Ford Ranger Rehash Part 5

Ranger Rehash Part 5 Body Protection Installed On Our Ford Ranger

Going off-road can sometimes be a mix of wilderness survival and tightrope walking. While the two may sound a world apart, the reality is that extreme trails often challenge us to keep our rigs sure-footed so as not to annihilate ourselves or the vehicle. We all make mistakes off-road, and sometimes the traction that we need simply isn’t there. This is where body protection comes in handy.

Our ’97 Ford Ranger was originally built with a basic interior cage and virtually no exterior protection. Fast-forward five years, dozens of trail rides, and a rollover in the mountains, and the pickup’s body shows plenty of use. Since starting the project we wanted to revamp the body a bit without going overboard. The driver’s side of the truck, especially the bed, has significant body damage, but nothing that in our eyes has to be replaced.

So instead of fixing much of the old, we worked with the build shop at Low Range 4x4 in Wilmington, North Carolina, to cut, trim, and protect the crucial pieces of the pickup. The guys at Low Range are extremely handy with a tube bender and have done a great job executing the “less is more” theme that we were after.

To increase the departure angle, we ditched the stock rear bumper and trimmed the rear potion of the bed. For a little protection we bent a piece of 13⁄4-inch DOM tubing and tied it into the modified receiver hitch mount.

To increase the departure angle, we ditched the stock rear bumper and trimmed the rear pot

Since aftermarket body protection for the Ranger platform is few and far between we took a trip to our local steel yard and loaded up on 13⁄4x0.120-wall DOM tubing. What developed from that pile of steel was a set of bumpers, modified Trail-Gear sliders, and a very subtle exterior cage.

We are wrapping up a few odds and ends on the truck and planning for next month’s installment to be the payoff. That means putting down the welder and dropping the Ranger into clay-covered mountains. Check out 4wheeloffroad.com for behind-the-scenes photos of the build and web-exclusive info.

The rear bump sticks out slightly from the body to protect the easily damaged sheetmetal panels. To reinforce the side portion of the bumper, we tied bracer bars to the frame rails.
The rear bump sticks out slightly from the body to protect the easily damaged sheetmetal p
For rocker protection we went with 67-inch sliders from Trail-Gear. These were designed for a Toyota Extra Cab pickup, but the length is virtually spot-on for the regular-cab shortbed Ranger. The provided slider legs that attach the bars to the frame were a little short, which required us to cut and notch a longer set.
For rocker protection we went with 67-inch sliders from Trail-Gear. These were designed fo
When mocking up sliders it’s helpful to use a set of jackstands as an extra pair of hands. Since we removed a little over 3 inches from the Ranger’s rocker panels we were able to tuck them high and level with the framerails.
When mocking up sliders it’s helpful to use a set of jackstands as an extra pair of hands.

The Trail-Gear sliders are designed as a weld-on upgrade, which required us to fabricate frame mounting plates and gussets. We are also tying our cage into the sliders, so the mounting legs will receive additional support braces.
The Trail-Gear sliders are designed as a weld-on upgrade, which required us to fabricate f
Occupant protection is the most important part of any build. The original interior cage crowded the inside of the truck and was almost useless for taller passengers. This left us to do something a little different and basically transverse what would have been an interior cage and graft it onto the outside of the cab.
Occupant protection is the most important part of any build. The original interior cage cr
One of the more difficult aspects of building a clean exterior cage is executing the sweeping lines of the cab. Making 13⁄4x0.120-wall DOM flow with the body and not look like a boxy jungle gym requires patience and bending finesse.
One of the more difficult aspects of building a clean exterior cage is executing the sweep

The majority of the cage was built on the truck, but was crafted in a way that we could easily remove it. Taking the cage off of the truck allowed us to weld the tubing joints completely and paint it more easily.
The majority of the cage was built on the truck, but was crafted in a way that we could ea
We still have a few more braces to add onto our cage, but the main portion is complete. As you can tell in the lead photo we painted to cage the same color as the cab to make it as discreet as possible. We didn’t have to sub out the paintjob to some high-end paint house either. One can of self-etching primer, three cans of Dupli-Color FL red, and a can of clear were all picked up in spray can form from our local parts house.
We still have a few more braces to add onto our cage, but the main portion is complete. As
For a winch mount we used the original mounting tray from our old Warn Trans4mer and welded it between the framerails. To access the winch controls we notched a place in the factory grille.
For a winch mount we used the original mounting tray from our old Warn Trans4mer and welde

For a reliable recovery tool we dropped in a Smittybilt XRC 8,000-pound X20 waterproof winch. Fitted with a spool of steel cable and a 5.5hp motor, the Smittybilt winch has plenty of pulling power for our lightweight pickup.
For a reliable recovery tool we dropped in a Smittybilt XRC 8,000-pound X20 waterproof win
To power our Smittybilt winch and crank our pickup without worry, we chose an Odyssey battery. The compact Odyssey battery is a dry-cell battery, which is spill-proof and designed to pack in more power and to last longer than a traditional car battery. It’s also fitted with threaded terminal tops, helpful when adding accessories.
To power our Smittybilt winch and crank our pickup without worry, we chose an Odyssey batt
Similar to the rear of the truck we fabricated a 13⁄4-inch DOM front bumper to give the truck an extreme approach angle. This basic front-end protection also cuts down on weight. Every pound we can shave or prevent definitely helps the 3.0L V-6 move a little easier.
Similar to the rear of the truck we fabricated a 13⁄4-inch DOM front bumper to give the tr

SOURCES
Smittybilt 400 W. Artesia Blvd. Compton CA 90220 888-717-5797 http://www.smittybilt.com/	Low Range 4x4 105 Portwatch Way Unit F Wilimington NC 28412 910-392-3204 www.lowrange4x4.com
Trail-Gear 5356 E. Pine Avenue Fresno CA 93727 877-494-8697 www.trail-gear.com	Odyssey Batteries 2366 Bernville Road Reading PA 19605 800-538-3627 www.odysseybattery.com
Warn Industries 12900 S.E. Capps Road Clackamas OR 97015 800-910-1122 www.warn.com

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By Ali Mansour

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