Kyle M.’s 1993 Ford Ranger
November 2010 Off-Road Truck of the Month
Kyle M.’s Ranger had already seen plenty of trail use before this rebuild ever began. Then a deer ran into the road, Kyle lost control, and the Ranger hit a tree hard enough to damage the frame. Rather than give up on the truck, he found a $450 1993 standard-cab Ranger and used it as the foundation for a rebuild that would eventually produce a much more capable machine.
The donor Ranger’s standard-cab frame created an interesting challenge. A stock standard-cab Ranger has a 113.9-inch wheelbase, while the extended cab Kyle wanted to use was designed around a 125-inch wheelbase. Instead of simply putting the extended cab on the shorter frame, Kyle stretched the wheelbase to 115 inches. Because the Ranger frame rises behind the cab, the rear of the extended cab would interfere with the frame. He solved that by channeling the floor of the cab for clearance, fabricating a rear cab mount and using a 1.5-inch body lift.
The shorter wheelbase gave the Ranger a more compact stance while still retaining the extended cab. Kyle then turned his attention to the suspension and drivetrain.
Up front, he installed an Early Bronco Dana 44 and extended the factory-style radius arms using 2-inch OD x .250-inch-wall steel tubing and a pair of heim joints. The radius arms mounted to a custom crossmember. The Dana 44 was upgraded with chromoly axle shafts, an Aussie locker, Yukon 4.88 gears, Warn Premium hubs and disc brakes using calipers from a 1983 Chevy 10-bolt. The conversion also resulted in a 6-on-5.5-inch wheel bolt pattern up front.
The rear axle was a Ford 8.8 equipped with a Ruff Stuff Specialties heavy-duty differential cover. Kyle eventually used wheel adapters on the rear so both axles could use the same 6-on-5.5-inch wheel pattern.
For suspension, the rear received 63-inch Chevy leaf springs with extended shackles and a 2-inch lift block. Up front, the Dana 44 was paired with Fox 16-inch air shocks. Kyle’s goal was to keep the truck relatively low while still giving it plenty of suspension travel, resulting in the low-and-flexy setup he was after.
The body also received plenty of attention. Kyle cut away the factory rocker panels and built his own rock sliders from 1.5-inch-diameter tubing with an 1/8-inch wall. Rather than hanging the sliders below the body, he mounted them higher after removing the original rocker panels, gaining additional ground clearance where it mattered.
The bed was bobbed to suit the shorter, more purpose-built truck, and the project continued to take shape as Kyle worked through the fabrication and fitment issues that came with combining an extended cab with the shorter standard-cab frame.
The Ranger was already running 35-inch BFG tires and 4.88 gears when the rebuild got underway. During November 2010, Kyle stepped up again, replacing the 35-inch BFGs with 36-inch Super Swamper TSLs and adding a Smittybilt XRC8 winch.
By the time the build reached its November 2010 configuration, Kyle had transformed a wrecked Ranger and a $450 donor truck into a compact, solid-axle trail rig with a shortened wheelbase, custom suspension, locked and geared axles, substantial fabrication and the clearance needed to actually use it.
That Ranger was selected as the November 2010 Off-Road Truck of the Month.
November 2010 Specifications
Year: 1993 Ford Ranger
Body: Extended cab
Frame: 1993 standard-cab frame, stretched to 115 inches
Wheelbase: 115 inches
Engine: 4.0L V6
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Transfer Case: BW1354
Front Axle: Early Bronco Dana 44
Front Gears: 4.88:1 Yukon
Front Locker: Aussie Locker
Front Hubs: Warn Premium
Front Axle Shafts: Chromoly
Front Brakes: Disc brakes using 1983 Chevy 10-bolt calipers
Rear Axle: Ford 8.8
Rear Gears: 4.88:1 Yukon
Rear Differential Cover: Ruff Stuff Specialties heavy-duty cover
Front Wheel Bolt Pattern: 6-on-5.5 inches
Rear Wheel Bolt Pattern: 6-on-5.5 inches with adapters
Front Suspension: Early Bronco Dana 44 with extended radius arms and Fox 16-inch air shocks
Radius Arms: 2-inch OD x .250-inch-wall tubing with heim joints
Radius Arm Mount: Custom crossmember
Rear Suspension: 63-inch Chevy leaf springs, extended shackles and 2-inch lift block
Body Lift: 1.5 inches
Tires: 36-inch Super Swamper TSL
Winch: Smittybilt XRC8
Rock Sliders: 1.5-inch diameter x 1/8-inch-wall tubing
Bed: Bobbed
Rock Crawler Transition
After winning Truck of The Month Kyle kept wheeling and improving his Ranger until it became a hardcore rock crawler with even bigger axles and a bigger motor. By you’ll need to check out his build thread to see that massive transition.
Build Thread
Photo Gallery
About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road adventures contributed by owners worldwide. TheRangerStation.com has been referenced in print, video and online by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, and experience-based information.
