4WD conversions

Tiny
ADAMCM67
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 FORD RANGER
  • 4.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 153,329 MILES
What all do I need to do to convert my 1996 ford ranger from 2wd to 4wd
Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 AT 6:39 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,916 POSTS
Put a "For Sale" sign in the window, then use this as an opportunity to go out and buy what you want. What you're trying to do is definitely not practical so don't even try it.

You'll need a transfer case and shift linkage, a different floor pan to accommodate those parts, different rear drive shaft, front drive shaft, front axle assembly, different front suspension with stronger springs, different brake combination valve tailored to the different front-to-rear brake balance, different Powertrain Control Module and associated wiring harness, and possibly a different gas tank. If the 4wd lights are in the gauge cluster, you'll need that too, along with the switching controls. By the time you're done you'll have at least double in it what it would cost to buy the truck you want.

My cousin recently retired his Ranger and was looking specifically for a 2wd model to replace it. They are hard to find, meaning there's all kinds of 4wd models that people are selling. You won't have any trouble finding one.
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 AT 8:04 PM
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,005 POSTS
THERE ARE JUST WAY TOO MANY PARTS/ MODIFICATIONS YOU WOULD NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO CONVERT FOR ANY OF US TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO AID YOU WITH YOUR REQUEST!

JUST ASKING THAT QUESTION KINDA MAKES ME FEEL THAT MAYBE, THIS KINDA TASK MIGHT BE KINDA TOUGH ON YOU!

IF YOU WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROJECT AND ASKED A TECHNICAL QUESTION, I MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY

IMMA JEEP CJ KINDA GUY, JUST DOING SWAPS BETWEEN CLOSE YEARS, OR MAKING MODIFICATIONS (TO AN ALREADY 4X4 JEEP) CAN BE A CHALLENGE SOMETIMES.

"MY STUFF" IS BASICALLY ALL NON-COMPUTERIZED, STANDARD RUN OF THE MILL, GEAR BOXES AND ENGINES. ALL LINKAGES ARE "MANUAL" AND "MECHANICAL".

ALSO, THE MODS YOU ARE SUGGESTING MAY AFFECT THE SAFETY OF YOUR VEHICLE, AS THIS IS A MAJOR CHANGE TO IT'S INTENDED USAGE

JUST TRYING TO BE REALISTIC, NOT SLUFFING YOU OFF

IF YOU HAVE HAIR NOW, YOU MAY BE WITHOUT IT, CAUSE YOU'LL PROBABLY TEAR IT ALL OUT WITH THIS UNDERTAKING!

I SUGGEST YOU FIND A 4WD READY TO GO/ OR NEEDING A LITTLE TLC

ANY PARTS YOU MIGHT NEED WOULD BE AVAILABLE JUST BY GIVING A PARTS STORE THE NORMAL VEHICLE INFO.

NOW THAT I HAVE SAID ALL OF THAT

YOU KNOW

"JEEP"

"WROTE THE BOOK ON FOUR WHEEL DRIVE"

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING A GOOD OLE CJ?

NO COMPUTER CRAP/ EZ TO WORK ON/ TURNS THOSE FEMALE HEADS!/ HAS NO EXPIRATION DATE!

MY '46 WILLYS IS NOW 70 YEARS YOUNG AND MY '77 CJ-5 IS 39 YEARS YOUNG.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD ONE AS A DAILY DRIVER (SINCE I WAS ALLOWED ON THE ASPHALT IN 1981). I USED THE 1ST FIVE AS "TEST PLATFORMS" JUST SO I WOULD KNOW THEIR EXACT CAPABILITIES!

NOW THAT I'M OLDER AND EXPERIENCED, MY PRESENT TWO ('46 AND '77) DON'T GET THAT KINDA WORKOUT AND HELL DAMAGE. BUT I DO KNOW WITHOUT A DOUBT THEY "CAN" IF NEED BE!

I DRIVE THE '77 EVERYDAY, THE '46 EVERY AVAILABLE CHANCE I GET. I GET THAT SAME 1st TIME FEELING EVERY TIME I CRAWL IN AND AND DRIVE LOOKING OVER THAT WONDERFUL HOOD! I'M ADDICTED!

YOUR TURN

THE MEDIC
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2016 AT 8:29 PM

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