2005 Ranger build

[bigfordon44s]

Nice looking rig! have any plans for the 4.0? Theres a shop in canada that does strokers and performance parts for them I bought some stuff off of him for my 3.0 ranger. Tom I think his name is www.moranav6racing.com check i out! Good job with the truck man!

[cdawall]

Sitting on its own weight

[cdawall]

Ok here are all of the pics from throughout the day.

[cdawall]

Axle with its shiny new truss.





and my son came out to help today

[cdawall]

Cleaned up the pair of balding TSL's





The one on the left still has a little bit to go. They both still have 1/4-3/8" left of tread so hopefully they last me a season.

[Josh40601]

Going to look good when it's done. Like it better low and wide than tall and skinny. Hoping to lower both my rigs this winter

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by Josh40601

Going to look good when it's done. Like it better low and wide than tall and skinny. Hoping to lower both my rigs this winter

Thanks I wanted a good base after the whole fiasco of a SAS my D30 was.

I can't go much lower and still clear the D60 pumpkin against the oil pan. I already had to move the steering box up 2-3" to clear.

[Josh40601]

You plan to actually crawl this thing? Or just bogs and general trails?

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by Josh40601

You plan to actually crawl this thing? Or just bogs and general trails?

General trails and crawling. Here are a couple of photos of Calamity Canyon and tback. The link has a bunch of one of the tback and bikini runs. The truck when its done should be a solid 4+ which is about a 7 or 8 on the 10 scale.



the forest service green is mine.





http://rides.webshots.com/album/581646961xhfnvx

[Josh40601]

I have no fucking idea what any of that shit meant, but ok. Lol

I was asking because I HIGHLY suggest investing in a doubler no, so you only have to make drive shafts once. Take it from someone who learned the hard way...

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by Josh40601

I have no fucking idea what any of that shit meant, but ok. Lol

How do they rate trails for y'all?



Thats how our trails are rated I should have a 4+ and it would be a 5+ if I had a winch. (and had a smidge more experience)

Originally Posted by Josh40601

I was asking because I HIGHLY suggest investing in a doubler no, so you only have to make drive shafts once. Take it from someone who learned the hard way...

Everyone up here was saying 5.38's should be plenty...I want to bob the bed a couple seasons from now and planned the doubler for then anyway. Will it be ok for now or is it that bad? Even with 33's and 3.55's I never had an issue of lacking torque in the Jeep I can't imagine the Ranger will be different.

[Josh40601]

Is your truck a stick? With an auto, you'll likely be fine. The doubler was the best mod I ever made to my truck. The Ex is auto, so the doubler required much better brakes. The ranger was manual and after 8 hrs of wheeling, the clutch would be slipping like crazy. After the doubler, it was all cake

[Josh40601]

Originally Posted by cdawall

How do they rate trails for y'all?



Thats how our trails are rated I should have a 4+ and it would be a 5+ if I had a winch. (and had a smidge more experience)

Ok, now it all makes sense. Just the way you said it had me all confused. Seams like every park I have been to, whether it's national OHV are maintained by the Forrest service, or private property, they all seem to have different ratings. I just never heard anyone rate their rig accordingly.

[FordX4-offroad]

Originally Posted by Josh40601

I was asking because I HIGHLY suggest investing in a doubler no, so you only have to make drive shafts once. Take it from someone who learned the hard way...

try telling that to me. ive had my driveshafts reworked 4 different times

and i still dont have a doubler

[Josh40601]

Originally Posted by FordX4-offroad

try telling that to me. ive had my driveshafts reworked 4 different times

and i still dont have a doubler

2 before doubler, 3 after.

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by Josh40601

Is your truck a stick? With an auto, you'll likely be fine. The doubler was the best mod I ever made to my truck. The Ex is auto, so the doubler required much better brakes. The ranger was manual and after 8 hrs of wheeling, the clutch would be slipping like crazy. After the doubler, it was all cake

It's an auto 5R55E I have the 1 ton master cylinder that was in the E350 I snagged the rear from so hopefully all of that will be plenty good enough to stop the light little Ranger.

Originally Posted by Josh40601

Ok, now it all makes sense. Just the way you said it had me all confused. Seams like every park I have been to, whether it's national OHV are maintained by the Forrest service, or private property, they all seem to have different ratings. I just never heard anyone rate their rig accordingly.

That's how the entire Black Hills of South Dakota is rated. They are trying to move to the 10 scale that a lot of forestry service trails use. The local 4 wheeling clubs all rate the vehicles accordingly.

Originally Posted by Josh40601

2 before doubler, 3 after.

I am on my 3rd front shaft after this...yours is still crazy. I can't imagine mine after a bed bob and doubler though

[Josh40601]

Auto is where it's at. For front shafts, since they are lock in hubs, just cut and reweld the front shaft. You won't ever be going fast enough to feel any unbalanced vibrations. Those brakes will hold the ranger no problem. When you get the doubler though, it may be tough holding 1st gear in low low going Down a steep grade. The builder of the Explorer went with Hydroboost once the doubler was installed.

That's kind of cool people up there rate everything by numbers. In So Cal, everything was shapes. Moab was colors. The rubicon was, well, word of mouth. I didn't start seeing numbers until this last trip to Black Mountain, where everything was rated similar to what you were saying.

thanks for the comments. Mine is in pieces right now, with poweplant still undecided. Since I still have a lot of work to do on the truck that doesn't involve the poweplant, I'm knocking things out as I go.

Are you planning on caging it?

[cdawall]

Not caging as of now. Maybe when the bed gets bobbed and it becomes trail only.

[Josh40601]

Just be careful and you will likely be fine without a cage.

My explorer has been flopped on its sides multiple times (only once by me) and it still doesn't have a cage. Although that is the next investment.

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by Josh40601

Just be careful and you will likely be fine without a cage.

My explorer has been flopped on its sides multiple times (only once by me) and it still doesn't have a cage. Although that is the next investment.

I flopped it once already with the D30 SAS, but that was way to narrow/tall for its own good. I actually fixed that flop if it happens now I wont care and it will give an excuse to bob the bed, remove the doors etc. Still hoping not to do a hard flop and will probably stay off the 5/5+ trails until its caged and bobbed.


Back trail ratings isn't moab on the 10 scale+colors?

[Josh40601]

Might be now. When I was there i want to say it was just colors. Could have been numbered too though, just the pretty colors stand out to me

[axleater1]

Originally Posted by cdawall

Everything on the motor is stock as well as all the accy's. Will get a better picture of the room inside the framerail shortly.



They don't have 16.5s :/

twisted customs has 16.5" DIY beadlocks and they are right at the base of some of the best 5+ trails in the hills!
I would highly suggest coming out and watching some real live 5 - 5+ action.
There is a reason why all the 5+ rigs look like raisens!

have Todd make you some rock sliders and a skid plate that goes from diff to diff before you go out, will save alot of pain and suffering down the road!

[cdawall]

Originally Posted by axleater1

twisted customs has 16.5" DIY beadlocks and they are right at the base of some of the best 5+ trails in the hills!
I would highly suggest coming out and watching some real live 5 - 5+ action.
There is a reason why all the 5+ rigs look like raisens!

have Todd make you some rock sliders and a skid plate that goes from diff to diff before you go out, will save alot of pain and suffering down the road!

I already plan on belly pan before I hit anything over a 4, but that might be while I am deployed next before it gets done. I would rather like having the truck back so I have something to wheel even if it isn't the best set up as it sits. It will have a tcase and gas tank skid before it gets to far in been upullit shopping for those. I will not be hitting any of the 5/5+ trails until the bed is bobbed and I have a cage.

As for beadlocks I should be fine for now the tires are all tubed so I don't have to worry as much about blowing beads.

[cdawall]

Tie rods done.

[AllGoNoShow]

Do you have, or do you plan to beef up the front cover? Beadlocks, beadlocks, beadlocks. Like Axleater said, you should put some sliders on it, even before the 4 rated trails. Do this BEFORE you bash up the rockers. With it sitting that low and long, you will be kissing alot of stuff with your belly.