Completed Project Kirby's 1991 Ranger Build Up

I haven't posted much here since I sold my 1993 Mazda Navajo around 2010 or 2011. It was 10 years in the making and finally to a solid, reliable state. I had some other priorities and decided to sell it and get something more versatile. I will include some pictures below of its developing states and final state when I sold it below. In the end, it had 37" MTRs, Arb front, detroit rear, 4.56 gears, D and D doubler and I built all the armor and the Dana 44 front Solid Axle Swap.

James duff 3.5" VR coil lift, 235" defender tires and a home made heavy ugly bumper (around 2000 when I bought it) :

2001 with 33x10.50s and James duff 4.5" lift with extended radius arms, manual hubs and new auto tranny:

Here it is just after the SAS with 34s and a swapped in manual tcase and tranny:

Winching out of Mikeys hot tub circa 2002 or so

Stuck on a tree just after 37s

37s, winch bumper rebuild etc

Final State Explorerforum moab trip 2010

Last Poser Shots

I hear it still gets around Colorado and Utah and I have had buddies call me with airings from time to time.

I have had a few rangers and one explorer since I sold my explorer.
Here are some pics of those:

Beat up 1994 Ranger 2.4l ($250)

Traded 1993 Ranger 4.0l and an abused auto tranny

1991 Manual Tcase and Tranny Explorer Sport

We have also had a ton of cool Jeeps. Here are a couple of pics, along with our current Jeep which we are hanging on to:

2005 unlimited Rubicon Sahara 5.7 L Hemi

2005 unlimited Rubicon 35s and 4" lift

Our Current 2005 Unlimited Rubicon 4" Lift 315 Kevlars

It does great grocery getter, family truckster, and occasional wekend wheeler, but I need a truck and I miss my exploder, so I decided to build a Ranger. However, I want to build it a little different this time.

I have always wanted to build a 1989-1992 ranger, so I spent a considerable amount of time looking for a low mile one with the right engine, tranny and tcase in good shape. 4.0l, m5od and 1354M stock. My explorer ended up with this combo, but started out as an auto tranny and tcase. This made for a ton of modifications and headaches with my explorer. Rangers can be had in many other undesirable configurations because they were available with 3 different v6s in 1989-92 and a 4cylinder. It proved to be a difficult task. Finally in the fall of 2012 I picked this one up. A 1991 4.0l manual tranny and transfer case 4x4 extended cab "mountain States Edition. It had 130k on it and ran great. The paint was toast, it had a rusty bed and (my biggest complaint) it had no factory air.

I drove it for a year until I was ready to have it painted. I fixed a bunch on it- thermostat, muffler, wheel bearings, brakes, had a new headliner installed, etc. When I got a quote for the paint (one solid color and fix the dings) it was 2k. So then I started thinking I better look for a different ranger to build! I settled on this one. It too is a 1991, it has air (huge plus after not having it in my other truck all summer), manual case and tranny and everything else and a 4.0. The body is really straight no rust and the interior is super nice. The odo read 83k and I believed it.

Since then I tracked down the original and only owner to find it has 183 k on it and they were all hwy miles. The only complaints I have is I wish it had the other mirrors and pop out extended cab windows. I can deal with those, though. This truck has been taken care of.

First order of business was a tune up, brakes and leaky valve cover gaskets.

The build plan is pretty simple: build it similar to how my explorer ended up, with out all the half builds in between. It took me a lot of work and money to get my explorer to preform well off-road and on the street and be reliable. On this one I want to skip all the poor performing, cheapskate half steps I took with the explorer.

My goal is to end up with a reliable, daily drive able, off-road capable ranger that will make a great driver, great work truck and great expo vehicle. I like the idea of a truck over a explorer sport because I need to haul dirt bikes and Sheetrock and plywood and all kinds of stuff all the time so I always needed a pickup when I had the explorer even though I wanted to drive the explorer all the time. Hopefully this will do both functions well.

So far, I have installed:

A blue tooth pioneer stereo (replacing the stock tape deck)

A optima yellow top

A Black grill and headlight bezels along with new headlights:

The only body work it needs is the topper it had on it was put on with a loose and poorly placed clamp that rubbed a hole in the bed cap. I will weld it up and hopefully add a LineX bedliner over the top

I purchased a Dana 44 out of a 76 f150 with no guts or outers for a $50 bill. I still have my spare warn premium hubs off my ex, and I plan to build this one stout before I put it in and leave it full width but move the c bushings in about 2" per side. I will likely then run stock style f150 wheels with stock backspacing and 35s or 37s as skinny as I can find. It will get a full rebuild and at least 4.88s, maybe 5.13s. I am not decided on radius arms yet. I suppose extended ones are on the bill instead of the stock wristed ones I had before, but I haven't sorted that out yet. The wrist traveled fine but it clunked and made a racket and it was also a pain to get out and pull the pin when it was time to wheel. Extended arms won't perform quite as well on the street as the stock length ones did with the pin in, but longer arms should stream line things.

For the rear I will rebuild a full width late model 31 spline 8.8 put of a bronco or f150 and install explorer disk brakes. I will likely need to have the axle flanges turned down and drill the rotors for the new bolt pattern.

I will extend the wheel base around 3" by moving the front axle forward and leave the rear axle centered in the wheel well. I plan to leave the bed size stock as I need the truck to haul stuff all the time. I will build bumpers and sliders before I beat it up this time.

Stay Tuned, I am picking up the front axle tomorrow.

 

[Kirby N.]

The longer front driveshaft could be really helpful though- it is about at its limit at full droop currently. Rear shaft is super long with no carrier bearing too.

 

[Kirby N.]

Haven’t gotten to work on the doubler yet. Still wondering about the electrical issues I had earlier this year.

So I worked on a toolbox.

I have been running a rubbermaid or craftsman tub behind my seat for years. Need something to hold the tire chains, yankum rope, shackles, snatch block winch remote jumper cables, etc. the floor behind the seat in a super cab isn’t flat. So I have had a craftsman tool kit in front of the bump and the tool bin on top. Well it slides around, it breaks because of the weight and it isn’t really efficient with the space. And if I need a tool out of the kit, I have to unload the 200 lbs bin.

So I decided to fix that. This is a project I have been thinking about for at least 5 years.

I have been running no jump seat on the drivers side for years. It just seems I will never need it.

I Started by building a platform with legs from 3/4 square tube 1/8 wall. This will allow me to access the craftsman tool set without unloading the bin above it.

It attaches to the seat belt bolts in the front for the middle front seat and the drivers seat. In the rear I recessed it and used one of the bolts for the jump seat. 3 good attachment points should be enough.

Next I built front and middle sides. I have to make sure they follow the trim closely so I don’t have problems with them sealing to the cab walls.

They are all clamped in place. Next I tacked the whole thing together. The I made sure the seat fit nicely- it does. Takes away my recline, but I haven’t used it in years with the tub behind. If I am on a trip and need to sleep I move to the passenger seat.

I got the top cut but I am trying to figure out doors and latches and hinges so I didn’t tack the top on.

 

[Paul]

That is an awesome project - - been thinking of a similar plan for my Ranger, but carpeted wood instead of steel (can't weld...).

Any concerns with you, tools, and fuel all on the driver side? Guessing no as you've been running this set-up for a while.

Great work.

Paul

 

[Turdle]

That's nice.
Make a lid, throw a subwoofer in the lid. Stick small sockets and bits to the magnet ring.

 

[Kirby N.]

That is an awesome project - - been thinking of a similar plan for my Ranger, but carpeted wood instead of steel (can't weld...).

Any concerns with you, tools, and fuel all on the driver side? Guessing no as you've been running this set-up for a while.

Great work.

Paul

You calling me fat?

Yeah, my dad said the same. It’s pretty heavy with all my stuff and now a toolbox out of 1/8”.

Probably should have done the other side but I like the fold and tumble on the passenger side and I am trying to preserve one jump seat to use if I need it.

I built a wooden box for my exploder and it really takes up so much more space. The material is so thick with plywood. So I think this will be more durable and a better use of the limited space.

 

[Paul]

You calling me fat?

Nope . . .

Same thing with my Sport - - me, fuel tank and bumper-mounted spare tire all on the driver side of the vehicle - - so always try to load the heavier gear on the passenger side, especially in the cargo area. . .

Again, great work.

P.S. Cool grab handle, didn't know the older Rangers had this.

Paul

 

[Josh P]

You calling me fat?

There's a conversation starter.

 

[Kirby N.]

P.S. Cool grab handle, didn't know the older Rangers had this.
View attachment 456936

Paul

That is actually the handle for a cargo cover thing behind the seats. My sport had something similar for the cargo area in The back. It unrolls a vinyl material and conceals the area behind the front seats.

 

[Kirby N.]

I made some more progress on the toolbox today. Started cutting doors in it.

It’s going to have a couple partitioned out compartments that will hold smaller stuff like my winch controller, air line and various recovering things- d rings and chain links, maybe even a tree strap and snatch block.. I also got some hinges and latches from McMaster-Carr.