Swap in a 2003 ranger

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Hey, so I've been planning a swap, reading all the builds I can, and I'm curious on people's thoughts and concerns on an ALH swap into a 2005 Ranger FX4 Level 2. A buddy of mine is thinking of selling his and I thought it would be awesome swap, it's currently got an auto with electronic t case, so I was thinking of swapping that out for probobly an AX15 and manual t case. I've already got the donor car, 2000 Jetta, with a really clean ALH. From reading. The real problems are the frame rails and engine cross member, what are your thoughts!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Hasenwerk

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Location
Quesnel, BC
TDI
1982 Cabriolet (BEW|VNT17|Stage4), 1989 VW TriStar Syncro soon-to-be CR TDI (CBEA), 2001 Ford Ranger Edge 4x4 (ALH|VNT17|R520|Stage4)
ALH in a Ranger is basically a 'non-event', as in it has been done many times and works well. ALH in a 2001 Ranger is my daily driver.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
Matt whitbread has a ranger with a BHW. Im sure it's got a few mods too, he loves the performance and economy.
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Sweet. Well that's good to hear. I bought the truck so I'll be sure to post when I start the swap.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
For purely selfish reasons (I have an '03 Level II, auto), would be interesting to see someone retain the auto trans and auto xfer case. At least we have 4:10 rear to start with...
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Evguy1- I've read your build, it's awesome. Not 100% what transmission I'll use but figured swapping a manual would be easier then making a TCM work as well. Yours seemed to work good though. Will have to do some measurements to see where the ax15 shifter plate will end up in the cab to see if it'll work. Will be grabbing the truck at the end of the month so it'll still be a couple months before I start on this project but sure looking forward to it.
Chucky2- I thought about keeping it all auto, but it'll be one less thing to try and get to work properly. The 4:10's are a bonus. It should put the ALH in good rpm for highway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
snip
Chucky2- I thought about keeping it all auto, but it'll be one less thing to try and get to work properly. The 4:10's are a bonus. It should put the ALH in good rpm for highway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I understand and don't blame you. For some reason though, I thought EVguy had said that he just fed the Ranger computer a signal or two and let it control the transmission. I had bookmarks on his comments but lost them somehow. If it's as simple as a couple wires and/or a dakota digital box, that might be a whole heck of a lot easier than taking out the trans and transfer case, cutting holes for shifters (plural, you'd go twin stick right?), and then putting in manual trans and xfer case.


I get it though, with the manual stuff, no electronic headaches to worry about...
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Chucky2- that's a good point. I actually haven't read much into keeping any of the auto stuff because I just figured it would be more of pain then it's worth and i much prefer driving standard lol. Doesn't hurt for me to research it up. Could save me time....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

evguy1

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Location
Erington, BC, Canada
TDI
2000 Jeep Cherokee TDI, 2008 Jeep JKU TDI

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
I wonder though without the electro-mechanical franken Ranger you had evguy how bad it really would have been (man I wish I had the time and facilities to try!). For example your post here, https://www.therangerstation.com/fo.../05-ranger-tdi-conversion.161412/post-1529810, says the Ford ECU was programmed for 3.70 rear but the truck had 4.10. All Level II Rangers have 4.10 stock, so presumably, their ECU should also be set to 4.10 instead of 3.70...I wonder how much trouble that would have saved you evguy in your build if you'd had the benefit of everything being one year and 4.10 stock...
 

evguy1

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Location
Erington, BC, Canada
TDI
2000 Jeep Cherokee TDI, 2008 Jeep JKU TDI
I totally agree, if I had a complete truck rather than a collection of parts it would have gone much better. Probably just need the RPM and TPS signals and it would be fine.
 

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
Do you think it'd still need the voltage and voltage type (VW hall effect vs Ford whatever) mods? Or is it not really possible to know unless the truck is stock?
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Thanks for the input guys. Evguy1- I'm down in courtenay. I've got to do more reading into the wiring side of the ranger. Once i actually grab the truck ill be able to learn a bit more. I've got little to no knowledge on automatic transmission and about the same on any Ford vehicles lol. Mechanically speaking I'm not super worried about the swapping in a manual, hence the original thought to just swap out the auto. More worried about all the extra wiring. Could Possibly do a Ford 5 speed. Does anybody know if the 5 speed trans would work with the E-tcase? The original thought for the AX15 was just because my buddy put one in his XJ TDI swap he's doing and I know you can get the high inertia flywheels.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Nozzleman

Veteran Member
Joined
May 30, 2014
Location
About 15 miles from Venus
TDI
2002 Ford Ranger ALH
I started out with a 2wd Jeep 4.0 NV3550 and replaced it with an AX15 out of a Dakota due to noise. I had to cut out the hole where the original stick came through the floor about 1/2".



I chose to run the large bellhousing for a larger clutch and heavier flywheel since I am running at the top end of a Malone Stage 4 tune.
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf


Don't know if that will show up or not, but that's the truck! 2003 ranger fx4 level 2. Probobly will drive it for awhile, use it to gather parts and what not but sure looking forward to taking it all apart! Gunna go with a Ford 5 speed hoping to keep the electronic transfer case. Will be sure to post updates when the project gets on the road!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
I have exactly the same truck! What happened to the front tow hooks? Someone swipe them?


Haha awesome! It's sweet. It's gunna make a great diesel lol. I have no idea where the are lol I didn't even know they were suppose to be on there. It use to have like a bull bar on the front but it got dented so maybe they were taken off for that?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
Yep, the Level II's got front stainless steel tow hooks and one stainless in the rear, except if you got tow package, then it's omitted.


It'd probably run you another $1300 all said and done, and no idea how far you want to get into the truck, but there is a member over at http://www.ranger-forums.com that put together a custom kit that allows you to ditch the torsion bar setup and run coilovers. Just be careful in his thread if you do end up going that route, a lot of guys were lifted and thus had different part numbers from guys running stock height. If my truck hadn't started the beginnings of rusting out, I'd have gone this route myself. https://www.ranger-forums.com/suspe...brackets-me00stepside-official-thread-119089/


Can't wait to read about your results on the diesel swap!
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Can't wait to read about your results on the diesel swap!


Oh cool! Yeah I don't know much about the advantages and disadvantages. I know for sure I'll do a rear disc brake conversion but most of the time of energy will be into the swap haha.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
We have 8.8" 4.10 31-spline Torsen rear ends with drum brakes. I don't think the Exploders had the Torsen, but, they did have everything else the same but disc brakes. I seem to remember though their axle was like an inch or half an inch longer, and may have required welding in shock absorber mounts. If there is a disc conversion that would work without having to swap the axle, that'd obviously be a much nicer way to go...

Chuck
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you can get a conversion kit from Summit. That's on the lower end of the priority list. Getting ancy to start this project!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ColbyM

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2017
Location
VancouverIsland
TDI
2000 Jetta & 2001 Golf
What are you planning on doing with the truck that justifies a disc brake swap?


The rear drums are super rusty and worn out as it is. I'd like to eventually get a smaller camper for it as well. So thought it could be fun. It's one of those I'd like to do this, but I know my swap will also blow my budget I'm sure so it might not happen lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

chucky2

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Location
Chicagoland, IL USA
TDI
Ford Ranger FX4 Level II
What are you planning on doing with the truck that justifies a disc brake swap?

At 100k I went to do my rear drums and found the adjuster had seized many thousands of mile ago and I had probably 1/2 life remaining on the shoes, once fixed it was amazing how much better truck braked.


At 160k I needed new fronts so I took the time to pop the rear drums off to look and sure enough they were seized again. At least on my truck, I'd rather have discs just for the fact they won't gradually cease to work. Braking in the snow with just your front brakes...sucks....
 
Top