Posts
195
Joined
2/18/2016
Location
Royal Oak, MI
US
Slowly but surely trying to get back into mx. Step one of that would be having a way to transport a bike. I am not looking to spend an arm and a leg as I have a perfectly good car that's only a year and a half old that I am going to keep still. I also don't think I want or need a fullsize truck which brings me to the Ford Ranger. I can kill two birds with one stone by having a much better vehicle for the winter, and giving myself the OPTION to get a bike.
How do the Rangers from 2000-2004 do as moto trucks? I'd get one with 4x4, a super cab, and the 6 foot bed. I would not be towing a trailer or anything just looking to put a bike and some gear in the bed. Will a full size bike or two fit in the bed with a bed extender that i'm assuming you need? Will I have to worry about bending the front of the bed when tieing down bikes against it? Will the front of the bed need reinforced with a simple 2x4 frame etc?
If there are any other smaller or mid size trucks you use or would recommend please share and show your setup, I work for Ford so I am slightly biased
Thanks
Collin
How do the Rangers from 2000-2004 do as moto trucks? I'd get one with 4x4, a super cab, and the 6 foot bed. I would not be towing a trailer or anything just looking to put a bike and some gear in the bed. Will a full size bike or two fit in the bed with a bed extender that i'm assuming you need? Will I have to worry about bending the front of the bed when tieing down bikes against it? Will the front of the bed need reinforced with a simple 2x4 frame etc?
If there are any other smaller or mid size trucks you use or would recommend please share and show your setup, I work for Ford so I am slightly biased
Thanks
Collin
Check ball joints when buying. Check the axle tags, they came with anything from as awful as a 7.5 axle with 9" drums and 3:08 open gears to as great as a 8.8 axle with 10" drums and 4:56 limited slip gears. Fyi 4:56 only came on special fx4 editions. Expect to see mostly 4:10 and 3:73. Check for radiator leaks around the mounts. Lots of goodies from the explorer, and explorer sport trac swap in. Check explorerforum.com and therangerstation.com for write ups. Oh and check the fuel tank fill hose for leaks.
Avoid 2000, go with 2001+
Btw you can always get a motorcycle trailer for your car.
People like tacomas, but they're rusty and over priced. Only thing better about em than a ranger is their automatic transmission. The 5r55e has a bad reputation, but personally I got 18x,xxx miles out of mine. Broke it jumping the truck at a mud bog... and she still got me home. Just revving real high
The Shop
Not my first Ranger my 92 also lasted a long time it was also a 4.0 2wd but both of them I had the transmission need to be rebuilt at around the 150k to 180k mark. The Mazda transmission seems to die around then. But otherwise they were pretty solid.
Hauling my bike or pulling a trailer
Edit: Please ignore the crap welds, my welder was acting up and I needed to get it done.
Pit Row
Simple and cheap to maintain - but partly because they are essentially 1983 designs.
No question that later Frontiers, Tacomas, Colorados etc outclass them, albeit at a premium price.
Modern trucks drive shockingly better, but then again if you are ok with it being a rougher ride and more bare bones there's a lot of value/$ with a Ranger.
I also use mine to tow a 22 ft Catalina sailboat (but not very far)
The 4.0 DOHC engine (1993 - 2000) is great unless you get them hot.
They have 160 HP vs 205 for the 2001+, but are quite reliable.
Unfortunately mine overheated and it's time to retire it, or replace the engine with a used motor with fewer miles.
From what I've heard/read, the 4.0 V6 and the 4 cylinder engines are good. The early 3.0 V6's had issues.
Loading your bike diagonally like in the pictures above is the way to go since it doesn't compress the suspension, and the bike still can't go anywhere.
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