Thread: Abominable Snowman - Extra cab 4x4 ranger

This build is a culmination of many years on this website, riding with friends, and being in the Poly Goats 4x4 and off-road for 4 years. I want to say thanks to everyone who documented their builds in years past. I also want to keep this thread as tech-oriented as possible, so please limit the amount of side talk if possible.



A couple weeks ago I picked up this 1994 4.0L 5sp 4x4 cocaine colored rocket ship. It's mostly stock with a tube core support, jba headers, some glass, and the heart of a rabid wildebeest. The plan is pretty cookie cutter: Street Legal w/dana 44 ttb, 4 link, 35's, 4.56 gears, detroit rear, keep the 4.0L 5spd for now


EDIT: Here is a real-time list of items I'm looking for. If you have any leads, please let me know. I will keep this updated throughout the build
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(1) Fuel Cell 25-32 Gallons
(2) 14" 2.5 Coilovers
(4) 2.0 Bumpstops

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I put approximately 2 miles on the truck before this happened:


Then I stumbled across a 1980 31 spline 9", so naturally:


This weekend I got to caging it. I'm going with the sub-frame approach in order to fully weld everything. I'm having a hell of a time pulling the windshield, but no one said it would be easy.








I finally picked up my TTB 44 as well. Once the cage is done I'll be moving to the front to hang these suckers:


Lastly, I was having trouble finding wheels so I opted to purchase these 17x8.5 MB Razors, made by Ultra apparently:

nice and simple

Any reasoning on why you went with a 17" rim? Nice progress for sure though.

hey sweet ttb looks familiar

Thanks Paul! I'll try to put em to good use

As for the 17's, it seemed like a no brainer. The truck will handle a little tighter with 17's and used 35's are becoming easier to find for 17's than 15's.

Needs a new name, snow white has been taken for years now...sorry bud

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by r1d3snowboards

Needs a new name, snow white has been taken for years now...sorry bud

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

I'm not partial to the name, it was just fitting due to the color and the fact that I'm originally from the Michigan and the truck is from Colorado (hence the snowy references). How to change a thread topic is beyond me though. Moderators???

Looks like off to a great start. I have some coil overs for you , I have a total of 4 2.5 x 14 brand new radflos never even mocked up, also have 3x16 4tube bypasses, also brand new never mocked up. pm me and Ill shoot you a price

^^Your pm box is full. Send me a pm with prices when you get a chance. Thanks!

The cage is coming along. The roof bars with the bends proved difficult but they're done. Everything up top is ready to be fully welded, so now I just have to drop down the sub frame and burn it all in.

I scored tires, seats, and harnesses this weekend as well. The seats are a little big, but I'll run them for now. If anyone would like to trade standard width seats for these wide ones, I'd be interested.

Unfortunately I cracked the windshield pulling the mirror off, but I can't say I'm that unhappy about it. Being a 1994 with a stock windshield, it had a number of rock dings and was pretty well etched.

hope you like flat spots and rock rash! im sure those tires were a great deal tho so no biggy

Got my cheap rims and cheaper tires back yesterday. I was bummed by how damn shinny the rims were (way too much bling) but I'm happy with the fitment and the tires. Seeing how these tires are for mach up, they should do just fine.

any reason on why you're going with 2.5 bumps? i'm positive you'll be fine with 2.0 bumps for a rangers.

Originally Posted by 90rangerkid

any reason on why you're going with 2.5 bumps? i'm positive you'll be fine with 2.0 bumps for a rangers.

No particular reason. If 2.0's will work then I'll run whatever I find first.

Originally Posted by crazyracer

No particular reason. If 2.0's will work then I'll run whatever I find first.

2.0's will be the way to go and you'll save cash!

It's getting there...
I fully welded the cage this weekend minus a few that tie into the frame from the inside. I'm waiting on some 1.5" tube to finish the /l\ part between the b and c pillars too.

Fyi, pulling the windshield is easier when (1) You don't care if you break it and (2) You have a sawzall. < The latter saved me tons of time and there was very little messed caused by broken glass

I picked up some items this weekend at the swap meet:
E-locker with 4.56 gears for the Dana 44 TTB
Another seat that fits me way better than the wide PRP
A WIY link kit and pivots from Jeff @ Giant. Which I would like to thank Jeff for and really appreciate the advice thus far.
Some 2.5x14" SAWs, sans coils




Since my last post I welded the cage completely and painted it too, photos of that later.
Beams are looking better though:

Good to see your seats are kicked back. I don't know how people drive with them mounted vertically.

Nice man! You finally got a ranger! Truck looks great so far. Ill have to stop by some time.

Heck yea Jason, I've had it for almost 2 months now.

Here's a more recent prog pic. I painted the top portion of the cage however there is much to be added still so it's not finished yet.

Looks great, Dan! Keep the updates coming and hopefully we can get a trip going sometime soon (relatively).

looks great so far, if you ever need a hand im local. im in the goats too, just never show up to meetings.

Cool. Look forward to updates this week.


Sent using two cups and a string

what color did you paint the tube?

Do you have any pics of how you dropped the cage down to weld it all up? Truck looks great, look forward to later updates!

Originally Posted by bajabugmobbin

looks great so far, if you ever need a hand im local. im in the goats too, just never show up to meetings.

Over the next two weeks I will be working on the truck everyday. I could use a hand making scab plates to tie the cage to the body, as well as some maintenance items like fixing the shift bushing and replacing some pulleys. I'd love a hand if you're up to the task!

Originally Posted by prerunsilverado

what color did you paint the tube?

The interior cage I shot with the Rustoleum Hammmer Bronze (basicallay gray textured). It looks really nice IMO. Much of the truck will follow a white/grey/black/tan color scheme.

Originally Posted by DemonPrerunners

Do you have any pics of how you dropped the cage down to weld it all up? Truck looks great, look forward to later updates!

I can get you some photos tomorrow if you like. Honestly though, if you fit the cage to the body lines how you're suppose to, it doesn't allow the cage to drop down much (around 6"). I was still able to weld all the joints, but if I were to do it again I'd much rather cut the top of the cab off and save all the hassle. The cage would be a little stronger and the time difference may only be a little longer. My sub-framed worked, but I probably wouldn't do it again.


Seat frames are being worked on, dash was hacked into position (we'll seeeeee ya ventilation ducting...) and pivot brackets for the ttb 44 beams are en route. I'm hoping in 2 weeks the truck will be sitting on it's new front end and driving again (rear half untouched at that point though). One can only dream.....

Originally Posted by DemonPrerunners

Do you have any pics of how you dropped the cage down to weld it all up? Truck looks great, look forward to later updates!

Here are a couple photos of the sub-frame. Currently it only connects to the frame in 2 spots (one fore, one aft) but I'll be adding in additional tubes every 18".

REAR:


FRONT (I'm actually chaning out the front plate though, it's unnecessarily large):


This is how it fits under the body, I'm not sure why the camera has such a white hue to it:

Here are some quick pics of the beams mocked up:



I've been pretty sick lately so progress has crawled to a minimum, no one wants to grind and cut when they're sick.

are you going to do the euro grill look?

Originally Posted by runners_pre

are you going to do the euro grill look?

Ah, not sure what that is. I am putting (3) Hella 4k's behind an expanded aluminum grill. Keeps me from having to worry about rocks to the lenses and I'll be able to run a super clean bumper.

How to make the Ford Ranger Euro Style Grille.wmv - YouTube
would look pretty cool with lights in there

Originally Posted by runners_pre

How to make the Ford Ranger Euro Style Grille.wmv - YouTube
would look pretty cool with lights in there

Wow thanks! Yup, that was the plan. Now I know how to implement it

I'd do something like simonsays did on his before the one piece he put on.


Sent using two cups and a string

yea i defiantly like the look of it with lights sitting flush in there with the grill!

Bump for updates!

Out of curiosity, what's the brake setup you plan for the rear?

Originally Posted by Motiracer38

Out of curiosity, what's the brake setup you plan for the rear?

In my first post I showed the photo, however I guess I never explained it. I'm running 1985 Chevrolet K5 Blazer front calipers with 1978 F150 rotors (5 on 5.5 pattern). The brackets for the calipers came from a shop in Virginia, though if you search there are a boat load of Chevy caliper mounts for 9" out there. No parking brake at this point :/

Okay okay, now time to address the bumpalump that Joel asked for:







I'm hoping to get the coilovers mounted by Sunday evening, we'll see how shock tower fab goes 0_o
The radius arms took FOREVER to make and therefore I'm super far behind on the build. Joel's brackets work great for moch up, unfortunately no one has gotten any further so proof of durability is still virgin ground.

I have 31 days to get the truck Baja ready, if it's not finished I will not be taking a vacation this spring :/ It's build or bust time, euber progress will be made in the next few weeks.

Party on Garth.

Originally Posted by crazyracer

Joel's brackets work great for moch up, unfortunately no one has gotten any further so proof of durability is still virgin ground.

I've got a good track record so there shouldn't be issues. It's the rest of the ford stuff that worries me.

Looking good so far.



Sent using two cups and a string

Spring "Break" progress:

I took off the stock front end, mounted the new pivot brackets, made a pair of radius arms and pivots, made a sort of "enginescageballershockhoop" and mounted the shocks and cycled the suspension.

The fabrication of the front is nearly done, I need to add gussets in a few locations, along with a couple more tubes in the engine bay. Once I get misalignment spacers and the correct fittings for the reservoirs, I'll mount the shocks.

I still haven't cycled the front with axle shafts yet, so that's the next step. I'll be adding the Bravada bumps and some limit straps after that.

28 days later...I better be in Baja.