I went on a semi-Hardcore trail run with the "Getting Off" 4 wheel drive club of San Jose, C.A. to a location called
Swamp Lake. On this particular trail, Toyotas and Jeeps ruled the day. My Ranger was back in camp with the new
kayak Suz and I bought strapped to the top.
On the run, we talked to a man who used to own a Ranger, but complained about what he felt was the untrailworthiness
of this pickup. He explained that when he took the Ranger on some hard trails, he bent the low-hanging IFS bracketry
causing the wheels to resemble a hopped up VW sandrail. Is this the toe? Anyway, he stated that the Toyota IFS SR5
trucks are more suited to the Rubicon and Swamp Lake trails than the Ranger. Another guy there stated that his '94 Toy
with the front and rear live axles was a much better trail rig than the Ranger. He stated that the Ranger was a good
"Number 2 pickup on the market for offroading."
I didn't know what to say - my Ranger was still back at camp, and these guys were able to make it back to camp with
out any breakage to report of. A built-looking YJ with a spring-over had to get towed back in front wheel drive from
the trail. These guys made things look moderately easy in their IFS Toyotas, but I don't agree with their assertions.
Is the IFS bracketry/crossmembers a problem for those of you who travel the Rubicon each year? Are there any diff plates
which guard against breakage that you'd recommend. I wanted to upgrade to a set of 35's, but with the good amount of
wheel travel I now have with my broken in Rancho coils, I feel that 33's would suffice.

Ken,

Rangers are fine trucks, as are Explorers. As with most things, it is 80% driver, 20% vehicle. Each vehicle has advantages, and each vehicle has disadvantages.

The frontend on your truck isn't exactly IFS - it is called TTB - twin traction beam. Properly set up, this design will give you plenty of wheel travel. Actually, most off-road race trucks use a similar suspension design (as opposed to the IFS design on Toyotas.) Yes, even Ivan Stewart ran a swing-arm type front end on his race Toyota!

Yes, there are some weak spots - specifically, the small wheel bolt pattern. Some people also say the wheel bearings are too close together, but I've never seen any problem related to this.

We don't have Birfield joints - which are really a liability when off road. They like to grenade. U-joints fail, but are easier and quicker to repair.

As for the ultimate in off-road ability, a solid axle will out perform the TTB. However, a TTB can easily be set up to out perform an IFS.

NOTE: The above statement does NOT say a j**p will out perform a TTB truck! They are different vehicles. I have gone many places where the j**p following me needed assistance to make it.

Just my humble opinion .....

I think Rangers have a big weakness, namely the stupid Warn Automatic Hubs, but that's curable (easily curable).

As far as wheel travel goes, I've changed the shocks on my sisters 87 Toyota 4Runner, IFS equipped, and it has less droop/stuff than my 97 Ranger does, still stock. My wife's 98 Explorer has more droop, the stuff seems about the same (not very damn much).

The 98 and up Rangers have the Explorer IFS, and people are complaining a little bit. Frankly, without modification, the steering on the Explorer is simply excellent compared to my Ranger, the offroadability is truly surprising, and the on-road performance is great. STOCK, I must reiterate.

If the guy driving the 94 Toy has solid axles front and rear, that's b/c he took an 84 front axle and replaced his 94 IFS. If the Toy IFS is so good, how come that's such a popular swap?? I'll take a 97 Ranger with a 73 Bronco straight axle D44 in front, then we'll see who can go where - radical modifications change all the rules.

Other than that, the TTB has been show to have EXTREME wheeltravel potential. Gloria (Extreme4x4) has an awesome TTB setup with ridiculous amounts of wheel travel (for amazing amounts of money, of course).

No one is going to get that kind of travel out of a conventional or mofified IFS. As was pointed out, the desert racers use long armed scissor hinges like the TTB to get their 30" inches of wheeltravel.

I don't have a lot of patience for people that brag about all the crap they broke; that's bad driving, not bad equipment. My wife learned to drive on a 65 Toyota Landcruiser (FJ40), and she's blown two Birfields. That's bad equipment (on an otherwise EXCELLENT vehicle) from Toyota. We've gone everywhere in her Explorer that she went in her FJ, and haven't broken a thing.

Best,
Brian in CA