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1993 Splash in SC


masanders

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Location
Greenville, SC
Vehicle Year
2000
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.5 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
2.5L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
235/75/15
My credo
Don't get louder, improve your argument.
Oh, why didn't anyone tell me there is absolutely no way I could do a clutch job in one day by myself? Other than taking a lot of time, it's going well. Everything is out, the new rear main seal is installed, flywheeel is bolted on waiting for me to find the torque specs, new slave cylinder and throwout bearing are bolted in and I did a quick, rough cleanup of the transmission. Twenty minutes on the lathe was well spent making a "hydraulic plunger" for removing the pilot bearing. It popped out in about 20 seconds.


Eric,

Looked in my Haynes manual and found these specs. Let me know if they are what you need.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


masanders

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Greenville, SC
Vehicle Year
2000
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.5 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
2.5L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
235/75/15
My credo
Don't get louder, improve your argument.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ericbphoto

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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Yes. Everything I need is in those pictures. That helped a lot.

Thank you. Thank you!

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ericbphoto

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Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Here are a few additional observations about the clutch project.

1. My new master/slave cylinder kit included a little plastic tool for disconnecting the line at the slave cylinder. The tool worked great. Might be a bit flimsy. But it was adequate and I have no horror story to tell about stuck quick-connect fittings.

2. The hydraulic method of removing the pilot bearing worked well for me. I had piece of 5/8" brass rod that I use as a punch. Turned it down to 0.59" for a length at least double the length of the bearing. Pack the old bearing and cavity with grease. Stick the tool in and hit it with a hammer a couple times. Voila! The bearing is out. Photos below.

3. Replace the rear main seal while you're at it. Carefully drill or punch 2 small holes 180* across from each other in the old seal. Drive a sheetrock screw into each hole just enough for it to grab. Now you have handles on the old seal. Pull carefully with pliers and it should come out. Clean the area and install the new seal carefully. Use a brass, aluminum or nylon punch that is wider than the seal and gently work your way around the seal. Tap the punch lightly with a hammer and work your way around the whole seal. Keep going around just moving it a little bit with each tap. Patience. Don't try to drive it all the way in just one or two hits with the hammer. You'll mess it up. Fel-Pro sends their seal with a thin sleeve that makes it easy to get the seal started on the OD of the crankshaft.

4. Hardest part I have encountered so far was removing the exhaust cross-over pipe. Those bolts can be a real pain. PB Blaster, 1/2" breaker bar with a cheater handle extension and lots of extensions to make it reach way up in there. That's what it tequired on mine.

5. Can't say how much I appreciate my Skyjacker 6" lift. The extended radius arms are perfect for supporting the engine during this job. I just cut a piece of 2" x 4" board to lay across the radius arms and under the oil pan. Adjust the height with shims on each end. 6" lift plus 35" tires also give plenty of room to work under the truck. Just block the wheels so it can't roll.


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alwaysFlOoReD

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The grease trick is slick. :icon_rofl:

I usually use a small tree branch if I have nothing on hand. Whittle it to approximately the right size and go to town.
 

ericbphoto

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1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
The grease trick is slick. :icon_rofl:



I usually use a small tree branch if I have nothing on hand. Whittle it to approximately the right size and go to town.
Wooden dowel is a good idea. Cheap and easy to shape. Could probably put a piece in a drill press and machine it down to size with a file or rasp.

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ericbphoto

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1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Finished the project this morning. For an amateur with good tools, that's a solid 16 hour project. Less if it's a 2wd truck. I had some significant interruptions. So my 16 hours were spread over 3 days. The only parts I didn't have on hand were new u-nuts for the cover where the shifter comes through the floor.

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swynx

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i have always used bread and a long bolt wrapped in tape, to get the pilot bearing out. for what its worth i can change the clutch in 6-8 hours. but i also had a hell of a time once getting the clutch to work. so ive pulled a trans out of these like 30 times, and its also way easier once you know the tricks, and the bolts have been out several times, plus impacts!

that little plastic sleeve, i ussually spray some pb on there when i start the job, then move it around to try and get out all the dirt.

i never knew that was what the metal sleeve was for, i got it one time and i thought for some reason it was supposed to go in with the rear main :ROFLMAO:, it doesnt fit.

that fuse panel is nifty!
 

PetroleumJunkie412

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Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
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Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.
Oh, why didn't anyone tell me there is absolutely no way I could do a clutch job in one day by myself? Other than taking a lot of time, it's going well. Everything is out, the new rear main seal is installed, flywheeel is bolted on waiting for me to find the torque specs, new slave cylinder and throwout bearing are bolted in and I did a quick, rough cleanup of the transmission. Twenty minutes on the lathe was well spent making a "hydraulic plunger" for removing the pilot bearing. It popped out in about 20 seconds.
My cousin (he has owned 3-4 Rangers) once told me that I could "just put a new EGR plug in the manifold" when mine was leaking.

12 days, headers, J&C Heads, new exhaust, M5OD and BW 1354 later... :sick:
 

petruccifan88

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Greer, South Carolina
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Ford
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31x10.5 and 33
My credo
When life gives ya lemons, ya blow them lemons to bits wit ya laser cannons!
You're in my neighborhood! Well sort of. I live in Greer! Building a Prerunner over here, come by if ya want!
 

ericbphoto

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1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
You're in my neighborhood! Well sort of. I live in Greer! Building a Prerunner over here, come by if ya want!
I just moved to Wellford. Even closer now. Once I finish moving, maybe we can get together for a beer.
 

ericbphoto

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1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Steering woes? (Long story not made short)

Since installing the spacers under my coil springs, I have been wanting to fine tune my steering alignment better. I had maxed out the camber/caster bushing on the passenger side and needed a little more adjustment on the driver side. So I ordered the adjustable style camber/caster bushings a while back and finally had a chance to install them. I could visually see a lot of positive camber on the driver side and even wondered if there might be a wheel bearing problem there or too much caster causing the bottom of the wheel to be pushed inwards during forward travel. Trust me. all sorts of thoughts fly through my little skull.

After jacking up the driver side wheel, I gave it a good wiggle and felt some play. Upon investigating, I found the ball joint post was loose in the camber/caster bushing. So I installed the driver side bushing. After tightening the pinch bolt, I gave the wheel a wiggle and there was still play there. That's weird. I have a spare ball joint on hand that has been waiting for installation on the passenger side. But didn't want to get that deep into things on this particular day. So I sacrificed the 0.008" piece from a cheap feeler gauge set as a shim and it tightened down nicely. On to the passenger side.

Made the same "wiggle check" to see if everything was tight on this side. "clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk" Uh-oh. what's that play coming from? Ball joints at the wheel all seemed fine. Found play in the tie rod ball jont where it attaches to the traverse bar of the Super-runner K-link steering setup. The stud was loose in the hole on the traverse arm. I remember having trouble tightening one of these when I first installed the kit. But I thought I had gotten it tight. Obviously, I was mistaken. So I took it apart, cleaned the grease out of the hole and off the ball joint stud, re-assembled and tried to tighten it. No go. I tried putting pressure on the tie rod to keep the joint from spinning. Still wouldn't tighten no matter what I tried. Well, I wanted to do some other things that day. So I went on to do my alignment and took the truck for a test drive. The alignment was terrible. Drive-able but sloppy and dangerous. I gave up for the day.

Today, I did some checking. What I found is that the tapered hole in the traverse bar had been tapered too deep. Photos below. You can see that the stud sticks through further than the one for the driver side. In fact, the castle nut goes so far that it almost clears the cotter pin hole. in another photo, you can see the end of the taper protruding on the nut side of the traverse bar when I squeeze all the play out of it. There is a flat washer that goes on behind the nut. I could probably drill a bigger hole in the washer so it clears the taper and that might let me tighten the nut properly, But that will also put the ball joint closer to the back side of the traverse bar and limit it's rotational travel when everything moves and flexes while driving. That might be a temporary fix.

So, I think my plan is to build new tie rods using DOM tubing and heim joints. That way I'm dealing with straight through holes where things join together. I also want to modify the bottom of the traverse bar where the tie rods connect. I will probably weld another piece of steel on to it so that my mounting holes are lower. That will help put the tie rods more in-line with their mounting points on the steering knuckles. My mods will loosely combine some hints from the article about this in our steering "How To Tech" articles and the mods that BlackbII did when he created his own K-link steering setup from scratch. Eventually, I want to replace the poly bushings in the idler arm with bearings since I am also noticing wear/play in those bushings.

I would welcome input from any steering gurus out there. I have time. Still need to buy a welder since I don't have access to one any more. I still think this is a good steering design concept. It just needs some tweaking.


Here you can see the tie rod ball joint stud protruding more for the driver side (right side - the photo is upside down)
20200205_125801.jpg


overall view of the passenger side
20200205_125748.jpg


Tapered part of ball joint stud protruding way too far.
20200205_131414.jpg



traverse bar idler arm. bushings in upper end have excessive play
20200205_125811.jpg
 

BlackBII

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Lowering the mounting point of the tie rods on the center link is a good idea; it'll get the tie rods more inline with the axle beams. Using heim joints is a good idea because it allows you to use regular holes and bolts, but when it's on a steering application making them double shear is a good idea, which complicates things a bit. I used "GM 1 ton" tie rod ends on mine as they are readily available and should last forever.

I've seen a few posts talking about using a bearing in place of the bushings on the idler arm and which ones fit without too much effort but I can't recall where.
 

ericbphoto

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1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
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Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
What do I need to accomplish before the 2020 trail ride in Attica? I'll copy @85_Ranger4x4 's lead and post my "must do" and " would like to do" list.

It's actually easy. I MUST:
1. Clean up/repair/adjust my steering linkage as outlined above.
2. Acquire and install the required safety flag doohickey.
3. Do my own annual inspection and preventive maintenance. Just give it a good look and take care of what's necessary. It's due for an oil change, too.

I would LIKE to;
1. Investigate and repair a possible parasitic battery drain. It's minor and seems intermittent. But I should check it out.
2. Completely rebuild the steering linkage as opposed to just repairing and adjusting it. I need to guy a welder for that.

Yes. That's all. I had hoped that this would be the year to install a new engine/ drivetrain. But I am just beginning that process. So making it a goal for this year's gathering is unrealistic for me. I am making progress. The next big project after that is to completely build my own custom dashboard/control panel from scratch. I believe my new engine will involve a new digital gauge package. I would also like a new stereo with display screen to view Google maps from my phone. Rather than hack up the existing dashboard, I should just discard the present dash make what I want. That should be fun.

So that's where the '93 Splash in SC is headed over the next couple years.
 

sgtsandman

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The suspension upgrades and repairs are going to be about it for the 2011. The hood guard needs replaced as well (coat pocket caught the end when it was cold and shattered). I doubt I'm going to have the money to do the gear and locker upgrades I want to do before the meet happens.

I'm torn between bringing the 2019 and the 2011 to the meet. The 2019 would be more capable but I've done more to the 2011. In any case, the only other thing planned for the 2019 right now is WeatherTech Window vents. Otherwise, it's going to run as is for the time being. I have to many other projects I need to complete outside of the Ranger mods.
 

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