Been trolling on this section for a while and figured i'd upload some of my stuff for you guys to take a look at.

i've owned the ranger for like 4 years now its a 1999 Ford ranger 4x4 with the 3.0 v6.

(pretty much stock)
http://i51.tinypic.com/15edzsh.jpg

bout 2 years ago the motor lost oil pressure and there was a pretty good knock, so instead of just swapping in another 3.0 which got 14-19 rated mpgs and had 145 hp rated stock. i decided to swap in a 5.0 v8 from an explorer/mountaineer.

the swap was pretty simple and straight forward. just dropped in the motor tranny and tcase.

got custom driveshafts made, a custom tuner, changed up spark plugs all fluids general stuff. runs pretty good.

not to mention it pulls my boat better than my 3.0 used to pull my motorcycle on a little 5x8 trailer.

Well i'll get onto some more pics and explain what i've done and future plans!

how it looks as of today. dirty i'd say
http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb1.jpg

i have 4 hella lights in the front, bumper/fogs from an 01-05 ranger, silverstar bulbs in the heads/fogs gives awesome light.

Slight torson bar crank in the front, rear has shackles that lifted about 2 inches or so.

put on some bfg m/ts in 33x12.5x15 on 15x8 steel wheels.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb2.jpg

straight piped exhaust back to a 4 inch tip. gets loud but sounds great for being straight piped.
http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb4.jpg

Hood mount for my cb

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb3.jpg

which goes back to my cb thats "hidden" in my center console. good for getting weather information as well.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb7.jpg

All my other parts swapped over from an explorer.
Leather power Seats (way better than stock 60/40 seats)
Center console
Over head console
Sun visors

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb6.jpg

Overhead console tells outside temp and direction.
small thing next to it is called an ultra gauge, plugs into your obd port and there you can view lots of different things.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb8.jpg

as getting in on the A piller. mag light mount always useful for extra light and protection if needed. 3 D batteries can do some damage.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb5.jpg

In the extended cab theres not much room to work with, and i don't have doors in the back so its very limited to what i can do.

i built a platform that covers up the whole back, (makes a level platform over the tranny hump in the middle.

on the drivers side i have my subwoofer with my amp hidden underneith (sub box weights 70ish pounds with sub and you have to remove the seat to get it out)

on the passenger side i have a door that lifts up for storage under it. you can see a tow strap jumper cables misc rope and extras.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb9.jpg

on each side there was pull out seats for the back, the drivers side i have removed so the sub sits better back there.

but the passenger side i still have the door there, i'm planning on having a sealed battery mounted back there along with a power inverter for phones/computer. and maybe a 12v fridge to go in the back where my sub sits.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb10.jpg

onto the bed build.

i went and made a platform for the bed of the truck so my mattress would sit pretty much right in the middle so i had equal sleeping room and storage under it.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb13.jpg

the middle board moves out of the way if storing larger things in the bed (everyday use)

board closes to give it a very clean look.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb12.jpg

the carpet is cabela's marine premium grade stuff, not the worst but not the best. so far its pretty good.

and when the tailgate is closed and the mattres is unfolded this is what it looks like.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/pb11.jpg

its a 4 inch memory foam pad, it was a full size, but i cut it down so it fits in there good.

thats all i have done right now for the bed of the truck, i do plan on adding some type of a light system when i have the second battery installed.

up coming plans right now include a ladder rack for extra storage since the bed is full ha. and a front hitch welded into the frame for a good tow hook.

just needs to be cut down to size.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/vonhanson/Pirate%20Thread/rack.jpg

Sweet rig :D

Future plans, not on a real time frame but things i'd like to get done.

Second battery with power inverter, roof mounted solar panel to keep battery somewhat charged up while camping and not driving around.

BW4406 manual transfer case(truck is currently AWD which is hurting my mpgs and the lack of 4 LOW is no fun.)

Solid front axle with selectable locker, would like to do now but funds don't allow me too.

Custom rear bumper with gas can mounts, maybe with swing away tire carrier. i might end up putting the spare on the roof, but in the quest for mpgs i think on the back would be better.

On board air. just trying to figure out if a custom made tank would be better than trying to find a place to mount those long tube ones in the kits.

12v fridge, i already hate dealing with coolers, so pretty much any camping right now deals with food that doesn't need to be kept cold.

any suggestions or questions are always helpful and useful. so please give me some ideas, or if you think something should be different than how it is, i'd love to hear it.

Sweet rig :D

Thanks, lots of trollers, not many posters.

today i went and put an expo radiator in the truck along with a new t-stat. runs much cooler since the ranger rad is 1 core and the expo is 2 core.

Looking good so far, I have always been a fan of rangers.. dont forget to build some sort of frame work for the rack, dont just bolt it to the shell.

I like the selectable t case idea but i think as a daily driver you shouldn't swap to a solid axle. IMHO

Looking good so far, I have always been a fan of rangers.. dont forget to build some sort of frame work for the rack, dont just bolt it to the shell.

I like the selectable t case idea but i think as a daily driver you shouldn't swap to a solid axle. IMHO

yeah the rack will have a bar that goes down the side of the topper to a welded plate that bolts onto the bedside.

i really want to get the tcase in before winter hits, but i can live without it.

i'd just like to free up some mpgs with 2wd and unlocked front hubs, vs AWD.

and the sas has been on and off for me wanting to do it.

i work bout a mile from my house, during the summer i bike pretty much everyday, so winter is the only time its my DD.

but next weekend hopefully i'll have the rack done(minus painted) and the front hitch welded in.

anyone have a good link for hitch pins? i'd like to get a winch that goes into the hitch receiver so i can move from the front to back depending what i need. but don't know the strength of the random pins that are from the stores around here.

nice ranger. good build.

i would go to Napa and tell them what you are doing. it's for a winch and you need the strongest one they sell. like what they would sell for a dually pickup towing a big trailer.

if that doesn't work, go to a transport truck supply store, like International or something.

good luck.

anyone have a good link for hitch pins? i'd like to get a winch that goes into the hitch receiver so i can move from the front to back depending what i need. but don't know the strength of the random pins that are from the stores around here.

Farm store, or a grade 8 5/8" bolt.... The pin only has to be as strong as the winch cable ;)

mmk i'll just take a look at the place in town here for a bolt or pin.

got my gauge pod for an f150 in today, did some work with the dremel and it fits onto the ranger.

adding in an actual oil pressure gauge since the stock is pretty much crap.

http://www.ranger-forums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24455&dateline=1316806973

Got the oil pressure all hooked up. Only thing really new with the truck is i have my rack done pretty much.

http://i56.tinypic.com/30i9r13.jpg

The bars going horizontal will get mounts for a shovel/axe/highlift so its easy to take on and off.

disclaimer:

i'm not keeping anything mounted on the outside without it being locked onto the truck, only time is when i need it with, and i don't want to get the back of the truck dirty.

I have a similar setup, without the 5.0l. I have a shell, and plan to use it as a camping/exploring rig, looking for ideas to put a rack setup over the shell, and extend over the cab probably about half way.

Not sure exactly how I want to/best way to attach the rack with it being strong, but not look like an exo cage.

I have a similar setup, without the 5.0l. I have a shell, and plan to use it as a camping/exploring rig, looking for ideas to put a rack setup over the shell, and extend over the cab probably about half way.

Not sure exactly how I want to/best way to attach the rack with it being strong, but not look like an exo cage.

yeah. my rack is pretty good, i might end up adding some extra braces on it, otherwise its nice.

as for an update, winter and cold weather limit my work on this.

next week i should have my new rear axle with disc brakes and limited slip diff put in.

Got my new axle put in, 1/2 inch wider on each side.

but i love having larger disc brakes instead of the stock drums.

also the limited slip works nice :) did some testing on gravel for it.

i also put explorer leaf springs on there, it has 1 more leaf than the stock rangers and ended up lifting the rear a few inches.

http://i40.tinypic.com/161yrli.jpg

once its spring time, hopefully i'll add a 1'' body lift to get a little more clearance, crank the front bars up a little more.

and add sliders to act for a step/jacking point/obviously protection.

- What mpg are you getting now with 33s, awd, and the 5.0? Compared to the 14-19 you were getting stock with the 3.0.
- What's the offset on the wheels you have?
- Do the tires rub bad?
Thanks. I'd like to build a truck like yours for a dd.

- What mpg are you getting now with 33s, awd, and the 5.0? Compared to the 14-19 you were getting stock with the 3.0.
- What's the offset on the wheels you have?
- Do the tires rub bad?
Thanks. I'd like to build a truck like yours for a dd.

Thanks.

mpgs are the same pretty much as stock, the 3.0 sucks and never got close to 19.

i can still get 16 mpg towing my boat on the highway right now.

once i get rid of the AWD and actually have 2wd 4 hi and 4lo, i'll see over 20 hwy for sure.

wheels are 15x8 with 3.75 backspacing(idk offset thats the options on the site i bought)

and i haven't wheeled it hardcore, but easy trails it doesn't rub at all.

if i could go back, i wouldn't spend this much for a DD

but during the summer i ride my bike to work(less than a mile) so if i had a longer drive, i'll buy a cheap car for the mpgs to work but i don't need one.

got my gauge pod for an f150 in today, did some work with the dremel and it fits onto the ranger.

Pics? Details on the job? Why is the f150 cluster better? Or is it just to match your motor?

Pics? Details on the job? Why is the f150 cluster better? Or is it just to match your motor?

don't have a pic of it.

but it wasn't the cluster, its a gauge "pod" like a A pillar pod, but it fits onto the steering column, its made for a f150, but with a tiny bit of work, it fits right onto the rangers as well.

nice ranger for sure!! didn't i see this on the TRS site?

Post pics of the pillar pod please. Why didn't you do the oil pressure mod on the factory gauge. It makes it a real gauge.

Post pics of the pillar pod please. Why didn't you do the oil pressure mod on the factory gauge. It makes it a real gauge.

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/2910/681/7272840126_medium.jpg

not my photo but you can see how its on the steering column.

heres a better one.
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/atm-15004_w.jpg

and explain this mod, theres no way to modify the original "gauge" to work like this mechanical gauge does.

good to see another step sided ranger. you and i have the same idea.
http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq99/swickwake/truck%20pics/IMG_0807.jpg