Stu's Ranger, New pic's Oct30th/07

[MercuryMan]

I started prepping/surmising for the back half job tonight, I bought the materials today and set the truck at the stance I was looking for and then leveled the frame left to right facing the hood. Constructive input is welcome if you see something I should or should not do. I still haven't got the "old school" slicks yet but I set the centerline of the axle to 13" high (sound about right for a 27" tall slick?) I did this with the box on so I could see how the rake was.

I started looking at the tranny tailshaft location relative to the frame. My plan was to cut the stock frame off on the straight/level section under the cab right at the point it starts to turn uphill.



I had then planned to box the last 16" of the stock frame with 1/8"x6" plate so I could weld my new cross member to that at the rear of the stock frame. Then I was thinking I would run the new frame rails straight back on the level flush with the bottom of the stock frame to about the
center of the front leaf spring hanger. I would then go up and over the axle at that point - that would be put me close to the 21" C/C for the rod ends on link bars as it specs in the COMP ENG instructions.



I was going to make the new rear frame at 28" wide - the stock frame is 33" wide over the axle. This would give me 19" from the outside of the frame rail to fender lip. This should give me lots of options for slick width no? I'm putting big tubs in the box to accomodate the width.



My first issue to deal with is clearing the tranny tailshaft at the front mounting crossmember. Can you buy the CM's with the hoop in them seperate or can someone just make me a hoop locally?....Ok, tear my progress/idea's apart so I do this right. ;D ;D ;D

[mario428]

First thing is your driveshaft loop has to be within 6 inches of front U-joint so 6 inches from the end of the tailshaft housing is the best place to put new crossmember, incorporate driveshaft loop in that crossmember.
Since you are narrowing, make it narrow enough, a 14-32 slick has a 17.5 inch section width, 19 inches is not enough. The big MT street tires are at 21 inches. My T-bird rear frame rails are 21.5 to the outside. have almost 21 inches at the bottom of rocker panel, 26 + inches at top of wheel opening.
Figure out a way to tack 4 link brackets to housing and in the right place, make the frame fit the brackets with lots of kickup over the rear housing for ride height changes.
Do not limit yourself in any way, make it so it will ride very low, higher is the easy way to go.

[Don @ Maritime Drag Racing]

I would agree with Mario especially on the driveshaft loop location and the frame width. Aftermarket pre-built rear frame sections are mostly all 24" on center and some are as narrow as 20". Don't limit yourself to a small tire setup now - you may regret it later on. Again I would agree on the ride height. Make it as low as you can. Then make the whole truck as rigid as possible. Get rid of all the rubber body mounts - replace them with aluminum or steel. Bolt the front panel of the box to the back of the cab with spacers in between to keep the factory gaps. None of this will cost any more than the labour required and will stiffen the chassis by a whole bunch.

[MercuryMan]

Good feedback....keep it coming. ....Where I had planned to cut it will pretty much put me within 6" of the u-joint so that's one issue cleared up. Does my idea for tieing the new frame to the old sound strong enough with 16" of it boxed or should I box it longer? I'm hoping to replace the front section of the frame in the winter of 08 to get the front end down so I was already looking at ways to set up the rear for a significant drop in ride height when the front clip is fabbed.

I don't have the money to narrow the housing right now so my plan was to notch the housing brakets on the back side and slide them over the tubes and weld the piece back in on the back side. before I boxed them. I bought some 1/8"x1" flat stock to box the brakets with. I will also have to take the hole in the brackets from 3" to 3-1/4" to fit my 8.8 housing. I can always get new ones if I choose to build a narrowed 9" next year instead of narrowing the 8.8.

Point taken on the frame width....Might as well go as narrow as possible from day one so I don't limit myself. This would actually help me triangulate the front joints at the CM the way I wanted too. I know it's hard to do with no wheels/tires but for right now I have none so I gotta do the best I can if I plan for the future as Mario suggested. I'm gonna run some used slicks/tires for this year if I can find some....Most of my efforts will be spent just getting this thing running for 07 with an expensive fuel pump, regulator, air/water intercooler and boost controls yet to be purchased this winter

Don - good idea on the box-cab shims....never thought of that one. I'm going with a 8pt Art Morrison rollbar kit - I can tie the rear struts to the frame for rigidity.
j

[MercuryMan]

I'm now the proud owner of half a Ranger....LOL.... ...I fabbed up my drop crossmember at the stock frame, welded it in and cut off the old frame today. I still need to add a couple more beads of weld in the top edges of the CM to the stock frame and make the driveshaft loop and box the ends of the stock frame. You'll notice that the drop is 1" off center to the right - the reason for this is the fact that the engine sits in it's crossmember offset this amount - just the way the factory CM was made.

[MercuryMan]

Keith - "aka Old-School" brought me over his used 27x13x15 slicks today, their gonna look killer under this thing. Looks like a 20" frame width is gonna be the ticket to fitting these things under the box. I finished welding/boxing the frame today, put my 4 link gear together and prepped my 4 link brackets to go on the rearend (had to take the holes out to 3-1/4"). I picked his brain for a quite while and got lots of good info/idea's. Thanks again for the slicks. ;D ;D ;D

[MercuryMan]

I finally started mocking up the 4 link tonight. The front bracket is 10-13/16" from the bottom edge to the floor - this is what my new custom cross member is at for height. I'll be able to lower the body on the new frame about 2" next winter when I change out the front suspension out and build a new front frame.

Should I move the bracket up or down some? I'm just trying to get an idea on my frame rail shape. I can drop the body 2" and then drop the truck using the 4 link brackets so I can get the truck down about 4" from where it sits now. I'm going to go with a 20" frame width.

[ChipperChapman1090]

A good rule of thumb is that the bottom of the front bracket be level with the bottom of the rocker sill.

[MercuryMan]

Then that would be pretty close in my case. I have the Comp Eng 4 link instructions but they talk about using formed rails and etc....I'm making my own.

[MercuryMan]

I made a mock frame out of 2x4's today to get an idea how things would look. There is 5-3/4" of clearance over the axle between the frame and 4 link brackets. I would either plate gusset or brace the 90* joint where the front bracket mounts. Opinion's or suggestions???...I only wanna do this once because the steel cost me $160....LOL...The frame is in no particular place in regards to width. I had planned to make the frame at 20" wide but I'm not sure if the center section of the 8.8 will let me mount my coil overs inboard of the 4 link brackets....More measuring and thought needed.