Registered a few weeks ago. Never owned a truck. Always a 4door sedan guy. Bought a 2000 Ranger XLT 3.0V6 Automatic last summer with 78K miles. All seems legit with service records etc. I like it a lot. I知 thinking of lowering it as I値l never go off road (I知 a suburbanite of Chicago) I値l post some pictures if I can figure out how to attach them

Original wheels and tires

New wheels and tires

Trying to upgrade rear taillights

 

Welcome to the forum

I Love RED Rangers
Nice clean Ranger by the looks of it

Remember to put some sand bags in the bed for winter road traction, pickups are RWD and in general have no weight on the rear wheels unless you add some

Rangers 1993 thru 2011 have the same size tail light lenses, but............
1993 thru 1999 uses a 3-wire setup, separate turn signals
2000 thru 2011 use the 2-wire setup, Brake/turn on the same bulb filament
So replacement lenses need to be 2000-2011 for wiring reasons

You can use LEDs but need to change the Flasher unit to electronic type, stock type is thermal so requires a certain LOAD to heat up the unit so it flashes, LEDs have a lower LOAD so you either get hyper flashing or no flashing, lol
Electronic flasher is a timer not LOAD based, and plug and play

Sitting up higher is one of the benefits of driving a truck, so I would not lower it, but it is a personal preference for sure

You have a 3.0l Vulcan engine, used in Rangers from 1991 thru 2008(last year of the 3.0l Vulcan)
Good reliable engine

You have a 4R44E automatic, also reliable, for an automatic, service it and it should be good for 250-300k

Looks like you have a Cargo light, in the 3rd brake light, turn Dimmer wheel all the way up and the interior Dome light AND Cargo light should come on
That 3rd brake light is a common water leak point in Rangers in any year

 

Thanks man. I do have a leak on the passenger side when it rains. Going to clean out the top side and make sure those drains left and right are clean. Lifted the passenger side carpeting and no rust there do I知 wanting to get at it right away.
First thing I did when I got it was change all fluids. Oil, transmission, antifreeze flush,etc. going to have the differential changed also.
I致e been looking on the forum trying to see if I can use/ wire the third light. I kind of like the look. I have original Ford shop manuals so I致e been studying. Thanks for your help.

 

You can use a 2-wire to 3-wire adapter that are made for trailer wiring hook ups

Google: 2 wire to 3 wire trailer adapter

They make both ways, 3 to 2 and 2 to 3 so make sure you get the right one
And they are made to be mounted at the rear of vehicles so weather proof, just be sure to weather proof the splices/connections

You cut the left and right brake/turn wires from the cab at the rear, hook those to the adapter left/right IN and ground the adapter
The adapter then has a Brake OUT wire that will hook to the cut left/right wires going to the bulbs
You have to run 1 new wire to drivers side turn bulb and another new wire to passenger side turn bulb, can use existing ground wire at each side for new bulb

So you will need the 1993-1999 lenses that have the extra bulb socket

 

Thanks. I値l do that.