'95 xl reg cab 4x4 5 speed 2.3l | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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'95 xl reg cab 4x4 5 speed 2.3l

Tbars4

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Joined
March 4, 2007
Messages
26,320
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City, State
anaheim hills,california
Year, Model & Trim Level
95 ranger 4x4/ 91 X 4x4
i am the proud owner of a '95 ranger xl, regular cab,5 speed 2.3L, 4x4 stock set up,and i love my truck...i bought the ranger for $2300 in july '06 and put a brand new $1000 shell and i custom built a carpet kit for it, about $225 in materials alone...i only had to put a few hundred dollars in it to make it mechanically sound..a used front left brake sensor cable $20, 8 new spark plugs $50, new fluids for diffs, tranny and transfer case $130 by others, a new charchoal box $100?, new gabrial front shocks with new gabriel coilover rear shocks to help with the tools load and it only drops 1" fully loaded and rides firm but nice $150,and a broken rear brake clip, a few cents...the brakes and tires were new...i have a lot a good things to say about my little truck, a.k.a. "the squirrel"...
there is a few problems i haven't figured out and i am dyeing for some help... first, i have a haynes book and can't find what i need...1)the horn don't work and i can't find where to look for the horn, 2) the high/low beam flashes for passing but is only in high i think,or low and i need to know what to do to troubleshoot this...is it in the turn signal arm or somewhere else? ford dealership parts dept has no idea, 3) i hate the headlamps all faded and yes i've tried to bring them back but i would like to find some aftermarket clear lenses as soon as i get the high beam problem resolved...
i am in southern california and when i get these few problems resolved i would like to find an offroad club to take the squirrel on an easy offroad adventure to really try it out but with the safety of help if it fails...i have already had it in the light sand dunes of the high desert, it would have done better with wider tires, i had it in the snow and the tires loved the ice...so far it's been a blast...
... did i say i have had several ford f-250's over the years and still have one, my big truck, but they all take a back seat to my first real little truck...i love the gas milage, i love that it does 75 with the air on and i get 21-22 mpg on the highway and i've got it set up so i can enjoy it...i do miss having a passing gear...
now if i could figure out how to load a pic for you i would show you my truck, lmao...
i hope you will enjoy my ranger enthusiasim and will help me with this minor but headbanging problems...tty soon, l8r
 



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...Above is one of my first entry's to this board and I must say, without the Explorer Forum I would just have not had as much fun with my vehicles as I have...This place, it's people, and especially the Moderator's rock...Thanks You for all your help...;)

...It's been 9 mo.'s since I registered my ranger on this great board so I guess it's time to do an update to my ranger registry...All the work done to this truck was done between March '07 when I joined the board, and June '07, when I started my Project X...:D

Stats

Truck 1995 Ranger xl 4x4
D.O.B. 02/95
Nicknamed The Squirrel
Cab Standard cab
Bed Standard bed-6'
Wheelbase 107.9"
Motor 2.3L 4 cylinder w/8 plugs (autolite platinum)
Intake Air K&N drop-in cone filter
Exhaust Custom cut/bent 2.5" catback w/ stock manifold
Tranny Manual 5 spd-M50dr1
Transfer case Manual 1354
Front Differential Dana35-4.10-open
Rear Differential 7.5-4.10-open
Front Coils Stock 2" over w/ F150 coil seats
Rear Springs Stock 2 leaf w/aal's and stock 2" blocks
Shocks Pro-comp ES3000
Tires 32x11.50x15 B.F. Goodrich A/T's
Wheels Stock 15x7" Deerhoof's
Hubs Stock manual Warn hubs
Shackles Custom made 8" O.C. tig welded shackles
Shell Vision-w/carpet and light
Shell Tint From Factory
Carpet kit Custom built by me
Stereo Stock AM/Fm Cassette
Headlights Crystal headlights w/ Sylvania's Holagen Xtra Vision's 9007's
Corners Crystal corners w/ Sylvania Amber's
Trim/Bumper's Paint Krylon Fusion-Gloss Black
Window Tint Cab window's 15%-Ultimate Series-Lifetime warranty
Milage 163,000
MPG 17city/22hwy

...And here are some link's to a couple of it's latest trail runs...
Pismo Beach 6/01/07
Big Bear 1/05/08
Big Bear 12/08/07
CCR '08-Ouray, Co.
Crown King, AZ. 08
Truckhaven '09
Truckhaven Turkey Day '09
Mojave Desert 2010

...These are the links to the mod's that i have done to this truck...
F150 Coil Seat Install w/ Shackles
Painting of Trim
How to: Interior Lites on-Door Ajar
Ranger Bed Carpet Kit
2.3L catback exhaust
7.5/8.8 Rear Axle Bearings
Fuel Filler Hose/Smog and Evap Test

...The "Squirrel" gets some Stealth mods for Truckhaven...

C-clip Eliminator
Hybrid to a true Dana 35 swap w?ARB
Ranger 7.5 to Explorer 8.8 w/Detroit Locker
Optima 34/78 with Ballistic Box
The Squirrel goes under the knife
Seriously getting Ready for an Expedition
Getting more out of the 2.3L
8.8 Drum to Disc Swap


96 Ranger manual with fuse and Relay Diagrams


Thank You for taking the time to check out my Little Truck...
...This picture is of my Ranger when I first posted and the only mods I had done in this picture was add the shell...This picture was taken on a job I was doing up in Joshua Tree in July '06 right after I bought it...The tires on it were Uniroyal Range Rover 31x10.50x15's and the lift was stock 2" from Ford...;)
pickuplot5003oh3.jpg

...This was when i started on my suspension...This pic is with the rear coilovers 04/07 (no longer on)
maindiderd11zr1.jpg

...Fishing up in Big Bear...08/07...Shortly after I built the carpet kit..
bigbear025wt0.jpg

bigbear027ud4.jpg


...As the Ranger looks now and since May of '07..
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...These are some pictures of my ranger out playing and a couple flex shots...
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img3598mediumwe1.jpg

mudrocksnow049is6pa5.jpg


...Recent pics out on trail from the CCR '08 run...

...Near Moab Utah...
ccr024ml9.jpg


...Above Ouray Colorado...
ccr236ju7.jpg


...As it currently looks...:shifty_ey ..before the rock rash...
DSC_2232.jpg

DSC_2198.jpg
 
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...and some random shots in the snow...

deco7wboomer583fa5.jpg

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deco7wboomer060vf1.jpg

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attachmentij2.jpg

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East John Bull
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White Mountain
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...and one of my favorites, going thru deep, icy, water...:D
deco7wboomer098og9.jpg
 
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Sweet! It looks like you had a great time with it offroad in Big Bear.
 






...thats what i got her for originally...going thru the mountains and getting to the hard to find, fishing holes...i must say this last trip was probably the best for me up there as i had a guide and a couple locals, with capable vehicles in case i got into problems...
...the ranger was a champ and did great...no tow strap needed on this trip and it was a really great trip...:thumbsup:
 






...and i found these pics...these are from the pismo run in june right after i bought my Project X and had it towed to my shop, i went on this run...i had just completed all my mods to my ranger...:D

pismo1012ca5.jpg

pismo1019wb2.jpg

pismo1024pu3.jpg
 






Speaking of which, i have been feeling the need to get back up to pismo. Something has got to be done about that.
 






Speaking of which, i have been feeling the need to get back up to pismo. Something has got to be done about that.

I would be too but right now? alittle too cold i think......brrrrrr;)
 






nice truck tbars definitely one of my favorites what kind of top did you put on it?
 






ahhh i remember before i met you, all i knew was your ranger (being it was your avatar) before i met you, i forgot you even had an explorer.

nice to see your truck getting love again. im starting to think about getting an old 2.3 ranger for gas mileage.


pismo sounds good.im trying to figure out when we're going to glamis this year. maybe after t-haven
 












nice truck tbars definitely one of my favorites what kind of top did you put on it?

...my shell is a vision...it is one maker under about 4 different names...

...right now my little truck is hating me...the alternator harness took a dump and i can't figure out why(see pics above)...:rolleyes:...and i am waiting on a harness that shipped today from kbabiak...took it to the carwash monday and sprayed her down for times...now it only looks like i went mudding locally and it is still oosing mud...around xmas time i will have time to clean it and hopefully wax it as it got plenty of trail pinstriping...unless, i run up to big bear again for the next snow in a couple weeks...i'm to busy next week to go and they are predicting snow then...:D
 
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Very Nice Truck....Dang, we need a Drooling smiley!!! ;)
 






...thank you...i'm just dreading cleaning it up in the spring to reveal how much fun i've had in it this winter...:D
 






...updated and done....for now...:D
 






Thats a good lookin ranger ya got there Tbars
 






...thank you, it's one of my all time favorite vehicles...but i think i will need to get another one in the future to save this one from trail damage since it's my daily driver...:D
 






Very clean Ted!

So this is your other vehicle huh? I've only seen the other one, you know.. the one with the mismatched maroon fender :p:. Or I guess what used to be a maroon fender.
 






...half of the ranger is rattle can paint too....if you look at my trim paint link you will see it turned out ok too...the project X had both eb maroon fenders which the previous owner slapped on so he could sell the glass fenders before i got it but, seeing as how they were your favorite :p: , i thought i would post this just for you...:D
thposer4fj6.jpg
 



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