RockRangerII Refresh

I am going to be going through my 93 ranger and giving it a refresh. I bought the truck in late 2004. Other then a rancho lift kt it was an all stock stripped truck with a 4.0 manual trans and tcase. No AC cruise or power windows. The perfect basic wheeling rig.

Here are the specs of how the truck currently sat before this refresh.

4.0V6 all stock
Stock 5 speed
d.d. machine duel case setup with manual 1350 front and 1354 rear.
Front axle is a 1984 Jeep wagonner dana 44 converted to 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern 4.88 gears and an Aussie locker
Three link front suspension using 8" skyjacker TJ springs.
Rear axle is a 1992 explorer 8.8 4.88 gears and welded spider gears.
63" Chevy springs with a bellteck shackle.
BroncoII tank behind the rear axle
Warn 9.5 XP winch behind the front grill.
Interior roll cage
37" MTR on 17" steel rims

Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

I took the truck down to King of The Hammers and few years ago and did some wheeling and managed to crush the bed good. Broke both front hubs and all 4 front axles, bent the rear driveshaft and ripped a shock mount off. Due to life getting in the way it sat on the trailer for 18 months before I even touched it again. Now I plan to give the truck some love and get it back on the trials again.

 

[Rick]

Nice work. Looks great Matt

 

[RockRanger]

Started on the new front bumper. Center section is 3/16 plate. The rest will be 10 gauge.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[BKennedy]

Must be nice to have a plasma table in your garage...I sure wish you still lived down here.

 

[4pullingGM]

Nice work sir, makes me want to get stuff done on my explorer, it's been sitting now for a few years for the same reasons yours did. Yours is looking great!

 

[DoraThe_Explorer]

Great work so far! This rig is going to be a little tank in no time!

 

[crazyflights]

Great work

 

[RockRanger]

Never posted pictures of the skid plate installed. Should make for a smoother surface to slide over rocks.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Nice under belly armor/ link mount brackets. If you ever decided to link the rear axle you could easily build off that just like the front. If we ever get any warmer days up here I plan to weld the mudflap brackets together. Thanks again.

 

[BKennedy]

Great Job! No go drive over a big rock to break it in, its too clean.

 

[RockRanger]

Did more on the front bumper. Not sure if I like it or not...


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[RangerX]

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Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

I realize this is the back side of it, but have you thought about welding on a piece at an angle, so it's not a catch point when reversing on rocks?

 

[RockRanger]

I realize this is the back side of it, but have you thought about welding on a piece at an angle, so it's not a catch point when reversing on rocks?

I thought about that but I never got hung up on my last one on the back. I got hung up between the link mounts and skid plate which this one did away with. If it becomes an issue can add something to it then.

 

[BKennedy]

Did more on the front bumper. Not sure if I like it or not...

Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

I like it, its unique and functional.

 

[Stic-o]

Did more on the bumper. Not sure if I like it or not...

Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Looks too boatish for me... is there a reason why you didn't tuck the winch plate back and under the grill like everyone else?

 

[RockRanger]

Was trying to come up with something a little different. It was "different" in a bad way. I hadn't fully welled it yet so I can cut it up and make tabs out of the metal so it is not a complete waste.

Here is the start of version 2. The two toy points will be made up of 4 pieces each. One is the frame bracket that bolts to the frame. Two pieces are cut so that they key into the face plate from the back. On the back side they can be welded to both the front plate and to the mounting plate. Then one piece will be butt welded to the front. On the bottom I also put three slots that the bottom plate slides into. These help line everything up during assembly.




Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Here is the passenger side frame mounting plate. The base plate notches through them to help hold it square. The two oval holes will line up with the factory bumper slots so the bumper can be lined up. Once installed then I will drill the frame mounts for the other two bolts to mount them. The frame horn mounts on my truck are off by up to 3/16 of an inch front to back and side to side from each other. The large hole is for the winch motor to pass through.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

This shows the bottom plate with the winch mounting holes. The four slots are gussets that will on each side of the winch bolts underneath.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[BKennedy]

You should finish up that first version and sell it. It has kind of a Mad Max look and is functional. Just think of all the damage that sucker could do mounted on a mall cruiser.

If you notch the sheet metal under your grille, you can tuck that winch up nicely. It has no structural value. I mounted the winch to the bumper, than just kept trimming the sheet metal until it fit. Then, I pulled it all apart and repainted it with factory touch up paint. Several people have done this and it allows the winch to be pushed up and back several inches. I'm sure you know all of this, but sometimes the easy solutions pass me by when I am trying to get all custom and fancy.

Dave cut his grille support out completely
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/836750/fullsize/dscn0730.jpg

Edit: Now that I am in the garage looking at it, it doesn't support anything but those two tabs to help hold the grille in place.

 

[Stic-o]

I need to get one of these tables....I bet you Arus could run one like a pro since she basically does the same thing with her vinyl cutting machine now. just a bigger machine and different material.

 

[RockRanger]

If she can create a dxf file then it could be done. I bet the vinyl cutter can do much more intricate items then I can do with the plasma table.

 

[RockRanger]

Here is the center of version 2 mounted to the truck.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Here is the driver side tacked on.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Passenger side tacked up.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

This is the bottom below the winch to help give the base plate strength.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

Also got the driverside all boxed in. Need to build the passenger side still, then weld it out and paint it.


Untitled by dresselhausfc, on Flickr

 

[4pullingGM]

That second one looks perfect in my opinion, nicely done.