Black Ford Ranger Thunder

[Dum-Dum]

As I know you lot are sick of me swapping cars I'll keep this brief.
Spent £5k on the newest car I've ever owned, a 2009 Ford Ranger Thunder (Thunder being the spec below Wildtrak but it still has leather and AC)

She looks truck like, clearly been used as a car most of her life rather than a work truck but the paint is pretty crap close up (i didn't notice as I bought it in the dark and rain)
   
   
   



Went straight out and bought myself some 35" x 12.5" tyres on 15"x10" wheels.
   



They are genuinely huge and will give almost a 20% speedo error. They weigh over 40kg a wheel too
   
   
   



Obviously to fit the huge tyres I need more space in the arches so I had this 4" body lift kit delivered.
   



Also got myself a scanguage to use as a digital speedo as I can correct it for the huge tyres and also as it has instant mpg it might make me drive a little smarter as big 4x4s on huge tyres do terrible fuel economy.
   


Plans are to keep it a couple weeks then sell it / scrap it obviously

[bashbarnard]

nice motor, can i just put my name down to buy this now??

[Dum-Dum]

nice motor, can i just put my name down to buy this now??

Course you can, £7k sound fair?

[Matt-Rallye]

Are you going to bring this one laning in wales so i can show you up in a practically standard td5 discovery?

Nah its a nice truck mate, will look awesome jacked up! any plans for spotlights etc to complete the look? Watch the rear diffs on these on massive tyres, they dont like it but other than that i hear very few horror stories

[Dum-Dum]

Are you going to bring this one laning in wales so i can show you up in a practically standard td5 discovery?

Nah its a nice truck mate, will look awesome jacked up! any plans for spotlights etc to complete the look? Watch the rear diffs on these on massive tyres, they dont like it but other than that i hear very few horror stories

Never heard of rear diffs being a problem on these, there's always loads on ebay so it won't be too tough if I kill one.
As for showing me up let me get half a tonne in the back for some traction and we'll see about that.
I'd love 4 (or 6) big 9" spots on the roof but I wanna see how it looks lifted first before I make a decision about extra lighting. I might do the light bar in the grille thing again as you don't get bonnet reflections with that.

[procta]

you really like these don't you dum dum, Why did you sell the one you had before? I can see the white one been a tin of beans now anyway.

[Dum-Dum]

you really like these don't you dum dum, Why did you sell the one you had before? I can see the white one been a tin of beans now anyway.

I do love the ranger, they have a nice driving position compared to most pick ups and they aren't ugly
I sold the one I had before as it was too slow (109bhp) this one at 143bhp and mapable to nearly 200bhp will be fine.

[mr_fish]

I approve here, this is ours. Interested in how far you get the geometry dials on one of your outings.

   

Would be nice with Cruise Control and a rail around the outside of the bed that you can tie to, as those tie points inside the plastic are a be debatable how much pressure they'll take. But other than that it does what we want it to do.

[Hobo Ash]

Very nice I agree that ford make the best looking trucks, nice having that higher road position. Do you ever bother with a top cover for the load bed?

[Dum-Dum]

I approve here, this is ours. Interested in how far you get the geometry dials on one of your outings.

Would be nice with Cruise Control and a rail around the outside of the bed that you can tie to, as those tie points inside the plastic are a be debatable how much pressure they'll take. But other than that it does what we want it to do.

Those dials are pretty rubbish, in part they seem to go on how hard you brake or turn more than the actual angle of the dangle.
Cruise control is the one thing it's missing that I'd want, the heated leathers are gonna be a nice touch in a couple of months time.
As for the tie down points there should be metal reinforcing behind that they are bolted to, certainly mine has that but then we are still talking about ally tie downs with a single M6 bolt holding it to the metal.

I have got a laneing trip planned for when I've got it lifted, theres no point going while I'm on road tyres as it'll be no fun.

Very nice I agree that ford make the best looking trucks, nice having that higher road position. Do you ever bother with a top cover for the load bed?

Nah I have no need for one, I might get a mountain top or a tonneau cover purely for aerodynamic reasons (they are worth a couple of mpg) but anything I need to keep safe lives in the cab

[Eeyore]

Have you got a daily as well chris? I cant imagine how often the big tyres are used if youre dailying this

[Piggy]

Have you got a daily as well chris? I cant imagine how often the big tyres are used if youre dailying this

Leathers, boots, motorcycle

[Danny Wideboy]

Sells Subaru because using too much fuel.
Buys 4x4 pick up truck and fits huge tyres.

Man maths has been utilised here, hasn't it. ;-)

[Ruan]

Have you got a daily as well chris? I cant imagine how often the big tyres are used if youre dailying this

Leathers, boots, motorcycle

I think it's more the leather and boots that are of interest from Chris than the motorcycle let's face it.

[Dum-Dum]

Have you got a daily as well chris? I cant imagine how often the big tyres are used if youre dailying this

By the same logic you should have an MX5 as a daily as you rarely use your rear seats.

Leathers, boots, motorcycle

And yes I have a very capable motorbike that is going to take alot of the daily duties.

Sells Subaru because using too much fuel.
Buys 4x4 pick up truck and fits huge tyres.

Man maths has been utilised here, hasn't it. ;-)

Yes, many man maths
The issue with the scooby wasn't the fuel economy as an MPG number it was the fuel cost total as I was driving hundreds of miles just for the sake of it. I can manage to drive the ranger less (and it's more comfortable)

I think it's more the leather and boots that are of interest from Chris than the motorcycle let's face it.

Shhhhh, don't tell them my secret.

[Dum-Dum]

Busy day today, serviced the truck, did a 2" suspension lift all round and started on the 4" body lift by doing the rear.
Right pain in the cock in places not least as the spacers weren't drilled big enough but I didn't have the right drill bit to do it myself so had to file them out with a hand file.
I'm sort of thinking that I might have gone a tad far but in the words of Carol Shelby, "Too much is just enough"

Front lift tomorrow and I know it's gonna be a pain in the cock but it does mean I can get my huge tyres on.

   
   

[mr_fish]

That is some lift.

Wheels look small now.

Interested to see the finished result.

[cully]

Sold in ....5.......4........3..........2.........

[Dum-Dum]

That is some lift.

Wheels look small now.

Interested to see the finished result.

Well wait no more........
Also I have big wheels, 35x12.5 on 15x10 ET-32 wheels

Sold in ....5.......4........3..........2.........

And?



Another 8 hours on the truck yesterday got the lift kit actually fitted to the front
   



And as it was getting dark fitted the wheels for lolz
   



Still got some bits to do, mainly refitting the rad with longer hoses and praying my plan with the steering shaft extension works.

[Paul Baldwin]

Needz bigger wheelz! Can still see the chassis ??

[Dum-Dum]

A few pictures in the daylight. Not finished it yet as I f*cked my knee slipping in the bath.

Main issues are sorting the steering shaft (lengthening and adding in a second UJ) and fitting the rad with longer coolant hoses.
There's just loads of little bits and bobs that all take an age to figure out holding it back from hitting the road.

   
   
   

[mr_fish]

my christ, high roller much?

whats happening with the front bumper? chopping up? or will it clear what you want to do?

[Dum-Dum]

my christ, high roller much?

whats happening with the front bumper? chopping up? or will it clear what you want to do?

Front bumper will need a slight trim of the arch extensions at the bottom edge but no more. I've kept it off so I can get closer to work on what I need to finish in the engine bay as it's so high now being able to get close matters.

[Magenta Sunset]

will it come with a sep blatter?

[Dum-Dum]

will it come with a sep blatter?

Nah I can drag myself into it alright, anyone else isn't my problem.

[Eeyore]

looks a lot better with those wheels on!