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1990 Ranger as a donor for Willys chassis swap


VoyagerXll

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Location
North east NE
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
ranger
Transmission
Automatic
If this has been addressed somewhere else, I apologize for not finding it.

I have located a 1990 4X4 extended cab Ranger with automatic transmission that has been totaled. The damage was cosmetic, the frame is good. I drove it for 30 or so miles and all worked as it should. It has less than 100K miles. The differential tag shows that it has 3:55 gears.
The above describes the Ranger chassis I would like to mount a 1950 Willys pickup body on. I am a bit leary about buying the Ranger until I am sure that the Ranger chassis can be made to work as the donor.
The Willys pickup chassis is set up in an unusual manner, in that the front Willys axle is 6-8 inches narrower than the rear axle. I am not sure of the true difference but I am confident that it is in the 6-8 inch range. I would go out and measure it, but is really snowing here.
The track of the front axle on the Willys is around 57 inches. I think that the Ranger front axle will work under the Willys body
A rough measure I took on the above Ranger had a rear axle width of 43 inches between the rear axle’s left and right inner tires.
I am concerned that the Ranger OE rear axle is too narrow to mount
the 48 inche wide pickup box.
I would like to have 2-3 inches between the box and the inner side of the tires on each side. It appears that I would need an axle width that will be in the range of 52- 54” between the rear axle’s right and left inner tire. 48 inches + 4-6 inches ( the distance I would like the wheels to set away from the box.)
I doubt if this length can be achieved with aftermarket wheels and spacers.
Is anyone aware of an axle readily available that would have the width I need?
I have done a frame swap with a 1947 Dodge WC pickup onto a 1990 Dakota chassis, so I am aware that there will be challenges. I also am a decent fabricator/ welder.
Right now I am in need of help in figuring out what to use for a rear axle.
Not having the Ranger here to measure made it a bit confusing to explain.

Thanks for any input that you can provide.

Stan from NE Nebraska (where it is really snowing)
 

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4x4junkie

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Location
So. Calif (SFV)
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
35x12.50R15
Sounds like a cool project :cool:

A 1990 4x4 Ranger (3.55 gear ratio) will have a 59.5" wide front axle (measured at the wheel mounting surfaces, or WMS), the rear axle will be 56.5" wide WMS-WMS. The rear should be able to tolerate up to 2"-wide wheel spacers (on stock-offset wheels) if you don't load it near it's 2750lb GAWR.

Two other axles that can be swapped into the rear without too much work is the 8.8" from a '91-'01 Explorer, which is 59.5" wide wms-wms, and the 8.8" from an '87-'96 F-150 or FSB, which is 65.5" wide wms-wms. Biggest thing with the F-150 axle though is it will have a different lug pattern. The Explorer axle will have a 3200lb GAWR, which I suspect may be the same for the F-150 (it has the same size bearings).


That help at all?
 

muddypunk

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Sounds like a great project.

If you're a good fabricator just locate some Wagoner axles from a Jeep Wagoner should be plenty wide and plenty strong.

Sent from my XT1609 using Tapatalk
 

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