Not finished, but getting there

[Roger]

In fact, its very close to being done.

So, here is what we started with. 1990 Ranger 4x4. 2.3, 5 speed and electric Tcase. Bought it with 6" early Skyjacker kit, fiberglass front fenders and 31s on 15x10s. We replaced the Skyjacker kit with a Tuff Country set of brackets and extended radius arms. We also cutoff the original shock towers and added F250 towers, and extended the front brake hoses. We did a LOT more, some is posted around the board here, the rest isn't.

We bought this truck a few years ago, and then I took it off the streets for safety reasons 2 years ago. The last nine months has seen this truck all but strippped. OK, in the end, we have probably touched every single bolt on this truck... Guess I should mention this was a cab swap. What a pain in the BUTT!

Well, now for the first time since we bought this truck, it is all one color! And that Moss Green is exactly the color we wanted. Got the paint at the local Ranch supply store... The Moss Green is part of a four color camo series they have. I think I will use the Flat Black for a different project later on. Guess you want me to stop with the wordage. OK, Heres a couple pics!

More to do. Took it for a front end alignment and it needs right side balljoints and both sides need bearings. So I'll rebuild the front end, complete with all seals and clearance the D35 for more flex. Still need to paint the front bumper light bar, and install the tailgate. I forgot I still need to make a spare tire mount in the bed... Ah well, the end is finally in sight!!!

We're pretty happy, over the past week we also painted my daughter's XJ... John Deere Yellow!

Garage paint jobs aren't that bad, and we painted both rigs for less than $100 including supplies!

 

[Mechanickid]

sweet! looks good!

 

[burningRANGERtires]

how did you do that yellow, they both came out soooo good!!!

 

[Roger]

At the local farm supply store they carry equipment and implement paints. Bought a gallon of their John Deere Yellow and my buddy squirted it with a HVLP paint gun. He used reducer and mixed it 150:1 (paint:reducer) he says. I don't know paint for squat. Its an enamel, so if you know how to do that, you're set.

Two mistakes... We were in such a rush (and drinking) that we forgot to to do a final wipedown on the XJ, so there are some imperfections. I'm hoping they will buff out when I get to that in a month. The second was we didn't use a hardener in the mix.

The Camo, well, same guy sprayed that too, same reducer mix. But it set quicker since it is a flat paint. So says my buddy. 2 quarts were good for 3 coats...

 

[Roger]

How about a show?

Well, that flexes pretty good, sort of. The rear axle does pretty good, the shocks are the limit straps. I do need to move the lower shock mounts higher.

The right rear is off the ground, but the front doesn't flex much. The tailgate got painted, and we will do the bed in Herculiner or similar.

Those Skyjacker 6" coils are really quite stiff. So, no flex up front!!! And we need to spray some flat black paint on the frame rails...

Just a couple of freshly painted rigs...

 

[edgeaholic (tm)]

i like how you kept the ranger looking like it did when it was stock, meaning, the same styleroll bar ford used back in late '80's, the smaller rectangular lights, you didn't change the lights or the grille... it's period perfect!

 

[Ranger44]

Sharp Ranger. I love 4cyl. 4x4's.

 

[jaymegriffiths]

that thing is just begging for a custom bumper and MUCH BIGGER TIRES!!!!

that things is beggin for a custom bumper and bigger tires

 

[86 slo-vo]

do you still have the sway bar hooked up in the front? i saw it in one of the pics up top...

since its an offroad only rig you may look into swapping to an XJ style spring which will give you alot of flex up front

 

[1988Rangerxlt]

any troubles with 4cyl power wise

 

[scotts90ranger]

I never had too much trouble with the power, that's what low range is for, now that I have the turbo engine I haven't really heard the turbo spool up while wheeling unless I meant for it to...

 

[Kona]

did you use Skyjacker #136 in the front? put a big a$$ winch up front AND be a super cab and they flex ok lol.

 

[Louisville86]

That is a great color on that truck - looks great.

Love the Hello Kitty seatcovers on the Jeep. Perfect!

 

[Roger]

Can't believe I let this thread sit... Shame on me.

Kona, I have no idea what Skyjacker springs are under the truck. But they are stiff.

And the Yellow Heep is sold, recently to a friend who immediately ripped the seat covers off. My daughter was only a little upset.

Last summer we dug back into the Ranger to swap the slave cylinder and do some other stuff we wanted to do before. But time, money and my nearly paralyzing accident brought the project to a halt.

Which, brings me to the present. 3 weeks ago, we drove the Ranger back into the garage.

And started stripping it. Back of the cab forward. The only thing we left in it was the brake master cylinder and booster.

And then...

Did the same with the 94 Explorer. Only we stripped a lot more. The Explorer is going to the scrapper.

The nice thing about putting the Explorer stuff into the Ranger, everything fit like it was meant for it. Well, in a way, it was. Stranger though, the Explorer wiring harness practically clipped right in despite the 1988 cab we swapped in a few years back. Really.

I did have to drill a couple holes for the push in clips, but the dimples were there, I just needed to drill a small hole and the wiring harness clipped in.

One thing I was curious about, engine mounts and transmission crossmember. The Ranger had holes for the 4.0 mounts, and since we swapped out the Mazda 5 speed for the 4.0's A4LD, the dimensions are the same and everything dropped right in.

And then we had other things to figure out...

Wiring was something that got stuck in my craw. I wanted to be able to plug the lighting harness from the frame into the body harness. But there isn't a plug underhood of the Explorer harness. Yes, we used the ENTIRE Explorer harness. But the taillights in the Explorer go out the driver's side taillight. I couldn't find that in the wiring out the firewall connector. So, I did the next best thing.

I re-pinned a rear door connector to match the connector on the frame of the Ranger. Then, made a cable with the other door connectors and tied that into the interior harness. That new jumper harness goes out the hole vacated by the clutch. Now I have the taillights going out to the rear of the truck as factory. Well...

Remainder of the Ranger harness on the left, Explorer/Ranger hybrid on the right. I split both the frame harnesses from the Ranger and the Explorer, removed the taillight harness from the Rangers, and added it to the Explorer harness. I only had to cut ground wires at the factory splice in the Ranger harness. I did this because...

Explorer pump on the left of the pic, Ranger on the right. We chose to use the Explorer fuel pump in the Ranger tank. This way we know the fuel sender works with the Explorer dash.

My son really gets into his work at times. He didn't realize how bent over he really was. We both agree, sometimes its nice to be as tall as we are, with long arms, but sometimes it would be nice to have the hands of a 10 year old girl when reaching into tight spots...

So, at the end of the day last Sunday, 2 weeks after starting the project, where both vehicles were driven into the garage and stripped... It was time to put the battery in the Ranger. Before turning the key, we checked brake lights, headlights and 4 ways. Then we turned the key, and heard the fuel pump run. And checked wipers and turn signals and the fan. We then decided to see if it would start.

Which it did after a couple seconds. And, there was great rejoicing.

Now we have a couple more tasks. My son decided that 3.73s are fine, he probably won't run 33s which are on it now and dry rotting (I bought the set for $20 4 years ago) but are fine as rollers for now. The TTB parts off the Explorer are being swapped over to the Ranger. Cheaper than buying new balljoints and bearings, which the Ranger needs replaced anyway. And, with the new power, the Explorer 8.8 is coming over too. I bought spring perches and plates yesterday and will get new U bolts as soon as we know which blocks we will need. When we bought the truck, it had add-a-leafs and blocks stacked on the factory block. We swapped the stacked blocks for a 5" block, but now will use the Explorer springs, and Autozone Belltech style shackles to see if we can use just the factory Ranger block.

Fun times ahead, but it should be drivable this weekend...

 

[Roger]

So, we drove the truck around the neighborhood and realized we had an oil leak. So, we yanked the motor expecting to find either the rear main seal or the pan gasket had failed. Nope, we had lifted the motor out of the Ex and into the Ranger with the intak plenum and the alternator bracket. Not the best way apparently, as the oil was leaking at the intake manifold.

New gaskets, snugged back down and the motor went back in last weekend. Yesterday it was running again. And today the front suspension is getting swapped. The spindles are hammered, and the Explorer's are just fine. We wanted to swap them anyway for the 3.73s anyway.

Still need the springs and 8.8 from the Explorer, but I already have spring perches and plates, just need U bolts and shock tabs, as soon as I figure what I want to do with shocks.

And in a fitting bit of irony, we used the Ranger to move the Explorer shell aound the driveway...