So I'v almost got my truck to how I want it to be and I should finish over summer. My problem is that Im not sure if I should start a new project like a zuki or jeep as a trail rig or keep modding my truck. Theres only so much I can do with my 2wd and I dont want it to be a prerunner. I want to be able tow the rig behind my ranger so thats what I'v been building it for.

So what should I do, finish my truck and buy a project rig or put the money into my ranger?

 

What exactly would you need to build on your truck in order to tow a trail rig? Shouldn't it be able to tow it stock?

IMO, I'd start working on a new project. Like you said, there is only so much you can do with a 2wd.

 

yea but a 2wd modded to hell is badass. and get bigger tires etc. and after a while like a year or so after your truck is exaclty badass then get a trail ****.

 

Buy an 80's ranger on the cheap and build the hell out of it. Or.....get a '95-97 and build the hell out of it.

 

what do you need a 4x4 up there for anyway?

 

yea those are nice

 

Being able to tow the trial rig is my finishing mods like a tuner and class III hitch. The stiffer shocks and AAL should help the suspension along with my 8.8 and 4:10s. As my truck sits it's capable for most trails and its a good DD. I also don't want to mod the hell out of it because that will cause more problems down the road and again its 2wd.

 

Judging by the sig he already has a lift, tires, etc....after a while it just becomes pointless to pour money into off-road mods for a 2WD and still have it get stuck all the time.

 

Id rather mod the hell out of 4wd so I can actually make a hill climb. I dont want to go crazy with my truck because its my DD and I dont want to kill the value of it. Id rather have a jeep or zuk because there small and they have sooo many aftermarket parts for them.

 

Well...all I know is that is why most of my mods are cosmetic. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on off-road mods for my 2WD. I'm going to wait and get a zuki or something like that and spend the money there.

 

I'd mod the hell out of it. Look at me...I'm ready for new tires now.

Most of the time around here, the trucks don't exactly run. Most of the trucks are for "show" and IMO, make that truck look as badass as you can. 2wd can make it through some VERY nasty stuff. My truck as it sits makes it through some stuff...not any of the crazy stuff, but I'm fine w/ it being 2wd.

This weekend I had no problem rooting around w/ some of the bigger trucks. I made it through a lot of stuff at L-cross and I had no problems. Most of the time my truck was parked and I was sitting on the toolbox whatching everyone be stupid!!!

If you lock your truck, put bigger tires/lift on it, maybe a winch, you will have a VERY capable rig. Look at griggs truck too...he makes it through a LOT of places some guys can't even touch in 4x4.


Now don't get me wrong, I WISH badly that my truck was 4x4, but it's about to be paid off, it is good enough to get me around town/work and to tow a 4 wheeler or two, and I think it looks pretty damn good. So I hate to sound like a broken record, but it's gonna be a badass truck when that solid axle is under there turning 38.5" boggers!!!!

 

Get ya a trail **** and slowly work on the truck too.

 

Bingo. My trucks a 2wd plain and simple. No matter how big I go it will still get stuck and I'll slowly destroy it trying to make hill climbs or mud holes.

Its pretty much modded to the most without going overboard for a 2wd. Eaton positraction, 31'' muds, rock crawler rims, 3'' fabtech spindles, procomp es9000 shocks, AAl, block, magnaflow exhaust, K&N intake, fabtech lightbar, PIAAs, bedliner, bed box, bushwacker bed caps, pioneer LCD screen, painted bezell, 12'' kicker. Thats enough junk to make a good DD and trail rig for 2wd.

Whats left for the mods are bama chip, trac bars, hitch, and mount a 4000lb winch i got for free behind my valance.

After finishing those soon ill save for my jeep or sami.

And of course I will be working on my truck slowly, mostly just replacing broken stuff with better stuff.

 

i vote an 85 yota truck :)

 

Compared to a jeep or a sami trucks are not very practical. They look alot better but for a strictly trail rig i think a jeep or sami is the way to go. Plus there size makes them easier for my truck to tow.

 

Just a tip, tires are everything.

If you are going to wheel that ranger, I'd get at least 33-35's. Unless your going to tow a lot, if you tow alot I would get 33's and 4.56's or something like that.

 

I already do wheel my ranger and I know its limitations thats why im getting the trail rig. After I wear out my 31's im getting 33'' xterrains and 4:56. That is true that tires are everything but its more on the tread type than hight. 35's are a no go for my truck because my flares will get destroyed.

 

Whatcha gonna tow with a 3.0? An SAS'd festiva?

 

Lol After some more engine mods I think it can handle it. If not I have something I else I can borrow to tow.

Iv hauled a motorcycle trailer with two crf 250s and two more in my bed. It had some difficulty getting up the grades but other than that it did fine and sagged only a little bit.

 

if ur truck is ur dd i wouldnt put too much into it for off roading since its not a 4x4 and overtime it will decrease in value

 

That is about 1/8 of the weight of a rig and trailer. Seriously I would not tow another vehicle with your 3.0. I know Zabeard has towed a car on a trailer, I don't know how he did.

He has a 4.0 though.

I'd get a tranny temp gauge, shift kit at the least, maybe an upgraded torque converter. Personally, I don't think i would ever RELY on my truck to tow another rig. I'd just sell mine and buy a 250 diesel and not have to worry about towing.

Just my experience with my ranger, the tranny is SO weak. Towing a few motorcycles is nothing for the ranger, they are only 300lbs each at the most, your talking 900lbs total+trailer. Tahts not bad for the ranger. But when your talking a 3000+lb truck/suv PLUS a tandem axle trailer, you could be tipping 5-6k easy. And thats just saying that your rig is on the light side at 3klbs. Thats WAY too much for our trucks to pull, 3.0 or not you won't be going very fast or making it very far.

 

Trail rig.


Start looking!

 

Also, think of the kind of terrain that is around you and where your willing to go once its done. There really isn't alot around here that you need an All-Out trail rig that would need to be trailered. Most trails here in cali you can do in a really good built up DD 4x4.

 

i am sure that there will be something new all the time you want for your Ranger........i have had mine for 3.5 years and it still isn't exactly were i can say there is nothing else i want to do to it......

 

Yeah but yours is 4wd.