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Ford Ranger III - READ ONLY
1143 messages, Last post on Mar 19, 2004 at 8:54 AM
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What is this discussion about? Ford Ranger, Exterior, Tires, Engine, Interior, Transmission, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Truck
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#459 of 1143 01 Ranger el cheap stripped truck Opinion by urbanallen
May 25, 2001 (11:44 pm)
Hi, Two weeks ago to date, I bought the cheapest 01 Ranger from a dealer here in Oregon. 8988$ sales price for an XL. I had this exact model of truck in 1997 and it sucked, really uncomfortable. Ford has done something to the 01 where it's more truck, much more comfortable. Even the vinyl seats are tolerable... Drives nice, looks beefy enough too, nice tires even though they say Firestone on them, ooops. Anyway I like this truck and you can't beat the price, I just wasn't willing to drive an Accent, the next cheapest car down the cheap car lineup.
#460 of 1143 Well I got it by jfowlerjr
May 26, 2001 (8:39 pm)
Today I purchased my first truck and new vehicle. Got a 4x2 XLT 4 door 4 liter auto loaded. I have to say this truck is fun to drive. Paid 18000 after 2000 rebate. Do you think I got a good deal?James
#461 of 1143 GK3..i too am looking for tires. by frey4
May 27, 2001 (8:58 am)
I would be REAL CAREFUL before I started to change stock tire sizes, especially when going bigger. bigger is not necessarily better. going bigger means that your speedometer will be off, your truck will encounter more drag (higher trucks have more turbulence UNDER the truck), and, bigger tires according to my dealer are harder to balance. in SOME cases, wider can actually affect steering geometry slightly and require camber-caster adjustments: YOU DO NOT want to get into this, especially on a highway truck. i have a 2000 Ranger 4x4, 4.0 liter, 5 sp. aut. it shakes and vibrates, and i can't get it to steer straight. it has only 6700 miles on it. undoubtedly [after much hassle] i have concluded it's the stock Firestones. i am going to go with Michelins (stock 235, 75, 15 size) either in the XCX APT series (older) or the newer LTX series. got to tirerack.com to get an education on what's available: very interesting. if you use the truck for heavy duty use, get a 6 ply tire, which has a stiffer sidewall. the plus in Michelins appears to be their smoothness (important on the highway, where i use my truck). also, i am reading that Dunlop also makes a good tire. AVOID the el cheapo brands. good luck....IMHO, stay with the STOCK SIZE.#462 of 1143 I have to differ with staying with "stock size" by scape2
May 27, 2001 (3:26 pm)
Granted, larger tires will hurt mpg a bit and give you a different ride and maybe change your speedo 3-5mph. (This can be adjusted also) The 235's and 245's Ford puts on the Rangers are puny in comparison to what Toyota and Nissan and Chevy are putting on their compact truck lines. These tires make the Ranger look whimpy and smaller. Go ahead and ask a tire person about putting 31" or 30" or P265 on a Ranger. They fit fine, bumps stops are fine, clearance is good too. I am a Ranger fan and this is one area that gets me angry at Ford. A new Ranger with an offroad pkg is going to debut here soon. It will have stock 31" BFG's. I presently have P265x75R16's (31")on my 1998 Ranger XLT 4x4 and have NEVER had any problems with handling or road feel. It made my Ranger look more aggressive, gives it a better stance, better offroading feel. I do admit my MPG did drop about 1-2MPG though.. I guess it comes down to what you want your Ranger to look like and perform like..#463 of 1143 removing rear seats in xtd cab by dle01
May 27, 2001 (7:00 pm)
I have a 1999 Ranger extended cab with the 4 door option. I love the truck, and have found the 4 door option to be great - I can't imagine the truck without it.The truck is equipped with the rear jump seats, which I believe are standard. I don't have any kids, and think the jump seats are a joke for real adults. The rear area is the domain of my 70lb labrador retreiver, and she could use some more room.
Has anyone removed the jump seats to get more room in their 4 door Ranger? If so, how is it done, and what should I look for? From a visual inspection it appears that the seatbelt assembly could be a problem.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
#464 of 1143 Vince8 by frey4
May 28, 2001 (7:43 am)
I appreciate your comments, but I stand by my post. I use my Ranger as a truck; I am not concerned that I look "macho" driving around town. I didn't buy the truck because it looks "cool". I use it for towing smaller bassboats; if I could get the shake and shimmy out of it, I would love the truck. (I am thinking seriously of trading it for a new Tacoma). Even Ford marketing (I read this in Car & Driver magazine) admits that the big tire phenomenon has been marketing to younger kids who buy the truck to look cool. BIG TIRES WILL NOT BALANCE AS WELL; That is all I am trying to say. Any tire shop who says otherwise is not telling the truth. Going up even ONE size in a tire adds a disproportionate amount of tire (unsprung) weight. I still maintain this affects fuel economy, shock selection, and possibly steering and rollover stability. Good luck.#465 of 1143 I failed to mention by scape2
May 28, 2001 (2:33 pm)
I use my 4x4 Ranger as a fishing, hiking and offroad vehicle. I needed, and use the larger all terrain tires as they are supposed to be used. I agree with you that most of these trucks are for show, and the younger crowd loves the larger tires and "macho" look. Just like Toyota and their excellent marketing for the TRD package. A package that give you a locker, some Bilstein shocks and springs and walla! you have a "Toyota tuned suspension" wow!! The locker is useless to the everyday user. It doesn't help you tow, pull or haul. When not activated its an OPEN rear axle. The Bilsteins can be had aftermarket for a fraction of the price Toyota is charging.. Most people buy this truck for the pretty sticker....#466 of 1143 tires and monkey seats by sasquatch_2000
May 29, 2001 (3:43 pm)
I think the bigger tires look cool, and give better off road clearance. I would opt for taller over wider. Wouldn't taller tires give BETTER mileage (from ratio change)? I am not worried about speedometer, since I don't usually drive the speed limit anyhow. Would this "put less mileage on the car" over its lifetime?Vince8: Are you from that "younger generation"?
Jump seats: I was wondering the same thing. Nothing a set of wrenches can't fix. As far as the seatbelt, how about a razor? Maybe remove just the driver's side seat?
#467 of 1143 4x2 or 4x4 Ranger and winter drving by pfe
May 30, 2001 (5:21 am)
My husband is excited about buying a new pickup truck. As former residence of Arizona we didn't worry about snow. Now with New England winters bringing 3 inches upto 10 inches we are not sure if a 4x2 will drive in the snow.The 4x4 is $2000 more and we want to get it this week. Does anyone have experience with a 4x2 in a mild to moderate snow? How does it handle? - Pam
#468 of 1143 Pam by navy4
May 30, 2001 (5:39 am)
I was raised with 2wd pickups in Oklahoma. I never had a problem with the snow and ice that we got. Make sure you have good mud/snow tires and put extra weight in the bed. Also, drive slow and remember stopping is the key, doesn't matter 2wd or 4wd they stop virtually the same.Advertisement
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