Hey guys, so I traded a non running motorcycle for a 94 ranger. It's not a 4x4 and only has a 2.3 so I haven't really been sure what to do. However I just found a wrecked 94 mustang Cobra. I'm thinking about buying and swapping out the entire drivetrain. Motor tranny rearend. Is their anything I should prepare myself for? It seems to me to be a straight forward swap. But in my experience things are never as they seem. Oh and should I change the 3.08 gears to something a little higher? I was going to put 33's and a 3 inch body lift as well.

 

Welcome to the forum

1994 mustang with a V8 5.0l?
They also had the same 2.3l lima engines as Ranger is why I ask

Is the mustang a manual or automatic?
If manual the shifter will be back too far, under the seats on the Ranger
You can put bucket seats in the Ranger, from mustang, and make a custom shifter arm

You of course need the V8 computer and engine wiring harness
The mustang's intake may be a bit high for Ranger, engine sits lower in a mustang, so a body lift may be needed, or the intake from a 1996-2001 Explorer V8, its lower

The mustang rear axle won't work in the Ranger, look here to get code for the axle you have now: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...le_codes.shtml
And no you wouldn't want low rear axle ratio with large diameter tires, you want higher ratio, 4.10, probably 4.56 with 33"

Larger diameter tires will lower ratio's "feel", have a look here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...ioChange.shtml

Say your Ranger has 28" tires now and a 3.73 ratio, and you change to 33" tires
That makes your "on the ground" ratio 3.16

Rear axle ratios are very dependent on tire diameter, i.e. a 3.08 ratio is only 3.08 with stock tires size, the ratio doesn't actually change but the "feel" of the ratio does
If Mustang came with 25" tires and you used 33", the "feel" and performance would be like having a 2.33 ratio, high top speed, lol, but a real dog around town

Lower ratios have higher top speeds
Higher ratios have more "pep"

 

Why won't the Cobra rearend work it has an 8.8 and the ranger (not mine as it has a 7.5) did come with that one just different gears. I found a 8,8 with 4.10 I was going to buy. I was going to put the Cobra wheels on the ranger as well at least until I can change the gears and get the new wheels and tires.
i already have bucket seats so I can take out the console and move the stick back, is their anyway to build or buy an adapter or extension for the shifter so I don't have to move to much?

 

The mustang axle is wider, only 1" I believe, but you will need to weld on leaf spring perches to match rangers dimensions and shock attachment points
So you CAN do it, just not sure its worth doing, especially with 3.08 gears


You can probably pick up a 8.8" ranger axle with 4.10 ratio and maybe even limited slip for $100-$200, that will bolt in

check car-part.com

The 5 bolt mustang wheels will fit on a ranger, article here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...r_ranger.shtml

No I don't know of any custom shifter that would be an "off the self" fit


If you want to spend the money, the 1997-2003 M5OD-R2(M5R2) transmission from a Ford F150 with 4.2l V6 2wd will bolt to the 5.0l engine, and shifter is in the same place as a Rangers manual trans would be
The 4.2l V6 in those years used the small block windsor pattern like the 302/5.0l

The M5R2 was made for V8 power, Rangers used the smaller M5R1