97 XLT 4.0L V6 off road series. 5 speed standard (only way to go!!!) i've had it for a year now, bought it for $725 in perfect drivable condition march of last year. its bone stock, but doesn't bother me. still does good in the mud and around the farm. clutch is stock as well. for now.






took it through some small stuff the other day.

 

725?!! thats a great deal for that truck!! it looks great!

 

I'm jealous...

 

$725???? I would so jump on that if i was given the option.

 

yep :) my shop teacher is obsessed with rangers. he bought this one for $500, we fixed the throwout bearing, sold it to me for $725. i originally had a car in mind, but when he offered me that price, i had to jump on it. theres been a couple others come thru in really nice shape, but so far i think mines the best one he's sold.

only reason he sold it was because it doesn't have a/c.

 

whats included in the off-road series??

 

nothing special that i've noticed really. It sits higher off the ground, has those gray flare things on the side, the running boards (welded on instead of bolted), electronic T-case. i don't have power windows or anything. the Real off road series have Fx4 on the side, they come with posi-traction, all the bells and whistles.

oh, and the truck isn't 100% stock...forgot to mention i swapped those ****ty automatic hubs up front for some Rugged Ridge locking ones...best decision.

 

i thought the rigged ridge hubs were only for 1998-2000....hmm

 

Wow great deal man, congrats! and the truck looks nice!

 

nope. i got them here, its the full kit comes with the nuts needed for auto to manual conversion, or you can just get the hubs w/o nuts if you already have manuals.

w/ nuts: Off Road Store: 1990-1997 Ford Ranger/Explorer, Mazda Pickup/Navajo Manual 4X4 Locking Hubs, Ford Manual Locking Hubs, 15003.65
w/o them (only diff is price): Off Road Store: 1990-1997 Ford Ranger/Explorer, Mazda Pickup/Navajo Manual 4X4 Locking Hubs, Ford Manual Locking Hubs, 15001.65

thanks man! yea absolutely no body rust, except for a few places, and now that this weathers warming up i'm touching them up w/ some spray paint the right way. now if you go underneath the truck, you'll see why i hate NYS for using road salt. :/

 

I hear ya man, the salt is brutal! Luckily no holes underneath my truck yet. I'm betting you the salts worse here though :P

 

o alright, i have a 97 too but its not the off road, my auto hubs went out on me too so i got some mile markers and so far no complaints

 

haha idk. i can get pictures of our farm trucks with the floorboards having large holes. its like a flinstones car :P but salt anywhere is bad. in any amount.

yea idk what ford was thinking with those hubs. our 1985 Chevy K20 that we use for plowing and farm work has auto hubs, that we never maintain, and they still work fine. lockers are the best.