noobie explorer questions

[dyer91]

didnt really need another suv but i got a deal on a 97 explorer v8 awd. it needs lots of front end work(ball jts, front driveshft) which is not a big deal and was mildly hit in the pass rear corner/bumper. my question is, will a ranger body(same year) bolt on to the front clip and are the mounts in the same location? from what i have read the wheel base is the same on explorer 4dr and reg cab short bed rangers.

long term plans for it would be to build a mild dd offroader so eventually i would probably sas it and so on. would it be easier to find toy chassi and cab or other small truck and swap the v8 to it?

what transmission comes in the explorer? will a different transfer case bolt up to it insted of the awd case?
any help is appriciated

 

[dyer91]

anybody?

 

[fordmandan87]

i believe you can add another transfercase to the end of that but i cant remember which one. and as far as the ranger front clip i dont know do some measurements at junk yard but i think so if you change the core support it could work. i would put the v8 into a ranger and change the transfercase to a manual one.

 

[dyer91]

no, i plan on keeping the front clip of the explorer and put a reg cab ranger cab on the explorer frame, i need to know if the mounts for the cab would be the same.

 

[fordmandan87]

in that case no, major fabricaton would be required to make it work

 

[Explorin94]

in that case no, major fabricaton would be required to make it work

Frames are different so yes there would be some fabrication. The explorer has the SLA front suspension and the 97 rangers still had the ttb suspension.

 

[dyer91]

but would the ranger cab and bed bolt on the explorer frame? i am not to concerned about the suspension right now.

 

[fordmandan87]

no not even close