ive got a 1998 2wd ranger 4 cylinder i no i wouldn't be anywhere near the king of the mud trucks but if i put some decent tires on do you think i could play around in the mud? or is it not even worth it just save and by a 4x4? Because as in with a 14" rim and tiny tire i can barely drive on the beach without getting stuck my back hits soft sand and just sinks...

 

lift and some nice tires and ull be set. maybe a nice locker if u really want to get into it.

 

hell yeah they can. just make sure to go out with some buds

 

There are alot of 2wd trucks on here that do pretty good. I put alot of money into my 2wd, I just got my new 31s mounted today. Mud and sand acts very different. Mine does good in mud as long as i can keep moving, if I ever stop im stuck. Start off with swaping in lower gears and a good limited slip. Then worry about tires. Wider is better on sand I think since they wont dig like a narrow tire will. I keep up with my buddies z71 as long as there are no step hills in the mud, but nothing can compare to a 4x4.

 

haha i do every time im always the first to dive in since im a single cab 4 banger the f150s and f350s i hang out with pull me out without any effort! so out of the bunch im the bravest but i only make it about 15 feet in :P... now about this locker thingy what exactly is it? something to keep both tires spitting because most of the time only one spins :( but my buddy welded his thing and both spin all the time but isnt that bad for everyday use or something... im still very new to this...

 

Make sure you have at least 33's, a locker, and GOOD front/rear recovery. I wouldn't mud a 2wd...from experience.

But the ranger is light so it can hang pretty well

 

Lift, mud terrains, locker, good straps and recovery points and you should be ok. You wont go as far or deep as a 4wd but you can get into some nasty stuff.

 

okay break a few things down for me straps = liek tow straps? a locker is what? where can i buy one? and a recovery point is where the straps go to pull me out?

 

Not tow straps. Recovery straps. They are made to get a stuck vehicle out. Pro comp sells some.

A locker locks both drive wheels together so you get maximum traction. Lockers are pricey though and the install can be pricey as well.

For recovery points a front and rear hitch will do.

 

yes, locker is a locking differential, goes in your rear end...http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential6.htm

and yes

 

okay cool thanks! what do they run about? ($$ wise) also whats a good website to look at and price tires and rims, and how does gearing work aswell? how would i go about changing the gears? I recently switched hobbies from building and working on computers, i used to overclock them and what have you, so any questions on those i can help with XD but what really changed me is when i got a job at a marina and there's a new friend my coworker who takes me to the gym daily and we have access to lifts paint a million tools so i can do all the work myself i just need the knowledge there's a few guys up there to that will back up my mistakes :)

 

As long as your front tires are big enough/the mudd isnt too deep so they dont start plowing.

Other than that, LSD and grippy tread. Also, there is no point in lifting a 2wd past around the radius of your tires for mudding.

Some rangers came with LSD, the better rear end is the explorer with LSD which can be found a the junk yard some times.

 

u mean higher gears?

 

Lower gears are numerically higher.

 

I wouldn't get LSD for mud. As a matter of fact, don't.

 

You have the same truck as me and I have taken my **** through a lot. I go out with a jeep on 33's and a silverado on 35's and have only gotten stuck once. And it was a good stuck, up to the rockers.

 

why would you not get a l/s for mud??? They work good in mud....



ColdNapalm I dont know what rear axle you have so I cant give you a link to the part that will for sure work with your truck, but here is a locker that you can use on the street. It unlocks on the street when you turn a corner so you wont wear tires out fast or break anything when driving on the road. I think you should get this, 4.10 gears in the rear axle, and some wider aggressive all terrains, or you could have 2 sets of tires and wheels, one set of mud tires, and one set of bfg a/ts for the beach and daily driving.

You need to look at your axle and tell us the code thats on the tag bolted to the cover. Then we can tell you more info.

 

My 2wd does fine in all conditions :)

 

Actually not really. I have been stuck in mud because of my l/s. It does not or will not lock up both tires completely.

You haven't been in Azusa Canyon. There is a reason why they don't let 2wd vehicles in.

 

It works a hell of a lot better then an open differential. You would have gotten stuck sooner if you didnt have the l/s. I think what you mean is that he is better off getting a locker if im not mistaken and I agree with you. If he only goes offroad once in a wile then I would think a l/s would be a better choice.

 

True. L/S is better than nothing but if you are starting with a open diff and want to put something in there then get the locker. My truck came with factory l/s so if I want a locker I have to buy an open carrier.

 

Been there =)

 

You will be able to do "OK" in the mud, just stay out of the really deep stuff like this.

It was really black top soil like mud.

No, I do not have a front driveshaft yet. I don't want to hear about it.

Edit: The second picture is my front tire.

 

How many miles are on the truck? I have LSD in mine but the clutches are starting to wear.

 

I'm at 112,000. My l/s is so weak that if I smash on the gas while making a turn it will spin the inside tire. The last time I tired to do donuts (I was getting new tires the same day) all it did was a one tire fire smoke show. But even when I didn't have a lot of miles my limiting factor was always the l/s. One tire off the ground and it's over.