I traded a heavy duty utility trailer for a 94 STX 4X4 extended cab yesterday. It is completely stock except a diamond plate tool box and plastic liner in the bed and manual locking hubs. My main hope is to get this thing ready to pass inspection and be reliable enough to use as a daily driver. The main issues I see so far are back up lights don't work-no voltage to sockets, a.b.s. and dash brake light stay on, left front fog lamp missing, drivers seat loose/broken(it sort of flops around!), throw out bearing and clutch whine. Later, when the weather is nice, I want(my kids want) to lift suspension 4" and put on 33"s, then at some point install HD bumpers, winch, light rack, possibly paint(it's aquablue and purple/pink?), ect. Any links to threads in this forum or vendors that will help me in my quest are greatly appreciated. ps I don't have factory Ford service manual yet, don't even know if I can get one, anyone know?

 

Cool!

Welcome aboard!

This place is packed with good advice from members who have everything with these trucks.

 

Good Luck on your venture. Try E Bay for a Ford Factory Service Manual. They are often put up for bid there.

 

Be sure to browse the stickie section located at the top of the FTE Ranger first page.....you'll find solutions to many common problems and improvements there.

 

Since you live down south, rust shouldn't be a problem and a good rust free body makes for a great project. The 4.0 and manual tanny is icing on the cake, perfect combo on a 4x4 ranger. The great thing about a project like yours is an excuse to hit the junk yards, makes you feel like a kid in a candy store. The ranger body hasn't changed much since 93 to present, parts galore!!!! Explorer seats will bolt right in there, might even find some leather ones. If you throw on 33's, make sure you have 4:10 gears front and rear, or install some if not, your clutch will love for it and the added usable torque will be welcomed. If you have to install them, might even consider 4:30's or 4:56's, make a real wheeler out of it. Throw in a good limited slip like the detroit tru-trac or a locker and do some real boulder bashing. Hurst makes a nice short throw shifter for it and looks awesome as well. BFG makes an awesome tire, the BFG AT KO's, I've used them for years, there great off/road and tame on the road. As you live close to the swaps, might even want the BFG mud tires, just a slight howl on the road, but not bad at all. I think I might be as excited about it as you are, I love ranger 4x4's. I just offed my 04 ranger 4x4, it had the 4.0, manual tranny and 4:10 gears. I installed the tru-trac, had the BFG's, bilstien shocks and skid plates. I did alot of engine mods as well, like headers, catback, udp's, intake, bama engine programer and synthetic fluids (mobil 1), the truck was awesome on and off the road. I would like to do an 88 ranger 4x4 for my next project, either a built 4.0 or small block ford V-8. Glad to have you and keep us posted, feel free to ask questions as we love to help and talk rangers, "welcome aboard buddy"!!! Sorry for using the word awesome so much, I'm not from cally, just excited for you!!!

 

just came in from the driveway, it's ready for inspection now. All the lights work now, except the missing fog light but I know a place I can go that will overlook that. Back switch $10 at autozone and a couple of bulbs here and there. The seat had a broken weld on the left bracket so that was a cheap fix. Next weekend I'll address the throw out bearing when my uncle can come over and give me a hand, and after I finish this beer and read the stickie section on codes one more time I'm gonna pull the codes for the abs/rear brakes. I've taken a couple of photos and tonight if the kids don't wear me out too bad I'll upload them to my gallery. Thanks for the enthusiastic welcomes. I'm a figure out my gearing this afternoon as well Mr. Wendell, thanks for the tips. Oh and Mr. Michigan66 - I found a couple of books on ebay that include volume one only but when I got them for my 1970 they came with five volumes, do you know how many volumes are supposed to come with 94 aero/expl/ranger manual?

 

Sounds like your having fun, "cool", thats what it's all about. Were in a blizard up here in Ohio, were having to do some serious 4-wheeling just to get a round. Enjoy your cold one and I'll check out your gallery when you get it posted.

 

Gearing according to the door plate is 3.27 non-LS Axle code 91. There are no hills or rocks around hear, just mud and the occasional highway overpass or levy to go over. Think I need to change it for 33"s? Trans is 5 speed manual. Isn't "awesome" a Massachusets thing? LOL, I'm originally from Connecticut so all that snow ya'll getting is heading that way. My friend down the road is from Ohio, saw him in the store yesterday and he said his parents got 8". My parents are expecting 4-6"

 

gallery updated

 

nice pics.

great looking truck. I love mine.

good luck.

 

The body on that truck looks great for that year. What a deal!

 

"Isn't "awesome" a Massachusets thing?"
It's an old hippie thing, something to do with tripping on acid... " man, the colors are awesome!"
Hope this helps.

 

We ended up with 18.5" of snow, but the sun is shinning today, "praise the Lord and pass the gun powder"!!!! Yeah, you need some gear in that truck, 3:27's are highway gears, you'll end up burning the clutch off/road even with stock tires or be forced to stay in low range. My 96 ranger 4x4 with a 4.0 and manual tranny had 3:27's. I put 31" tires on it and would have to slip the clutch at times to take off on the street if there was an incline. I swapped to 4:10's and what a difference, it felt like it had 50 more hp. The mpg also impoved in local stop and go driving as it didn't labor the engine as bad, didn't need as much pedal to get going, it would idle off in first gear if you wanted it to. With 33" tires you want at least 4:10, even 4:30's if you need to torque through deep mud, also for mud you want a lsd or locker in the rear. Torson and the detroit tru-trac are both gear driven limited slips that don't use clutch packs to wear out or need friction modifiers. I've used the tru-trac in a couple of 4x4's, it's a strong durable unit and grabs and grunts like a grizzly bear, it's like having a locker with good street manors. The torson is about the same, ford used the torson in the ranger FX4 level II's. A good lsd makes a 4x4 a real truck, if not, you only have one wheel pulling in the rear as well as the front. The stock ford trac-loc is junk, it's only a hair better than an open diff it needs more clutches in the pac for better grabbing capabilities, it's pretty weak. A good lsd or locker is worth every penny as they transform a truck into a true 4 wheel drive vehicle. It makes a huge difference just having it in the rear. I never did one in the front, I couldn't find one that would fit the rangers D35, it's not the same as the D35 in a jeep. I think maybe they make a detroit locker that fits the front, not sure, but no way do I want a locker on my steer wheels. It makes the steering very heavy and cumbersome, not good on the highway even with lock outs. For a trail only rig I guess it would be ok. I perfere a lsd in the front or nothing at all, but the rear, thats where I need full traction for sure.

 

O yeah, the truck looks as good as I thought it would being from the south. I has the cool 4x4/splash grill as well, I love that grill. You have the big fender flares, now you just need some meats under them, you got a great deal.

 

me too. at the drag strip over here those early ranger and s-10s with small blocks are so quick.
I definately want a tru-trak in the rear. I've never got into a differential, always scared of all those clutches and shims and clearences and so on, I'm going to call a couple of the local offroad shops around town to get some prices. I'll lift the suspension myself and get the alignment close and then take it to an old man down the road whos an alignment genius. I'm going to be in research mode for most likely a couple of months. I usually work 28 on and 21 off but the vessel I work on has been in dry dock since beginning of Dec so I got to get working again and build the checking account back up to where the wife won't mind seeing the UPS guy every other afternoon.
This morning I'm getting plates and inspection assuming we filled out the back of the title correctly and I can find a notary that will stamp it