RCCrawler Forums

mudhunter · 11-08-2006, 02:20 PM

hello all.
I have a 1985 ford ranger with the 2.8.
and was wornding what axle to put under the frount I am bulidin a trail truck out of it and want a solid axle..it will be leaf sprung.
And on the engin the 2.8 ant cuttin it so i want a 302 i know jamesduff makes a kit but was wornding if i need to do any thing to the chassis for it.
thanks

ThinkTank · 11-08-2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudhunter

hello all.
I have a 1985 ford ranger with the 2.8.
and was wornding what axle to put under the frount I am bulidin a trail truck out of it and want a solid axle..it will be leaf sprung.
And on the engin the 2.8 ant cuttin it so i want a 302 i know jamesduff makes a kit but was wornding if i need to do any thing to the chassis for it.
thanks

as far as the axle, go with a dana 44

Unholy · 11-08-2006, 02:50 PM

OK... I am dying to find out.

How old are you GT40? Are you even old enough to drive and give advice on 1:1's?

Thorsteenster · 11-08-2006, 02:57 PM

james duff has been around along time, im sure they'd be more than happy to talk to you about the conversion as well as offer advice for axle swaps. but yeah, id say dana 44 is an excellent choice, or a ford 9". i saw a company a few years ago making em for the front, curry maybe? or what ever you have access to, just make sure the pumpkins on the same side as the front output shaft.

ThinkTank · 11-08-2006, 02:58 PM

i've read off road mags since i was 6 , i've worked on my dads Dodge3500 dually and driven it(which is a badass one) , i've seen morons try to put 49inch irocks on a dana 60 , im saving to buy a TD dodge3500 srw so ican go to moab and wheel. and if that ain't good enough
Yes i can give advice and i can drive
the curry 9inch axles are excellent choice are IMO better than a stock D44

OIT_TLT · 11-08-2006, 03:29 PM

i went wheelin with a guy with a ranger and he slapped a yota front axle under it. seemed to work for him

Unholy · 11-08-2006, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT40

i've read off road mags since i was 6 , i've worked on my dads Dodge3500 dually and driven it(which is a badass one) , i've seen morons try to put 49inch irocks on a dana 60 , im saving to buy a TD dodge3500 srw so ican go to moab and wheel. and if that ain't good enough
Yes i can give advice and i can drive
the curry 9inch axles are excellent choice are IMO better than a stock D44

So what you are saying is basically "I am 16 years old and I think I know what I am talking about. In 20 years I will have saved enough working at Mc Donalds to buy a 2006 Dodge."

I guess since you wacked off to playboy since you were 12 you know all about women too?

mudhunter · 11-08-2006, 03:41 PM

yea i thought about a yota axle..
i want to run a 302 with 35 would the frount axles hold up to it..
also what would be a good tranny and t case

Cole82 · 11-08-2006, 03:48 PM

C6 tranny
205/208 doubler kit t-case
Yota front would be the closest to width of the rear ranger axle.

skidooguymxz550 · 11-08-2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT40

i've read off road mags since i was 6 , i've worked on my dads Dodge3500 dually and driven it(which is a badass one) , i've seen morons try to put 49inch irocks on a dana 60 , im saving to buy a TD dodge3500 srw so ican go to moab and wheel. and if that ain't good enough
Yes i can give advice and i can drive
the curry 9inch axles are excellent choice are IMO better than a stock D44

now why would you want that big a truck for wheelin? i'm no expert but i have looked at an offroad mag at the bookstore once....

Cole82 · 11-08-2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skidooguymxz550

now why would you want that big a truck for wheelin? i'm no expert but i have looked at an offroad mag at the bookstore once....

Because he is from Texas, every thing is bigger in TX..... Well atleast that's what they tell them selfs.

slugzracing · 11-08-2006, 04:09 PM

Mudhunter, your profile says that you are about 16 so I will recomend you take it easy on the mods for a while. To do what you are thinking (302 and solid axle) is going to cost a fair amount and require some good, not bootyfab, fabrication. If this is your only vehicle then really take it easy on the mods.
I would recomend a dana 35 TTB swap and some good gears and if money allows a locker, the 2.8 will work just fine if you have some good gears.

Have you done any research online yet?
search for "302 swap" over at www.therangerstation.com and you will find more info than you can get here. There are also quite a few guys there running solid axles and just about every duff part ever made.

Jamus · 11-08-2006, 04:20 PM

www.rrorc.com is another great site for info. I went with coils on my 94 ranger so I can't give too much other advice.

TerribleOne · 11-08-2006, 04:41 PM

Currie can build you a nice high pinion 44 and 9inch. Thats the route i'd go, not the cheapest though.

Did 85 have the 7.5 in the rear or the 8.8? If its a 7.5 you'll need to ditch that.

slugzracing · 11-08-2006, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerribleOne

Currie can build you a nice high pinion 9inch. Thats the route i'd go, not the cheapest though.

Did 85 have the 7.5 in the rear or the 8.8? If its a 7.5 you'll need to ditch that.

7.5
If the rear is not locked you can beat on those for quite a while but yeah, lock it and it is like snapping twigs.

xjman · 11-08-2006, 06:36 PM

I dont think droping a solid axle in the front would be your best choice at 16. Save the money you would spend buying the parts and getting crap fabbed(assuming you dont do it yourelf) and put it twards a nicer rig.

As for the motor, just rebuild the one you have. Its not worth the hassle of blowing up parts that were not designed to withstand the increased power of the V8. In swapping the motor remember your tranny will change, and possibly your T-case.

Just my .02

Robb · 11-08-2006, 06:43 PM

If the rig is nice, and you really feel like searching for awhile, find yourself a ragged and wrecked 1st Explorer with a manny tranny, manny BW1354, manny hubs, and 3.73s.........then swap in the whole drivetrain. The pushrod 4.0, Mazda tranny, BW1354, TTB D35, and 31-spline 8.8 make a cheap improvement very capable of handling 35s.

toyofast · 11-08-2006, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OIT_TLT

i went wheelin with a guy with a ranger and he slapped a yota front axle under it. seemed to work for him

Ranger = Drivers drop
Toyota = Pass drop

You are smoking dope Scott. You Kalabama'ians are nuts.

For a Ranger or BII....

Find a later EB with 44 & 9" combo.... pull the Dana44 and 9"er out from under it. Bolt in. The radius arm setup on the EB will just about bolt right into the Ranger stuff. You might have to weld on new spring perches for the 9" out back.

I used to have a Ranger and that was the route I almost went, untill a Toyota fell into my lap.

mudhunter · 11-08-2006, 07:21 PM

this is not my onley truck..my dd is a bronco 2.
My dad has had many rangers and b2's..
i have been drivein for a little wile.
I had this truck sittin for bout 2-3 years and want a project to wheel.
I can fab some stuff (me and my bro bulit 6 dirt track racers)
I got a ford 9" in my parts pile right now that i am goin to put in the rear and am tryin to find a yota frount axle.
So how does this sound
1.put the yota axle in
2.drive trane(bore the 2.8 out a little with a auto trany with a stock t case)
3.33 boggers
thanks you guy for helping me out.

Robb · 11-08-2006, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudhunter

So how does this sound
1.put the yota axle in
2.drive trane(bore the 2.8 out a little with a auto trany with a stock t case)

Quote:

Originally Posted by toyofast

Ranger = Drivers drop
Toyota = Pass drop

Which part of that statement did you miss?

11-08-2006, 02:20 PM	#1
mudhunter Pebble Pounder Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: the race track Posts: 198	help with my 1.1 ranger hello all. I have a 1985 ford ranger with the 2.8. and was wornding what axle to put under the frount I am bulidin a trail truck out of it and want a solid axle..it will be leaf sprung. And on the engin the 2.8 ant cuttin it so i want a 302 i know jamesduff makes a kit but was wornding if i need to do any thing to the chassis for it. thanks

11-08-2006, 03:48 PM	#9
Cole82 I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cedar Rapids Posts: 2,028	C6 tranny 205/208 doubler kit t-case Yota front would be the closest to width of the rear ranger axle. Last edited by Cole82; 11-08-2006 at 03:51 PM.

11-08-2006, 04:41 PM	#14
TerribleOne Rock Crawler Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: OC, Oregon Posts: 803	Currie can build you a nice high pinion 44 and 9inch. Thats the route i'd go, not the cheapest though. Did 85 have the 7.5 in the rear or the 8.8? If its a 7.5 you'll need to ditch that. Last edited by TerribleOne; 11-08-2006 at 07:26 PM.

11-08-2006, 02:50 PM	#3
Unholy I wanna be Dave Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: One Legend. Posts: 2,134	OK... I am dying to find out. How old are you GT40? Are you even old enough to drive and give advice on 1:1's?

11-08-2006, 02:57 PM	#4
Thorsteenster I wanna be Dave Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 3,377	james duff has been around along time, im sure they'd be more than happy to talk to you about the conversion as well as offer advice for axle swaps. but yeah, id say dana 44 is an excellent choice, or a ford 9". i saw a company a few years ago making em for the front, curry maybe? or what ever you have access to, just make sure the pumpkins on the same side as the front output shaft.

11-08-2006, 02:58 PM	#5
ThinkTank Release your anger.. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: North American Union Posts: 1,063	i've read off road mags since i was 6 , i've worked on my dads Dodge3500 dually and driven it(which is a badass one) , i've seen morons try to put 49inch irocks on a dana 60 , im saving to buy a TD dodge3500 srw so ican go to moab and wheel. and if that ain't good enough Yes i can give advice and i can drive the curry 9inch axles are excellent choice are IMO better than a stock D44

11-08-2006, 03:29 PM	#6
OIT_TLT Quarry Creeper Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: On the yellow dummy dumper Posts: 447	i went wheelin with a guy with a ranger and he slapped a yota front axle under it. seemed to work for him

11-08-2006, 03:41 PM	#8
mudhunter Pebble Pounder Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: the race track Posts: 198	yea i thought about a yota axle.. i want to run a 302 with 35 would the frount axles hold up to it.. also what would be a good tranny and t case

11-08-2006, 04:09 PM	#12
slugzracing I wanna be Dave Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hiding from Goodall Posts: 2,518	Mudhunter, your profile says that you are about 16 so I will recomend you take it easy on the mods for a while. To do what you are thinking (302 and solid axle) is going to cost a fair amount and require some good, not bootyfab, fabrication. If this is your only vehicle then really take it easy on the mods. I would recomend a dana 35 TTB swap and some good gears and if money allows a locker, the 2.8 will work just fine if you have some good gears. Have you done any research online yet? search for "302 swap" over at www.therangerstation.com and you will find more info than you can get here. There are also quite a few guys there running solid axles and just about every duff part ever made.

11-08-2006, 04:20 PM	#13
Jamus RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Naoma, WV Posts: 1,479	www.rrorc.com is another great site for info. I went with coils on my 94 ranger so I can't give too much other advice.

11-08-2006, 06:36 PM	#16
xjman Rock Crawler Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement Posts: 929	I dont think droping a solid axle in the front would be your best choice at 16. Save the money you would spend buying the parts and getting crap fabbed(assuming you dont do it yourelf) and put it twards a nicer rig. As for the motor, just rebuild the one you have. Its not worth the hassle of blowing up parts that were not designed to withstand the increased power of the V8. In swapping the motor remember your tranny will change, and possibly your T-case. Just my .02

11-08-2006, 06:43 PM	#17
Robb RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: VARCOR Posts: 1,826	If the rig is nice, and you really feel like searching for awhile, find yourself a ragged and wrecked 1st Explorer with a manny tranny, manny BW1354, manny hubs, and 3.73s.........then swap in the whole drivetrain. The pushrod 4.0, Mazda tranny, BW1354, TTB D35, and 31-spline 8.8 make a cheap improvement very capable of handling 35s.

11-08-2006, 07:21 PM	#19
mudhunter Pebble Pounder Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: the race track Posts: 198	this is not my onley truck..my dd is a bronco 2. My dad has had many rangers and b2's.. i have been drivein for a little wile. I had this truck sittin for bout 2-3 years and want a project to wheel. I can fab some stuff (me and my bro bulit 6 dirt track racers) I got a ford 9" in my parts pile right now that i am goin to put in the rear and am tryin to find a yota frount axle. So how does this sound 1.put the yota axle in 2.drive trane(bore the 2.8 out a little with a auto trany with a stock t case) 3.33 boggers thanks you guy for helping me out.

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