Finally got a real truck!

[Metalmacguyver]

I have been driving a Ford Ranger for quite some time. As most of you guys know, the itch to push the limits is irresistable. Then when the limits are found, something must be done to make the truck go past its limits.

Over the course of the past year I went from bone stock to this.

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It is 6-8" of lift, 35" BFG MTs, 4.88 gears, rear locker, 9000lb winch, I fabbed the bumpers and sliders myself.

The complete build of that beast is here...... http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21890



So on Monday I was driving along and Bang!.........

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The rod that blew was the same cylinder as where I found the wet spark plug when I hydrolocked it.

Since I didnt have the time to fix the ranger the way I wanted to I went to craigslist.

I ended up stumbleing across this beauty for the right price. I have been looking for a tow rig because the kind of wheeling that I do includes the very real possibility that I could damage the truck beyond the point of driveablity. Much of the wheeling that I do is also 2-3 hours away from my house.

I called the guy ASAP and went to look at it Tuesday afternoon. I bought it on the spot.

It is a 1993 F250 N/A 7.3L IDI, 5spd, 4x4, 3.55s. It has fresh paint, a trailer brake controler, CD player and a hitch. Everything that I need and nothing else.

It has 395K miles.


I paid $1200 for it.

I am picking up a Kingpin HPD60 from the junkyard tomorrow with matching gears to put under the front end. If the truck ever dies, (which I hope it doesn't) I will put the axles under my ranger.

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Just a little bit of rust over the rear fenders.

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I hope to learn as much about these trucks as I already know about Rangers.

What you think about my new tow rig?

 

[Andylad13]

HAHA!!! i was once a ranger boy too. had three of them at one time. 2000 xlt lifted with mudders, 1999 xl bagged, 1994 stock 4x4. sold all of them for my truck in my avitair and never looked back!!! youll love her. also if there's any issues you see with your new ride let us know!!! oh yeah and read up on her too, the tech articles and history will be a good read. Welcome.

 

[Cat_Rebel]

Welcome nice looking rigs.

 

[argve]

Dang that looks good for the price!

 

[BROWNIEBOY525]

WELCOME and good luck with the new rig!!!!

 

[tonkadoctor]

Dang that looks good for the price!

That's what I was thinking.

Hey the Ranger looks like the perfect candidate for a Cummins 4BT swap now. The ventilated block is the best excuse you can have.

 

[david85]

The box can just be replaced since that body style is so common. Find a good one, paint it and then swap it over if you want to fix it. Repairing that box will not be worth your time, unless you are REALLY good a tin bashing. You will notice that this diesel will probably get about the same fuel economy as your ranger. Maybe better if you baby it. 3.55 gears, 5 speed and the 7.3 IDI is more than capable of breaking the 20 MPG barrier.

 

[Metalmacguyver]

I would be extremely happy if I could get 20MPG out of this truck. I just filled the rear tank for the first time today and will calculate the MPGs as soon as I fill it up next time. Dont think that my ranger got good mileage though. It weighs in at 5200lbs and is about as areodynamic as a brick. My mpg in that was probably around 15 but I never actually checked. (Ignorance is bliss!)

I do plan on repairing the bedside. I am good with a mig welder and a buddy of mine has been doing body work for 30 years and doesnt mind giving me a hand on occasion. It is also cheaper to go cut some metal out of a fullsize bronco or a partially dented front fender and weld it in than it is to buy whole new bed at a junkyard.

I picked up a D60 today to put under the front end. It needs brakes and such.



Does anyone know if the brakes and rotors on the D50TTB would bolt on to the D60? I know that I need the D60 knuckles as the 60 is kingpin and the 50 is ball joint but at first glance it looked like the calipers have the same slide pin configuration. It would be great if I could save the brake parts from the TTB because they look close to new.


Thanks for all the kind comments!

I would love to do a 4BT swap but I have some other projects that take priority over repowering my rig. The number one project is to finish the Tcase doubler that I have been collecting parts for over the last 9 months.

 

[david85]

Dang, that ranger is heavy! My truck (see avatar or gallery) is almost exactly6000lbs empty.

 

[Metalmacguyver]

Yeah, a 300lb bumper made out of 1/4" wall tube will do that!

 

[tonkadoctor]

20 is very doable in the new diesel pickup if you drive it right.

15 in the Ranger would make me cry. Hail I get 15 in my 9000# Dodge dually pulling 7000# mid profile fifth wheel campers. 22- 23 empty and 18-20 pulling small boats or my light 16' flatbed.

I'm hoping my F-800 will get 14-15 empty and 9-10 loaded when I get it done in January, will be happy with 12 empty & 8 loaded though.

 

[david85]

Rangers can be funny that way. Relative to their size they are not very economical. We had a 2.9 EFI that got close to 25 MPG on really good days, but 16 MPG seems to be the average for even the newer rangers with V6s.

We still have our ranger, but it eats diesel now

 

[towcat]

I'm hoping my F-800 will get 14-15 empty and 9-10 loaded when I get it done in January, will be happy with 12 empty & 8 loaded though.

tonka-
this I gotta see.
right before I left my last gig, I had a IH 4700 with a DT466 and a 5spd ally behind it. loaded 33k it sucked 5-6mpg around town. out on the hwy, it did a consistent 10mpg. I can't imagine the cummins B to be stingier on the fuel.

 

[tonkadoctor]

tonka-
this I gotta see.
right before I left my last gig, I had a IH 4700 with a DT466 and a 5spd ally behind it. loaded 33k it sucked 5-6mpg around town. out on the hwy, it did a consistent 10mpg. I can't imagine the cummins B to be stingier on the fuel.

Ya and you have reputation for having a lead foot too

Like I say, I'm hoping. The Cummins 5.9BTA is a fuel sipper and inexpensive for parts compared to the new engines which are a couple reasons I bought this truck. It's basicly an overgrown pickup. I need to avg 10 loaded and empty as often half my miles are empty returning to Indiana.

99.9% of my miles are hwy and I drive like granny. I usually set the cruise at 57 loaded and 62 empty. My avg loaded weight will be around 26k or less w/ 2 trailers as long as I keep my tare weight under 12k.

IIRC curb weight was 8200 when I started the build and I'm keeping it as light as possible, no heavy deck, hydraulics or hardware like a roll back. This bed is basicly a skeleton, just enough to put the trailer tires on the bed, hook up the hitch and set it on it's front stand in a channel and keep the trailer as low as possible.

Been talking to another of our tow/haul drivers a lot and he's averaging 8 loaded and 12 empty in a Freightliner FL-50 with an 8.3 Cummins.

I've had semi trucks that would get 6 - 7.5 so I don't think I'm too unrealistic.

 

[fx4wannabe]

Good looking ride man. My first one was 93 F250 as well. I sold it and I know where it is and it has over 400,000 on it and still going strong.