Good Morning all! My name's Dalton, most my friends call me Moose. I recently bought a 2000 Ranger, 4x4 automatic and have never seriously wrenched around on a car. I've had an obsession with cars since my Grandpa took me to my first hot rod show in kindergarten, and grew up riding dirt bikes and always doing the service/maintenance myself. Mechanics comes pretty easy to me, but I never had the means to seriously learn to on a car or truck. With this being said, I've noticed a couple quirks with my truck, Lucy, already, which led me to signing up here!

First issue I've noticed is that it almost feels like it has a misfire. When I start it, it struggles to start a little bit unless i give a little gas. Sitting at idle in park, the RPM's tend to be a little high, then will drop to what i feel would be normal.

Second thing isn't as much a quirk or concern as much as it's something i need to get replaced ASAP lol... The cruise control modules on the steering wheel doesn't work! I NEED THAT with my driving style, and especially since my commute is about to get much longer. Any advice on where i can get the modules with wiring kits for less than the $120 from parts stores??

It already sits on slightly larger tires than stock, but obviously i'd like to go even bigger. when i do this, A) how big can i go on stock suspension height and B) what gear ratios would y'all recommend switching to? Decent quality and low cost locker recommendations?

Anybody else with a Ranger from this gen have issues with the gear shift? it seems like it easily skips over gears if i have to go further than just one gate away, like going from park to drive. there's been several times when she'll shift straight to 2nd but my needle looks like it's in drive, just a little to the right side of it. If you've had a similar issue, what was your fix? Also, i'm hoping it's not a transmission issue because i really don't wanna pay for that, but when i gotta get down on it to get on the freeway, the down shifts seem like they don't give much if any extra "oomf". The shifts almost seem like the same power with higher RPM's?

Last thing i got for now is recommendations for good entry level bolt-ons. Anything to increase power a little bit, maybe something to increase my 12 MPG lol, or anything else like that would be awesome.

Thank you in advance for any responses!

 

Welcome to the forum Dalton

In 2000 Rangers had two V6 engine options in 4x4s, 3.0l Vulcan and 4.0l OHV which do you have?

Fuel injected engines use a choke at startup, i.e. richer fuel mix and higher idle until coolant/engine warms up
Idle RPMs are controlled by the computer using the IAC(idle air control) Valve, its on the upper intake by the throttle plate, it has 2 wires connected
Computer opens and closes the valve allowing more or less air to by-pass throttle plate, very accurate way to set idle RPMs, +/-3 rpms is expected

If idle wanders then you may have a small vacuum leak and computer is having to constantly try to correct for it
Warm up the engine, fully, and let it idle
Open the hood and unplug the 2 wire connector on IAC Valve
RPMs should drop to 500 or so or engine may even stall, either is GOOD, it means no vacuum leak
If idle doesn't drop then you have a vacuum leak somewhere

Try Seafoam, or similar, injector cleaner in the gas tank, that can help smooth out idle
Also clean and regap spark plugs

Clean MAF sensor, easy to do and should be done once a year

There is no standard "now big will fit" for tires, because Rangers came with different option packages and that means height can vary
usually 30-31" will fit 4x4's but...........some fender trimming on the front may be needed.with 31-32"



Go here to see what axles you have now, look on drivers door label: https://therangerstation.com/tech_li...le_codes.shtml

Most 4x4 Rangers came with Limited Slip(L/S) rear axle, Ford called it Trac Lok, Chevy calls it posi-traction, same thing

Stock Front axle on all 4x4s is always OPEN type differential, not a Ford thing.
1998-2000 Ranger 4x4s had a very unreliable front locking Hub set up, called PVH(pulse vacuum hub)
These should be changed to manual locking hubs, if they haven't been already
Because it's an OPEN differential if one hub doesn't lock fully then no 4WD, see below, easiest wheel/axle to turn gets all the power.

If you have an OPEN rear axle then you can pick up a 1993 to 2011 Ranger L/S axle at a wrecking yard for about $200 max, and its just bolt in
You do have to match ratio so front and rear are the same

If you are not familiar with OPEN and Limited slip....................
When you drive a 4 wheeled vehicle around a corner the outside wheels must turn faster than the inside wheels, which is fine if the wheels are NOT connected, lol
If they are connected, say by an axle, then you have a problem
An OPEN differential allows wheels to turn at different speeds, easy peesy, but its design means the EASIEST wheel to turn gets 100% of the power from the engine
Which is fine on dry pavement, but in slippery conditions once a wheel starts to spin/slip(easiest wheel to turn) then it gets 100% of the power so you get stuck

Limited slip uses clutches or gears in the differential, as one wheel/axle starts to spin faster than the other, power is transferred to the slower spinning wheel/axle, so the slipping wheel gets less power the non-slipping wheel gets more power, so less likely to get stuck unless both wheels start to spin, lol.
The reason its call "limited" slip is because it MUST SLIP when you drive around a corner or the outside wheel would have to DRAG to match inside wheels rotations

Locking differentials are controlled manually by a switch or lever in the cab, these DO NOT allow cornering, when activated, axles are locked together, so outside wheel would drag or something would break inside when cornering, lol
These are useful for sure, but a very specific use option


EDIT: forgot cruise buttons and the automatic column shifter issue, common issue on ALL Ford truck with column shifters
Google: ford ranger column shifter loose

lots of videos and how-tos on the different issues with these

Again Google: 2000 ranger replace cruise buttons

More videos and how-tos and "where to get them"

 

Awesome info, thank you very much!

I have the 4.0L OHV... I also have the L/S 8.8" (axle code R7). Do you have some recommendations for locking hubs?

 

4.0l OHV was a good reliable engine, used in Rangers from 1990 to 2000, but DO NOT allow it to overheat, PULL OVER if temp gauge gets to or above 3/4 and let it cool off
The 4.0l OHV has a weak spot between valve seats in the head casting, if the head metal expands too much, over heating, then head will crack at that spot, no do overs, happens first time and every time, lol.
Do NOT try to "make it home" pull over and let it cool off, then you can drive it a bit more, even if it takes you 6 hours to get "home" you will be making more than $100/hour in cost savings of not having to replace the heads, because of a $5 broken hose

Just a heads up, Rangers got the 4.0l SOHC engines in 2001, 4.0l OHV was discontinued, so google search using Ranger and 4.0l will get mixed results
4.0l SOHC was a much different engine, with LONG timing chains


There is only one maker of Manual hubs to replace the PVH hubs, AVM, their part number is AVM470
AVM also made them for Rugged Ridge, and I think Mile Marker, for sale in the US and Canada
Conversion how-to here: https://therangerstation.com/tech_li...hub_swap.shtml

If the PVH hubs are working then you can wait until they don't
You can also Lock the PVH hubs full time in case they do fail, as seen here: https://therangerstation.com/Magazine/Apr04/offroad.htm
This is what Ford did on all 4WD Rangers in 2001, just put on a nut to lock wheel hub and axle together, lol.