Tips on removal/replacing 2.9/5spd for ‘88 Ranger

[Service_Bed]

I have done the drilling of spot welds at 2 places on 2 different trucks. The first was on my low buck race truck, iirc 27 spot welds on each side behind the fender on the firewall. I used sheet metal screws and screwed it back together.
The second was on a b-2 and drilled the spot welds on the rad support. I don't remember exactly how many but similar as the first. Also screwed it back together with sheet metal screws.
On an explorer that I removed the engine and trans in one piece, I cut the piece above the rad off. It would be pretty simple to scab that back together with some sheet metal patches and screws...

Yea I was looking at it last night and pretty much just need the top off radiator support and think I would be able to pull/ install in one (somewhat) easy swoop. I wish I still had access to a lift, I’d imagine with the ttb and exhaust pulled out of the way I’d be able to just go in from the bottom (have done a few swaps like that but that was years ago on much simpler cars and not in my alley behind my apartment.)

 

[Terrys87]

Since it is a two wheel drive, I tend to pull motor and transmission as one piece. It does go in at a steep angle but you can take care of quite a few other things while it all out in one piece. If it was the 4 wheel drive, I would pull motor separately. On these 4 wheel drives, I have learned to pull the inner fenders and that makes it so much easier. I had a truck that I had to replace the core support in, and I too just bolted it in, then I could remove/install motor, transmission, and transfer case in one unit. That was nice.

 

[bobbywalter]

the fastest way is to trim at the cab "frame horns" just from the relief that is just aft across the short part of the inner fender....only a few welds to drill and bolts right back together.

dont have any pics handy of this method but over the years it is what my go to is now

the first 20 times in the late 89 early 90s i did the whole cab like described above with mostly spotweld cutters and just a few drilled through, to bolt it back up.

this is totally unnecessary for a stock swap but in a swap situation i require it if i am working on it.


much easier to deal with the powertrain.


modern trucks you pretty much just pull the whole cab to work on the engine now....so it least these trucks can be dealt with as is.

 

[bobbywalter]

Yea I was looking at it last night and pretty much just need the top off radiator support and think I would be able to pull/ install in one (somewhat) easy swoop. I wish I still had access to a lift, I’d imagine with the ttb and exhaust pulled out of the way I’d be able to just go in from the bottom (have done a few swaps like that but that was years ago on much simpler cars and not in my alley behind my apartment.)

just cutting the center out and patching it back together will definitely make it easier since your donor powertrain is the same.