Thinking of swapping the ranger for a half ton

[Blmpkn]

Blasphemy!

Easy to work on, the 4x4's have real front suspension, parts are plentiful and eeeeeeeverywhere, and there's no difference between the 1/2 and 3/4 tons besides axles. 5k would buy a pretty nice example up here.

 

[superj]

not here. chevy is more expensive here, than the rest (besides toyota)

 

[scotts90ranger]

I tow all the time with a manual, '97 F350 CCLB with 7.3L PSD and ZF 5 speed that is nearly worn out, pretty sure the clutch springs are worn out too... most I've done is around 20k pounds combined but it does it fine and gets around 9mpg while doing it going over mountain passes... I've gotten like 18mpg empty too... It's pretty much what you want and what you can find... there's all sorts of arguments to steer you away no matter what you decide on . Me I wanted a manual because I didn't want to deal with rebuilding an auto...

 

[Shran]

Centurion made crew cab, short box half ton conversion trucks but they were pretty rare. There was/is one running around town that has been whooped on pretty hard, sadly, it's a neat truck.

My buddy's '95 F150 4x4 super cab with a 351w and AOD-E would do high teens for mileage at best. He is a pretty conservative driver though. I would expect low-mid teens if I was driving.

 

[racsan]

‘94-‘96 1/2 ton supercab longbed, 302 with 3.73’s creeper 1st manual or a C6. Yes-C6. not a fan of the E4OD or whatever came after it. The old full hydraulic C6 would hang in there as long as you kept fluid in it and had a transmission cooler. I do love the 300 I-6 but for whatever reason a V-block motor is more efficient than a inline with the same displacement. Plus a V8 just sounds cooler. Ive not had a V8 in years, almost 20 now I think.

 

[Roert42]

X to doubt.

That 300 will go toe to toe with a 302 in any day.

 

[Shran]

Having put a lot of miles on both the 300 and 302 I would say that the torque curve just differs between the two. The 300 will pull harder right off idle but runs out of steam pretty quick, and the 302 makes it's best power right before that and quite a while after. I love them both equally, they just make power in different places.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Any idea if single cab leg room is same as ext? The ranger isn’t.

How’s 1st gear on the manual? Low enough to pull a boat out of a ramp without demolishing the clutch?

Haven’t really drove any full size extended cab, but there is plenty of leg room in a single cab full size. I really wanted a CC long bed full size because of doing contractor work. I have a ladder rack and side boxes on my F-150, but sometimes you need more dry space to put tools when the weatherman gets it wrong. A contractor cap would never work for me, I need the open bed too much. That said, a reg cab long bed fits better in tighter places. Not as good as the Ranger though.

My 300 was 4x4 with 3.08 gears and a M5OD and first was a bit too high. It worked, more or less, but it wasn’t really meant for work, IMHO, more fuel economy. Most autos had 3.55 gears so that was an easy swap and a huge improvement, but I felt first was too high for what I was doing with it. Probably be fine with 3.55s for the occasional pull a boat or something. I kept blowing slave cylinders though after doing the stage 2 clutch (not exactly recommended, it’s a tad sticky). My bright idea was to upgrade to a ZF5 because the dumps had the ZF5 and an external slave. Well, small block bellhousings for the ZF5 are internal slave like the M5OD, but if you order the internal slave for the ZF5 trucks, it’s a heavier duty slave. That gives you a granny first. Running around nearly empty it will easily start out in second the way I have mine, but I have that low first now to move things.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Centurion made crew cab, short box half ton conversion trucks but they were pretty rare. There was/is one running around town that has been whooped on pretty hard, sadly, it's a neat truck.

My buddy's '95 F150 4x4 super cab with a 351w and AOD-E would do high teens for mileage at best. He is a pretty conservative driver though. I would expect low-mid teens if I was driving.

Were they actually half tons?

The 4dr Broncos were based off of F-250's.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Centurion made crew cab, short box half ton conversion trucks but they were pretty rare. There was/is one running around town that has been whooped on pretty hard, sadly, it's a neat truck.

My buddy's '95 F150 4x4 super cab with a 351w and AOD-E would do high teens for mileage at best. He is a pretty conservative driver though. I would expect low-mid teens if I was driving.

There was a Centurion running around here for a while in really nice shape, but it was an crew cab extended cab long bed dually. Absolutely huge. Like a half mile of truck. I would definitely drive it though.

 

[Shran]

Were they actually half tons?

The 4dr Broncos were based off of F-250's.

Yep... At least some were. 8.8, D44 TTB, coil spring front, 5 lug wheels. Not sure what they used for a frame. I'll try and snap a pic if I see it again, it's been a while so I'm hoping it's still alive.

My buddy has a Centurion Bronco, I'll have to snap some pics next time I'm at his place. Lot of half ton parts on that rig too.

 

[Chapap]

I'm looking at an '89, crew cab, DRW, long bed, NA 7.3idi this weekend if it's still there. Honestly it's way more truck than I need, but they're all basically the same price and I have always wanted one of these... sans DRW. It has a new engine and transmission in it (fingers crossed it's actually new). I'll have to find an inspection shop to check it out. Anyone have any diesel crash courses I could read thru? I've never touched one. Really all I know is that everyone wants a DPF delete. Most of the ads list some made up acronyms that they changed.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

7.3 IDI was well known for reliability, but not as much go as the turbocharged 7.3 power stroke. That said, it’s still a good sized diesel.

 

[Roert42]

Ooooooh, a NA 7.3 The only thing slower then a 300.


I’m a fan.

 

[Chapap]

7.3 IDI was well known for reliability, but not as much go as the turbocharged 7.3 power stroke. That said, it’s still a good sized diesel.

I gather that it’s a bulletproof engine, but tends to cavitate. The turbo version (not same as power stroke) gets some upgrades and a bit more power. I kinda wish I could find a good 5mt, but the auto allows full use of the bench seat.

Ooooooh, a NA 7.3 The only thing slower then a 300.


I’m a fan.

Coming from a 2.3 Lima, it’s nearly double the power!