I ve done some searching on here and was not able find much Im thinking of putting a grab handle from a newer ranger on my 01 edge Im wondering if this can be a straight swap out of the a-pillar or just what is involved.

 

I'm STILL on the hunt for the correct parts for this swap. Here's what i've learned...

02 and older a-pillar plastic is different than 03 and up a-pillar plastic. 03 will work in a 01, but it doesn't fit right at all.

Its really hard to find the dark grey 98-02 style w/ grabs.

New brackets for the handle to screw into runs about $20 each from the ford dealer.

The handles themselves are all the same except color.


Basically what's needed : plastic a pillars, grab handles, screws, and handle bracket.

 

Do you need the new A pillar? You can't just drill a couple holes in your current one and screw it into the bracket?

Just asking cuz I think I noticed the A-pillars and trim on the newer rangers all snap in, but in my truck they're all bolted in. So I think there's zero chance of my swapping in a new A-pillar

 

read above this is for an 01 edge

 

So the brackets are different? My '03 has brackets that appear to be riveted in and stand up for the handle to be bolted to. I did not realize they changed

 

i dont like them, on the drivers side anyway, i flipped my sport trac and the grab handle got pressed against the steering wheel, if i had my hand there it would have been crushed or cut off.

 

Man how'd you do that??

I like mine!!

 

going way too fast on an icy road, i was going dead straight but the truck was floored, i hit a big pot hole with the rear tire while floored and the back just skid around doing about 60 and steered into a field and just started rolling lol. i am so glad i covered my face with my arms after seeing that grab handle on the wheel lol.

 

That's crazy. Atleast all fingers are intact!!

 

haha yea, i drove a ford fusion after that for a while, i didnt want anything that was prone to flip, now im back to a ranger and lifting the death out of it. lol, some people never learn.

 

I know dude, then Shane said you need the different A-pillars, and I was trying to seek more information as to why the whole A-pillar was needed, in other words is it possible just to obtain a grab handle and bracket and make it work? This might be easier for you since Shane also said it's more difficult to find the 98-02 pillars with grab handles

 

ok lone got it. i'm gonna search the junkyard I believe I saw an 03 that the A-pillars should work from, I just got up on wrong side of bed this morning lol.

 

idk....i prefer the full oem treatment.

I suppose you can add the bracketry, drill holes for it for the handle screws and roll with it...but....it won't look finished/right to me. Plus, the ones designed for the grabs have recesses for the handles to "hide" into, thus making it all look like a finished product that looks good.

The a-pillar plastic snaps onto a lip on the a-pillar, and the upper part of the pillar snaps into holes into the roof. The ones that snap into the roof changed on 03+ trucks. I havn't gotten to the point of seeing if I could just dremel the roof, but i really don't want to do that.

 

phisically it'll fit.....but it won't fit right. try it if you want, you'll see what i'm talkin' about.

 

damn Kev that was a nasty roll

 

so I guess I'm in the same boat as you, I like the idea just gotta find a way to make it work and look good to.

 

it looks worse then it actually was, i walked out of it, with only a bloody nose, and i wasnt wearing a seatbelt. cant you get the pillar and handle out of a sport trac? i know the dash is the same, and the pillars look the same.

 

That happens to be one thing i havn't tried yet....


Looks like I got something to do next week after work.....hit up the yards again and take a look at explorers and sport tracs.

 

haha yea, but only explorer sports and sport tracs, i had a four door explorer and it looked different. but i know the sport trac had the exact same interior as my 02 ranger

 

yea...but my thought is that since the doors are overall shorter than the ranger, the a-pillar plastic must be different too. Judging by your pic, the handle itself is different.

 

really? i didnt really ever notice any height difference between the two doors or roofs, but i never really looked that far into it back then, the sport trac and ranger were my daily drivers, i had a bronco for wheelin back then.

 

No worries man

 

I put a few of these on. My Ford dealer can get the brackets but not the screws to hold in the grab handles. Easily found at a hardware store tho. I used a small flat waher on them as well, seems to be a 'lil snugger fit now. Ford Dealer has the handles too, in whatever color I think about 22 bucks each. I found a few at the j/y, but yes the dark gray is somewhat hard to find.

I used bolts and nuts to hold in my brackets. Was kinda crazy, I couldn't get any rivets to work, so I used a magnet to drop the bolts (you will have to dremel an existing narrow slot above the bracket slightly bigger to fit in the bolts) down the A pillar and pull them thru the holes(the holes are already there in the A pillar and line up with the brackets. I used flat washers and lock washers, very snug.

The A Pillar windshield trim can be had at the dealer too or online about 28-32 bucks depending on short cab, super cab ect or try the j/y.

They look fine and are very snug. LOL I did mine in the Lowes parking lot hehe. I got tired of matching bolts, lol.
Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

Mark, could you possibly post pics? I havnt got any pics of the apillar w/ grabs yet. Thanks man.

 

Sure, I'll try to by tomorrow, my camera is down, but I think I can snag a friends.