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  #1  
Old 10-20-2017, 08:15 PM
Jalapenio Jalapenio is offline
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Posts: 79
Default Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Hola Ranger fanatics,
I was gonna do 4x4 swap on my Ranger, but good friend talked me out of it and instead I picked up 2002 Ranger FX4 with twin sticks. I'm completely loving it, and I think rear opening doors are best upgrade (including 4x4). It make's huge difference.
Going into this build I believe I have clear direction to take with it. It's gonna be overland rig, capable with some decent off road action. For early summer of 2018 I'm planning do some traveling along east cost and stick to live in truck itself.
Some info on truck:
2002 FX4, 5Speed with manual transfer case, 4.0 V6, 4.10 LSD in back, 238k on clock. Quite a bit but it had nearly no rust and frame is perfect, unusual for New England. Eventually gonna go with diesel swap (far future).

It needed some work so first two 3 months spent working on it.
- Intake gasket
- all fluids replaced
- air, fuel filter
- front suspension completely done (all by MOOG)
- completely cleaned and painted frame and anywhere underside that I could reach

Onto Pics:
Day I bought it, other Ranger next to it (May '17):




Rebuild:






Header panel was bit rough, some hammered all rotted pieces, cut rest out and welded metal patches to fix it.




Whole front end was ripped out and replaced with MOOG and Rancho shocks:





While having front axle out, tried to put cover with drain on lower side but ordered wrong part. Apparently Dana 35 SLA is not same as Dana 35, So got my buddy combine both covers I had and fabricate drain in right one.



----------

Before truck got aligned cranked torsion bars 1.5 and started all the fun stuff. Put bigger alternator from explorer:



Started on restoring Rims, 3 hours per rim using strongest stuff I could get my hands on. Front needs more fine polishing but back is looking stunning. Before and After:




Dumped stock muffler and put cherry bomb with side exit before rear tire. Work in progress:



Also after having rear bumper for over year (originally meant for other truck) got brackets fabricated. It's Jeep bumper and it fit's perfectly.



By pure luck got front bumper from previous generation Ranger, kicked it farther to the front and mounted winch on it. For now it's only phase one still need to do few more things to it but it solidly mounted.

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'99 Jalapenio Green Metallic XLT - SuperCab - 2WD - 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel - 5-Speed

'02 Ebony FX4 - SuperCab - 4x4 Twin Stick - 4.0 V6 - 5-Speed x 3-Speed
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  #2  
Old 10-20-2017, 08:34 PM
Undrstm8ed Undrstm8ed is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Subbed to see how this comes together...
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  #3  
Old 10-20-2017, 08:48 PM
Jalapenio Jalapenio is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

And just to give you guys idea, that's how my Green Ranger looked like before it got stripped down to stock:





For now in pipeline for next month for Rusalka:
-over the cap ladder rack
- LED off road lights all around
- finish front bumper
- swing out spare tire holder
- wiring nightmare
- add a leaf with longer shackle
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'99 Jalapenio Green Metallic XLT - SuperCab - 2WD - 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel - 5-Speed

'02 Ebony FX4 - SuperCab - 4x4 Twin Stick - 4.0 V6 - 5-Speed x 3-Speed
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  #4  
Old 10-30-2017, 12:33 AM
Jalapenio Jalapenio is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Bumper all painted and winch wired in. Control box got hidden behind grill for cleaner looks.

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'99 Jalapenio Green Metallic XLT - SuperCab - 2WD - 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel - 5-Speed

'02 Ebony FX4 - SuperCab - 4x4 Twin Stick - 4.0 V6 - 5-Speed x 3-Speed
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  #5  
Old 10-30-2017, 12:22 PM
Undrstm8ed Undrstm8ed is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Subbed
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  #6  
Old 11-01-2017, 06:03 AM
UltraHDGames UltraHDGames is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Subbed! Love overland builds!
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  #7  
Old 11-22-2017, 09:28 PM
Jalapenio Jalapenio is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Nearly finished with fabricating ladder rack, started as short bed full size rack. Build proper brackets that sit in stake holes and shortened rack by few inches. Few small things left to weld and it can go for paint.


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'99 Jalapenio Green Metallic XLT - SuperCab - 2WD - 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel - 5-Speed

'02 Ebony FX4 - SuperCab - 4x4 Twin Stick - 4.0 V6 - 5-Speed x 3-Speed
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  #8  
Old 11-23-2017, 12:19 AM
99Ranger376 99Ranger376 is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Subbed, looks great so far. Your old Ranger looked good too.


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2011 Ranger XLT 4x4 3.73 8.8" Trac-lok #1 T-bars, K -springs, LineX bedliner, General Grabber AT2's, Tonnopro tri-fold, CoverKing Realtree AP seat covers, OEM pre-keys, axle spacers, Bilstein 4600's, Hellwig AAL. Ziebart Undercoat
'98 Ranger XLT 2WD (sold)
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  #9  
Old 03-01-2018, 02:12 AM
Jalapenio Jalapenio is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

It's about time I updated it a bit.
Ladder rack got fully finished and painted. Ended up adding mesh over cantilever, and LED lighting all around. Fabricating swing out for spare tire and Jerry cans.
On to half bad and good news, broke shackle mount and while fixing it discovered that leaf pack is completely shot. So new leaf pack, add-a-leaf and chevy drop shackles were installed.




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'99 Jalapenio Green Metallic XLT - SuperCab - 2WD - 3.0 V6 Flex Fuel - 5-Speed

'02 Ebony FX4 - SuperCab - 4x4 Twin Stick - 4.0 V6 - 5-Speed x 3-Speed
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  #10  
Old 03-01-2018, 01:05 PM
12 Deg North Industries 12 Deg North Industries is offline
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Default Re: Project 'Rusalka' FX4 - Overland Beast

Nice work...

I am assuming you left the front of the overhead rack open for dual purpose (work) and that is why you didn't continue the expedition [like] rail around the front or back?
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