Ranger "Build" thread: Blue

fordxranger · Mar 29, 2009

This is not going to be a typical build thread. It will be very slow moving and mostly for me to keep a timeline of my alterations I have done to my truck over time. I'm starting to gather parts for an SAS conversion, and about to swap in an explorer 8.8. I had bought a non running 92 eddie bauer explorer to use for the typical Dana 35/8.8 axle swap, but its just too clean to me feel right about chopping it up. Now im keeping it and it will be my daily driver when I get all the parts for the SAS. So when its not raining and not super muddy I need to get to my local Pull-a-part and pick up another 8.8. Humble beginnings(about 4 years ago, taken the week I bought it):

First time in the mud:

A more recent one:

Bed full-o-crap:79 F150 High pinion front Dana 44 (I didn't buy it that clean you can see all the rust I wire-wheeled off of it), explorer 8.8 rear disc setup, a pair of 96 ranger d35 knuckles and caliper cores I was going to use on the Dana 35 swap I had originally planned.

Ruff-stuff specialties parts getting painted:

post opinions, questions, suggestions, whatever you like.

fordxranger · Mar 31, 2009

I sold the rollbar the other day to a guy with an 04. now I gotta fill in the holes in the bed :annoyed:

, in the picture you can also see the tailpipe I had to put on for emissions purposes.

heres the 04 the rollbar went on, almost looks better on his rig than it did on mine haha.

fordxranger · Apr 2, 2009

I woke up in pain this morning, my shoulder has been killing me and I haven't been getting good sleep. just when I started dozing off again I got a call........my order was ready for pickup.

my seats finally came in! has anyone made brackets for these seats to fit in their RVB's? I have an idea in mind, but I want to see what others have done (if any). for $90 per bracket + another $30 for the "baja adapters" i'll make my own.

klogtruck · Apr 2, 2009

good looking truck. good luck with the swap.

jpistheman · Apr 2, 2009

love those seats. what did they run you?

what yard are you planning on getting the 8.8 from? i know a few around us that usually run cheaper then pull-a-part up in Everett, and as you stated your looking for an 8.8? so i'm guessing your going to be cutting the d44 down? if you need a hand just give me a holler. i'm close.

fordxranger · Apr 2, 2009

I went to Everett steel today to get some .25" x 2" strip to make my brackets with, and as soon as I got home it started raining hard. I HATE THIS WEATHER WE'VE BEEN HAVING! I can't get anything done before it starts to rain.

jpistheman said:
love those seats. what did they run you?

what yard are you planning on getting the 8.8 from? i know a few around us that usually run cheaper then pull-a-part up in Everett, and as you stated your looking for an 8.8? so i'm guessing your going to be cutting the d44 down? if you need a hand just give me a holler. i'm close.

the seats ran me $152 a piece from 4 wheel parts with free shipping. They have the cheapest prices on these seats, I was surprised. I plan to get a disc brake 8.8 from either the Lynnwood or Arlington pull a part. Both of them have a couple of 95+ explorers to pick from. I want to put the disc setup I have already pulled on the explorer in my sig. If you know of one around $60-$90 than let me know. I will be cutting down the D44 to the same width as the rear end, when funds allow. 99% nickel rod isn't cheap ($75 bucks a lb).

fordxranger · May 6, 2009

Nothing cool has been done since my last post. still kind of broke and gathering parts. I put on the 8" lights that were on my rollbar up front and picked up a better tailgate with paint instead of the dented primer one I had. Still haven't put in the seats, I can't seem to get a good idea for a bracket. I put the tires from my explorer onto my truck and put on a set of 95+ explorer rims on them. I wanted to see if I could possibly get back some mileage and to get the new rims put on the tires since the explorer still doesn't run.

I also (luckily) got a set of 63" chevy leaves from I would guess an 89 chevy 2wd at the local pull a part for $23. the truck was completely stripped behind the cab and all it had was the springs, hangers and a tow hitch. I forgot to bring my BFH and ended up using a brake drum and a u bolt to drive out the bolts. it sucked being out in this horrible rainy weather we've been having and I think I got sick. Now I got the rear lift almost completely taken care of, just need to get a set of poly bushings and to clean up the springs/belltech shackles I picked up from another TRS user.

please excuse the bed full of junk, I don't have a shed or garage of my own so its my storage unit haha.

out cast · May 7, 2009

Nice!!!

fordxranger · May 31, 2009

To do list(d35[thanks again RacinNdrummin]/mounty lsd 8.8):

does anyone know of a place that sells a 95+ explorer/mounty rear extended brake line? I want to use all the factory hoses on the axle except for a longer one (ribbed line on right side)that goes up to the line up through the frame.

codybb · May 31, 2009

Nice setup so far were in wa are you located

fordxranger · Jun 1, 2009

codybb said:
Nice setup so far were in wa are you located

south everett/mill creek area

xtremeRanger · Jun 1, 2009

Hey ford, what size tires are your a/t's??? and when you had your 31's on whats the height to to bottom of the fender to the ground? My front is lower than my rear end by maybe 1.5-2" i don't know but i think i just have cargo coils from piston ring. i dunno if cargo coils lift the truck at all. I really just need to lift it a inch and ill be happy.

fordxranger · Jun 1, 2009

xtremeRanger said:
Hey ford, what size tires are your a/t's??? and when you had your 31's on whats the height to to bottom of the fender to the ground? My front is lower than my rear end by maybe 1.5-2" i don't know but i think i just have cargo coils from piston ring. i dunno if cargo coils lift the truck at all. I really just need to lift it a inch and ill be happy.

I never bothered to take measurements when I had the 31's on it, but I will when I put them back hopefully soon. The a/t's are 235/75-r15 toyo open countrys. If all you want is an inch in the front, do this:

http://therangerstation.com/tech_library/factoryspacer.htm

xtremeRanger · Jun 2, 2009

i have jeep coils and i was going to cut them to a 1" spacer and then install them and that should look pretty level but im unsure if i will be able to get it aligned. would i need to get better adjustable camber/caster bushings? I like how yours looks level, thats what im tryin to do.

fordxranger · Jul 6, 2009

its been a good while since i've posted any sort of update, but there hasn't been much to report. it has been thought of by me and my friend that this truck will sometime in the future get a flatbed made up.
I thought about this for a while:
1. my current bed needs a ton body work to make as straight as id like it to be
2. if I replace it (easiest option) it will be more $$$ than I want to spend
3. ill end up dingin any new bed I get when it gets the sas and I wheel it
4. I still want to be able to use the bed area to haul parts
5. i'll gain tire clearance for when I step up in tire size
6. better visibility and obstacle clearance so to speak
7. I also want to fab up a removable mount for a bed crane, fab up a headache rack behind the cab, and a flatbed is a better platform to start on.

so i'm planning on building something similar to this trucks:
http://www.offroadadventures.com/articles/view/id/353

I finally got around to cleaning up the mounty axle I picked up a while ago and got that almost ready to drop into my truck. Halfway through cleaning it I had a mishap with the grinder...........

so I finished up a week later.

How do the gears look to you guys? I think they look fine but my dad thinks they look "burnt"

I also spent the 4th lounging at home and at my local pull a part before they closed for the day, and I came home with a little surprise for "big blue"...............

I think i'm gonna try out the navajo front grille and lights for a while and see if I like it. I'm gonna sand and paint the grille blue to match the truck and scotch brite the lights and give them a shot of clear to clean them up since they're pretty cloudy. I also HAVE to ditch the mazda emblem and throw on a ford oval. sorry to poster RacinNdrummin for stealing the idea from him, but I rarely ever see a navajo in a PAP so I felt compelled to get the front end off it. I might not even stick with it anyway, I gotta see how it looks and throw up a poll in the "show off" section of the forum to get other people's imput. I also picked up the navajo bumper but i'm going to throw that onto "little blue".

Ranger "Build" thread: Blue

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