 for new gears, ~$75-$100 depending on your install kit (you will need at least shims). I'm guessing from your questions you'd have a shop do it (setting up gears is not particularly beginner friendly and you need some special tools too), so you could see about $200-$300 of labor on top of those numbers. These are all very rough estimates.

So I guess it might just be a case of dropping in a 4.10 unit for $150-$200 (or less, I wouldn't pay more unless it looked basically new/unused) from a junkyard and calling it as good as it's going to get. Be sure to stick with 10" brakes, or swap up if you happen to have the 9" ones, world of difference.

An axle swap is 8 bolts on the axle u-bolts, the driveshaft flange bolts (4), shocks, and brake lines/cables.

It's pretty darn easy, and any year or model RANGER will bolt right in with exception to pre-92(?) Rangers where the driveshaft flange pattern is different (smaller?) stick to '94+ to be safe, still plenty to choose from. Explorers however (while similar), will NOT bolt in.

 

[pjtoledo]

30" tires
3.0 v6 2wd
2004 Ranger Edge
My kids daily driver to school and back.
Don't need off road performance, just want the pep back
Thanks

most parents would consider those 2 phrases mutually incompatible

what ratio does it have now?

my 2000 3.0 4wd has 3.73, does Ok with 30" tires but definitely won't win any races.

what size rotors does your Edge have? I'm think they are 11.25", and can be upgraded to 12" with a Sport Trac spindle swap. BUT, won't clear most 15" wheels. it has torsion bars up front, right??

 

[DoorKicker]

Thanks for the replies. I will check his truck and see what I find out.

 

[DoorKicker]

My axle code is 97 so looks like I already have 4.10 ??? If I am reading it right.

So not sure where to go from here?

 

[Captain Ledd]

What size did you have on before? 225/70R14?

 

[DoorKicker]

What size did you have on before? 225/70R14?

235 75 R15

now we have 30x9.5 15

Looks like we just went up 1 inch. It must be the extra weight of the 6ply tire and maybe a bit of perceived sluggishness in my head???

 

[Captain Ledd]

Tire weight will actually make a difference. I put new tires on my GMC, same size, but load range D, the ones that came on it were P rated (less than C). I swear they felt darn near twice as heavy. That thing drove WAY different, especially in braking, but I sure noticed it in acceleration too.

But yeah, 1" really shouldn't be that drastic of a change on its own. A half inch of tread from a bald tire vs. a new one would do that. Actually, writing that, that might have something to do with it as well, a bald smaller tire going to a fresh larger tire will be an even larger difference. Tire diameters aren't always accurate either, that brand may be a little closer to 30.5 or even just a little more, and others are a bit closer to advertised.

4.10 appears to be correct for a 97 door tag. Is there a tag on the axle still? A lot of those rust off, but that's the most definitive answer.

 

[Mac]

what size rotors does your Edge have? I'm think they are 11.25", and can be upgraded to 12" with a Sport Trac spindle swap. BUT, won't clear most 15" wheels. it has torsion bars up front, right??

I believe in late 2003 torsion trucks got the 12" brakes.
Dave

 

[pjtoledo]

I believe in late 2003 torsion trucks got the 12" brakes.
Dave

4wd yes, 2wd I don't think so.
A 2wd torsion truck can accept a steering knuckle from a 2wd Sport Trac, those are 12". 2001 for sure, I'm not certain which years over all.

 

[pjtoledo]

235 75 R15

now we have 30x9.5 15

Looks like we just went up 1 inch. It must be the extra weight of the 6ply tire and maybe a bit of perceived sluggishness in my head???

and a lot more tread. it takes more power to turn a tire with more tread.