Completed Project Kirby's 1991 Ranger Build Up

[DB_1]

Good deal...glad you got it worked out

Harbor freight has a decent looking cart that has drawers I've been eyeballing for awhile. Might be able to pick one up cheap during the holiday season.

 

[section525]

Looking good, Kirby! I was just in your area again for T-day. I'm thinking of buying a house I like it so much there!

 

[Kirby N.]

Let me know if you move out section. It seems like homes are moving fast right now.

I have been enjoying the ranger, but the speedometer quit a few weeks ago. It bounced around a bunch reading random things then just quit at pegged. Idk what the deal is. I have tried to do some research but there doesn't seem to be much out there on it. The odometer works fine, so it's not the cable. It must be internal. Maybe a gear in the cluster? Does anyone have any ideas for me?

Tia

 

[timtimtimajim]

It might be the gear in the transfer case for the speedometer. It's located at the back of the transfer case where the driveshaft connects in. The gear is only plastic so it's very likely it stripped out or broke.

 

[Kirby N.]

I will check that. I swapped in a new one recently to compensate for the tires and gears. I don't think it is that because the odometer and cruise control work fine.

 

[timtimtimajim]

Well if it's not the gear it would have to be something with the cluster. Maybe the connection between the cable and the speedometer. I can't remember exactly how the two are connected, but I do know the connection can go bad. I have a buddy with an Aerostar and he has the same issue you're having. He said it had to do with the connection between the cable and speedometer.

 

[Kirby N.]

I ripped out the cluster and dropped it off at the local speedo shop. He said it is really common for fords and likely needs a jewel and a magnet. $95.

I got to use my welder too. Almost got the jeep bumper done before I ran out of gas. That's a new sensation for me.

 

[josh40601]

I changed all the fluids in the ranger and raised the breather hoses in prep for hunting. Then last week, I really put the ranger through its paces. 5.5 hours of highway at 80 mph, then snow/ mud wheeled all week, then drove it home at 80 mph another 5.5 hours. I even got to yank out a jk on 37s who was stuck. You can't tell from this pic but it has all 4s chained up due to the 24" deep snow up high. The ranger performed flawlessly.

I didn't kill an elk, but I got to shoot at a few and my buddy Phil murdered a cow.

On the way home I picked up my daughter at my parents and cycled the suspension in my favorite spot I have used since I was 12 with my blazer. The driveshaft still hits a little bit but it is a simple trim. She flexes excellent. (Excuse the hunting mud. I did wash the front so I could see out to drive home)

Unfortunately I need to do some more trimming. Or some bump stops. Or both.

The rear:

The front:

I also broke my inside door handle. So I have to roll the window down and use the outside handle. Lame!

A note on the bumps vs trimming... My ranger had the same problem, and ended up collapsing both sides of the bed and the edges of the fenders, and I blame this on not having bumps. With bumps, it will limit your up travel, and allow the front and rear suspensions to flex, providing much more down travel. This is one thing I will be working on with the revised version of the truck.

As far as the rest of the truck goes, very nicely done. I even like the bronco alcoas! such a nicely done simple ride.


What are your plans for transfer case? Is duffy still around? Sorry if you already covered this in the thread

 

[Kirby N.]

The bumper is done:

I mounted up my cheap winch with the integrated solenoid that wouldn't fit my ranger too.

I drove the ranger to x games in Aspen this weekend.

It was a 3 hour drive. The truck got up to 17 mpg. But then for much of it I was going fast so it was wrapped out. Those times it got 13 or so.

According to my gps I broke triple digits in my crawler. That was fun. It's fine at that speed but a little wound.

Lastly before the trip I did a throttle cable mod I read about on another forum. Basically, you add zip ties to the end of your throttle cable to remove the slack a stretched cable causes. Then you get wot again. It really woke my truck up. I can't believe I have never heard of this mod.

 

[BKennedy]

I have had mine up to about 85, but only before any modifications with the TTB and after the SAS. It's amazing how stable a radius armed solid axle is, even with large tires and long coils.

 

[Kirby N.]

A note on the bumps vs trimming... My ranger had the same problem, and ended up collapsing both sides of the bed and the edges of the fenders, and I blame this on not having bumps. With bumps, it will limit your up travel, and allow the front and rear suspensions to flex, providing much more down travel. This is one thing I will be working on with the revised version of the truck.

As far as the rest of the truck goes, very nicely done. I even like the bronco alcoas! such a nicely done simple ride.


What are your plans for transfer case? Is duffy still around? Sorry if you already covered this in the thread

Thank you. I am really happy with the truck. The rims were hard to find, but ended up costing me $20 a piece and I have 5 from the local pick and pull.

I do plan on bumping it at some point. I haven't decided how or where I am going to get the funds. I like bkennedys jounce cans and I am leaning that way at the moment. I am not sure how I will do the rear and the front is really tight space wise so it will take some thought. I would still really like to do fiberglass and paint. We will see though.

I have no plans for another tcase right now. The 1354 manual in it will be fine for now. I won't be doing another doubler if I do change the tcase. After all the extra work and extra cost associated with the last d and d doubler I decided if I had to do it again it would be an atlas. But, again it's money and the 1354 is just fine right now.

 

[BKennedy]

For the rear bumps, I have had the same set of Daystars for many years and they are not showing any wear. They contact the U-bolt plate and are mounted to the stock location. In my build thread, page 44, post 874 are some pics when I dropped the bumps a little.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=387037&page=44

 

[josh40601]

looks like a great trip! Fastest I've ever had the Ranger was a little over 80. I drove 75-80 in it everyday when it was still powered by the worn out 4-o.

 

[Kirby N.]

For the rear bumps, I have had the same set of Daystars for many years and they are not showing any wear. They contact the U-bolt plate and are mounted to the stock location. In my build thread, page 44, post 874 are some pics when I dropped the bumps a little.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=387037&page=44

Cool. The stock position is the same spot on the frame rail for the ranger above the axle, but the springs are outboard of the frame. So the bump will actually miss the spring pack. Which is fine except it will have to reach all the way down to the axle. I don't know if it will reach that far. I will have to do some flexing and measuring.

 

[josh40601]

what about just putting a bump stop on the end of a tube, and putting the tube where you want it? Could even sleeve it, drill holes in the side of the tubes, and have an adjustable BS. That's the plan for the Ranger's rear to keep the tires out of the bedsides this time around

 

[Kirby N.]

That is pretty much how I did the explorer many years ago. Here is a couple of pics:

Actually welded a cap on the end of a pipe Union then bolted the bump on there and screwed it on to the tube.

I didn't like that it wasn't progressive and it wasn't tunable. Last resort I will do the same, but I prefer to build in some adjustment and use a progressive bump of sorts.

 

[josh40601]

I didn't like that it wasn't progressive and it wasn't tunable. Last resort I will do the same, but I prefer to build in some adjustment and use a progressive bump of sorts.

Ahh, now I understand.

 

[BKennedy]

I originally had the bumps for the front in nearly the same location you had on your Explorer, and the same bumps. I made them adjustable by making up some screw in spacers that were in 1/2", 1" and 1-1/2" lengths. When I got the length correct, I welded them together.

 

[Kirby N.]

I have been busy. I sleeved and gusseted my buddies '13 jkr front axle. That was a fun project.

I got the ranger out and stretched its legs last night. The driveshaft is still making contact on the gas tank skid, but further back. I modded it further back and now it is barely touching the front on full articulation. I need to deal with that again I guess.

Pics of the stretching

Front at full stuff:

That is pretty much all the front shocks have. The front definitely has more travel and travels with less effort then the rear. However, I am really happy with the travel on the rear. It actually travels even with the very light rear end. I got it to lift a rear tire. I have yet to lift a front.

 

[Kirby N.]

I borrowed my moms Honda pioneer sxs this weekend for youth camp. The golf carts wasn't going to cut it in the blizzard that was forecasted. It barely fit in the ranger, but it fit!

My pops and my dog thought it fit.

I used my winch about 15 times this weekend. I pulled people in everything from a Mercedes to a Nissan Leaf.

It was a blast. And my winch mount held up ok in current form.

The toughest pull was this:

1 ton van loaded up with all our sound gear pulling a little enclosed trailer. I had to pull it all the way up a hill.

This is when it was almost out and at the top- my winch was spooling up too thick on one side so I am spooling it out a little and I'll keep pulling.

It kept pulling my truck across the road, so I had to anchor it up.

Good times! I would have anchored with a chain but I left my other one in the jeep so my 30k strap worked ok.