Tire for 97 XLT 4x4

[sgtsandman]

Thanks sgtsandman I haven't done the GPS yet but I'm going to do it.
That's why I was thinking maybe a 265/70R15 would be not such a huge jump, just a bit smaller than the optional OEM size.
So it would raise the truck just a little, and it would change the pep a little, and the mph a little, but none of those things drastically.
Seems to me even though 265/70R15 isn't a stock OEM choice I don't see what would be wrong with it.
Later Mazda and probably Ford had 16" wheels with the larger tires but there are so many things different comparing '97 to say '06 that's I suppose pretty irrelevant.
If I ever changed to 4.56 that would be the time I'd definitely want 31". Truck would rev higher on highway of course. I have a chart that can tell all that.
I don't think you get into any issues with steering rub going to larger (within OEM) would you? I'd assume not.
What should my Cooper Discover RTX be inflated to? (missing door sticker)

There is some minor rubbing on the passenger side body to frame gap in the front side. Other than that, none but my 2011 has a different suspension design. Yours might not rub at all but someone like @ericbphoto would know better than I what works and doesn’t

Both my 1998 and 2011 specified 35 psi. My guess is yours would be the same.

 

[Curious Hound]

There is some minor rubbing on the passenger side body to frame gap in the front side. Other than that, none but my 2011 has a different suspension design. Yours might not rub at all but someone like @ericbphoto would know better than I what works and doesn’t

Both my 1998 and 2011 specified 35 psi. My guess is yours would be the same.

I tried reading this whole thread to see what I’m answering and now I’m more confused. So, let me see if I have a handle on this.

97 Ranger . You want to know what tires will fit. Also question about what pressure to run and recommended gearing. And do you need to change speedo gear?

I saw mention of 4 different tire sizes in the thread. As long as you stay within the sizes that Ford recommended for the truck, you will have no tire run. They won’t recommend a tire size that would rub.
215/75 R15 - 27.7” x 8.5”
265/70 R15 - 29.6” x 10.4”
235/75 R15 - 28.9” x 9.3”
265/75 R15 - 30.9” x 10.4”

That last size might be getting tight due to the width. If it rubs a tiny bit at full flex and minimum turning radius, that’s minor. Or you could do a 1” body lift. I’ve read that hockey pucks are great for that. I wouldn’t go past 31” diameter without a 2” lift or more, preferably a suspension lift. I will add a disclaimer that on my 93 (third gen like your 97), I didn’t try any of these combos. I went straight from one of the smaller OEM sizes to 35”,12.50 R15 and 6” lift which still required fender trimming. You may find better tire size selection if you go to 16” x 8” wheels. Just keep the tire diameter and width within that ballpark range shown above.

if the speedo is off too far with larger tires, it is easy to change the gear. I believe on 97, you have an electronic speedo. But it is driven by a gear on the sensor where it plugs into the transmission or transfer case. Very easy to replace. Not any kind of “tearing the transmission apart” kind of ordeal. Jeff’s Bronco Graveyard is a good source for ordering the different gears.

air pressure? I would start at 32psi and adjust from there. A few psi either way toadjust ride comfort or fuel economy won’t hurt a thing.

Gears; if you get up close to 30” diameter tires or bigger, I would recommend different gears. 4.10’s should be common. 4.56 would be overkill, in my opinion, unless you get up around 32” or bigger. If 4x4, then you must change gears in both front and rear differentials to match. In the Dana 35 TTB front axles, (I think that’s what you have), the gears are reverse cut.

Check out this chart for some good guidance on gear vs tire size performance.

Gear Ratio & RPM Guide For Larger Tires - The Ranger Station

This Gear Ratio & RPM Guide will enable you to see how many RPM's your engine will turn based on gear ratio and tire size.

www.therangerstation.com

 

[James Morse]

I would as well have to change front to 4.10 if I changed back, that's true, right?
Thanks Don for all the info. Yes sticker would have probably been on cab, '99 is. Will mention this to dealer as surely they have body shop but can chase elsewhere also.
Don't know what the story is about sticker, that was my guess too because we know it had "minor" accident in '05 and this could be the explanation, though I'm hard pressed to see any mismatch on paint or other telltales. If you look really close at door you can see a bit of imperfection, like, maybe door was fixed... who knows? And if sticker was on cab, why remove... maybe someone pulled it off... fact is, it's missing.
I didn't realize there was such a drastic weight difference.
Bigger tire is actually less clearance to fender. Can of worms about lifting, does it lift the whole suspension or just body or both or what. I'd assume reason for lifting is to get more clearance to the diff's which are the low parts of the truck.
As to stickers it does have the driver's door Warning about 4x4 which granted could have come on a replacement door, but I'm pretty sure that's the original door, when you look at the hinges etc there's no indication at all that anything was ever moved or repainted or anything since assembled. There is a minor ding in the driver's side door, not sure if that's the "accident" or what. It's possible they replaced the skin... usually you see overspray or color mismatch. Plus like you say the sticker most likely would have been on the body not the door.

 

[superj]

yes, if you change back you need to do the front if you ever want to use 4x4 without tearing something up. if you want to just use the truck as a 2wd, then you can do only the back.

suspension lift lifts everything but the wheels and axles. body lift only lifts the body.

lifting doesn't give more clearance for the diffs until you put larger tires. lifting gives you the room for hte larger tires

 

[sgtsandman]

There are two types of lifts. Suspension type, that pretty much lifts everything from the knuckle and rear axle up. So, differential additional clearance is a yes and no. But the truck from the frame up would have more clearance.

The other type is a body lift. It uses spacers to just lift the body higher from the frame. No additional clearance is really given other than allowing for bigger tires.

Bigger tires is the main thing that gives you more differential clearance.

 

[sgtsandman]

Yes, with a 4X4 and and an AWD, both axles have to have the gears changed. You can’t do just one and keep 4X4 or AWD. Usually. But that is another can of worms that doesn’t apply to the majority of people.

 

[James Morse]

eric, yes 215's could have been on an XLT, then if you got either of the option packages you'd get the 235's, and you could option the 265/75s. So that's all what they offered on 4x4.
That would lead me to believe Ford thought it was ok to run the 3.73 with 30.9" tire. When I say "ok to run them" I guess I'm thinking extra weight, loss of pep, these things.
The fourth tire, 265/70, was just something I added as a "why not?". It seems like it would look good (wider) and the diameter is only .7" different than the 235's so it would be sort of a compromise in all ways like weight and the other things too.
I guess I would like a pretty aggressive tread, not so much they are horrible noisy. The DIscover RTX's aren't noisy so it could be a bit more aggressive probably.
Thanks on the tire pressure yeah they were at 35.
Really there's no huge necessity for me to change from stock 235's.... for what I intend at least short term they'd be fine.... I Just think wider would look cooler, if nothing else. Especially if the prices are similar.
My feeling is the 265/70's are a bit under 30" so that's kind of the end of the envelope for 3.73 but not so big that I'd be going omg it drives way different. Shorter sidewall is better for highway and shouldn't affect off road use a bit.
But I realize I'd be going outside of OEM without modifying anything else so if there's anything "wrong" about them other than it's not oem, I'd want to know.
Thanks everyone.

 

[Curious Hound]

That would lead me to believe Ford thought it was ok to run the 3.73 with 30.9" tire.

Those may have gone on trucks with different gear ratios. Not all trucks got 3.73 gears.

Staying with an “all terrain” tread will give you a more aggressive look than a street tire and will generally be quieter than a mud terrain. Some all terrain tires will give you great performance. I did very well for a few years with BFG All Terrains. Street, gravel, mud, rocks, etc.

 

[James Morse]

eric, how can we find this out, whether any '97 had 4.10?
I kind of assumed none did because '97 brochure doesn't talk about final drives so how would you know it was an option
Wouldn't they have said in the brochure for those tires "requires 4.10" or something? or would they just do it?
I'd like to know how many Ranger went out the factory door w/ 31" tires, I bet it wasn't common. Those are the ones to look at to see if they have 4.10.
I know later (say '07) Mazda B4000, 4.10 was what you got (not optional), they had a diff approach where all B4000 were essentially FX's (skid pates, tow hooks, all that)
I'll look at those tires you mention, thanks.

 

[Curious Hound]

That’s something that is normally not even discussed by the dealer when you buy a truck unless you are an informed enthusiast who has researched all the options and you specify what you want. Generally, it’s decided by the engine/transmission/ tire size combo. A 4 cylinder engine may be more likely to have higher gears than a 6 cylinder engine so that engine rpm can stay higher in the power band. Automatic vs standard transmission can have an effect also. There are some statements made earlier in this thread regarding gear ratios. I won’t dispute those statements because I don’t have the data to prove it. But, historically, there have been options as opposed to saying something along the lines of “all Rangers came with this ratio”. I just looked through our tech library and didn’t find that info. One good article there is this

Ford Ranger Rear Axles (1983-2011) - The Ranger Station

Rear Axles Used: Ford 7.5-Inch Axle: 1983-2011 Ford Ranger’s without a 4.0L V6 came with the Ford 7.5-Inch Axle. 1998-2011 Ford Ranger Super Cab 4×4’s are frequently equipped with 8.8-Inch axles regardless of engine size. Click HERE for more Ford … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[don4331]

The document I linked last night gives all the differentials sold by Dana to Ford by given year. There's no 4.10s in that document past '92-1/2.

If it isn't in brochure, the owner's manual or Dana parts list, odds are it wasn't installed.​

Ordering a 1 off part on a production line where they were building literally building 1k/day doesn't happen.​

 

[Curious Hound]

The document I linked last night gives all the differentials sold by Dana to Ford by given year. There's no 4.10s in that document past '92-1/2.

If it isn't in brochure, the owner's manual or Dana parts list, odds are it wasn't installed.​

Ordering a 1 off part on a production line where they were building literally building 1k/day doesn't happen.​

Cool. I missed that link.

 

[Curious Hound]

.

Ordering a 1 off part on a production line where they were building literally building 1k/day doesn't happen.​

I can’t speak to how often it happened in 92. But in more recent years, it happens every day, every hour. Auto manufacturers don’t stockpile parts. In today’s manufacturing environment, parts are delivered to assembly “just in time”. Meaning, the whole supply chain is organized around the date and time that vehicle will be assembled. As that chassis is coming down the line, the engine specified for that build comes off the semi trailer just in time to meet that chassis when it’s needed. Same thing for every other component. The body shop starts welding the body x hours before hand so it can be inspected, phosphate coated, sealed, painted, inspected, blemishes repaired and delivered to assembly exactly when it’s needed. Custom seats, transmission, axles, wheels with tires mounted, the right stereo, all of it. Almost perfectly coordinated. Even paint colors. In our plant, we offer almost 200 colors. We change colors back-to-back. Black car, red car, silver car, etc. all mixed up. The conveyor doesn’t even stop for the robots to paint them, 30 cars per hour per paint line and my shop has 2 lines at that speed. It’s no big deal to put different axles in a vehicle during assembly.

 

[don4331]

if the speedo is off too far with larger tires, it is easy to change the gear. I believe on 97, you have an electronic speedo. But it is driven by a gear on the sensor where it plugs into the transmission or transfer case. Very easy to replace. Not any kind of “tearing the transmission apart” kind of ordeal. Jeff’s Bronco Graveyard is a good source for ordering the different gears.

I'm surprised by this. I have a BW1354 torn apart beside me, and I also have a Dana 300 torn apart on work bench (@alwaysFlOoReD can vouch for my bench having assorted Ranger parts on it). The Dana 300 has offset speedometer drive/markings that you rotate based on the driven gear you have - for the final ratio you are working to. But the BW1354 case speedometer gear is concentric to the hole (which isn't big enough for any offset shenanigans anyways).

Having looked at it more closely, you probably don't need to pull the entire case apart - undo the rear yoke, pull the speedometer drive and you should be able to insert a screwdriver and pop the existing gear out where the yoke was. Reverse with new gear and you're off and running.

I too work in mfg plant, we build the PCBAs used in many industries including automotive (Actually, we build for competitors. We try to ensure that we build same product for at least a couple hours - whole lot more efficient for us. But we never build a board that there wasn't a Bill of Material (BOM) listed.

 

[lowspeedpursuit]

The document I linked last night gives all the differentials sold by Dana to Ford by given year. There's no 4.10s in that document past '92-1/2.

I appreciate this. I must have referenced that exploded view 100 times, but never noticed the 4.10 gear ratio cutoff in the parts list. It took me a minute, since I know I had a '95 with 4.10s on the spec sheet, but now that I think about it: it had the 2.3L, so it would have been the hybrid axle with D28 gears inside, wouldn't it?

If D35 4.10s only existed for 3 years of the 8 the axle was available, that lowers the odds of finding any at this point from "pretty damn low" to "practically zero".

As for the t-case speedo gear: the driven gear is clipped to the speed sensor; it comes right out. If for some reason you have to replace the drive gear, that's stuck behind the yoke and rear output seal.