Just got a '98, 3.0 V6 manual 2 wheel drive ranger. 74,000 miles. Extended cab. Intended use is daily driver and regular hauling and towing. Not going to off-road at all. What are the common problems to look for? What are a few things that can be done to increase mileage? Not looking to make an economy car out of it, but saving gas is still nice. I intend to put in a better exhaust system soon since the current one is badly corroded and will need to be replaced anyway somewhere in the next year. What are the trade-offs in various after market exhaust systems? What to look for? Texas/Travis county emissions. Quiet preferred. Also, it has the stepside bed, which I'm not very fond of. I'm pawing through junkyards and auctions to see if I can find a regular bed that'll work. Anyone know if other makes, like Mazda, are also candidates? Any other differences between the beds? Gas cap still in the same place? The truck is faster than I need it to be, has a 7.5" 373 rear end. I'd like to switch to a 410. About a 10% speed drop. Is there any advantage or drawback to getting an 8.8" rear end vs. the 7.5"? I've read that it's a direct replacement, so if it's a wash I'll just use whatever I find first. Any way to figure how much of a hit my mileage will take?
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17 years ago