How cheap could you build it?

Sometimes people complain about the costs of building a capable trail rig.

How cheap could you build a Ranger as a capable trail rig? What price do you think you could build one under? What modifications would you do? How cheap could you find the vehicle to start with? I'm not talking major rock crawler. Just a very capable trail rig that could tackle most trails. Be specific on your build. It would be interesting to hear what some of you come up with.

1 RULE - - - > You can't knock people, call them stupid or otherwise criticize them for their ideas.

Let's play........

depends on your idea of capable. got my truck for free, bartered for the transfer case, $700 in tires, still needs a lift, still needs a 4.0 clutch mod, but then i feel as my truck can hang on some MILD TO MODERATE trails.....i hope. i figure another $2000 and i am in. $3000 in all for me, but thats the skyjacker lift and centerforce clutch.

Well, not the ranger, but the fordzuki,
I bought the Lj for = $500.
Ranger donor truck for engine, tranny, rear leafs, steering column = $100
Samurai axles = $250
Samurai transfercase = $50
Fuel cell = $50
Radiator = $100
Rims= $120
34x10.50 swampers (the only thing new) = $800
DOM tube for front driveline and z-link = $120
seats= $80
Radiator tubes and hoses for rear mount = $50
John deere tractor links = $80
Toy IFS steering box = $50
Freebies= Welded front and rear, electric fuel pump, electric fan, all the steel for brackets, crossmembers, horse traded for the drivelines, Datsun leafs I had from one of my parts trucks....

So $2350, and it's pulled jeeps, samurai's, and rangers through places it walks through with ease. If I started with a stock 4wd Ranger, it could probably all be done cheaper, it just depends on whats useable and what isn't. I had to start from scratch with just the LJ frame and tub, so the more useable things on the rig, the cheaper it would have been.

IMO there is 4 main costs to a 'capable' and fun rig. To me they rank in this order of importance;
1: Truck ($0-2500)
2: Tires ($800-1500)
3: Winch ($300-650)
4: Lift ($0-1200)

Best case = $1100
Most $$$ case = $5800-ish

Here is my run down (I am sporting a homebrew 6" lift, 9500lb reciever mount winch, and soon to be spurring a 302)

Stock BroncoII - $1400
tires+rims - $1500
lift components - $800
Towncar (5.0L) donor - $180
engine rebuild - $350
T-case adaptor (AA) - $675
dana 35 + jeep hubs - $450
other miscellaneous stuff - $500

total into truck - $5830


V8 swap cost, about $1750, and i'm not complete yet, I'm hopeing the EFI will co-operate, if not I have a junkyard carb ready and waiting if i'm still not running by may.

I've only got 700 into my ZJ build including the Heep, axles, tires, wheels, other shit.

Are we talkin about Red Neck rigs or classy sophisticated rigs?

Come on...

Be creative.....

How far can you get with used parts, swap meets, classifieds, ebay.....

Buying new is to easy.

Not redneck, not sophisticated.

Low buck builds.

Tires/wheels used but with good tread

welded axles

used lifts

etc.....

Maybe paint it on the cheap for the 'sophisticated' look.

Jim Oaks said:

Not redneck, not sophisticated.

Low buck builds.

Tires/wheels used but with good tread

welded axles

used lifts

etc.....

Maybe paint it on the cheap for the 'sophisticated' look.

Click to expand...

In that case, subtract the $800 tires and add $125 for the first set of swampers, and maybe $20 for paint...

hmmm, I misunderstood you then Jim.

With approx 1 summer to collect things and watch for deals, etc. I think my only cost would be the tires...

I could trade/labourwhore myself a cheap truck.
I can weld axles for ulitimate locked 4x4 action.
Lifting the front- Perhaps built lift brackets, I'd rather just get all the negative caster I can then add welded-washer spacers to get the tires back square-ish.
Lifting the rear- extend shackles

The key factor to my style would be having a welding, and knowing how to weld. I conveniently have access to a large welding shop, and any of the steel in the scrap bin. Which is like gold!! I encourage any low budget builders to look in the yellow pages and consider asking to nose through their scrap bin! If you find anything be sure to bring a dozen (or 2?) donuts! Make sure they like you enough to let you come again!

Before I knew of the gold mine in welding shop scrap bins I would aimlessly wander the steel scrap yard when I had the chance. Sometimes you can find a decent piece of iron that isn't mangled beyond recognition.

cheap truck?

I picked up my truck for 200 bucks pulled front axles and a drivers window out of the wrecking yard for 10 bucks. new ford clutch 200. put a body lift in and a bit of fender trimming so i could clear 32/11.50R15's on stock rims $1000 , added a hooters bumper stickr for 2 bucks, a cap, rotor and spark plugs for 40 bucks, O2 sensor for 70 bucks, spray paint 30 bucks and so far i can tackle fairley decent trails. The other week i smoked an F-250 lifted with 39 inch LTB's on it climbing a greasy hill.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=20457&l=1f48f&id=503871817

some pics of the truck build up and wheeling
there's a pic of the F-250 on page two of the gallery


total build cost $1552

mine is not done yet but so far my total is approx 2200ish.
the truck was a running 1987 stx supercab. with a spare parts truck. off ebay for 500.
I then bought a donor 04 xlt 4.0l 4x4 that was rolled over with less then 50K on the clock. for $1500(the most of everything)
So far I have the complete dash, A/C blower, and brake pedal and the 04 master cylinder. for the ext. of the truck I have installed the wire harness from the tail lights up, fuel lines and brake line to the back.

to go is sit in the motor, trans, and t-case, switch the rear axle out and test fit the 04 fuel tank. that should get me back out and about.

I also have a fs 9inch and a d44 ttb for the front. that will go in as soon as fall comes due to the heat starting back up and lack of Coin. Also hoping to get fiberglass all around with 6 inch bulge to hide the FS axles.

well mine is pretty cheap so far, free stock ranger from my dad who bought it new in 84' V6 and 3.73 L/S. Just got some 1 month old Mickkey tompson MTZ's for 400$ with 95% tread left, a 65$ body lift, and four KC Foglamps 200$.
I beat my friends off road to begin with but now its pretty capable and at only 665$ for the exterior parts and a kick ass 350$ stereo system and HID HeadLights, Very good beach party truck!

hmmm I think I might have a good one for this topic. The truck 84 ranger 4x4 with a 2.8 already with the duraspark mod

I got my truck free in a trade when I sold a bike. Then after $170 got it running good enough for a DD, got a 6 inch ebay lift for $250 came with stacked blocks for the rear. So I did a shackle hanger flip and and chevy springs and shackles $110 for leafs and metal to build the shackles and nuts and bolts got a dana 35 and 1354 t-case salvage for $50. Had to get a new trans found a 5 speed w/ 1350m t-case on ebay $350 w/ an extra front shaft. I found a guy that had some 37 12.50 ssr's that he wanted gone free to haul off also found some 16 inch f-150 wheels for $50 had to get spacers for thewheels $85 ebay lil stuff adds up paint, u-joints for front axel and drive shafts, rear cab mounts, hubs and auto to man kit $475 thats where I sit as of today oh almost forgot about the steering linkage I made $190 all the work I have done myself and have made a few custom parts to save money this week I am adding jeep springs in the front for $120 so I guess I should add that and the stuff for the extended radius arms $150

all that comes out to $ 2000 even... so im going to say with $3000 you could make a very trail worthy rig mines not really where I want it needs a winch and an 8.8 rear and I think I would be alot better here is a pic of the truck as it is right now ther are some things on the truck that I didn't list either because they were free or not really a needed item for a trail rig

91 reg cab long bed ranger 4x4 4.0l 5spd manual t-case 125,000 on the clock.ghetto deluxe boom boom system.skyjacker class2 6inch lift,4 inch rear springs.10 total rancho 9 position shocks.with the in cab stuff.
4.56 gear's front and rear,15x10 rims, brand new 35inch swampers ,bush wacker flair's and leopard skin door panel dash and seat covers a total of 42 lights that twinkled,strobed changed color in side and out side the truck, plus some neon's, a set of groundhawgs on some crazy off set wide wide rims in the bed,. $2000

first gas station after buying the truck on the way home...2blocks from where I bought it. I tore out the leopard skin crap.and threw it in the trash, while I made sure no one was looking.

sold the swappers and and rims.$800 guy who bought those gave me his 33 bfg muds with about 40% on some more 15x10 for changing the tires for him.

sold the hawgs and crazy rims for 400.

ran the truck like it was for a about a week the "disco club" switch was set up in the floor on a dimmer switch.along with a off on toggle,i didnt think the lights worked,didnt care....so i was driving down the street one night and clicked this thing by accident....I looked like a flying saucer and ran off the road when the strobe effect came on.while trying to find the switch to turn this crap off my local police officer was nice enuff to give me a ticket....ripped that crap out.

sold the space flight lights for 200, my ticket cost $150

drove truck like it was for about 15,000 miles

sold the front lift kit for 700

sold the 15x10's and 33's for 250

bought 6 15x7's and 6 33 bfg at's with 40-80% for $200

sold the bushwackers for a 100

sold the 3 steering dampener kit for 100

sold the rancho in cab thing and 4 of the shocks for 200

sold/trade the few two many shock mount's for a ruski SKS

sold the chrome traction bars that mounted right behind the trans crossmember and hung low as hell....and had some junk that held it to the rear axle, but let the axle "float"...looks only crap, sold those for 300 I told the guy to make me a offer..only wanted 50 bucks lol...... ones mans crap i guess?

started to build the front end after a 7s desert truck, and of course a few week's after I droped the money on that set up,a complete autofab 6inch front and rear set up poped up at a price I could not pass up.alittle over half of what new would cost.

proably about 500 in just stuff, wheel bearing's, sterring gear,balljoints, brakes,clutch,fluids,bushings,and hardware.
and I still need to get anouther manualhub, since mine has never been found.

limit straps,some metal so make some bump stop mounts,50 bucks in misc shit,and some time,have all this week if it dont freaking rain!(never fails to rain when I get new parts for the truck)truck will be driveable again...

what i would do

cheap 4x4 , body lift , hacked fenders , tires , welded rear , gears , tow strap