Thinking of switching to an XJ.

Currently I have a 1996 ford ranger:

In the front a G2 Dana44 4.10 electric locker, Rusty's XJ Cherokee Long Arm Upgrade, Rock Crawler 5 1/2" Coil Springs Pair, and Bilstein 5100 series shocks.
In the rear a ranger 8.8 4.10 31 spline torsen rear end (2 inches narrow than explorer axles, and drum brakes), skyjakcer FR36 6 inch lift springs (2.5 inches wide) With Bilstein 5100 shocks.

All on BFG KM2 33/10.5r15 5/4.5

The other vehicle is a 1994 Ford Explorer XL 4x4 with manual hubs and transfer case.

Last but not least is a girl friend and child that need to go wheeling with me. the ranger isn't going to cut it, I could swap everything under the Explorer, but then I am looking at another custom rig that most shops don't understand how it exists.

Thank you for reading this far into my post.

My thoughts would be to sell the stock explorer, buy a late model xj, and swap all the modifications in the ranger to the xj.

My question is are the parts I have listed under the the ranger a direct bolt on for an XJ?

no they will not bolt on.

keep dana 44 from ranger, sell off everything else and start from scratch w/late model XJ.

nothing from the ranger will bolt in, all of it will require welding, modification.

go xj and never look back.

The front 44... don't think it'll bolt in but it's a 44, some welding will get it under there. Driver drop diff right?

The ranger 8.8 is WAYYY too narrow for an XJ without some serious spacers, but you can pick up a 31 spline disc 4.10 8.8 from an exploder and get it under an XJ for under 500 all told, then swap your torsen in.

Tires will obviously fit.

Shocks - not sure, I'm reasonably certain you can make them work if you want, but it might not be ideal.

Coils - not sure if they'll fit, can't hurt to try.

Leafs - probably won't fit, not sure on eye to eye length vs the XJ. Measure em and check.

Well, the front end appears to be a Rusty's XJ long arm kit...that will likely bolt in along with the front axle. As kastein said, the rear is way narrow. An Explorer is .75" (or 1.5", can't remember) narrower than an XJ. If the Ranger is two inches narrower than that, it's almost useless in an XJ.

OK so I looked it up and the width between the wheel mounting surfaces on the ranger axle are 58-1/2 inches and the Distance between spring perches is 38-1/2. So the perches would need to be moved out 1 inch on each side.

Source:

I would have a shop do all the work as I have no place nor the tools to do this work. I was just trying to find out if it is cost prohibitive to do this.

I'd take the front axle and the lift off your ranger and bring it back to stock/ish and sell it. Buy and xj and then swap whatever you can over to it.