Ford Ranger Rehash Part 2

Ranger Rehash Part 2 Ford Ranger On The Lift

Every project has places where you want to spend time and money and other places where you want to save. Since we’re basically starting from scratch with our ’97 Ford Ranger’s axles and suspension, we have a clean slate. It’s at these times that your imagination can run wild with ideas of mega-suspension travel and monster full-width axles. Ultimately though, you have to be realistic with yourself and what you plan on doing with your rig.

At its core our 3.0L Ranger is a great trail wheeler, and over the years we’ve learned that going slow both on-road and off suits it best. Last month we began our rebuild by bolting in the new 6-inch lift Skyjacker rear leaves. Now we are ready to wrap up the rest of the rear lift and give the springs a fresh axle to bolt to. With the Ranger aftermarket tiny compared to the seemingly endless bounty of Jeep goodies, we figured we’d see what parts could cross over into the Blue Oval arena.

Since our front axle choice (more on that next month) dictates that our rear axle be close to the Ranger’s factory width and use a 5-on-41⁄2 wheel bolt pattern, our axle options were a little more limited.

After a bit of calculating we determined that the ’87-’95 Jeep Wrangler YJ rear axle would fit perfectly. Why is this important? Because there is a host of YJ rear axle upgrades available from the aftermarket.

For our Ranger we found that the G2 Axle & Gear Rock Jock 60 would ultimately fit our budget and needs the best. The G2 Rock Jock YJ series rear axle is fitted with the aforementioned specs along with 3-inch-diameter axletubes, a high-pinion Dana 60 gearset, 35-spline semifloat axleshafts, and (optional) disc brakes. And since we ordered ours from our local 4Wheel Parts store, the 4.88 G2 gears, brakes, and Detroit Locker were already installed.

With the truck still under the knife at Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina, we continue to make great progress. Low Range specializes in all things 4x4 and has developed a few budget tricks for fitting a solid front axle under our Ranger that we’ll be showing you next month. For those who need more Ranger in their life, head over to 4wheeloffroad.com for behind-the-scenes photos and progress updates.

The G2 Axle & Gear Rock Jock 60 rear axle we picked is designed for the ’87-’95 Jeep Wrangler YJ. The overall width of the rear axle is roughly an inch wider than the original 8.8-inch rear axle. Compared to a traditional 3⁄4-ton full-float Dana 60, the G2 axle is a featherweight, which is a huge bonus for the already underpowered Ranger
The G2 Axle & Gear Rock Jock 60 rear axle we picked is designed for the ’87-’95 Jeep Wrang
Inside the high-clearance Rock Jock housing is a G2 4.88 reverse-cut Dana 60 gearset mated to a Detroit Locker. The added strength and simplicity of the automatically engaging Detroit Locker is perfect for our dedicated trail rig.
Inside the high-clearance Rock Jock housing is a G2 4.88 reverse-cut Dana 60 gearset mated
Since we’re welding on new spring perches the pinion angle can easily be set by rotating the axlehousing. This meant we could ditch the spring shims fitted on our 6-inch Skyjacker lift springs. Using a set of vise clamps to secure the leaf pack, we unbolted the center pin and dropped the shim.
Since we’re welding on new spring perches the pinion angle can easily be set by rotating t

We measured the distance from the disc brake backing plate to the leaf springs on both sides to help give us a point of reference when centering the rear axle. Once the axle was centered we noticed that the stock gas tank and gas tank skid were extremely close to our driveline’s projected path. We’ll address this when our new driveline arrives.
We measured the distance from the disc brake backing plate to the leaf springs on both sid
The Rangers new 21⁄2-inch heavy-duty spring perches came via the DIY builder’s toy store that is Parts Mike. With the new perches in place, Low Range 4x4 owner Kelly Carter used a MIG welder to burn the perches in.
The Rangers new 21⁄2-inch heavy-duty spring perches came via the DIY builder’s toy store t
The 3-inch axletube U-bolts and top plate kit from Parts Mike comes with three center pin options. We chose the first one so we could push the wheelbase back a bit. While this doesn’t seem like much of a wheelbase stretch, it made a noticeable difference when test-fitting the 37s inside the fenderwell.
The 3-inch axletube U-bolts and top plate kit from Parts Mike comes with three center pin

The Skyjacker Nitro 8000 shocks are designed for a ’93-’97 Ranger with a 6-inch lift and bolt into the original upper shock mounts. For the lower shock mounts we cycled the rear suspension then welded on the G2 shock tabs that were provided with the axle.
The Skyjacker Nitro 8000 shocks are designed for a ’93-’97 Ranger with a 6-inch lift and b
The rear disc option on the G2 axle was a welcome upgrade over the original drum brakes. Though the disc setup does have provisions for e-brake cable attachments, we’ll likely need some custom lines and/or brackets to make them work.
The rear disc option on the G2 axle was a welcome upgrade over the original drum brakes. T
With the exception of a little rattle-can spray paint and a few miscellaneous items, our rear axle and suspension is complete. Running the 6-inch springs with no blocks and 37s is going to be a little tight, but a lower and more stable setup is what we are after.
With the exception of a little rattle-can spray paint and a few miscellaneous items, our r