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Kyle M. Ranger Truggy, rebuilt again - Revision 4

345K views 3K replies 162 participants last post by  Mr. Beefy 
#1 · (Edited)
I like to share what I am doing, like to take pictures, and I don't know about you guys, but I love lookin at em too.

SO here is my build, It is well underway, but here is the cut and pasted to date version.

So here goes, a 93 X cab, 4.0, 5 speed, Booger green as my Wife and kids call it, that is where the name comes from. A 6" suspension lift via rough country drop brackets, 6" skyjacker coils in the front and a chevy 63", 7" shackel and I replaced the factory lift block with a lift block, same height but had correction in it for pinion angle. And a 2" body lift....



At this point it was still serving DD and weekend wheeling duties, I was running 35's with 4.88 gears, trac lock rear, open front. It did pretty good, but I was ready to start making some changes....then this happend 6/18/10


So at that point it was time to come up with a new plan. I have already been wanting to do a SAS with my EB D44 so I figure there is no better time than now.

So the hunt began for a new "parts" truck that I could use the frame, front clip and a few other parts from. I decided I wanted to shorten my wheel base so I started looking for a regular cab truck. With just under a week of looking I found this beauty, a 93 4 poper flatbed




She's cute huh? Good shape in all the right spots. Runs like a top, drove it home and I only gave $450 for it....gonna part it out to get some of my money back.

So the plan is to use that frame, use my X cab and that front clip. As far as the bed goes, maybe a bob, maybe a truggy. All my motor and trans are going on the 2wd frame....should be a fun truck.

Anyways, on for the progress, got my 44 in the garage and started the tear down


Then I started to order SAS parts....got a set of Fox 16" air shocks coming, a few heims, picked up my 2" OD X.250 tube to extend the radius arms and some 1.250" OD X.250 tube from my track bar and drag link. Ordered some 4.88 gears today and some 7* radius arm bushings. I am going to go a pick up my disk brake set up for my 44 sometime soon too. I got lots of work to do!

Here are some pictures of the my smashed truck...



 
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#2 ·
Well, got into looking at frames, seems like I will have some issues fitting my X cab on the regular cab frame. There is a raise in the reg cab frame I will have to work around. Here are some pictures of the frames, as best you can see them....

2wd frame


4wd X frame


Just for reference, my rear cab mount on the X cab will be where the front spring hanger is, or there about...


Had some time into tearing the parts truck down, got the flat bed off, front clip off and the inner fender support removed.







I also got another look at my X cab frame and how bad it is really messed up...


supposed to be straight, ouch
 
#3 ·
Got the cab of the parts truck, got the rest of the front clip off my X cab, pulled the bolts for the box so I can yank it, swapped steering columns so i can drive it into the garage. I started cleaning up the new frame a little, gonna start stripping it tomorrow. Plan is to pull my X cab, then the motor and then drop it in this new frame,then put the cab on then the lift and SAS.

And after parting my truck, so far I only paid $75(got $375 for all the parts I sold so far) for my new frame, front clip, steering column and I still have lots of parts to scrap...gonna be free by the time I am done with it.

On with the pictures!






new parts





Did I mention yet I was gonna use air shocks??
 
#4 ·
pulled my X cab, but just rolled it back on the frame and sat it back down since I want to put the motor in the other frame before I put the body on it. Might just leave it like this, looks kinda bad ass IMO:icon_twisted:





More new parts and got engine ready to come out and go in the other frame....on with pictures





Truck looks broke....sitting on bump stops
 
#5 ·
Got the regular cab frame stripped of all the junk...ford like to use rivits...I think I knocked out at least 50 of em so far!




Then I wired wheeled the inside of the frame, primered it and started tacking in my boxing inserts.



Got my radius arms extended and tacked together. If you look close, you can see the 1.5* of correction I built in. Hopfully with that and the 7* bushings I can tuck the heims up inside of the frame, more on that when I get to that....



then this also showed up the other day


Gonna finish up the the boxing, then start on my tranny crossmember.
 
#6 ·
Got my X cab frame looking pretty lonely...


got a HUGE nasty mess going on....need to do some scrappin


And slid the axle under the truck....




Gonna get the motor and rear axle in this weekend, then on to the radius arm crossmember. As far as ride height, I'm gonna put the rear axle on, then level the frame and call that a starting point.
 
#7 ·
Got my radius arms done and welded, started on the crossmember. Got the axle in position, got the caster at about 5*, think that should be good. The arms are pretty long, I wanted the crossmember to not hang down, and the only spot I had to make that work with my long arms is behind the tranny...o-well, see how it works, just worried about ground clearance. Got the crossmember all tacked up, still need to make provisions for the heims.








Think I am gonna pull the motor and modify the engine crossmember, hangs too low



Think I am gonna make another order to Ruffstuff, getting a diff cover and some more heims so I can have and adjustable track bar and drag link, so yeah, all heims in my steering. Then I have an order for summit for a battery relocation kit and a few other odds and ends
 
#9 ·
Welp, cross member is done, painted and mounted, all looks good. I also made a tie rod and waiting on making the drag link and track bar till I get my heims, should be next week, then I can place my trackbar mounts. Put the front tires on the new rims, put it together to mock it up and see my wheel base, right at 115 so the axle is pushed just over 1" (stock is 113.9) wich is still way better than my old 125".

Got my battery relocation kit from summit and my 1.5" 1/4" wall DOM for steering and track bar and my track bar mounts from Ruffstuff



crossmember





mounted






then I took it off and painted it and reinstalled it for good


 
#11 ·
Got some work done


New tranny crossmember, still not done. Not sure if I love it, but it will get the job done.



Front tire lifted, clearance testing



Hitting the engine crossmember....gonna clear it and gusset up the top


rear crossmember done. I added tow points, they are welded front and rear of the crossmember and I also added two 1/2" tapped holes on the side to go thru the frame for extra strength




Diff cover, need to weld it



Shortedned drive shaft in its home

 
#12 ·
Steering and track bar parts made, I will get a picture later of it put on, fits good and flexs fine.



Lower shock mounts



I machined a 1/4" step in the cap to allow the space for the spring mount, should be really strong. I have some cleaning up to do on these.

Shock hoops made






I am not too happy with these, think I am gonna cut em off and start over. I am going to make a removable bar that connects the 2 hoops together at the shock mounts, that is why those look like they are just hanging out, but I want to wait to get the cab on for fitment. I think I want the shock tabs to be closer to the hoops. I set my springs up for 6" compression and 10" droop. I will probably set up some bumps at about 5" and strap it at about 9"

Tack bar....thought I was good, had it made, mount tacked into place then I found when I mounted the shocks they were going to hit when i flex



I want to keep the track bar in that spot for the best fitment on the bar

 
#13 ·
Cab on, sorta, still need to make rear cab mounts. Got it sitting on 1" body lift to clear the frame some.....looks tall to me. I might have to lower it a little when it is done. New design for shock hoops still in progress(that is why the cab got put on)




Here is another picture with the front fender sitting in place...get an idea of the wheel base too.



And my new welder.....this thing is sweet!

 
#14 ·
Shock hoops and brace



Close to the master cylinder, but it should work....hope I don't ever have to remove it, should be fun



Started placing the front sheetmetal on so I could put the hoot on to check clearance....



Hood is really close, but will be fine

Rear cab mounts and crossmember. 2x3 .250 wall tube. It is one piece, cut holes in the frame and pushed it thru. I will box the frame here for extra support



Took the last stock crossmeber out replaced with some 1.375, .125 wall DOM. Gonna add another crossbar and make some sort of shock mount on it.



made a cart for my welder....

 
#15 ·
I started chopping the front crossmember, still have some clearancing to do on it, then I plan on rebuilding it some how


track bar issues


And some more pictures of the truck and hoops




Alright, goal accomplished, got it to go full bump, and flexed it both ways with no interference (besides the drop pitman arm...I need a stocker, but I have one to swap now)

Jack flexing with flat air shocks...gonna charge them soon.



Then at full droop


 
#17 ·
Made some progress today...got the axle under the truck, started to reassemble the knuckles, need a new ball joint nut, but I put it on jackstands and it is on it's own weight. I didn't put enough nitrogen in the shocks so they are about 1" off where I am going to put the bumps....need to add some more gas. Then I moved on to the front clip, engine bay crap. Got the radiator in, finished running the wires and hooking everything up.

Here are some pictures....




And here it is with a tire rolled up in front of it....


Charged the shocks up more, somewhere around 375 psi and bolted more stuff on...its a roller now


 
#18 ·
Here is the frankenger (Frankenstein and ranger....I'm stupid) It looks kinds cobbled so far, got lots to do yet, but after exhaust and bolting the bed down I can drive it.





and some jack flexing




Then I got it all finished up, brakes, exhaust and all that BS and got it running...




Then I drove it around the block, came back gave it a quick alignment, checked fluids and drove to the gas station...
 
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