I have a '97 extended cab I have owned since new. It has the 4.0 liter v-6, Twin-Beam front suspension and a standard transmission. The 4.0 liter ones came with the ford 8.8" rear axle. The others have the 7.5. The overdrive of the standard should not be used for towing - it has a reputation for being weak plus the acceleration would be minimal. These things are bullet proof but pretty slow even with the 4.0. They can tow. The reason people drive slowly in the Rangers, especially the ones with the Twin I-Beam, is just get weird on some roads,plus it takes a while to get up to speed compared to most vehicles. Also the 2wd has terrible traction since its like a 60/40 front/rear split. The only thing that helps is mud grips and a few hundred pounds in the bed. They drive terribly off road, especially on washboard roads, mine will literally bounce off the road sideways if I try to go faster than 20 miles an hour. Definitely change the shocks. Keep it on pave roads. They are long lived if you take care of them and realize they are not anything other than for transportation and utility.
