How can measuring be more accurate than making the 1 to 1 pattern that I describe? The 1 to 1 pattern can be the finished product or a template to check fits then a real material used to repeat the process.

In order for your measuring to be accurate, you need to measure in an X and Y plane, referencing off the crank center line will only get you part way there since all you have is a radial measurement.

The reason I chose this way is that measuring from Puch marks is a little iffy. Yes I could just drill the holes where the marks are but that would require eyeballing a small drill to be centered on each mark and hoping for enough flex in the bit that it ends up going to center. I'd then have to go up a couple drill sizes, again using the flex of the bit to try and center it exactly, before the hole would be big enough for me to indicate the final drill to be centered. This didn't seem like a great way to do it so I chose to measure to pins in the bolt holes. I also didn't feel like making 4 hole spotters.

My measurements will work because the two holes are inline and perpendicular to the Y axis through the crank. I have all the Mercedes holes constrained together so I can just change the Y distance between the centerline of the two holes and the crankshaft. This will put all the holes where they need to be in the Y. To get the shift in the X, I'll mesuresure from the crank to the bolt holes beside the crank. Knowing that the Y values will not chamge I can do a little math and find the X shift. If I calculate the same shift basing my math off the two.holes I measured to I should me good. I also can check both my shifts by measuring how off center the crank is in the through hole in my adapter

Got the adapter shifted to where it should be. Going to run a three art adapter now; adapter for the flywheel, the transmission adapter, and a spacer to take up the flywheel adapter's shift.My buddy found a place down in Florida that'll sell the materials for alot lesa then where I was looking. Even has the plastic to make test parts too. Dunno if im going to finish this thing this year though. My car failed inspection and it's likely that I've got to replace it. There's an '87 Ranger that's wicked clean on Craigslist right now but the problem with it is it's 2wd. So I dunno what I'm going to do yet

Up until 98, the front suspension pickup points between a 2 wd and 4 wd Ranger were largely if not the same. Someone on the Ranger Station web site should be able to confirm that installing a 4 wd front axle under a 2 wd frame is possible. At the rear I'm pretty sure the factory just installed lift blocks between the spring and axle.

How is the body on your current Ranger? A cab swap is an easy task, just use the title from the 2 wd truck since that is where the vin is.

Going to try and get this project going again now that the weather's getting a little better. Finished redesigning the adapter (it's 3 prices now) and ordered all the plastic and aluminum to make the test and the final part. If that ends up fitting I should have all the parts to get the engine in and start hooking it up so it can run

Call around to local laser and waterjet chops. They're cheaper than you think, especially if you tell them to cut it whenever it fits their schedule.

going from 2wd->4wd is well documented, as is swapping in a solid axle under IFS trucks. You've got a frame to bolt stuff to.

All but two of the adapter parts are too complicated for 2D toolpaths, everything has to be milled. The flywheel adapter should be basically done in a couple hours from now and I'll only have to get some helicoils for the Ford bolt pattern to completely finish it


My truck is an extra cab and so is a bit bigger then the long bed that I was thinking of buying and putting the front end ofy truck under and so I decided not to mess with it.

Here's the flywheel adapter

Why helicoils ???

Wear resistance, the adapter is made of 6061 which won't hold up to taking the bolts in and out of

How about using studs? They are probably more durable than a thread insert.

While flywheels are sometimes made from aluminum, this is the first crank spacer / adapter I've seen in aluminum.

I'd be concerned that cyclical torsional loads would cause the crankshaft side bolt heads to impress into the aluminum surface causing loss of bolt tension. Locktite would keep the bolts from unscrewing but that won't keep everything compressed.

I would not use an aluminum flywheel adapter. The strength of the MB crank and flywheel connection is huge. Aluminum to me is very suspect. Now if you have engineering calculations to back up its suitability that would be another matter.

I agree, but the flywheel adapter in the photo above does not look like it is aluminum. The adapter plate for the bell housing is surely made of aluminum, which is no problem.

He says it is 6061. What is that?