I want to create a grannie gear by adding a transfer case to my 2007 Ranger, 2.3L, 5 speed manual. I think I can switch out the transmission tailpiece, add the transfer case and new drive shaft. Has anyone done this? Does anyone know if it can or cannot be done?

 

Welcome to the forum

No, haven't read of anyone doing that

I think you would be better off looking at gear splitters, but underdrive instead of overdrive
Its a planetary gear set than bolts to transmission and driveline, and has a 2.70 ratio and 1:1 ratio so like a transfer case, but $$$, probably just shy of $2,000 complete
So like a 2 speed rear axle
And you can shift these while moving so it changes a 5 speed into a 10 speed

But I see no reason you couldn't disassemble your M5R1 manual trans and install a 4WD tail shaft and tail shaft housing, need one with an OSS speed sensor on it
Then use a BW1354 transfer case, you could gut it, or at least remove the chain drive
Then you could operate it in 4h or 4l, 2WD and 4h are the same if there is no chain drive
You can NOT "shift on the fly", you need to STOP to change from 4h to 4l and then back to 4h

And not for nothing, you could also change your rear axle ratio to 4.56 that would in effect raise all the ratios in the transmission, not granny gear range but would be able to pull much better

 

I never heard of gear splitters; sounds intriguing. I didn’t think of taking the chain out either; another good idea.

 

Changing the m5r1 to 4x4 is more than just replacing the tail shafts. You also need to replace the main shafts inside the transmission for a 4x4 one since the lengths are different. Went through that headache when I swapped mine to 4x4.

 

Thanks Dewey. I was afraid it was more involved than I wished. I haven’t found any appropriate gear splitters yet , either. Still exploring options.

 

Yeah, I originally was just gonna 5 speed swap my truck, so I picked up a 2wd trans. But then got the stupid idea to SAS it as well, so I thought I could just buy the new main shaft and extension housing, but after I got it all apart, I found out the place I got the main draft from lied to me and sold me one for a m5r1hd. So after sending it back to get machined, they didn't mill new splines in it like they needed to and I just put everything in a box and shipped it off to Smartpartsauto. $1200 later, I had a brand new 4x4 m5r1. I would have been better off to just never touch it.