First post, hello all.

I did a quick search for this, but didn't find anything, so apologies if this is a frequent question.

I've been saving money for a while now for an off-road project and I think I'd like it to be a Ranger. I will be modifying it pretty heavily over a long period of time and I'm not really sure of everything I want to do.

The main thing I'm looking for is a lot of options.

I just don't know what year Ranger I should be looking for. From the reading I've done, it appears that late 90's models are good. I'm just looking for something more specific and was hoping somebody could point me in the right direction.

A few bits of information that may or may not be important:

I know I want a manual transmission.

It will be desert style off-roading.

I want it to be 2WD.

I will probably want to do some sort of long travel suspension kit.

I want a cab, but only two doors.

Thanks in advance! If everything goes as planned I'll likely be spending a lot of time on this forum. :)

'98+ Imo.

Depends on how much you'd like to pay for that long travel. TIB (models up to 1997) would be the way to go on that.

Personally, i'd do a 95-97. It has Twin I-beams, and many prerunners are built from them. Long travels kits are out there for them as well. Plus the 95+ dashes are more modern. 4.0L OHV, 5spd(but suggest possibly converting it to a T5 out of a stang), 2dr excab, 8.8" rear. Fiberglass is definately out there for them trucks as well.

Check out Race-Dezert.com.

(at least...i think that's the address. lol.)

If your doing off road I think you better go for the 4whl dr.

Not if he is going for the pre-runner style truck. Long travel IFS, 2wd, quick acting shocks, fat tires with a/t tread as opposed to grippie tread, etc...

You dont need to dig and grip in the sand...you need to skim on top of the sand and be able to take small hills at speed meaning a lot of quick up and downs.

im guna have to agree i know my 94 has a pretty good amount of front travel for a stock truck. i will show you a picture of my truck flexing on a 3 foot snow bank once i find it i would deff go with the tbs and get a long travel kit for it.

If you got $5-6k to drop on just suspension, then i would get a 2001+ with a SOHC engine. With 4.0 SOHC you would get 207 ponies to play with. Then i would put on a Dixon Bros. long travel IFS with Fox remote resevore shocks.

Edit: Oh...Deavers too... can't forget the Deavers

Great replies. Thanks guys.

Good to know about the twin i-beam suspension. I haven't heard anything solid on whether the i-beams are better than the wishbone setup. So, good to know.

I read that the 98 and later models have rack and pinion steering. Is it worth it to have the i-beams over the rack and pinion?

As for 4WD, definitely not going that route. I'll probably be rebuilding the transmission, so I figured I'd keep it easy and get a 2WD manual.

Definitely can't put that much into suspension, but I've read about the Dixon Bros. long travel suspension kits and I believe they make them for the late 90's models. Are they a good brand to go with in general?

You'll have to excuse my noobishness, I'm trying my best to keep up with the acronyms and such. What is IFS and what are Deavers?

id run a 98+ preferably 01+ 2wd EDGE model.

IFS = independent front suspension.

Deavers = Deaver brand bad **** long travel leaf springs.


I'd do somethink like camburg susepnsion up front, and deaver leafs in the rear.

Good to know. My vocabulary is expanding at an alarming rate.

Any thoughts on the rack and pinion vs twin i-beam trade-off?

Well.....

98+ went to an a-frame suspension type, using either coil springs(2wd) or torsion bars(4x4/2wd EDGE/2wd Trailhead), and also using a rack & pinion steering setup.

97 and older is the TTB(twin traction beam [4x4]) and Twin I-beam(2wd) setups using a regular old steering box w/ a pitman arm.

Sure, you can convert to a rack and pinion....I like it actually. But......nothing beats cheap parts, so i'd go with the old school steering box and pitman arm setup.

Give it to me black without the big front skid plates and tube bumper and my rims on it.

i have a black one, and im looking for a skid plate like this one, do you know where i can find one?

I'd go with a 2001-2003 2WD with the coil spring set up. A 2004 + will be fine if you don't plan on doing a V8 swap.

every one has there own opinion right :)
i love the look and feel of my 2, 87 ford rangers ....

my father also loves his 91, 86, and 85, ranger.

01-03 are the best for style. That's when they had the real powerdome hood. None of this little B-cup bump they put on the hoods....LOL

Round fogs also kick ***.

You can modify a 01-03 powerdome hood to fit on a 2004 + Ranger, and you can also put round fog lights on any Ranger by changing the lower valence so that's not a big deal.