Where is That?!
On Page 30 of May’s issue, is it Victoville or Victorville? I thought it to be a very strange name of Victoville until I finished reading the article. But, through my reading I caught Primm and I knew exactly where that is. I think it is awesome that some four-wheel enthusiasts are exploring more of my neck of the woods. People think Nevada is just a hot dusty place with sand everywhere, and Vegas is the first thing that comes to mind. But we have lava rock, mountains, snow, mud, sand, trees (in the northern areas) cactus, ravines that were cut by glaciers. We have quite a bit to offer in Nevada! Keep up the good work.
Ian Moore
Spring Creek, Nevada
D’oh! Thanks for the catch and little bit of ribbing, Ian. It is supposed to be Victorville and that was a typo.
Ranger or S-10?
I recently read your article for the dual disc clutch update. This got me thinking about my own truck and the project IRanger called the “Ranch Runner.” It’s a pickup meant for farm/ranch duties and everyday driver. It’s not meant to be a crazy off-road rig, or meant to pull any crazy loads; strictly put it’s a rancher’s grocery getter that is really fun to drive. Now my debate is on what platform to put it on. I currently own a 2005 Ford Ranger and am debating between that or a Chevy/GMC Colorado/Canyon. My first question is which would be better? I understand that is a bit of a loaded question since that’s the only parameter and no mods have been mentioned. To fill in some gaps: long-travel up front for sure, for the rear I need to the most bed space as possible so I would prefer to stay away from a bed cage but still put some sort of modded suspension in the back. The big thing is it needs to be diesel and a manual transmission. I really don’t know much about what diesels are out there, so my third question is what is a good (prefer to be superior in torque and efficiency to the 4.0 L V-6 the ranger has) four-cylinder diesel to drop in a compact truck. Now, it is my understanding that an Isuzu diesel from their Colorado clone could in theory just be dropped in no problem. If true this would definitely be a plus-1 for the GM. This was my main argument for sticking with my Ranger in that I could just use the Dixon Bros kit; I would also use the shock kit for the rear from Dixon Bros if I stuck with my Ranger. Lastly, would 2WD or 4WD be better for what I’m trying to build? Any help would definitely be appreciated.
Dylan B.
Vista, California
You answered some of your own questions, Dylan.
First, definitely use a 4WD—especially if this is also a ranch/work truck.
Second, we like Chevys, too, but the Ranger is clearly an easier choice to work with. There are bolt-on suspension kits (you mentioned Dixon) available, and lots more aftermarket support for these trucks. There is very little support for 4WD long-travel kits for the Canyon/Colorado platform.
Third, figure out the cost of the diesel swap and whether that’s worth it. Even if you use a four-cylinder diesel, you’ll still be adding more weight than what your current Ranger is packing, and you might spend more money on the swap than you would in gasoline over the next 10 years. Also, no matter what diesel you use, we can bet that your gas Ranger engine is going to be more responsive off the line. If you’re set on a diesel swap, we’d suggest looking overseas in classified sections or with parts dismantlers to see if you can find a diesel Ranger engine-and-transmission package. That would be the easiest way to swap in a diesel, since it’d be from the same platform. Better yet, just import a 4WD diesel Ranger from South America!