What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[Rick W]

What axle gears and tire size are you running on the 87? I think 3.73 gears are a decent gear for a stock Ranger and 4.10 if you want more pulling power. When you get to the 3.45 and 3.08 gears they can start to dog if you’re not just trying to drive it around empty all the time

95% of the time I’m empty, and I am loving the gas mileage compared to all the other hogs I have. I can live with it on the rare occasion I’m pulling a trailer or actually carrying some weight.

I just wanted to make sure that that was normal, and that there shouldn’t be something I should be checking under the hood.

Remember, I’m spoiled, I could always buy and drive anything I wanted, and horsepower was never an issue. Not that I’m a hot rodder, I’ve just always been able to afford as much power as I might need, so this is a new experience for me. No biggie, just wanted to make sure I wasn’t about to break something.

Appreciate all the feedback

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

View attachment 110613

95% of the time I’m empty, and I am loving the gas mileage compared to all the other hogs I have. I can live with it on the rare occasion I’m pulling a trailer or actually carrying some weight.

I just wanted to make sure that that was normal, and that there shouldn’t be something I should be checking under the hood.

Remember, I’m spoiled, I could always buy and drive anything I wanted, and horsepower was never an issue. Not that I’m a hot rodder, I’ve just always been able to afford as much power as I might need, so this is a new experience for me. No biggie, just wanted to make sure I wasn’t about to break something.

Appreciate all the feedback

Well, you could add a supercharger or turbo…

 

[Bgunner]

View attachment 110613

95% of the time I’m empty, and I am loving the gas mileage compared to all the other hogs I have. I can live with it on the rare occasion I’m pulling a trailer or actually carrying some weight.

I just wanted to make sure that that was normal, and that there shouldn’t be something I should be checking under the hood.

Remember, I’m spoiled, I could always buy and drive anything I wanted, and horsepower was never an issue. Not that I’m a hot rodder, I’ve just always been able to afford as much power as I might need, so this is a new experience for me. No biggie, just wanted to make sure I wasn’t about to break something.

Appreciate all the feedback

Also keep in mind that 5th gear is overdrive and most automatic's recommend that you tow with overdrive off so having to downshift into 4th on a hill is not unusual in your scenario. Then add the 3.45 gearing and you will be hitting 4th maybe 3rd when towing up hills.

I have the 3.45 gear and the 3.0l in mine so less torque than what is available to you in the lower RPM range and I hit 4th quite often empty on the hills near me. I'm also in mountain country so our hills are a bit steeper than what you see in your flat land area. If I go around the mountains I can stay 4th to 5th gear but if I have to go over the foot hills I may have to hit 3rd pulling a hill. going over the mountains i am for sure 3rd and 4th gears only.

 

[Rick W]

Also keep in mind that 5th gear is overdrive and most automatic's recommend that you tow with overdrive off so having to downshift into 4th on a hill is not unusual in your scenario. Then add the 3.45 gearing and you will be hitting 4th maybe 3rd when towing up hills.

I have the 3.45 gear and the 3.0l in mine so less torque than what is available to you in the lower RPM range and I hit 4th quite often empty on the hills near me. I'm also in mountain country so our hills are a bit steeper than what you see in your flat land area. If I go around the mountains I can stay 4th to 5th gear but if I have to go over the foot hills I may have to hit 3rd pulling a hill. going over the mountains i am for sure 3rd and 4th gears only.

Thanks. Mine is manual 5sp if I didn’t mention that.

 

[sgtsandman]

View attachment 110613

There's your problem! As far as I'm concerned, 3.45 and 3.55 should never have been put into a Ranger. 3.73 should be the tallest gear that was ever put into a Ranger but Ford was trying to get their fleet mpg average higher. So, the jammed gears into vehicles that should have never been put in them.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Finally finished up the install on my pillar gauges, with help from @Uncle Gump .
I went with water temp and oil pressure, as those two are the most vague on the factory cluster, and oil pressure is the life of the 4.0L tensioners.
Sensors aren’t hooked up yet, I have to drain oil and coolant to do that, but all the wiring and hard stuff is done. They look great.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Nice...

In hide sight... I wish I would have put a litte more thought in the pod retaining screw placement on mine. Yours looks better.

I will take a minute to get use to that in your line of site... but it will pass.

 

[Snoranger]

There's your problem! As far as I'm concerned, 3.45 and 3.55 should never have been put into a Ranger. 3.73 should be the tallest gear that was ever put into a Ranger but Ford was trying to get their fleet mpg average higher. So, the jammed gears into vehicles that should have never been put in them.

My 90 supercab (4.0l, 2wd, A4LD) came with 3.08 gears and 195/70 R14 tires.
My 89 STX (2.9L, 4wd, manual) came with 3.73s and 235/75r15 tires.
Those 2 calculate out to almost the exact same effective gear ratio… where’s the problem?

 

[Uncle Gump]

My 90 supercab (4.0l, 2wd, A4LD) came with 3.08 gears and 195/70 R14 tires.
My 89 STX (2.9L, 4wd, manual) came with 3.73s and 235/75r15 tires.
Those 2 calculate out to almost the exact same effective gear ratio… where’s the problem?

Cause ya need moooore tire!

 

[sgtsandman]

My 90 supercab (4.0l, 2wd, A4LD) came with 3.08 gears and 195/70 R14 tires.
My 89 STX (2.9L, 4wd, manual) came with 3.73s and 235/75r15 tires.
Those 2 calculate out to almost the exact same effective gear ratio… where’s the problem?

The tires on the '90 are 4" smaller. That makes a BIG difference.

 

[Rick W]

Yeah, @snoranger , I don’t think the solution is running some girly tires….

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Nice...

In hide sight... I wish I would have put a litte more thought in the pod retaining screw placement on mine. Yours looks better.

I will take a minute to get use to that in your line of site... but it will pass.

Yeah, I saw where your screws were and wasn't a fan. I just used the included christmas tree clips with the Glowshift pod, which made install easy. But if I ever have to remove it, it's gonna be a pain.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yeah, I saw where your screws were and wasn't a fan. I just used the included christmas tree clips with the Glowshift pod, which made install easy. But if I ever have to remove it, it's gonna be a pain.

Those were the screws that came with mine. They're actually button head screws with a trim cap. I just never put them on... mainly because I misplaced them. They have since been found and are likely once again... misplaced. Lol

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Those were the screws that came with mine. They're actually button head screws with a trim cap. I just never put them on... mainly because I misplaced them. They have since been found and are likely once again... misplaced. Lol

Screws with trim caps are an even better idea. But they probably switched to clips for cost reasons.

 

[Snoranger]

Cause ya need moooore tire!

I eventually swapped them out for a set 275/45ZR17s on the rear and 245/45ZR17s on the front, ‘99 Cobra wheels.
The STX got 35x14.5x15 Thornbirds and 4.56 gears.

The tires on the '90 are 4" smaller. That makes a BIG difference.

Which is why I disagreed with your statement… there are plenty of reasons why 3.45s or 3.55s belong in a Ranger. Stock 2wd being the main reason.