I am wantin to build a two wheel drive ranger drag street truck. I have been trying to decide on what i want to do. I am wanting to fit some fat tire's in the back. i was wondering if i would have to back half the frame or just use a good tub and narrowed axle to fit some 15 inch wide tires. If i need to do a frame back half does anyboyd know of a company that has good frame back half kits and a 4 link. I am wanting a crazy hook of the line. If i do a back half would i need to install a roll cage? I really don't want a roll cage if i don't half to because I don't want holes in the cab or bars to crawl over. If anyboyd knows of some info or maybe somebody that might have built a ranger drag truck. I am still looking for a regular cab short bed ranger to use for the build but i still haven't found one that fits my taste for a starter.

 

How fast are you hoping to go? Get down in the 11's and you are going to need to have a cage. Stay above the cage requirement and you only need little tires. Pretty easy to get a little truck down the track into the elevens with 10" rubber, DOT at that.
Only mini tubs may be required to fit the tires you desire, but a full back half would be nice. The truck is a truck, and has plenty of room for tire to get you well into the 10's.
Plenty of vehicles running deep into the 10's on small DOT rubber.
Now if it just the "look" you are after, then that is a different story. You will need some additional support for a back half modification, and if you choose to run without a cage, then the support will have to be from the under side. Lots of fabrication if you choose not to penetrate the cabe with some tubing.
You want plenty of traction, the key is in the suspension design and not just sticking a fat old tire under there.
I have seen plenty of "Fat tire" cars pulling lousy 60 foot times, and enough small tire cars down in the respectable 1.51 area.
Big tires only look cool when you have enough motor to move them, otherwise, it is just like showing up to the gun range with the baddest firearm around, and missing the target when you pull the trigger.
Just don't seem right.

 

well i am wanting the look of a big fat tire in the back. I want it to be tucked up inside the fender too, that pretty much means i need a tub. I don't want the tire out side the fender at all. I am not greatly worried about speed but it would be nice to see the 11's. Would boxing the frame give me enought strength to not need a roll cage?

 

The thing about cutting the frame is that it has to be welded back together, and this leaves the possibility for it to come apart again since all of the loads are at the ear during acceleration.
Now, if the steamroller look is what you are after, I would measure the distance between the frame rail and the inside of the fender. I would be willing to bet that you could tuck at least a 33x14.5x15, or even a 15 inch wide tire with a 12" wide wheel. The only thing keeping you from sticking those under there would be the springs and the inner fenders in the bed. I doubt that the frame would get in the way. this means that the bed would have to be cut, and a set of wheel tubs would have to be fabricated.
In order to make room for the new rollers, you could install the leafs inboard of the frame, or simply make a link style suspension with a set of coilovers. pre-fab link systems are available from chassis builders and you can find some neat stuff from one of our sponsors Jegs.
A simple crossmember would be bolt in and brackets can be purchased to weld right on to the axle. That is a fairly narrow truck, and you should be able to tuck some fat meats under there just by moving some stuff around.
As far as the need for a cage, well I will leave that up to you. This should be something that you should strongly consider. Sounds like you have never been on your lid before huh? I would never try to go that fast without one. Must be getting old I guess. Perhaps the last few making sparks with the roof had something to do with it too. Gotta be safe. Sometimes we crash, and at least with a cage, we have a decent shot at being able to do it all over again. No cage really stacks up the odds against walking away.
You may not need to penetrate the cab to strengthen the frame, especially if you don;t cut the frame.
Try a tape measure, i think you will be suprised.

 

ok thanks for the advice 75. I really don't want to back half the frame if i don't have to because i know it wil weaken it. I don't plan to drag race the truck to much. I think a 4 link or ladder bar suspension done up with a narrowed 9 inch would probably do the job then with a good tub. I want the truck to appear as stock as possible minus the really big tires. I already like the way a stock ranger sits in the front by should i look into any mods for the front end to help handling (which isn't going to be good)