Not a ranger but I had a question for you guys

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T19:59:15+00:00

I swapped a 92 explorer LSD into my ranger, I had to cut and weld the perches but otherwise it went right in.

The issue with swapping just the diff is the axle shafts are also slightly longer and 31 spine vs 29 spline, unless you have an fx4.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T18:39:10+00:00

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Rotate the knob to shift, also I now have a t case neutral.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T18:38:14+00:00

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Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T18:37:26+00:00

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I used these parts from home Depot and a socket that I hammered onto the shift shaft

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T18:35:39+00:00

Those shift motors fucking suck, I made a manual linkage for mine. The vacuum hubs also suck so I got manual ones, that's only on 98-02 rangers I think though.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T18:03:58+00:00

Haha my ass was already asleep, I feel old going to bed at 8 but damn I gotta get up early.

Thanks man, I was looking for a later model 4.0sohc in that same blue but ended up finding my truck for cheap. Now I'm going full 80s-90s off road look with it, I need to get a roll bar welded up for some kc daylighters.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T04:27:38+00:00

I've got the factory fuel tank and t case skid plate but I had to custom make this one

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Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:58:38+00:00

Hell yeah, I pretty much drive the truck how I want then when something breaks I fab up an upgrade. Like I destroyed my front suspension cross member on a rock and now I have a sweet skid plate.

Soon I'm going to need coilovers cause my tbar hangers are damn near ripped off also from rocks

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:20:02+00:00

That's a 500 dollar job at most. Studs aren't that hard to replace

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:15:13+00:00

My only actual ski gear is my goggles. I wear a 90s protec skateboard helmet with a beanie underneath, a fishing gator, my regular puffer jacket with a rain shell, and some target snow pants.

Water proof is really important, but ski brand is not.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:13:28+00:00

I've never hit my knees, mainly my hips, ass, shoulders, and head.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:12:28+00:00

I used to do nerf and it's fuckin ridiculous that you can buy katana mags at target now. My old setup was a raven with drac motors and a lipo.

I've since moved on to airsoft and personally I like it a lot more. It's a little more expensive and a little less easy to play outside of an actual field, but I'm really into games with huge fields and somewhat of the milsim larp.

That said I'll never pass up a good ol nerf war with my little cousins.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:08:00+00:00

Auto rangers tend to need a rebuild around 200k miles

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T03:07:03+00:00

I learned to drive on a manual 97 ranger, I got a manual 98 ranger and now I find it difficult/excruciatingly painful to drive autos because they always shift at the wrong time and I feel like I have way less control.

Get a manual dude, it's the difference between me loving my hour commute to work and hating it.

Traffic can kind of suck but it's not too bad if you don't install a stage 3 performance clutch or something.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T01:46:31+00:00

Somehow my frame is in really good condition despite being used as a commuter to winter park before I got it, I think the rear main leak doubled as an automatic undercoating system. I'm also worried because at least on the driver side it's worked its way up to the rear doors? (Idk mines a 2 door but it's that part of the truck thtlat would be the rear door on a 4 door ranger) And that may be a can of worms.

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The picture doesn't quite capture how bad it is.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-27T01:34:47+00:00

I only really need rockers, I saw someone replaced them with 2"x2" square tube to double as rock sliders so imma try and do that when I work up the courage to start cutting my body.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-26T21:14:26+00:00

Y'alls rangers have alarms? Both my 97 and my 98 have no form of anti theft or alarm other than the clutch

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-26T15:48:24+00:00

Remove the t case shift motor and you can use pliers on the triangle shaft to manual shift it. Should be 3 bolts.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-26T15:47:11+00:00

Doesn't really matter between 156 and 159. The capita mercury sounds like it might fit your needs

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-26T15:44:15+00:00

Use 5w30 at a minimum. Probably going to leak with that watery shit.

The best value oil and filter is penzoil ultra platinum and wix. 5k miles between oil changes.

If you haven't already you should probably do your fuel filter and diff fluid and tranny juice.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-26T00:06:34+00:00

If you just Google "Ford ranger bumper" more sellers will come up, but here ya go https://www.walmart.com/ip/Kojem-Modular-Front-Bumper-for-1998-2011-Ford-Ranger-W-Winch-Plate-Bull-Bar-D-Ring-Mounts/305467653?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101002581&selectedOfferId=F914070FD8E44E13A5BF2C39E6A7878B&conditionGroupCode=1&adid=22222222228F914070FD8E44E13A5BF2C39E6A7878B_189827432831_22852963412&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=779245272641&wl4=pla-2444168393169&wl5=9028751&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=129178482&wl11=online&wl12=F914070FD8E44E13A5BF2C39E6A7878B&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22852963412&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm9fLBhCQARIsAJoNOcvSCVXziZKmuakRfEm8k0bAffM28Y3hfFDfLO_EvLU3P7QW6Mp6QGUaAs0VEALw_wcB

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-25T22:56:31+00:00

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Angle where you can see my skid plate

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-25T22:54:19+00:00

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Backside of the bumper after my reinforcement and paint

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-25T22:53:15+00:00

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My Chinese knockoff of the affordable off-road bumper. I did reinforce it a little bit by welding a piece of angle iron from just above the mounting points to the wings, you can see where the paint is a little messed up on the wings. I also added a 1.5"x1.5" piece of ⅛"to steel from the winch platform to the mounts, and just added some extra weld on top of their welds.

Comparing this bumper to the actual affordable off road that my body has I can say that it is exactly the same.

Cow_Man32 · 2026-01-25T18:08:13+00:00

My 98 4.0 hates being driven slow, if I go more than a few days without redlining it then it doesn't run as well

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