• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

F150 Vs. Ranger switch. My thoughts


frantic29

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
Hello guys just thought I would give some of my thoughts for the people thinking they may want to switch to a Ranger. Seen a few people around mulling this decision and since I just did make the switch I figured I would put my thoughts here now that I have driven the Ranger for a few months and hopefully it can help somebody. These are just basic thoughts without getting into difficulty to work on and stuff like that. Although what little I have done the Ranger is easier so far.

First off I had a 2006 F150XLT Supercab 4 door 4x4 with the 5.4. It was an extremely nice and reliable truck for me that I loved so this opinion doesn't come with a bad experience. My Ranger is a 98XLT 4.0 4X4 Supercab 4door, 5speed. So with the exception of the tranny they are pretty similiarly equipped trucks.My reason for the switch was I just needed out from under the payment but still wanted the versatility of a truck.

First thing people talk about is mileage so thats where I will start. The Ranger is about 4mpg better than the F150. For my driving that equates to $50 bucks a month cheaper than the F150. Not a lot but it does pay my insurance every month. Keep in mind this is bone stock for both vehicles.

Driving is really no different for my Ranger. Only thing is now I have to shift. My Ranger drives just as good or better than my F150 did. Also the 4.0 in the Ranger has better power than the 5.4 did in the F150. The power to weight is much better and I am sure it helps that I can manage it how I want with the 5 speed. But if the interior was the same in both trucks I wouldn't be able to tell which I was driving. Both drive very well.

Maintenance cost. If your looking to save with a move to a Ranger this is where it gets a lot cheaper to own a Ranger. Brakes, shocks, spark plug change, etc. I have yet to pay more than 1/3 of what it cost me to fix or replace the same things on my F150. In some instances I paid less than a 1/4. And these are same manufacturers on the parts and when I did have a shop do it like in the case of the spark plugs it was the same shop. This is also just using local auto parts stores. No internet crazy deals or anything. In any case a whole hell of a lot cheaper to work on than a F150 which to me was a pleasant surprise because I was not expecting that.

The only big plus I can really give the F150 is room. I do miss that. The front seat in the ranger offers ample room for most people but the back is tiny. I took my back seats out because really they are useless. Right know I am getting around the lack of covered storage with a tonnaeu cover. It works well enough so far and just rolls up if I need to haul something bigger. But I still miss my big cab in the F150.

I have yet to tow anything with my Ranger but the only thing I ever towed with my F150 was a couple of four wheelers. I am sure the Ranger could handle that just fine. My uses for both trucks are the same. Daily driving and hunting. Haven't been hunting yet in my Ranger and this is where the lack of room is the most concerning to me. By the time I throw in my bow, all my cloths, a deer dolly, deer stands and whatever else I may decide to bring there won't be much room left in the little truck but I'll manage. This so far is the only real sacrifice I have had to make with the switch.

In the few months I have owned my Ranger I must say it has made me a fan. The 4.0 doesn't use a drop of oil, it runs and starts great and it has 187000 miles on it. It makes good power and the tranny and rear end seem to do a good job of getting the power to the ground. For people out there who are looking to save some money in repairs, don't have kids to haul around, or just need a truck that can do those smaller truck jobs then Rangers are wonderful vehicle to have sitting in the driveway. Also have an advantage of navigating tight parking lots better than a full size truck can. I was very afraid I would regret not going back to a full size truck after selling my F150 and I can honestly say I am glad I got my Ranger and really haven't missed my F150 a bit except for those occasions I have stuff I want to put in the cab that just won't fit. But thats few and far between. All in all Rangers are excellent alternatives to F150s if your situation calls for a change like mine did.
 


robertc1024

Well-Known Member
TRS Banner 2010-2011
Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Messages
4,816
Reaction score
133
Points
63
Location
San Marcos, TX
Vehicle Year
nada
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
This is funny. I did just the opposite. I agree with your assesment whole heartedly. I went looking for a newer Ranger, and couldn't find any without a zillion miles, beat to death or more expensive than an F150. I ended up getting a super clean 08 F150 with 50k. I much prefered the Ranger's convenience and size. The F150 has the 4.6 and it gets ~3 MPG less than the Ranger and equates to ~$30/month for me. It is also a slow pig.

The real game changers for me were:
1. It's a lot newer vehicle and will probably be more reliable.
2. Ownership costs are almost the same - insurance is a little higher, but tolerable.
3. It has A/C.
4. It can tow my boat.
5. I can carry more that one passenger unless somebody wants to be a contortionist in the jump seats.

If I had found a newer Ranger, I probably would have jumped on it. I certainly like driving it better than the F150. In the end, I kept my old Ranger to play around in.
 

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,192
Reaction score
17,488
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
When I went the other way:

1. I was going to keep my '85 Ranger.
2. As it sat a brand new Ranger couldn't really do any more than my old one.
3. They got about the same milage as a fullsize if not a little worse in the Ranger (compared to my college roomates '00)
4. Why have two trucks that are basically the same thing?

So I got my 2002 5.4 4x4 F-150, three years old with 25k miles for a hair less than they wanted for a brand new '05 Ranger. It flirted with 20mpg on the stock tires, had oodles of room and I no longer had to borrow a truck when I wanted to haul my tractor.

I have tweaked with the Ranger enough it feels a lot spunkier than the F-150, proper gearing (3.31 gears + 32" MT's = dog) and moving a ton less of steel and plastic helps a lot. On paper it gives up 110hp and 65 lb-ft so I know it doesn't have as much or more power.

I love both trucks, the Ranger as a toy and the '150 as everything else. :icon_thumby:
 
Last edited:

shane96ranger

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
8,328
Reaction score
220
Points
63
Location
Utah
Vehicle Year
1997 / 1989
Make / Model
Ford F150-Stang
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
4.6 Triton / 5.0
My F150 will outwork my old Ranger any day. My main reason for switching was because my 3 daughters won't fit in the back of a Ranger. My Ranger got 15-17 mpg, and I've been getting a solid 15.8 out of the F150 the last 3 tanks. My insurance is about 2 bucks more per month than my Ranger was. I also like that my F150 has a manual transfer case (I know it's changeable on the Ranger though).

I do miss the ability to park the Ranger in the space you can fit a car. The F150 requires parking next to someone who can park between the lines properly, which leaves very few available parking stalls at a Utah Walmart.

Overall, I'm happy I switched. It's a great truck - even being a 4.6 it does well.
 

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,192
Reaction score
17,488
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
I do miss the ability to park the Ranger in the space you can fit a car. The F150 requires parking next to someone who can park between the lines properly, which leaves very few available parking stalls at a Utah Walmart.
I always park out in no-mans-land so it isn't a big deal for me. :D
 

frantic29

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
I agree with pretty much everything you guys are saying that went the opposite way from what I did. In a perfect world I would still have my F150. Well, really in a perfect world I would have new Raptor but I digress. My main point was moving from a F150 to a ranger is not the end of the world like I thought to may be. Its a capable little truck. For me I don't have anything to haul around except for hunting equipment, the occasion four-wheeler, and if I'm lucky a dead deer so this does the job for me great. If I needed towing and/or had little ones I would have never gone this route. But its working for me so far.
 

frantic29

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Vehicle Year
1998
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
When I went the other way:

1. I was going to keep my '85 Ranger.
2. As it sat a brand new Ranger couldn't really do any more than my old one.
3. They got about the same milage as a fullsize if not a little worse in the Ranger (compared to my college roomates '00)
4. Why have two trucks that are basically the same thing?

So I got my 2002 5.4 4x4 F-150, three years old with 25k miles for a hair less than they wanted for a brand new '05 Ranger. It flirted with 20mpg on the stock tires, had oodles of room and I no longer had to borrow a truck when I wanted to haul my tractor.

I have tweaked with the Ranger enough it feels a lot spunkier than the F-150, proper gearing (3.31 gears + 32" MT's = dog) and moving a ton less of steel and plastic helps a lot. On paper it gives up 110hp and 65 lb-ft so I know it doesn't have as much or more power.

I love both trucks, the Ranger as a toy and the '150 as everything else. :icon_thumby:
I didn't mean the Ranger literally had more power. Just that particular engine tranny combo and the smaller stature of the Ranger gives the illusion of more power in better acceleration than what my F150 had with the 5.4. Really I don't believe the 5.4 was a very good engine. Especially the early ones. Cam phasers and spark plug issues and I know of a lot that just up and blew with very few miles on them. And really the F150s with those motors were underpowered can't imagine what the 4.6s are like.
 

shane96ranger

Well-Known Member
V8 Engine Swap
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
8,328
Reaction score
220
Points
63
Location
Utah
Vehicle Year
1997 / 1989
Make / Model
Ford F150-Stang
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
4.6 Triton / 5.0
I didn't mean the Ranger literally had more power. Just that particular engine tranny combo and the smaller stature of the Ranger gives the illusion of more power in better acceleration than what my F150 had with the 5.4. Really I don't believe the 5.4 was a very good engine. Especially the early ones. Cam phasers and spark plug issues and I know of a lot that just up and blew with very few miles on them. And really the F150s with those motors were underpowered can't imagine what the 4.6s are like.
My 4.6 F150 would smack my 4.0 Ranger in a run. I did drive some 5.4's that were dogs when I was hunting for an F150, but most of them had bigger tires. The cam phaser issue wasn't on the early 5.4's, rather it was the 3V version. Both versions had spark plug issues, but more common on the 3V version.
 

Lucifer sam

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
117
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Vehicle Year
1993
1997
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Automatic
Honestly the only reason i have a ranger is for gas mileage and its a parts runner for the lightning.
Its small, cramped, and slow as hell.

Its amazing to look at the quality difference between my f150 and the ranger.
The sheet metal is thinner, the doors shake above 70mph, and theres a lot of other little things ive noticed.
 

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,192
Reaction score
17,488
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
I didn't mean the Ranger literally had more power. Just that particular engine tranny combo and the smaller stature of the Ranger gives the illusion of more power in better acceleration than what my F150 had with the 5.4. Really I don't believe the 5.4 was a very good engine. Especially the early ones. Cam phasers and spark plug issues and I know of a lot that just up and blew with very few miles on them. And really the F150s with those motors were underpowered can't imagine what the 4.6s are like.
My brother works at the local dealer, the only 5.4's they have changed out are the ones that have an intake leak and try to run without coolant or try the 20k mile oil change program. He has been doing since '06 and I don't think they have had one come in that "just up an died" without neglect being a factor.

Stock my 5.4 wasn't really noticable different just driving the truck around vs my brother's 4.6. Towing however is a totally different game and the 4.6 comes out on the losing end...
 

Will

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
Joined
Nov 30, 2001
Messages
6,925
Reaction score
514
Points
113
Location
Gnaw Bone, Indiana
Vehicle Year
2007
Make / Model
Toyota
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
I don't see the point of a 1/2-ton full-size pickup. Big bed, can't carry anything. A full-size without a full-float axle is good for large Styrofoam blocks. I'm sure you'll disagree with me. I love the newer F150s and I love that 5.4, but I don't want a truck with a 6-foot bed (I need a crew and an 8') and a semi-floater.

As to that 5.4--I've been watching an F350 chassis cab 5.4 with a tall walk-in utility body haul an equipment trailer with either a 335 Bobcat mini hoe or a T300 track loader for at least 10 years going by my house. That truck full of tools has to weigh 10,000# easy, and the trailer has to weigh 3,500#. A T300 is 10,000#. This 5.4 has been hauling 20k and more around for at least a decade--I've followed it up hills many times and it's no slouch. That long-stroke 5.4 is a real truck engine and this old '96-ish F350 has me convinced. Having that motor in an F150 pulling a jet ski or whatever is a light duty assignment. I know what it is capable of. That 5.4 is the match of a 460, which I've owned.

When I bought this 15-pax van, I wanted a 6.8. This 7.3 diesel fell in my lap, but that 5.4 made me want to try out the expanded version 6.8. It has to be an awesome motor.
 

rockin86ranger

Active Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
1,151
Reaction score
12
Points
38
Age
37
Location
Hillbilly Heaven
Vehicle Year
1986,1988
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.0L,2.9L
Transmission
Automatic
6.8l never really impressed me, i think you are better off with the 7.3l you found. The church bus we run had the 6.8l and it just didn't seem to pull like i felt it should, it was also rather loud for a gasser but that was mostly due to the motor sitting right beside you. I think my 5.2l in my 89 dodge van pulled better than the 6.8l though.
 

straycat

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
5,733
Reaction score
77
Points
0
Vehicle Year
02 06 and 2012
Make / Model
Jeeps
Transmission
Automatic
My brother-in-law here in Florida got rid of his 02 4x4 Ranger and bought a nice low milage 08 F-150 4x4 Supercab 4 door. He bought it 3 months ago. It has only 18,000 miles on it. He really loves it. He can put the whole family and pets in it and go off for the weekend camping, boating or wheeling. He does not miss the Ranger since he now has more room. He likes the power of the V8 when hauling and towing stuff. I liked his Ranger. He had a nice looking truck.
 

hoosier1104

I'm Awesome!
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
V8 Engine Swap
MTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS Banner 2012-2015
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Messages
5,123
Reaction score
104
Points
0
Location
Camby, IN
Vehicle Year
1999
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
302 based goodness
Transmission
Automatic
My credo
Work hard and play harder
I stick by the comment in my signature.
 

85_Ranger4x4

Forum Staff Member
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
32,192
Reaction score
17,488
Points
113
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
I don't see the point of a 1/2-ton full-size pickup. Big bed, can't carry anything.
Actually my Ranger has a longer but narrower bed than my F-150. I didn't buy it to haul stuff in the back (although the extra width is nice) It doesn't take a one ton to haul a lawn mower or dirbike in the back.

The 9.75 rear found in 5.4 F-150's is very much a contender for the venerable D60 and the heavy half tons can be had with 7 lug 10.25 rear axles which is stronger yet.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/drivetrain/129_0802_ford_f150_975_axle_build/viewall.html

I very much enjoy my F-150 as a dd over dads F-250 (also with a 5.4) It is much spunkier, rides a lot nicer, much more manouverable, isn't as wide... pretty much the same arguements that could be made Ranger vs F-150.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top