swapping a single cab on a ext. cab frame?

[Smokin2.tree]

I'm new to this forum and have wanted to expand my knowledge when it came to the differences in the frame. I recently purchased a 1988 ford ranger xlt and it has a rotted body and i have wanted to go to a flatbed and a single cab for a while now... problem. I don't understand if i should cut the single cab frame and merry it to the existing decent ext frame? also, does anyone know how to get a manual transfercase to budge from 2H? ive tried pb blaster and i dont want to ruin the linkage since these trucks are becoming very slim to none in the northeast. Also, does anyone know if the wiring harnesses are different from 1988 and 1991? I think they are the same. being that the truck I'm using for the cab is a 1991 2wd 4 banger. Lastly, I am not in the mood of making an elongated bed for the truck or messing with wheelbases. I'm going to a solid axle and this is becoming a rock crawler, so it's going to have a flatbed.

 

[adsm08]

Why do people keep having this same bad idea?

If you have to ask this question you likely don't have the welding skills to put the frame back together when you are done. But to do it I believe you would need to shorten the section between the second cab mount and the riser to fit the cab. Bobbing in the rear for a short bed, eh, just build a longer flat bed. Your wheel base is going to get messed up anyway.

The transfer case, keep spraying, keep trying. They suck when they get stuck. Get something better than PB.

The wiring harnesses from 88 and 91 share a basic general shape. Other than that they are very different.

 

[scotts90ranger]

The harnesses changed a lot over the years, but if you have both trucks it should be a non issue... for instance the fuel pump and tail light harness was repinned with different wire colors between '89 and an early '90 when I did my chassis swap.

The front body mounts will be the same, but you'd have to move the rear body mount to fit somewhere.

For the transfer case it depends on why it's stuck, I'd loosen the 3 bolts on the side for the linkage and just try turning the lever on the side of the case, it could just be the shifter bushings rusted together...

 

[Ranger850]

Single cab on a an extended cab frame? The frames are the same from the front bumper to the back of the Rag cab. throw that single cab on and then build your flatbed over the rest of the frame. DONE.









I would also like to add that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I would also like to add that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

If you want a serious performance gain, hold your throttle body open so that your truck idles at wide open throttle, then hold your intake tube in a bag of coal slag.

The intake vacuum will suck the abrasive media into the engine and abrasive flow port your intake and heads for free.





















I should have my own performance page in the tech section.

 

[Snoranger]

If I was building a reg cab flat bed out of a super cab... I’d bolt the cab on and make new rear cab mount brackets. Then I’d make a flat bed the length I needed. The amount of work it would take to build/cut a supercab frame down to regular cab length isn’t worth it when I could just get a regular cab frame and be done with it.

 

[Ranger850]

This reminds me of a truck I once saw. It was a New work truck, Lets say F350 (?) but there was a space between the cab and bed ( about 2', maybe) and in that space was a compressor and welding machine. I thought that was a genius use of space. the compressor and welder wasn't IN the bed like most work truck that have the same equipment. The bed still had room for all the tools and things. I assumed it was like putting a single cab on a quad cab frame with the bed where it would be on a quad cab. leaving the space between the cab and bed free to put equipment there.
like this (kind of)

 

[dangertorangers]

there was a space between the cab and bed ( about 2', maybe) and in that space was a compressor and welding machine

Recently drifted my beater into a tree and been thinking about doing this because the cab needs replacement and supercabs in decent condition have been impossible to find near me. Cannot see your photo, but guessing they just bolted the feet of compressor/welder to the frame? Was there some diamond plate or some other skin at bed deck height?

 

[Ranger850]

Recently drifted my beater into a tree and been thinking about doing this because the cab needs replacement and supercabs in decent condition have been impossible to find near me. Cannot see your photo, but guessing they just bolted the feet of compressor/welder to the frame? Was there some diamond plate or some other skin at bed deck height?

It's been so long I really dont remember or I didn't get that good of a look at it.
It took some weird search words, but I finally found an example.

 

[don4331]

Recently drifted my beater into a tree and been thinking about doing this because the cab needs replacement and supercabs in decent condition have been impossible to find near me. Cannot see your photo, but guessing they just bolted the feet of compressor/welder to the frame? Was there some diamond plate or some other skin at bed deck height?

Note: While the bolt locations at the core support (just behind grill) and front of cab (right under pedals) are the same between Super and regular cabs, the rear cab mounts are 14" (difference in cab lengths) different. So you would need to remove and correctly reposition (aka weld) the rear mounts.

Then you may have all the fun you want with the 14" gap to the bed...

This is the one I was thinking of

RAM's "Long-Hauler" Concept Is The Ultimate Cross Country Hauler:

Back in February, we briefly about the growing occupation of expediting or “hot shot trucking”. While there are several different options now available to the commercial trucking world, not many people realize that RAM was actually working on building a truck for those who haul heavy loads...

moparinsiders.com

 

[Roert42]

I’ve always assumed those guys took a short box and put it in a long bed frame. Or even a chassis can frame. Like a 8’ bed on a frame for an 12’ flab bed or something.
I’ve seen more crew cabs with a gap between the bed cab bed than singles.

 

[dangertorangers]

It's been so long I really dont remember or I didn't get that good of a look at it.
It took some weird search words, but I finally found an example.
View attachment 124428

That thing presents an odd picture, glad I don't have a service bed! Thanks for looking.

Note: While the bolt locations at the core support (just behind grill) and front of cab (right under pedals) are the same between Super and regular cabs, the rear cab mounts are 14" (difference in cab lengths) different. So you would need to remove and correctly reposition (aka weld) the rear mounts.

Then you may have all the fun you want with the 14" gap to the bed...

This is the one I was thinking of

RAM's "Long-Hauler" Concept Is The Ultimate Cross Country Hauler:

Back in February, we briefly about the growing occupation of expediting or “hot shot trucking”. While there are several different options now available to the commercial trucking world, not many people realize that RAM was actually working on building a truck for those who haul heavy loads...

moparinsiders.com

That is some mighty fine information, thank you! Definitely gonna draw some different storage configurations out and sit in a single cab, see how small the space is. 14" sounds like perfect amount of space for a big ol fuel cell (good shit dodge, I never say that) and would probably help me bring some weight forward and centered to help with understeer. That dodge is pretty dang cool, and 170gal is a wild amount of fuel.

 

[dangertorangers]

I’ve always assumed those guys took a short box and put it in a long bed frame. Or even a chassis can frame. Like a 8’ bed on a frame for an 12’ flab bed or something.
I’ve seen more crew cabs with a gap between the bed cab bed than singles.

Yeahhhh looks like that would make a lot more sense as for as effort expenditure