RE: budget build??
The best money spent on an off-road rig start with tires gears and clearance. I have gone into places with less than 150 horses where the guys with V8s couldn't follow. The Ranger is a great platform. It isn't hard to do a V8 swap, but remember that your money could be better spent in other areas. Before jumping in and spending your budget on whatever seems cool, take the time first to figure out what you want to use the truck for. Mud? rocks? mild off-road trails?
with a Ranger, you have a great platform to build from. You can do small stuff to it to get you started, and then make upgrades along the way as your needs change. Don't make the mistake of thinking you need to do a complete overhaul and totally re-fabricate the truck out of the box. A lot of noobs buy something and totally rip it apart, only to find that they are in above their heads. either they don't have the mechanical know how to finish what they started, or the money runs out. Either way, start small. You would be surprised how capable a mildly modified truck actually is!
Most 4x4 rangers already have pretty good ground clearance. While you can't put 35" tall tires on it, you CAN go bigger than stock, and get something with a more aggressive tread design than the highway tires that came on it. That by itself goes a LONG way! With this upgrade, you normally won't have to re-gear. Your speedometer will not be correct anymore, but there are ways to fix that as well.
In my opinion (and remember, a LOT of this depends upon how you will be using the truck), the list of upgrades in order of importance are as follows:
Tires: This is where it all starts. You have to be able to grip whatever it is that you are driving on. Get the best ones you can afford.
Winch: Great tool to get yourself out of problems!
Lift: Ground clearance is really important in many situations. but before you go out and blow 2500.00 on a 4" lift and a set of 33" tall tires, understand that you will probably have to re-gear. Also, keep in mind that your 4" lift only applies to the truck itself. It doesn't get your axles any higher off the ground. Adding bigger tires will give your axles a bit more clearance, but the lift is only there to fit larger tires. If you go from a 29" tire to a 4" lift with a 33" tire, you will add 6" to the overall height of the truck, but will only add 2" of clearance to the axles and differentials. You will also gain the ability to have a bit more suspension travel, but that gets into even more money and mods.
Driver protection: Once you add a lift and bigger tires to your truck, you HAVE to have SOME sort of driver protection from roll overs. By lifting, you have raised the center of gravity, making it MUCH easier to roll your truck over. You DON'T want your noggin to be between the ground and the truck!
Axle upgrades: By putting tires on that are WAY bigger than the stock axles are designed to handle in tandem with the new types of terrain you are able to handle with the new lift and tires, your stock axles just won't get it anymore. You will break something quickly! Even if you NEVER leave the pavement, the stress caused by these new components will lead to excessive wear and failure. Also, consider the strength of the driveline. Your transmission is probably not designed for the increased load either.
There is a wide world of stuff you can do to your 4x4 to make it a capable off roader. It is probably best to go with the basice to begin with, and then upgrade as your skill level increases. Otherwise, you might have a truck in your back yard that you have to mow and weed-eat around on the weekends after you get done watching your car shows on TV, rather than going out to a local trail and enjoying yourself!
Good luck with your truck, and PLEASE! Keep us informed!
Tom
|
Home
Forums
Photos and Video
Tech
Classifieds
Our Members
Extras
FAQ
![[-]](images/cleancut/collapse.gif "[-]")