1988 Ford Ranger Supercab - Prerunner - Suspension

1988 Ford Ranger Supercab Spare Tire Mount

Chris had Dom at Picone Engineering TIG weld his radius arms. The pivot ends are set radically inboard of the frame for a reason: there’s less caster change as the suspension cycles.

Chris had Dom at Picone Engineering TIG weld his radius arms. The pivot ends are set radic

Specs
Vehicle: 1988 Ford Ranger Supercab
Owner/Hometown: Chris Walker, Yorba Linda, CA
Engine: Ford 2.9L V-6 soon to be replaced with a Ford 4.0L SOHC V-6
Induction: stock EFI
Transmission: Modified A4LD automatic with a gate shifter
Front suspension: Threat Motorsports 5-inches-wider-per-side, equal-length I-beams, Chris Walker/Picone radius arms, Sway-A-Way/RSP tuned coilovers, Fox airbumps, 20 inches of travel
Rear suspension: Plank/S.I./Newline four-link, frame kicked about 6 inches upward for more compression travel, Sway-A-Way/RSP tuned coilovers, Fox airbumps, Speedway engineering 31-spline full-floater Ford 9-inch rearend. 26 inches of travel
Tires: 33x10.50R15 BFG All-Terrain T/A
Wheels/Backspacing: Ultra 15x7
Owner’s Favorites: keeping it street legal, built-in storage space in the bed, hot-rod A/C system, and all the good friends that helped along the way: Dom, Jeff Lothringer, Trent Hauber.

The 2.9L’s days were numbered when we shot these photos. Note the ultra-clean layout of the radiator, the power steering and brake fluid reservoirs, and the engine oil and transmission coolers. Chris built this truck to be reliable and easy to work on.
The 2.9L’s days were numbered when we shot these photos. Note the ultra-clean layout of th
Autofab bushing-style mounts tie the ’cage to the frame. This building method allows some chassis flex as well as providing some sound deadening.
Autofab bushing-style mounts tie the ’cage to the frame. This building method allows some

Bass boat seats are a must for watching the races. The bed space is still fairly functional, although you won’t be hauling any full sheets of plywood back here. Dual Optima batteries are tucked up against the fuel cell.
Bass boat seats are a must for watching the races. The bed space is still fairly functiona
What’s a Charlie Brown truck without a proper mascot? You can also see all the triangulation built into the ’cage, as well as the Lizard Skins sound-deadening coating that Chris applied to some of the ’cage tubes.
What’s a Charlie Brown truck without a proper mascot? You can also see all the triangulati
We dig this spare tire mounting style. You can leave the upper spare off if you need more bed space. The rear Ford 9-inch was trussed and tabbed by Chris, who had it gold zinc-plated after he was finished. “The zinc plating keeps it from rusting, and it lets me easily see any cracks that develop.” After a repair is completed, a shot of clear coat paint keeps the 9-inch looking as good as ever.
We dig this spare tire mounting style. You can leave the upper spare off if you need more

Chris built plenty of storage into his Ranger. This is important when you’re prerunning and chasing in Baja, Walker’s favorite place to hit the dirt. The rear window was replaced with polycarbonate and is home to the bolted juncture between the cab and the bed sections of the cage. The fuel cell was modified to use all the stock fuel tank fittings.
Chris built plenty of storage into his Ranger. This is important when you’re prerunning an
Chris built plenty of storage into his Ranger. This is important when you’re prerunning and chasing in Baja, Walker’s favorite place to hit the dirt. The rear window was replaced with polycarbonate and is home to the bolted juncture between the cab and the bed sections of the cage. The fuel cell was modified to use all the stock fuel tank fittings.
Chris built plenty of storage into his Ranger. This is important when you’re prerunning an
How cool is this? Billet aluminum function meets personalized fashion.