Prerunner section

[Superdannyboy]

Do we need a prerunner section on the site?

Looks like there are more and more prerunner builds since 2019.

The goal would be to ask a question about something only found on a "prerunner" truck and get responses with previous experience with prerunners or have a similar build with their 5G Ranger.

My first thought was just go to DezertRangers.com but it is mostly older gen rangers so there is tons and tons of knowledge but I haven't found anything on the 5G Rangers on that site.

Do we have enough prerunner builds and experience to have a prerunner section??

Sponsored

 

[Jason B]

My question would be 'What defines a prerunner?'

 

[Frenchy]

My question would be 'What defines a prerunner?'

If I understand correctly a "PreRunner is a 2WD OffRoad truck of sorts but then again I never saw the point since if you are going OffRoad 4wd is technically speacking safer.

 

[Superdannyboy]

My question would be 'What defines a prerunner?'

A wannabe trophy truck!

The term prerunner came from trophy truck teams taking a production pickup truck and fabricating longer control arms with shock hoops to run huge shocks up front and removing the fuel tank and linking the rear axle to the frame with trailing arms and upper links and building a bed cage with shock hoops to put huge shocks from the trailing arms to the shock hoops that also holds the new fuel cell and spare tires and possible trans coolers and radiator coolers and fully caging the truck and tying that into the engine cage and bed cage. Then huge tires can go on and fiberglass.

The goal is to "prerun" the course in this prerunner and learn the terrain instead of doing it in the much more expensive trophy truck.

This is a simplistic definition of prerunner.

The goal would be for those of us building our 5G to a prerunner to help each other out.

 

[Superdannyboy]

If I understand correctly a "PreRunner is a 2WD OffRoad truck of sorts but then again I never saw the point since if you are going OffRoad 4wd is technically speacking safer.

So for the longest time they were always 2wd to get more travel out of the front and because of the fear of breaking cv axles, but with today's advanced manufacturing you can do 4wd and trophy trucks are going towards AWD.

Most 4wd prerunners never use 4wd on the course.

AWD gets through turns faster because the truck isn't getting sideways.

Getting sideways in a turn with rwd is just fun.

 

[26point2]

Big Oly was only 2WD, and it won back to back Baja 1K. Also sold for $1.9 million recently.

 

[Jason B]

If I understand correctly a "PreRunner is a 2WD OffRoad truck of sorts but then again I never saw the point since if you are going OffRoad 4wd is technically speacking safer.

So in our case with the Ranger, would making a 4x2 look like a 4x4 with lift/leveling and AT tires fit the bill? I have the level kit on my 4x2 STX SE and later will add AT tires, maybe 32 or 33.

 

[Superdannyboy]

So in our case with the Ranger, would making a 4x2 look like a 4x4 with lift/leveling and AT tires fit the bill? I have the level kit on my 4x2 STX SE and later will add AT tires, maybe 32 or 33.

4x2 and 4x4 is besides the point. You could go either route. A prerunner is built to withstand high speed off-road. A ranger with stock suspension geometry will buck all over the place over 20 mph.

In fact my ranger at the moment is really a mid travel build with 12" of travel up front and 12" of travel in the rear. I haven't seen a true long travel 5G ranger yet like what they have for the older Rangers.

A lot of prerunners cut off the back half and get rid of the bed and leaf springs and there is a ton of welding involved. I'll get there but I want a house first. In the meantime I think this is a great platform for prerunner builds to come together over time. We can have our section with our little niche.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

4x2 and 4x4 is besides the point. You could go either route. A prerunner is built to withstand high speed off-road. A ranger with stock suspension geometry will buck all over the place over 20 mph.

In fact my ranger at the moment is really a mid travel build with 12" of travel up front and 12" of travel in the rear. I haven't seen a true long travel 5G ranger yet like what they have for the older Rangers.

A lot of prerunners cut off the back half and get rid of the bed and leaf springs and there is a ton of welding involved. I'll get there but I want a house first. In the meantime I think this is a great platform for prerunner builds to come together over time. We can have our section with our little niche.

Hi Danny,

In off road racing, you are correct, but prerunner is like Kleenex, Bandaids etc. There is no clear definition, anyone with a Mall Cruisers can call their trucks Prerunners.

 

[Superdannyboy]

Hi Danny,

In off road racing, you are correct, but prerunner is like Kleenex, Bandaids etc. There is no clear definition, anyone with a Mall Cruisers can call their trucks Prerunners.

Hi Phil,

I agree that the term prerunner can be I guess somewhat vague but it's pretty obvious that the questions would be different.

I mean if a guy asks whether he should run a 16" stroke shock or an 18" stroke shock in his bed cage and is talking about cycling his suspension it is clearly prerunner material.

Or if someone is trying to fab up their own control arms that are 5" wider than stock and stuff 40" tires and asks some guys that have done it that is also prerunner material.

The 5G will be fabbed up to hit the dirt at high speeds by guys and this is what I'm talking about. I know you guys are out there and the prerunner section would be a place to ask those questions to guys that have done it in this specific truck.

Sponsored