Word to the wise: Old used vehicles will pretty much never have anything but very minimal surface rust if you buy them from the Southwest where the roads aren't salted. Cali, Arizona (Phoenix auctions have alllll kinds of stuff) New Mexico, Utah and less so Colorado. You'll get dry rot on hoses, bushings etc. but other than that they're champs.
Hah. ya. I grew up in California. Didn't leave til I was 39. (locals don't say "Cali" btw haha). Didn't know any better when I bought this truck up here. but that's the last time I buy anything up here. CA or AZ all the way.
@@rayregnogarage Fair enough, I'm from New Mexico and I tend to call it Commiefornia so that's a bit different. It was more a PSA and less a comment at you, looks like you learned the hard way unfortunately.
So thankful to have stumbled upon your video! I’ve actually just started a ranger build myself! Your ‘99 build is exactly what I’m heading toward with my ‘08 Ranger!!
Nice. Does your 08 have coil springs or torsion bars? I kinda wanna get another one for my San Diego garage. Didn't realize there was so much demand for Ranger stuff. When we were building these 20 years ago we didn't think to video anything.
Stronghold Garage mine has torsion bars! Right now I’ve got it torn apart cleaning up the chassis! I wish you guys would have taken videos as well, would’ve been awesome to see a bunch of college aged guys like my buddies and I building their rigs! Hopefully I’ll get some build videos up myself once I get the new transmission in it! I’ve got a locker in the rear also!
Oh man. I'm super jealous of that 5.0. I was looking at my motor the other day and it was clearly rebuilt. The odometer says 230k miles but it's going strong and sounds good. It's a little damp on the bottom though the oil levels are good. Would love to put a 5.0 in it when this 4.0 goes out.
@@rayregnogarage I found it on accident, had a miata I was getting some work done on, saw the ranger and always loved the 2nd gens and it was in the smurf blue, 2" lift on 31's and I just had to have it, THEN the mechanic said ithad a 5.0 and I traded the car for it. Has 3.73 rear end and is an absolute riot. And with LS swaps being so popular now, the old 5.0's are so cheap to get now, I can't recommend the swap enough. I tow my firebird to the drag strip with it and man if you do any kind of towing and hauling, it does so much better than the V6's. Never saw your channel before but your videos rock, I sub'd real quick bro!
@@rayregnogarage I'm stationed in NC and so there's not really much in the way of desert running, so we wait until weekend's and go hit the tank trails all through base. Guys take all kinds of stuff out there and theres a baja miata. I have no idea what size tires hes got but they look like stock 90's ranger/S10 size BFG T/A. It's lifted 2" and has the fenders cut out. It's such an awesome car, I would also love to do one some day haha
Got a 2002 double cab XLT, in 4WD low range with street pressure m/s tyres, it climbs up hills I wouldn’t have thought possible. Once I’m more settled, I’m definitely lifting it and putting some proper tyres on
Already hit the sub button! I gotta 96 Ranger w/ the 3.0 Vulcan v6. 4x4 w/ a 5 speed manny. Id love to rebuild the suspension and you’ve giving me some inspiration to finally get to work. I’ve only swapped out the factory shocks with skyjacker mono tube shock absorbers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep up the awesome content!
Currently have a mild toyota that I beat the hell out of 3 days of the week had a Ranger before. Gonna beam the toyota. Can't go wrong. In the Hi-Desert.
Hey I've got a 97 in about the same stage as your 95, big-ish tires and a cheap lift. Please keep up the videos as I'm wondering what the next steps I should take to truly make it an off-roader. Thanks for the great content!
Thanks!!! Cheap lift will only get you so far, but I’m hoping to show how you can make it an ok off road rig. haha. Right now she needs new shocks and I wanna ditch the lift block in the rear and put real springs on it. Stay tuned!!!
So that last truck that’s in the video is that on 33’s? Also I’m from Spokane and the orv parks fun but there’s some trails in Spokane that are alot more fun up by the mt. Spokane area
1983. 302 / C6 / NP 205.4 inch Front leaf swap with Dana 44 and solid spool. 8.8 rear with factory blocks removed ,used 1986 Chevy 1/2 ton U bolts on sky jacker 6 inch leaves. Rough country shocks with Detroit locker. 4.10 gear ratio. 12.50 35 Baja claw TTC. On 8 inch rock rims. Door bars and no dash with interior roll cage. It works and less than 6 thousand dollars. 😁
ok this vid is perfect timing as I just bought a good condition 93 ranger with beam front end which I want to turn into a pre-runner/crawler. I currently have a set of 33s on it "cough" "cough" no lift kit but I pulled wheels off my old bronco before my father sold it on me , I do have a bronco2 that I used the radiator from and other parts which also has beam set up. I do have a lot of knowledge of off-roading but its my first actual project other then my 02 dodge ram 2500 with a sway bar delete and 4:10 gears and 35s that is a great truck the out flexes 99% of stock trucks like it. I will check out your channel and sub
I live in Spokane and have ridden motorcycles around that ORV park. I've got a stock '95 Mazda B3000 (basically a Ford Ranger) and would love to take it out there.
QUESTION EN EVERY IMPOUND THEY SUPPOSED TO SALE TRUCKS AND CARS ANY KIND OF VEHICLE CORRECT WHY IN SOME OTHER COUNTYS THEY SAID THEY DON'T SALE THE VEHICLES THEY IMPOUND FROM POOR PEOPLE THAT COPS TAKE AWAY FOR HAVEN NO LICENSE
After my last ranger got destroyed parked out front of my house I've been wanting another one to build out for offroading. Now that it would be a third vehicle for our household I think I can convince the wife to let me do it so long as I don't break the budget...
$1500 bucks!!!....have you been on Craigslist lately??? I got Tacoma guys giving me props on my Junky old Wampa! 97 3.0 4x4 on 31s (you really got me considering breaking out the angle grinder for those front fenders)
Have a 98 explorer sport (ranger with a box) 31bfg mt on cragar soft 8s .410s coil over shocks rear lifted slightly rear front tt to match. I want to do the trim and NOT do a body lift. Willing to do the front solid axle swap and flip the rear axle to under the springs, but I want 35s that I can jump and not have any clearance issues. In other words. Please do these fender flares already so I know how I want to do mine:P such an honest build. No bs. Stay within your knowledge level (obviously you know a thing or two) not trying to over explain. Keep the post coming. Even if the views don’t add up the inspiration you give the many young bucks attempting this for the first time or the veteran who just wants to make it work. Keep it up buddy.
Thanks! So you ditched the torsion bars on the front and switched to a coilovers? Must have taken a bunch of fab work. Got any pics or video on it? 35s is ambitious on that truck. Have you considered fiberglass? Not sure if they do that for the rears though. I’ve seen rear fenders for the four door EXs tho.
@@rayregnogarage I don’t have pics yet. I haven’t done the SAS (solid axle swap) yet. The coil overs are just for lift in rear. Almost 2” on stock height. Super stiff so I’ll probably swap to being under spring instead of under over. I am very much considering doing the fiberglass. I’ve done some carbon work too. It was just labor when I did both so not sure the actual difference in price but it’s not too hard. It’s just Super time consuming. I’m contemplating making new fender panels with integrated flares. If I do this. I “May” try to take a newer bronco/maverick grill and headlight assembly and try to blend it into the explorer. If that happens it will be poly where my glass is now and I’ll Swiss cheese the rest of the car for weight reduction and glass or fiber the spots if I can take 1000 pounds off this thing (my goal) I don’t need any more horses from my motor. If I can’t do that I will also add a small turbo/ snorkel setup I’ve drawn up. Won’t be as efficient as it could but 6-7 pounds of boost just to squeeze a lil more power. . Idk why I love this thing. I’ve had sport cars, huge trucks, lifted jeeps. This 98 explorer sport is a bad *****. I off-road with a kid with a lifted Chevy bison and go places he can’t. Went playing in the snow with a lifted raptor, showed him what midrange power and proper gearing does for off-roading. He was digging holes and sliding with little throttle control. Most new trucks are all or nothing. Not going wide open throttle like you said is the way an adult drives. You get older and realize off-roading is an art/competition not necessarily a race. I’m going to see if my buddy has his 35s tnt. Put em on. Jack up turn lower check blah blah. Try to slam it into wheel well measure etc. if I can keep my IFS and not do SAS I’d prefer it not just for sake of ease but also for the control a IFS offers, death wobble follows solid axle swaps in time. . The fab work for the front is extensive like you said. There are kits that make it WAY easier but I’m not dropping the money. I’ve also considered doing what you did. Saving the plastic and chopping it in several spots and glass it back together. Would look factory. Really mess with Ford guys lol.
@@bt4291 very cool that you can do carbon. Make sure to send me links to pics and stuff once you get it all going. Would love to see it. I still want a go fast truck. Will probably build another ranger or even a 2wd 4runner might be fun just for variety. . It's still in my blood. lol. I'm a lover of all motor sports. Trophy Trucks and Rock Crawlers are two different animals and I like them both. I like the EX sport because of the shorter wheel base.. makes it nicer for tight trails and climbing stuff. It's all about being purposeful in the build and building it for what you want to conquer. it's all fun!
@@rayregnogarage you have great vibes man. Truly seem like a good dude. I respect speed and those who pursue it for sure. I’ve seen north of 160mph multiple times (not my x) and I think that desire has faded for me with the years. Fun though undoubtedly. 4 runners are amazing as are their big brothers the sequoias. And they are based off the tundra part system so large load bearing parts selection and frame from the beginning. My brother has a built sequoia I work on. Just 33x12.5 shoes but that’s really all that vehicle needs with a little lift. The capability stock is really enough for anything besides real rock crawling and what needs to be done is easy ( even a long arm runner setup). Plus the 4.7 is a peppy motor IMO with minor work. Chip, ignition, exhaust (the sound adds hp right? Jk) it does wonders. Just goin on the tangent because I was sizing up a four runner and sequoia side by side the other day the size difference in negligible. But the moving components are much beefier with the sequoia. I did a 2wd 99jeep grand Cherokee for a while on 32x10.5 with 2” lift trimming/hammering welds in wheel well. And a poor kids version of extended bump stops (i used old mounts for a sway bar. So had a hole in center to squish). The lift made the ride stiffer anyway and the bump stops actually worked very well they ripped with time but took a couple years. Those things are about as easy as anything to work on. Super simple and the unibody is strong. I jumped mine A LOT and to the point in reverse hit a 3’ jump so hard I cracked the windshield landing from the body torquing. New glass no issue. I put 430k on the motor, high mileage when I bought it but cheap reliable easy mod idea. Everyone HAD one. No one really did them rally or prerunner. At least over here east coast.
@@rayregnogarage also if you can do fiber glass you can do carbon for sure. You have a good foresight of what you want. That’s the important part. It’s just layers of mat resined together. You start at (depending on # of layers, angle of desired grain appearance, structural needs, etc at an angle typically 22.5 or 45 degrees off from each respective layer depending. Finishing it clear is the hardest part but not far off from fiber glass work. It’s truly just as easy and is way stronger. I’ve played making small crush pieces to see how strong it was and it’s always impressed me more and more. It’s always heavier than I think it should be but I may just not be super good at keeping it tight, the product is thicker, I’m just totally wrong lmao. But it’s very strong. I recommend you try it out. People just lay over panels. Make a shell, remove panel, and apply shell. With a few caveats but... like that.
I'm about 50/50 San Diego and Spokane. There's nothing really nearby. You have to drive out to Ocotillo Wells, Lucerne Valley, or Barstow. That's where we spent most of our weekends back in the day.
I just purchased the truck a few weeks ago. I think you've inspired me to start a series as well. Be cool to show people you can do stuff on a budget. I'm going overlander with a twist I guess you could say with mine. Who know maybe we can collaborate on a video in the future!!
Was just telling my wife that a couple minutes ago. I spent $8000 on my front suspension on my first ranger. So far I'm only $200 in on this one. lol. Still tons of fun. This green ranger will be the budget-friendly build. Budget parts, budget tools. I may start another project that's an all-out project, but later down the line.
Thats rad! Its crazy how budget friendly these trucks are.. how happy are you with the ride of the rough country springs? Im looking at the sky jacker stuff as well..
They ride okay. I still have the 25 year old factory shocks which I’m pretty sure are doing next to nothing. I want to get a pair of longer Bilstein 5100s and see if that helps. I’ll do an install and review soon
Ha. Thanks. I’m Filipino. My parents looked young til one day they suddenly didn’t. It happened out of nowhere. I’ll probably look like this til I’m 60 and then immediately look 80. hahah
Looking forward to your content... also a lot of knowledge spilled into this I have an 04 ranger I wanna start building and I hope you can direct me to groups thank you also I’m in Nevada in Las Vegas
Subbed & Liked recently bought 2 4.0 rangers that im slowly building the one im currently working on has a collapsed spindle so im trying to remedy this currently!
A brand new truck when you were nineteen years oldmust have been nice I'm 50 years old and could never afford a brand new truck I guess working on a family was too important
Nice, I cant wait to go offroading in my 96 ranger 4wd. Mine has the 3.0 v6. I just finished rebuilding the front end of the car, as the radius arms and spring hoops had almost rusted completely through. Where were you in this video?
And ya...that’s kind of what I’m afraid of with this truck. I don’t want some rusty part completely disintegrating on me. Looks like the rear spring hangers are rusting through. I’ll be relaxing those soon when I get new rear springs and flip the shackle.
I'm rebuilding the stock chassis components on a 97 mountaineer... I'm gonna give it 28*10.5 inch tires on 15 inch rims and gabriel shocks. And an ACDelco steering rack. Past that I'm gonna beef up the motor and transmission. As of I have 3.73 gears but I'm thinking about 4.11s. Cam is 448 thousandths intake and exhaust with 1.5:1 rocker arms instead of 1.6... Good duration but not much overlap. I'm hoping for 320 horse and 350 ft*lbs in the low range, redline at 5k down from 5250. It should top out around 110-120, but really I'm looking for off road racing ability so that's not bad. With a 2400 stall converter it'll move pretty quick. I'm getting an AWD Tcase with a low range and lockers. I've run the hell out of the platform stock, 60-70 mph at echo basin in colorado and 45 through a packed junkyard. I pushed to 55 and wiped out on a jump. Nothing broke but I got sideways and wrecked. I'm hoping with the suspension and lift modifications (11.5 inches of travel and a +3 inch spring pack with the torsion bars tightened in the front) that I can push 45-50 through 60-75 degree corners and 90-100 straightline through some basic terrain. Prerunner level. Any comments or advice? It seems up to the task but my suspension is shot so I don't know quite how far it can be pushed.
@@rayregnogarage It's an AWD drivetrain running off a 4R70w transmission. It's sitting on fords 1/4 ton A-arm suspension in the front and it has an 8.8 inch Sterling rear end with leaf springs. I've only looked at the beam arm front end so far.
nice man i got an 03 tacoma and im thinking about doing mid travel then when i get some money ill get a long travel kit. Love the ranger tho. only ford truck i really like. dont get me wrong some f150s are pretty nice though especially the old ones
Nice! I had an 03 double cab prerunner with swayaway coilovers as my daily when I had the long traveled blue ranger. I miss that truck. Wish I never sold it. Which kit are you getting?
I have a 97 ford ranger 2wd. What long travel suspension do you recommend for the front/rear? Do they sell complete kits? I’m trying to do a budget build. I have tube bender and welder to make a cage for the rear. Any advice would be appreciated!
"long travel" and "budget build" don't really go together. haha. Camburg used to be my go-to, but they don't seem to carry any of the i-beam stuff anymore. Check out solomotorsports.com
I have a new Tacoma and picked up a single cab 2.3 same color lifted on 35s . Not sure wether to make her pretty or just do enough to make it look a little better and use it as a beater since I have my beautiful Taco already. This video I think is helping me make my decision although I love the truck it was only $1700 ac works and runs well. Great videos
Man i really enjoyed this video i just recently bought me a 94 ranger xlt and when u got the speaking about yours, your friends trucks, i started looking at mines and thought to myself ,"that urs and i trucks look identical"even after u started speaking about my county my, hometown san Bernardino.i now stay in the desert,one of the most popular off roading places, with some of the trickiest sand (salton city)right next to salton sea Beach.I really enjoyed the video tho bro great stuff and nice trucks.
Totally off topic,but i thought you said you were in your 40's? Bro,you do not look it at all! I thought you were maybe 30 to be honest with you! Cool video man
Ha. I get that all the time. I was born in 1980. My parents looked like they were in their 30s til they were about 55 and then suddenly looked old. It’s a Filipino thing. haha
Do you mean the green one? It's technically the "oldest" haha. But it's got cats but no muffler. Just straight pipe dumped behind the cab under the bed.
Depends on what you’re doing. If you want a 4x4, I think the TTB is better than the a-arm. The If you want to do more high speed stuff…man it’s a toss up. A arm is more refined but it’s a bit more expensive to build out.
Hey I have no idea if you’ll see this comment, but I have an 07’ ranger sport just like you had (same color too). I’m thinking of throwing on 33s as well and wanted to know if you did a regear?
Do you plan to offroad it? My 99 had 3:55s and it did okay with 33s. It had the 4.0 and manual trans. I ended up swapping the rearend out for one with 4:56 and a locker and it was great. I ran 32s on the 07 with the 3.0 and manual and it was okay. I hear if you have a manual it's not so bad running 33s on the factory gearing... but better to regear if you're going to actually be in the dirt with it
@@rayregnogarage I have the 4.0 automatic with 3.73 gearing. I’m running 265/75/r16 rn and it still has plenty of power, I just wanted to know if that extra inch or so of size would put too much stress on the drivetrain? So far I’ve put that ranger through some river crossings, rock faces, mud pits etc. with no problems at all.
Depends on where you live and how old the truck is, I guess? My Xterra is a 4x4 and manual. That's super rare, especially in CA. Hard to find a manual in any of the new vehicles these days, but I feel like they're more common in the older trucks.
Rough Country. Links to the install videos are in the description of this video. Watch them both. I messed something up in the first video and corrected in the second. Links to the springs I used are in the description of those videos.
hello again and happy new year! just wondering if you ever had the rangers front end aligned yet. and if so, do you remember how many degrees were needed to bring the front end in after installing the taller coil springs. thanks...
@@rayregnogarage dont run too long with whacked out camber as it will eat your tires. but yeah, ball joints are a must. Just pull the knuckles and bring them in and have new ones pressed in. I also suggest pulling the axle shafts and replacing the u-joints as I doubt anyone ever has. most people never do and the best time to do it is when the spindles and knuckles are off. happy trails!
The camber isn’t bad at all. And it’s a beam truck. it’s always gonna have funky tire wear. lol. I’m also considering swapping for wider beams... so that’s why i haven’t been in a hurry to align it. I drive maybe 20 miles a week...if that.
It’s okay. It pops out out of 4hi all the time though. I have to put the shifter somewhere in the middle right before 4lo in order for it to stay engaged.
@@rayregnogarage The popping out of 4hi could be the nylon wear pads on the range select fork. I lost the pads on my 2wd/4wd shift fork and it chewed up the metal so much I just got a whole lower mileage case from a junkyard. I like the manual shift for the fact you can kind of feel what's going on with the shifts and aren't at the mercy of the computer and the electric motor. Low range on the electric shift requires a complete stop, and sometimes 1st/Reverse shifts to get it engaged.
@@rayregnogarage Junkyard case was only $140 at the time, and I was able to swap it in the driveway in under 45 minutes. My original case would have needed new shift forks, and a replacement chain since that was also stretched.
Besides the truck how much did it cost to build I have a 98 3.0 stick I wanna do a build on but I’m only 17 I want it to be kind of be a trail car for northern Michigan
Is your truck a 4wd or 2wd? I'm gonna assume 4wd since you want it for trails. The 4wd and 2wd suspensions are significantly different on the 98-2011 trucks. I don't have a lot of experience building those 4wds. But you CAN get a little bit of lift on the 4x4 for free by just cranking on the torsion bars. I was able to do 32" tires just from doing that on my 2008 Sport. That truck was 2wd but with the 4wd suspension. After that there are some other lift kits on the market. Those average between $1500-$3000 depending on budget
@@rayregnogarage cool cool 4wd thank you for all the help is my first vehicle and all the Ranger guys seem pretty cool so far I love what you did to your truck it’s pretty clean and looks like lots of fun
@@Northwoods_edc Ya it does pretty good for how little I've done to it. There's a reason I' keep coming back to the Ford Ranger after owning and selling two others... They're good trucks.
I have the 4.0 4x4 version of this truck but I’m 16 so I really can’t afford to push the truck really tryna find someone who’s bored with some money and is willing to put an old ranger through it’s paces so I can get a better idea as to what these compact truck can actually do
@@mr.e7261 Ha. I've owned 3 of these trucks, and I've witnessed people brutalizing these things with NO modifications and I can tell you from experience that these trucks can take a beating.
Stronghold Garage I’ve been told that by many many people but how much beating is a lot (the answer is subjective) I want to find somewhere I can see them in person being abused or a video because words are subjective
@@mr.e7261 Find a local club and go offroading with them. That's how I learned about trucks. You'll learn way more from experience than watching videos.
I daily mine. haha. But in Spokane I don’t drive very far. Maybe 5-10 min at most. I will say that it is my least fav to drive on the freeway. The thing wanders all over the place and the steering is vague. might need new tie rods. my previous rangers with the a-arm suspension were WAY more comfortable and predictable.
@@rayregnogarage i would not probably take mine off road or build it for that. Probably would try to build it into more of a street truck. Haha but not one of those extreme trucks that are like 1/2 inch off the grounf
I am very happy I found your video because recently I bought a mostly stock 85 Ranger v6 and a off-road oriented 86 Ranger with a 93 4.0l v6. I still got lots of work to do on the 85 but the 86 is my daily and I am finding lots of very worn parts, mainly the suspension and bushings are first on my list along with everything else that is tired and worn/missing. It drives straight and is great on the road so long as I don't hit any bumps or go over railroad tracks because it loves to pull hard to one side or the other when the weight settles.
@@rayregnogarage I love the square body style too even more so because they can withstand most abuse which is why I'm planning on building it to be even more of a tank.
@@rayregnogarage hopefully soon i can get the suspension fixed so I can start saving for a lift kit so I don't need to worry about bottoming out on my 30 inch tires. What would you recommend for a middle ground quality to cost lift kit?
@@efrencontreras1136 Thats an NRG 320mm suede wheel. it's a little smaller. I didn't like it as much because the suede ink bleeds onto your hands. I also preferred having a slightly bigger wheel. Here's the link to that wheel: amzn.to/3mzjg6n
Thanks! I haven't regeared the green truck yet. 4x4s are expensive. It's recommended to gear both front and back at the same time. On my 2wd truck, I just bought another Ford 8.8 rearend that already had 4:56 and a locker in it. Easy swap. That was back in 2004 or something.. Think I got a deal and paid $400 or something for the whole rearend and parts installed.
@@rayregnogarage ooh ok cool! Seeing that you have some knowledge on rangers I have a question for you. Hopefully you could help me with. I have a 99 4x4 ranger as my little project. I purchased torsion keys to lift it a little after my 31 tires started rubbing. The truck is super stiff now. I cant really do anything about that right?
You shouldn’t need torsion keys to lift it. I had an 07 with torsion bars and I just used a socket and ratchet. But yes, when you preload the tbars, it will be stiffer. You’ll have less down travel. At 21 years old, your tbars might just be tired and saggy like a spring would. I cranked my tbars to fit 32s and it wasn’t too bad.
Never heard of this park🤨 I'm gonna have to go check it out with my ranger! Im on the opposite side of the state but the maps look like its worth the drive👍
It’s a bit small. you can go end to end in less than 20 minutes. But maybe that’s standard in WA? I grew up on CA where you can go for hours through the desert and REALLY get lost.
It’s got some fun looking whoop sections you could do over and over on a dirt bike tho (or a well equipped truck). but just not much for long distance adventuring
No thats not standard at all lol! I guess the map must make it look bigger than it is... Check out Jones Creek Trails above Washougal. Its miles of trails for dirt bikes and wheelers. Ranges from mild to extreme and crosses most of larch mountain.
@@twistthrottleatv3504 Looks cool. That's a bit of a drive though. Dunno if my truck would make it. Haha. It's super sketchy on the freeway. I don't even like going on the freeway in town. Maybe when I pickup a fullsize and can tow it there. Haha. I like 7 mile cus it's close to home... but even then.. I don't have much confidence in her as she stands. I wanna swap out the ball joints and maybe some axle bearings. She makes funky crunchy sounds even in the backyard. lol.
Word to the wise: Old used vehicles will pretty much never have anything but very minimal surface rust if you buy them from the Southwest where the roads aren't salted. Cali, Arizona (Phoenix auctions have alllll kinds of stuff) New Mexico, Utah and less so Colorado. You'll get dry rot on hoses, bushings etc. but other than that they're champs.
Hah. ya. I grew up in California. Didn't leave til I was 39. (locals don't say "Cali" btw haha). Didn't know any better when I bought this truck up here. but that's the last time I buy anything up here. CA or AZ all the way.
@@rayregnogarage Fair enough, I'm from New Mexico and I tend to call it Commiefornia so that's a bit different. It was more a PSA and less a comment at you, looks like you learned the hard way unfortunately.
@@JacopoSkydweller ya. it's really starting to suck there. lots of us are fleeing to Washington and Idaho. haha
man show this guy some love and subscribe, this man is doing a build most us can actually afford
Thanks!
UK.. these truck are cheap, but parts are expensive:(
@@tompaisley3789 What parts are you talking about? Compared to a toyota or a newer Ranger, these trucks are cheap to build
Lift kit over here is like £1500, general parts are cheap but modifications are expensive
looking forward to this series
So thankful to have stumbled upon your video! I’ve actually just started a ranger build myself! Your ‘99 build is exactly what I’m heading toward with my ‘08 Ranger!!
Nice. Does your 08 have coil springs or torsion bars? I kinda wanna get another one for my San Diego garage. Didn't realize there was so much demand for Ranger stuff. When we were building these 20 years ago we didn't think to video anything.
Stronghold Garage mine has torsion bars! Right now I’ve got it torn apart cleaning up the chassis! I wish you guys would have taken videos as well, would’ve been awesome to see a bunch of college aged guys like my buddies and I building their rigs! Hopefully I’ll get some build videos up myself once I get the new transmission in it! I’ve got a locker in the rear also!
Just subscribed! I recently purchased a 2004 Ford ranger XLT 4.0.
Awesome content man! Really interesting to hear your story and evolution with Rangers.
Thanks!!
Just snagged a '97 4x4 extended cab with a 5.0 swapped in for $2,000 and am loving this video, giving me a lot of great ideas, keep it up man!
Oh man. I'm super jealous of that 5.0. I was looking at my motor the other day and it was clearly rebuilt. The odometer says 230k miles but it's going strong and sounds good. It's a little damp on the bottom though the oil levels are good. Would love to put a 5.0 in it when this 4.0 goes out.
@@rayregnogarage I found it on accident, had a miata I was getting some work done on, saw the ranger and always loved the 2nd gens and it was in the smurf blue, 2" lift on 31's and I just had to have it, THEN the mechanic said ithad a 5.0 and I traded the car for it. Has 3.73 rear end and is an absolute riot. And with LS swaps being so popular now, the old 5.0's are so cheap to get now, I can't recommend the swap enough. I tow my firebird to the drag strip with it and man if you do any kind of towing and hauling, it does so much better than the V6's. Never saw your channel before but your videos rock, I sub'd real quick bro!
@@deancarr4507 Oh man. I want a Miata, too. Hahahahahah. I legit wanna do what Gingium has done.. Offroad miata and turbo miata. One day...
@@rayregnogarage I'm stationed in NC and so there's not really much in the way of desert running, so we wait until weekend's and go hit the tank trails all through base. Guys take all kinds of stuff out there and theres a baja miata. I have no idea what size tires hes got but they look like stock 90's ranger/S10 size BFG T/A. It's lifted 2" and has the fenders cut out. It's such an awesome car, I would also love to do one some day haha
@@deancarr4507 That's rad. I also wanna do an offroad 350z. hahaha.
So f****** sick! Just got a 01 for cheap! Manual as well 🤣
Very I looking at great me a ranger to get back into off reading
Got a 2002 double cab XLT, in 4WD low range with street pressure m/s tyres, it climbs up hills I wouldn’t have thought possible. Once I’m more settled, I’m definitely lifting it and putting some proper tyres on
"double cab" and "tyres". We didn't get the double cab in the states. I've only seen them in person in Mexico and Europe. Where you from?
@@rayregnogarage the UK
Already hit the sub button! I gotta 96 Ranger w/ the 3.0 Vulcan v6. 4x4 w/ a 5 speed manny. Id love to rebuild the suspension and you’ve giving me some inspiration to finally get to work. I’ve only swapped out the factory shocks with skyjacker mono tube shock absorbers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep up the awesome content!
Awesome! Thanks!
Currently have a mild toyota that I beat the hell out of 3 days of the week had a Ranger before. Gonna beam the toyota. Can't go wrong. In the Hi-Desert.
Nice
subscribed after 1min of watching, seem like a relatable guy
Thanks!!!
Awesome truck. And awesome host! You have a new subscriber sir!
Greetings from Ontario Canada!
Hello! And thanks!!!
Nice video man I just bought my first ranger it’s a 97 2.3 liter looking to do cheap truck stuff to it as my 3rd vehicle
Awesome! Got a few more videos I haven't edited yet! Stay tuned.
I just bought my 3rd ranger as well. I’m in Idaho too. Should go wheeling haha
Where in Idaho?
Hey I've got a 97 in about the same stage as your 95, big-ish tires and a cheap lift. Please keep up the videos as I'm wondering what the next steps I should take to truly make it an off-roader.
Thanks for the great content!
Thanks!!! Cheap lift will only get you so far, but I’m hoping to show how you can make it an ok off road rig. haha. Right now she needs new shocks and I wanna ditch the lift block in the rear and put real springs on it. Stay tuned!!!
So that last truck that’s in the video is that on 33’s? Also I’m from Spokane and the orv parks fun but there’s some trails in Spokane that are alot more fun up by the mt. Spokane area
Yup. Those are 33s. I go wheeling over in Idaho, too. That ORV park is just convenient cus it’s close by. haha.
Hit me up on Instagram @strongholdgarage I’ll let ya know next time we head out on the trail.
your effort in the video production with drones music and commentary paid off big. really easy and enjoyable to watch. keep it up.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Yup, sketchy rusty bits. Describes my Ranger.
Ya. That’s the last used vehicle I buy up here. CA, AZ, and Nevada vehicles only. haha
@@rayregnogarage I wish I had that option. I'm in wisconsin, don't feel like driving that far for a project truck/ car.
Ya Wisconsin is tough with your winters. I’ve never seen so many rusted through bedsides on trucks til I visited Michigan and Wisconsin.
when i say i have the same truck i literally mean EXACT year, wheels, color, 5 speed everything lol im hear looking for inspiration
1983. 302 / C6 / NP 205.4 inch Front leaf swap with Dana 44 and solid spool. 8.8 rear with factory blocks removed ,used 1986 Chevy 1/2 ton U bolts on sky jacker 6 inch leaves. Rough country shocks with Detroit locker. 4.10 gear ratio. 12.50 35 Baja claw TTC. On 8 inch rock rims. Door bars and no dash with interior roll cage. It works and less than 6 thousand dollars. 😁
Rad!!!!!
Let’s see it turn into a 4wd prerunner with some travel and fiberglass
ok this vid is perfect timing as I just bought a good condition 93 ranger with beam front end which I want to turn into a pre-runner/crawler. I currently have a set of 33s on it "cough" "cough" no lift kit but I pulled wheels off my old bronco before my father sold it on me , I do have a bronco2 that I used the radiator from and other parts which also has beam set up. I do have a lot of knowledge of off-roading but its my first actual project other then my 02 dodge ram 2500 with a sway bar delete and 4:10 gears and 35s that is a great truck the out flexes 99% of stock trucks like it. I will check out your channel and sub
Awesome! That ranger will be night and day difference from that ginormous truck you're used to. lol
I live in Spokane and have ridden motorcycles around that ORV park. I've got a stock '95 Mazda B3000 (basically a Ford Ranger) and would love to take it out there.
It's not "basically" a Ranger. it IS a Ranger. Lemme know if you ever wanna meet up out there. You can DM me at @strongholdgarage on insta
40's? Sir whatever you're doing keep doing it. I would've given you early 30s'
Ha. Thanks. It's called being Filipino. I'll look this way til I'm 55.. Then one morning, I'll wake up looking like I'm 80. ahhaha
I'm 19 and love going slow and fast but something about feeling the suspension and then later watching it on video it's so satisfying
QUESTION EN EVERY IMPOUND THEY SUPPOSED TO SALE TRUCKS AND CARS ANY KIND OF VEHICLE CORRECT WHY IN SOME OTHER COUNTYS THEY SAID THEY DON'T SALE THE VEHICLES THEY IMPOUND FROM POOR PEOPLE THAT COPS TAKE AWAY FOR HAVEN NO LICENSE
After my last ranger got destroyed parked out front of my house I've been wanting another one to build out for offroading. Now that it would be a third vehicle for our household I think I can convince the wife to let me do it so long as I don't break the budget...
nice!!!
I'm thinking bed mounted 460 and a Hello Kitty paint scheme
I’m 14 and I’m looking to get one
nice. what do you want to do with your truck? what kind of offroading do you want to do?
Oh man!!! How I miss the OG LT Ranger! DezertRangers crew for life!!! 🤟🏼💯
Bro OGDR Crew!!!! Dunno who all these young punks are. JK. Ya man. I miss that truck so much.
@@rayregnogarage My current Ranger has the OGDR decals on it! 😂😂😂
@@chriscuevas11 I wish I still had some of those.
Ford ranger specialis 4x4 off road
$1500 bucks!!!....have you been on Craigslist lately??? I got Tacoma guys giving me props on my Junky old Wampa! 97 3.0 4x4 on 31s (you really got me considering breaking out the angle grinder for those front fenders)
used vehicle market is nuts right now. lol.
Have a 98 explorer sport (ranger with a box) 31bfg mt on cragar soft 8s .410s coil over shocks rear lifted slightly rear front tt to match. I want to do the trim and NOT do a body lift. Willing to do the front solid axle swap and flip the rear axle to under the springs, but I want 35s that I can jump and not have any clearance issues. In other words. Please do these fender flares already so I know how I want to do mine:P such an honest build. No bs. Stay within your knowledge level (obviously you know a thing or two) not trying to over explain. Keep the post coming. Even if the views don’t add up the inspiration you give the many young bucks attempting this for the first time or the veteran who just wants to make it work. Keep it up buddy.
Thanks! So you ditched the torsion bars on the front and switched to a coilovers? Must have taken a bunch of fab work. Got any pics or video on it? 35s is ambitious on that truck. Have you considered fiberglass? Not sure if they do that for the rears though. I’ve seen rear fenders for the four door EXs tho.
@@rayregnogarage I don’t have pics yet. I haven’t done the SAS (solid axle swap) yet. The coil overs are just for lift in rear. Almost 2” on stock height. Super stiff so I’ll probably swap to being under spring instead of under over. I am very much considering doing the fiberglass. I’ve done some carbon work too. It was just labor when I did both so not sure the actual difference in price but it’s not too hard. It’s just Super time consuming. I’m contemplating making new fender panels with integrated flares. If I do this. I “May” try to take a newer bronco/maverick grill and headlight assembly and try to blend it into the explorer. If that happens it will be poly where my glass is now and I’ll Swiss cheese the rest of the car for weight reduction and glass or fiber the spots if I can take 1000 pounds off this thing (my goal) I don’t need any more horses from my motor. If I can’t do that I will also add a small turbo/ snorkel setup I’ve drawn up. Won’t be as efficient as it could but 6-7 pounds of boost just to squeeze a lil more power. . Idk why I love this thing. I’ve had sport cars, huge trucks, lifted jeeps. This 98 explorer sport is a bad *****. I off-road with a kid with a lifted Chevy bison and go places he can’t. Went playing in the snow with a lifted raptor, showed him what midrange power and proper gearing does for off-roading. He was digging holes and sliding with little throttle control. Most new trucks are all or nothing. Not going wide open throttle like you said is the way an adult drives. You get older and realize off-roading is an art/competition not necessarily a race. I’m going to see if my buddy has his 35s tnt. Put em on. Jack up turn lower check blah blah. Try to slam it into wheel well measure etc. if I can keep my IFS and not do SAS I’d prefer it not just for sake of ease but also for the control a IFS offers, death wobble follows solid axle swaps in time. . The fab work for the front is extensive like you said. There are kits that make it WAY easier but I’m not dropping the money. I’ve also considered doing what you did. Saving the plastic and chopping it in several spots and glass it back together. Would look factory. Really mess with Ford guys lol.
@@bt4291 very cool that you can do carbon. Make sure to send me links to pics and stuff once you get it all going. Would love to see it. I still want a go fast truck. Will probably build another ranger or even a 2wd 4runner might be fun just for variety. . It's still in my blood. lol. I'm a lover of all motor sports. Trophy Trucks and Rock Crawlers are two different animals and I like them both. I like the EX sport because of the shorter wheel base.. makes it nicer for tight trails and climbing stuff. It's all about being purposeful in the build and building it for what you want to conquer. it's all fun!
@@rayregnogarage you have great vibes man. Truly seem like a good dude. I respect speed and those who pursue it for sure. I’ve seen north of 160mph multiple times (not my x) and I think that desire has faded for me with the years. Fun though undoubtedly. 4 runners are amazing as are their big brothers the sequoias. And they are based off the tundra part system so large load bearing parts selection and frame from the beginning. My brother has a built sequoia I work on. Just 33x12.5 shoes but that’s really all that vehicle needs with a little lift. The capability stock is really enough for anything besides real rock crawling and what needs to be done is easy ( even a long arm runner setup). Plus the 4.7 is a peppy motor IMO with minor work. Chip, ignition, exhaust (the sound adds hp right? Jk) it does wonders. Just goin on the tangent because I was sizing up a four runner and sequoia side by side the other day the size difference in negligible. But the moving components are much beefier with the sequoia. I did a 2wd 99jeep grand Cherokee for a while on 32x10.5 with 2” lift trimming/hammering welds in wheel well. And a poor kids version of extended bump stops (i used old mounts for a sway bar. So had a hole in center to squish). The lift made the ride stiffer anyway and the bump stops actually worked very well they ripped with time but took a couple years. Those things are about as easy as anything to work on. Super simple and the unibody is strong. I jumped mine A LOT and to the point in reverse hit a 3’ jump so hard I cracked the windshield landing from the body torquing. New glass no issue. I put 430k on the motor, high mileage when I bought it but cheap reliable easy mod idea. Everyone HAD one. No one really did them rally or prerunner. At least over here east coast.
@@rayregnogarage also if you can do fiber glass you can do carbon for sure. You have a good foresight of what you want. That’s the important part. It’s just layers of mat resined together. You start at (depending on # of layers, angle of desired grain appearance, structural needs, etc at an angle typically 22.5 or 45 degrees off from each respective layer depending. Finishing it clear is the hardest part but not far off from fiber glass work. It’s truly just as easy and is way stronger. I’ve played making small crush pieces to see how strong it was and it’s always impressed me more and more. It’s always heavier than I think it should be but I may just not be super good at keeping it tight, the product is thicker, I’m just totally wrong lmao. But it’s very strong. I recommend you try it out. People just lay over panels. Make a shell, remove panel, and apply shell. With a few caveats but... like that.
great breakdown on ttb vs a arm! followed!
Thanks!
Great video! Are you still in San Diego? I’m in north county... I have a 00 ranger xlt and I’ve been looking for some places to take the truck out.
I'm about 50/50 San Diego and Spokane. There's nothing really nearby. You have to drive out to Ocotillo Wells, Lucerne Valley, or Barstow. That's where we spent most of our weekends back in the day.
Your steering wheel where did you get it I would love to install one on my 2006 Ford ranger
Cool! All the parts I used are linked in the description of this video. ruclips.net/video/CNPR5JYdEQM/видео.html
Thanks for the video
thanks for watching!
Lots of talk, little view of the video of the Ford Ranger friend
Bought mine for 500 love to show you what I've done.
cool... message me on instagram @strongholdgarage
Enjoying watching the series! I'm also doing a budget Ranger build on a 93 4x4. Best of luck man and keep the series rolling!!
That’s awesome! What do you have done to it so far?
I just purchased the truck a few weeks ago. I think you've inspired me to start a series as well. Be cool to show people you can do stuff on a budget. I'm going overlander with a twist I guess you could say with mine. Who know maybe we can collaborate on a video in the future!!
Was just telling my wife that a couple minutes ago. I spent $8000 on my front suspension on my first ranger. So far I'm only $200 in on this one. lol. Still tons of fun. This green ranger will be the budget-friendly build. Budget parts, budget tools. I may start another project that's an all-out project, but later down the line.
Thats rad! Its crazy how budget friendly these trucks are.. how happy are you with the ride of the rough country springs? Im looking at the sky jacker stuff as well..
They ride okay. I still have the 25 year old factory shocks which I’m pretty sure are doing next to nothing. I want to get a pair of longer Bilstein 5100s and see if that helps. I’ll do an install and review soon
Great video! And Wow you do not look your age! Whatever your doing keep it up lol
Ha. Thanks. I’m Filipino. My parents looked young til one day they suddenly didn’t. It happened out of nowhere. I’ll probably look like this til I’m 60 and then immediately look 80. hahah
Looking forward to your content... also a lot of knowledge spilled into this I have an 04 ranger I wanna start building and I hope you can direct me to groups thank you also I’m in Nevada in Las Vegas
Have you checked out the rangerstation.com
@@rayregnogarage not yet but thank you
Subbed & Liked recently bought 2 4.0 rangers that im slowly building the one im currently working on has a collapsed spindle so im trying to remedy this currently!
Nice! I replaced mine too: ruclips.net/video/5qzS4W9SCUU/видео.html
@@rayregnogarage pretty sure they're aftermarket cause the truck does sit pretty high so I'm tryna get a used set somewhere!
@@boundbytimettv2684 Must be a 98 or newer?
@@rayregnogarage yessir! 98 4.0
@@boundbytimettv2684 2wd or 4? My old 99 had that spindle lift on it for a while... some spindle lift kits were better than others.
A brand new truck when you were nineteen years oldmust have been nice I'm 50 years old and could never afford a brand new truck
I guess working on a family was too important
Nice, I cant wait to go offroading in my 96 ranger 4wd. Mine has the 3.0 v6. I just finished rebuilding the front end of the car, as the radius arms and spring hoops had almost rusted completely through. Where were you in this video?
7 Mile ORV Park in Spokane WA
And ya...that’s kind of what I’m afraid of with this truck. I don’t want some rusty part completely disintegrating on me. Looks like the rear spring hangers are rusting through. I’ll be relaxing those soon when I get new rear springs and flip the shackle.
Ayeeee Barstow! I grew up in Apple Valley 30 minutes away. Great riding out here.
Yas! there's places to play around in Apple Valley, too, right? I think I remember doing a night run out there once.
Please make a video on switching the ball joints pleasee.
Yes. That is on the to-do list!
Ok so it might’ve looked “boring” driving slow off road but it’s about having fun and enjoying your truck without wrecking it
my 96 ranger will just auto drive like that
Would be curious to see how much better it will do when I re-gear it.
bro thank you for these videos i want to build a prerunner looking truck but i dont want to spend a million on suspension and fabrication
Did you end up picking up that one the other day?
Stronghold Garage I didn’t. I’m still thinking about it though
I'm rebuilding the stock chassis components on a 97 mountaineer... I'm gonna give it 28*10.5 inch tires on 15 inch rims and gabriel shocks. And an ACDelco steering rack. Past that I'm gonna beef up the motor and transmission. As of I have 3.73 gears but I'm thinking about 4.11s. Cam is 448 thousandths intake and exhaust with 1.5:1 rocker arms instead of 1.6... Good duration but not much overlap. I'm hoping for 320 horse and 350 ft*lbs in the low range, redline at 5k down from 5250. It should top out around 110-120, but really I'm looking for off road racing ability so that's not bad. With a 2400 stall converter it'll move pretty quick. I'm getting an AWD Tcase with a low range and lockers. I've run the hell out of the platform stock, 60-70 mph at echo basin in colorado and 45 through a packed junkyard. I pushed to 55 and wiped out on a jump. Nothing broke but I got sideways and wrecked. I'm hoping with the suspension and lift modifications (11.5 inches of travel and a +3 inch spring pack with the torsion bars tightened in the front) that I can push 45-50 through 60-75 degree corners and 90-100 straightline through some basic terrain. Prerunner level. Any comments or advice? It seems up to the task but my suspension is shot so I don't know quite how far it can be pushed.
why not run coilovers? Cranking the pre load in the tbars will make it run like crap.
@@rayregnogarage I haven't considered that so much because I can't modify it myself. Unless there are control arms I can get that suit coils?
@@anonymousanonymous9991 You'll definitely need to look into a different arm setup to fit a coilover. is your truck 2wd or 4?
@@rayregnogarage It's an AWD drivetrain running off a 4R70w transmission. It's sitting on fords 1/4 ton A-arm suspension in the front and it has an 8.8 inch Sterling rear end with leaf springs. I've only looked at the beam arm front end so far.
@@anonymousanonymous9991 that AWD certainly complicates things a little. outside of my area of experience.
which transmission did you use?
nice man i got an 03 tacoma and im thinking about doing mid travel then when i get some money ill get a long travel kit. Love the ranger tho. only ford truck i really like. dont get me wrong some f150s are pretty nice though especially the old ones
Nice! I had an 03 double cab prerunner with swayaway coilovers as my daily when I had the long traveled blue ranger. I miss that truck. Wish I never sold it. Which kit are you getting?
@@rayregnogarage not sure right now. Maybe camburg upper control arms, icon shocks coilovers and leaf springs
@@scrub_lord going with the 63" deavers? those are epic on the tacomas
@@rayregnogarage possibly. Im still a ways away from having enough money for it all. Once i get everything ill try to post some videos
@@scrub_lord rad. are you on Insta? Gimme a follow @strongholdgarage and lemme know when you post em up. would like to see them
Great video.
I love your videos dude idc if it’s about tattoos or your ranger you just make sense lol!
Ha thanks
I have a 97 ford ranger 2wd. What long travel suspension do you recommend for the front/rear? Do they sell complete kits? I’m trying to do a budget build. I have tube bender and welder to make a cage for the rear. Any advice would be appreciated!
"long travel" and "budget build" don't really go together. haha. Camburg used to be my go-to, but they don't seem to carry any of the i-beam stuff anymore. Check out solomotorsports.com
How many inches did you get your truck lifted ?
About an inch and a half. It's just a leveling coil: ruclips.net/video/FPzbQDzU8Ow/видео.html
ok question might be stupid af but did you straight pipe it or no?
Yes it’s straight piped. I didn’t do it tho. The previous owner did. It still has cats, though.
Awesome!
thanks!
I have a new Tacoma and picked up a single cab 2.3 same color lifted on 35s . Not sure wether to make her pretty or just do enough to make it look a little better and use it as a beater since I have my beautiful Taco already. This video I think is helping me make my decision although I love the truck it was only $1700 ac works and runs well. Great videos
Ya man. Having a beater is so refreshing because you don’t care if gets banged up. Then you appreciate your nice, clean, new vehicle even more.
Fabtech... Cali Lift... Ranger mods... instantly knew you were from SD lol... MCHS Class of ‘98🤘😎
Hahaha Guilty. Did you go to Mt Carmel?
My driveway is dissolving my 93 2wd. It hasn't even touched snow in 5 years, but Looks like it was submerged in salt water
How does that work?
Man i really enjoyed this video i just recently bought me a 94 ranger xlt and when u got the speaking about yours, your friends trucks, i started looking at mines and thought to myself ,"that urs and i trucks look identical"even after u started speaking about my county my, hometown san Bernardino.i now stay in the desert,one of the most popular off roading places, with some of the trickiest sand (salton city)right next to salton sea Beach.I really enjoyed the video tho bro great stuff and nice trucks.
Very cool. We used to spend a lot of time in Ocotillo and would cruise over to Salton Sea. Almost got stuck in the mud once. haha.
Totally off topic,but i thought you said you were in your 40's? Bro,you do not look it at all! I thought you were maybe 30 to be honest with you! Cool video man
Ha. I get that all the time. I was born in 1980. My parents looked like they were in their 30s til they were about 55 and then suddenly looked old. It’s a Filipino thing. haha
Love it. My first car was a 99 ranger
nice. first car I ever bought myself was a 99 ranger.
On your newest ranger what exhaust do you have on it if any?
Do you mean the green one? It's technically the "oldest" haha. But it's got cats but no muffler. Just straight pipe dumped behind the cab under the bed.
That's what i did to all of mine , i would end up knocking off the muffler anyway! Lol
Was this at the orv park up north of spokane?
yup.
Thank you for the info! Do you think it’s better to build a 97 ranger over a 98?
Depends on what you’re doing. If you want a 4x4, I think the TTB is better than the a-arm. The If you want to do more high speed stuff…man it’s a toss up. A arm is more refined but it’s a bit more expensive to build out.
Nice video, thank you!
thanks!
Is your trucks color brilliant blue?
nah. my friend had one of those. mine is more green
Beautiful ranger 4x4.
Thanks!
Hey I have no idea if you’ll see this comment, but I have an 07’ ranger sport just like you had (same color too). I’m thinking of throwing on 33s as well and wanted to know if you did a regear?
Do you plan to offroad it? My 99 had 3:55s and it did okay with 33s. It had the 4.0 and manual trans. I ended up swapping the rearend out for one with 4:56 and a locker and it was great. I ran 32s on the 07 with the 3.0 and manual and it was okay. I hear if you have a manual it's not so bad running 33s on the factory gearing... but better to regear if you're going to actually be in the dirt with it
@@rayregnogarage I have the 4.0 automatic with 3.73 gearing. I’m running 265/75/r16 rn and it still has plenty of power, I just wanted to know if that extra inch or so of size would put too much stress on the drivetrain? So far I’ve put that ranger through some river crossings, rock faces, mud pits etc. with no problems at all.
@@Needahandle35918 I think it should be fine gearing wise but don't have any experience with the automatic trans on these trucks. Sorry!
@@rayregnogarage might just send it haha, thanks for the replies
@@Needahandle35918 ya man. That's what I'd do. Haha
Manual and 4x4 is really rare
Depends on where you live and how old the truck is, I guess? My Xterra is a 4x4 and manual. That's super rare, especially in CA. Hard to find a manual in any of the new vehicles these days, but I feel like they're more common in the older trucks.
you are a good speaker!:)
Thanks!
Where can I get those 33 tires @?
Basically any tire store
Hi bro, what kind of brush did you use to remove the stock side truck lines? Thanks
I used a decal remover: ruclips.net/video/On9Ux35FwVs/видео.html
I want the prerunner look not going offloading I just like how it stands where cam I get parts on a budget?
What year truck? 2wd or 4wd? And what does "prerunner look" mean to you. That phrase gets thrown around a lot and it's different to different people.
Did your ranger have exterior trim on the doors? If so how did you remove it.
Yup: ruclips.net/video/On9Ux35FwVs/видео.html
I have a XLT 94 manual as well. What type of locking hubs are you using?
I have these ones
WARN 29071 Standard Manual Locking Hub with 27 Splines
amzn.to/3fhSrAr
@@rayregnogarage thanks for the feed back. I'm gonna order me a pair 🤙
what levelling kit did you buy for the ranger?
Rough Country. Links to the install videos are in the description of this video. Watch them both. I messed something up in the first video and corrected in the second. Links to the springs I used are in the description of those videos.
How much all together? I want to do this to mine.
For the green truck? Under $1500 so far with the wheels, tires, and leveling coils.
hello again and happy new year! just wondering if you ever had the rangers front end aligned yet. and if so, do you remember how many degrees were needed to bring the front end in after installing the taller coil springs. thanks...
Still haven't aligned it yet. Haha. Truck drives fine. I want to do the balljoints and tie rods before getting it aligned.
@@rayregnogarage dont run too long with whacked out camber as it will eat your tires. but yeah, ball joints are a must. Just pull the knuckles and bring them in and have new ones pressed in. I also suggest pulling the axle shafts and replacing the u-joints as I doubt anyone ever has. most people never do and the best time to do it is when the spindles and knuckles are off. happy trails!
The camber isn’t bad at all. And it’s a beam truck. it’s always gonna have funky tire wear. lol. I’m also considering swapping for wider beams... so that’s why i haven’t been in a hurry to align it. I drive maybe 20 miles a week...if that.
Not sure I ever heard... what motor does the green ranger have?
It has the 4.0
Good stuff!
Thanks!
Where was this filmed? I want to go lol
7 Mile OHV Spokane WA
I just started building up my '95 Ranger after spending 10 yrs and 150k miles as a daily driver. Gotta say I'm kinda jealous of that manual t-case.
It’s okay. It pops out out of 4hi all the time though. I have to put the shifter somewhere in the middle right before 4lo in order for it to stay engaged.
@@rayregnogarage The popping out of 4hi could be the nylon wear pads on the range select fork. I lost the pads on my 2wd/4wd shift fork and it chewed up the metal so much I just got a whole lower mileage case from a junkyard.
I like the manual shift for the fact you can kind of feel what's going on with the shifts and aren't at the mercy of the computer and the electric motor. Low range on the electric shift requires a complete stop, and sometimes 1st/Reverse shifts to get it engaged.
Oh wow. you swapped the entire t-case?
@@rayregnogarage Junkyard case was only $140 at the time, and I was able to swap it in the driveway in under 45 minutes. My original case would have needed new shift forks, and a replacement chain since that was also stretched.
Great video
Thanks!
Have you been out to Superstition or Glamis
I haven’t but I’ve spent a lot of time at Ocotillo Wells, Lucerne Valley, and Barstow.
What is the exhaust set up? It has the sound lol
straight pipe. haha.
Nice. Does it still have the cats?
@@stevensmodrnlife yup
Nice.
What size are those tires?
33 12.5 15
Thank you 🙏
Besides the truck how much did it cost to build I have a 98 3.0 stick I wanna do a build on but I’m only 17 I want it to be kind of be a trail car for northern Michigan
Is your truck a 4wd or 2wd? I'm gonna assume 4wd since you want it for trails. The 4wd and 2wd suspensions are significantly different on the 98-2011 trucks. I don't have a lot of experience building those 4wds. But you CAN get a little bit of lift on the 4x4 for free by just cranking on the torsion bars. I was able to do 32" tires just from doing that on my 2008 Sport. That truck was 2wd but with the 4wd suspension. After that there are some other lift kits on the market. Those average between $1500-$3000 depending on budget
@@rayregnogarage cool cool 4wd thank you for all the help is my first vehicle and all the Ranger guys seem pretty cool so far I love what you did to your truck it’s pretty clean and looks like lots of fun
thanks! it’s pretty good for what it is!
@@Northwoods_edc Ya it does pretty good for how little I've done to it. There's a reason I' keep coming back to the Ford Ranger after owning and selling two others... They're good trucks.
@@rayregnogarage Have you ever tried an S 10
I have the 4.0 4x4 version of this truck but I’m 16 so I really can’t afford to push the truck really tryna find someone who’s bored with some money and is willing to put an old ranger through it’s paces so I can get a better idea as to what these compact truck can actually do
I’ve done tons of reading but reading forums isn’t much because there’s no proof behind the words I want actual proof
@@mr.e7261 Ha. I've owned 3 of these trucks, and I've witnessed people brutalizing these things with NO modifications and I can tell you from experience that these trucks can take a beating.
Stronghold Garage I’ve been told that by many many people but how much beating is a lot (the answer is subjective) I want to find somewhere I can see them in person being abused or a video because words are subjective
@@mr.e7261 Find a local club and go offroading with them. That's how I learned about trucks. You'll learn way more from experience than watching videos.
Stronghold Garage there are no off-road clubs in my area
👏👏👏👏👏🇧🇷
vlw!
Ps would you recommend one of these for a daily driver?
I daily mine. haha. But in Spokane I don’t drive very far. Maybe 5-10 min at most. I will say that it is my least fav to drive on the freeway. The thing wanders all over the place and the steering is vague. might need new tie rods. my previous rangers with the a-arm suspension were WAY more comfortable and predictable.
@@rayregnogarage i would not probably take mine off road or build it for that. Probably would try to build it into more of a street truck. Haha but not one of those extreme trucks that are like 1/2 inch off the grounf
@@dannygallagher9290 Ya they’re fine for that. I would get a 98-11 XLT 2wd if you wanted to lower it.
@@rayregnogarage ok thanks for the advice man
I am very happy I found your video because recently I bought a mostly stock 85 Ranger v6 and a off-road oriented 86 Ranger with a 93 4.0l v6. I still got lots of work to do on the 85 but the 86 is my daily and I am finding lots of very worn parts, mainly the suspension and bushings are first on my list along with everything else that is tired and worn/missing. It drives straight and is great on the road so long as I don't hit any bumps or go over railroad tracks because it loves to pull hard to one side or the other when the weight settles.
Very cool! I love the older body styles! I want a square body 92.
@@rayregnogarage I love the square body style too even more so because they can withstand most abuse which is why I'm planning on building it to be even more of a tank.
@@ShepFur Yes. they are awesome
@@rayregnogarage hopefully soon i can get the suspension fixed so I can start saving for a lift kit so I don't need to worry about bottoming out on my 30 inch tires. What would you recommend for a middle ground quality to cost lift kit?
@@ShepFur I'm liking the leveling coils I've got so far. ruclips.net/video/FPzbQDzU8Ow/видео.html
What brand steering wheel is shown on the left of you when your talking its so nice
Ya it’s pretty dope. I have two of them! MOMO TUN35BK0S Tuner Silver 350 mm Leather Steering Wheel
amzn.to/3fbDZt8
What about the other steering wheel
@@efrencontreras1136 Thats an NRG 320mm suede wheel. it's a little smaller. I didn't like it as much because the suede ink bleeds onto your hands. I also preferred having a slightly bigger wheel. Here's the link to that wheel: amzn.to/3mzjg6n
@@efrencontreras1136 And a video comparing the small wheel to the bigger ruclips.net/video/JNI-ReUpjbA/видео.html
Awesome thank you so much definitely subscribing
Nice truck bro! About how much did it cost you to change the gearing on your truck?
Thanks! I haven't regeared the green truck yet. 4x4s are expensive. It's recommended to gear both front and back at the same time. On my 2wd truck, I just bought another Ford 8.8 rearend that already had 4:56 and a locker in it. Easy swap. That was back in 2004 or something.. Think I got a deal and paid $400 or something for the whole rearend and parts installed.
I did the work myself so labor was free.
@@rayregnogarage ooh ok cool! Seeing that you have some knowledge on rangers I have a question for you. Hopefully you could help me with. I have a 99 4x4 ranger as my little project. I purchased torsion keys to lift it a little after my 31 tires started rubbing. The truck is super stiff now. I cant really do anything about that right?
You shouldn’t need torsion keys to lift it. I had an 07 with torsion bars and I just used a socket and ratchet. But yes, when you preload the tbars, it will be stiffer. You’ll have less down travel. At 21 years old, your tbars might just be tired and saggy like a spring would. I cranked my tbars to fit 32s and it wasn’t too bad.
@@rayregnogaragealrighty! Thanks for the info.
Never heard of this park🤨 I'm gonna have to go check it out with my ranger! Im on the opposite side of the state but the maps look like its worth the drive👍
It’s a bit small. you can go end to end in less than 20 minutes. But maybe that’s standard in WA? I grew up on CA where you can go for hours through the desert and REALLY get lost.
It’s got some fun looking whoop sections you could do over and over on a dirt bike tho (or a well equipped truck). but just not much for long distance adventuring
No thats not standard at all lol! I guess the map must make it look bigger than it is... Check out Jones Creek Trails above Washougal. Its miles of trails for dirt bikes and wheelers. Ranges from mild to extreme and crosses most of larch mountain.
@@twistthrottleatv3504 Looks cool. That's a bit of a drive though. Dunno if my truck would make it. Haha. It's super sketchy on the freeway. I don't even like going on the freeway in town. Maybe when I pickup a fullsize and can tow it there. Haha. I like 7 mile cus it's close to home... but even then.. I don't have much confidence in her as she stands. I wanna swap out the ball joints and maybe some axle bearings. She makes funky crunchy sounds even in the backyard. lol.
@@twistthrottleatv3504 Maybe I'll check it out when I drive my Xterra up from San Diego. Planning to do that in January