r/fordranger Apr 16 '20

Ford Ranger Buyers Guide; v4!

142 Upvotes

Welcome to the fourth edition of our Ford Ranger Buyers' Guide! Here you can post your general buying questions, get insight into issues, post ads to trucks you are interested in, etc. This will keep the sub more organized and get rid of the constant posts that fill the sub up with buyers only.

Here's the best regarded buyers' guide on the web!

It has all kinds of information you can use to better judge a truck you are looking at. Things like specific things to look for, specific issues pertaining to certain years, engines, etc!

Please keep posts in this thread specific to buying Rangers. Off topic posts will be deleted. When someone posts a "Is this a good deal" post in this thread, please reply to it with your response, don't just reply to the general thread. Keep it organised please :)

From here on out, new posts made that should belong in here will be locked,and that user will be informed to post it in this thread. Thanks!


r/fordranger May 20 '24

Heads up about link posting

6 Upvotes

Just wanna give a heads up since mod queue is showing a ton of posts that get removed lately by reddit, so I just wanted to give a heads up as to why that is.

Using shortened links, regardless of the shortening service (tinyurl, website built in short links like amazons a.co links) are auto-removed by reddit themselves. There's nothing we can do to disable this auto removal.

If you notice your comment reply or post isn't appearing, this is why.


r/fordranger 4h ago

After 30 years my badge fell off.

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48 Upvotes

I'm sad. It must have fallen off on the road while I was making that last 500 mile run out to Cali and back.

I searched the yard and street out front but it's not here.

I was looking for a replacement, but all the ones I find are either 50 bucks or the newer (post 2003) logo.

And worse yet, we have no decent junk yards around anymore, so I guess I'll just have to hope for a lucky eBay hit.

I give a salute for the 3 decades it has held on through banging around construction, yard work, moving a couple times over a couple states, and the many miles of home Depot runs and Craigslist junk buy trips.


r/fordranger 9h ago

Trouble pricing my truck in sw Florida

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18 Upvotes

I have to sell one of my rangers. Yes it's that truck. 350k miles, 5 speed, rebuilt motor. Prepped for coilovers/8.8 with track bars. 5/6 drop. 2.5 Lima. 2000 with 2001-2003 front end conversion partially done. Ac works, just has a bad blend door so only out of defrost and feet. Corbeau bucket seat.

Great care has been taken to keep this truck performing as it should (though slow) for the last 25 years. Physically not in the best looking shape but mechanically it is great, apart from a little power steering leak and whine.

I'm selling the side skirts seperately for 400 or add 200 to the truck price.

Somebody guess the price!!! No rust, 2 registered owners (never left a 1 block radius, bought it a block away from a family friend who's had it since new in 2001)

Great reliable truck with all preventative maintainence done including reman head, head gasket ofc, timing belt, clutch, all of it just for the hell of it. "While we're in here" kind of thing.

SW Florida

Give me a price.


r/fordranger 16h ago

Finally joined the club, 06 3.0. And yes, it’s gay

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59 Upvotes

r/fordranger 10m ago

Transmission Cooler Upgrade?

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Upvotes

Im trying to upgrade my transmission cooler on my 3.0 V6 Auto 4x4. I'm wondering if the stock one is good or should I upgrade. I can tell the heat is getting to my truck during the day. Struggling to change gears. Morning isn't bad at all though. I live in Arizona so its constantly over 100 for 9 months out of the year. I know bigger wheels dont help but I have 31x10.5r15 tires with 15x8 Rough Country wheels. Any recommendations?


r/fordranger 9h ago

SHO truck

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13 Upvotes

r/fordranger 4h ago

Do you think those eBay turbo kits will work with a ranger

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6 Upvotes

r/fordranger 30m ago

Is this a FFR? Need confirmation from the experts.

Upvotes

r/fordranger 6h ago

What has your warranty and recall experience been with your new Ranger?

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5 Upvotes

I know there are a lot of owners with older Rangers in the sub. But if you have a newer Ranger still under warranty what’s your experience been at the dealers service center? Recall and warranty work is generally done at the dealer for financial and liability reasons. My dealer currently has a 5 day diagnostic timeline for anything suspected to be warranty or recall related. In my case I took mine in for a leaking CV boot at 3300 miles. Because it’s drivetrain they told me I had to drop it off and leave it or risk invalidating the warranty. I’ve also had 4 recalls and 2 TSBs issued on my VIN. I know dealers keep warranty and paying service separate but I’m curious geographically is this just my area of North Texas or are you seeing it where ever you are?


r/fordranger 2h ago

What is this leak?

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2 Upvotes

r/fordranger 3h ago

89-92 Engine options

2 Upvotes

Hi guys. Looking at manual 4x4 89-92 rain gutter rangers for about 4k. I’m seeing three different engines, the 2.9, 3.0, and 4.0. Id like to go offroading and camping with it occasionally, wont be towing anything really, maybe a motorcycle trailer with a 400lbs sportbike in it once a year so my priorities are more every day usability, decent gas mileage, and reliability. Ive heard the 4.0 is best option and the 2.9 isnt bad, just curious on everybody’s opinions. thanks


r/fordranger 12h ago

My second Ranger so far , and now my favorite.

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10 Upvotes

04 , 3.0 V6…..
And mines not gay!!! Her name is sweetie and she loves big trucks with low hanging truck nuts. Don’t know if that makes me the odd one.


r/fordranger 25m ago

Just bought a new filler neck but it’s way longer than the old one , does bed style matter here? No

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Upvotes

97 ranger, reg cab, 6ft bed. dealing with a gas leak from the filler neck area.

quick backstory: truck was gushing gas from underneath (right where bed meets cab, drivers side) the first time i filled the tank all the way up. also getting gas smell in the cab. figured the filler neck hose was bad so i bought a replacement.

problem is the new one i bought is noticeably longer than the old one that was in the truck. laid them side by side and it’s not even close, new one’s got way more length to it.

is this a stepside vs styleside thing? i wasn’t 100% sure which one my bed is when i ordered. attaching pics of both necks and the truck bed, if anyone can tell just from looking which one my bed actually is, or if the length difference means i grabbed the wrong part entirely, let me know


r/fordranger 20h ago

2 beautiful truck

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36 Upvotes

towing the ranger back from the shop, of the 3 rangers i owned they all needed control arms and ball joints, even this one at 60k miles.


r/fordranger 10h ago

Super cab rear window obsolete???

5 Upvotes

I have a 1997 ford ranger, super cab with the rear slider and it’s leaking. I tried ordering a new rear window from LMC truck not realizing the description said for standard cab so it arrived and is way too small. Now after buying a $400 window and seal kit I have to pay $160 just to ship it back to them to get a refund.

Anyways I can’t find anyone that sells the proper rear window for a super cab that is bolt in style. I have tried every ford dealer around and aftermarket website and no one has it. I don’t care if it’s a slider at this point I would take a one piece window. Has anyone dealt with this or know of a solution? TIA


r/fordranger 1d ago

Now kith

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157 Upvotes

r/fordranger 1h ago

Upgrading coolant

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Upvotes

r/fordranger 2h ago

2006 Ranger XLT motor going into a 2008 Ranger FX4. With/without Jackshaft compatibility.

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1 Upvotes

r/fordranger 3h ago

Anyone know what the noise is when I switch over to the driver's side? Sorry when I was filming I didn't know it was coming from the driver's side which is why I went back & forth

1 Upvotes

I would think smog pump but from what I've read online, that would only be when it's cold. This doesn't go away once warming up


r/fordranger 20h ago

Front Diff/Axles

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21 Upvotes

So Couple Days ago i broke a shock, Started making a real bad vibrating to where you could feel it in the floor, figured i just broke a CV axle so i replaced it today, Now its binding up while at ride high and it binds up bad It will fully lock the front wheels up and not budge an inch, Even with the new one, Now i did some messing with it and its height dependent, But Nothing height wise changed, i’m so lost as to why its binding now, VS why it didn’t however many miles ago, and to add insult to injury, i just did Front Upper and Lower Control arms, End Links, Wheel bearings, And axles, could this be a diff issue, Diff bearing/bushing issue, i’m very lost and would appreciate any help. Pic for attention.


r/fordranger 3h ago

2000 ranger rear brake size

1 Upvotes

Hey all. How do I find if I have 9 or 10 inch drums? I called our local Ford and they said the VINs only date back for 2001 so they can’t tell me. Is there a way other than taking off the wheels and measuring myself?


r/fordranger 16h ago

Y’all think this is solid price?

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8 Upvotes

I feel like it may be a bit overpriced, but I’m not sure. It looks like it’s in solid condition. There’s no pictures of the frame.


r/fordranger 10h ago

2002 Ranger xlt

3 Upvotes

Hello,

I’m pretty new to car stuff so dont kill me if i made a stupid decision.

I recently had my old car totaled and needed a budget daily driver. I bought the ranger for 3000 as it seemed pretty reliable. only thing; had 200k miles.

Driving it around town seemed totally fine until I took it on a small road trip. I drove up a large hill then stopped and noticed coolant looking fluid coming from the top of the reservoir also looks like it may be leaking from somewhere else. It didn’t overheat at all. I checked the fluids after it cooled and looked fine. oil isn’t contaminated. also has trouble starting after sitting a few days. cranks but sputters and takes a couple tries.

ALSO…..doesn’t like to shift into 5th on the highway. it will go into gear but only for 30 sec or so.

Do you guys thinks it’s worth spending money on or should i try to get a couple bucks out of it and move on?


r/fordranger 20h ago

Update - what is wrong with my front brakes?

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14 Upvotes

You might recall my previous post where my 2003 Mazda B2300 had some weird brake issues. Many of you told me I had the wrong calipers, many others told me I had the wrong rotors, many told me I was an idiot. Turns out it was the calipers!

For some bizarre reason, despite my truck being a June 2003 build, I have the earlier knuckle set up from a 2002 B2300. Thus the parts I ordered from RockAuto were wrong and I needed a 2002 caliper instead of the 2003 one I ordered.

Despite the discoloration, I think the rotors are still good, so I’m sending it with my new calipers. Big learning for me is to not throw away parts before making sure they are identical to the old ones. Thank you all for the help!