I've been amped lately to get a ranger, lift it and get some 33's on it. Because frankly, they look badass.

So just some quick questions:

Should I go with a 2wd for the lift? They are less expensive to lift right? It it a lot more $ to lift a 4x4?

When shopping for a Ranger, are there any specific things I should be looking out for? Known issues I should avoid?

A dealership near me has a 2003 Ranger with 60k miles on it for $6000. 2wd, doesn't say anything about the tranny or engine. The pics look like it's in great condition. Good deal?

 

Watch out for engine issues. Many customer complain of a loud humming noise at idle.

 

its probably the same amount of money to lift a 4wd as it would be to lift a 2wd. 4wd your not going to get as good mpg. i would stay away from the 3.slows

 

I'm leaning towards the 2wd. Why do you call them 3.slow? are the 2.3L better?

 

Ill keep an ear out for the humming, thanks.

 

are you in an area that 4x4 would nice to be have?

 

There's a lot of snow here but I made it through last winter with a 2wd sedan. It would be nice to have, but I will also commuting sometimes with the Ranger so MPG is a concern too.

 

I would go for 4x4 if you're going to be driving in snow/ice. 4wd on these trucks is surprisingly good imo. Depending on what type of lift you go with, 4x4's can be the same if not cheaper to lift, torsion keys and lift blocks will fit 33's just fine, a Superlift is just a much more robust package. The biggest thing to look for is tranny issues. When you take the truck for a test drive see how it shifts under a good amount of acceleration, if it shifts too hard (jerks) or too soft (hesitates going into gear) it could be a pressure control sensor, which is $$$ to replace. Just remember that mpg goes out the window as soon as you put bigger tires on. Good luck with the search

 

my 2.3l gets great mpg but only makes 143hp. the 3.0s get worse gas mileage than the 4.0s and make only a little more hp than the 2.3s. they're kind of a waste of an engine lol

 

Hey now, mines not a waste! I'd go for a 4.0 for power or a 2.3 for mpg. Remember that a regarding may be necessary for larger tires. I get about 15mpg average with mine geared at 4.88 and on 35s