What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[scotts90ranger]

Cleaned out the mouse mess in the Explorer today, I had a roll of TP under the rear seat for hunting season (hey, never know...) and that was all relocated to the glove box, mouse poo everywhere... They even ate my shift sock! For the manual transfer case shifter I cut a slit in the carpet for the shifter and just put a sock in the gap 3 years ago, it's been fine for a LONG time but in the last 2 months they chewed up 1/4 of that sock...

After I vacuumed out the interior I looked under the hood, I didn't find any wiring issues so it must be corrosion or something... anywho, when I opened the air box there was a mouse in there, I grabbed it by the tail and the dang thing bit me! Just a scratch (didn't get to blood depth) but it startled me and I didn't get to chuck it by the tail into the ground or anything like it deserved... I put one of the bait bars in the air box, conveniently it hadn't started tearing up the air filter yet.

On the plus side, I checked my trap boards in the back woodshed and in the last week I got 7 of the bastages...

 

[Rick W]

The squirrel who has lived in my attic the last few years finds this thread very disturbing and upsetting....

Besides realizing I screwed up on the wheels today, I put the first coat of safety red on the 97 grille support from the pullapart. I also added some character to the 87 butt plate with paint left in the lid, and put the red accents on a 14 steelie I’ll be using as a spare. Painted some 1930-40s jack stands and other stuff while the brush and paint thinner was out.

Heres the question for the Ford oldies more knowledgeable than me (pretty much everybody): today I also replaced the vacuum modulator on the 78 Lincoln Mark V (460 w/3 spd). The vacuum line went directly to the 3-4” plastic vacuum manifold on the firewall that sucks from the intake. I was surprised the modulator line went through the vacuum manifold and not directly to the intake (cuz it sucked the trans fluid up into that manifold). It must have been leaking for a while before it blew out cuz all the affected vacuum hoses were soft and swelled from the fluid (all new 2-3 years/ 2-3,000 miles ago). I cleaned out the manifold and the close hoses with carb cleaner, & replaced several of them.

Q: How worried should I be about trans fluid going (upstream against vacuum) into the other vacuum systems, and what should I do about it? Q2: should I just burn it out of the 460, or should I pull the plugs, etc.

All guidance appreciated. If I don’t get this land yacht back in the road, my average MPG will ride way up!

& lets remember squirrels are in the rodent family, and let’s be more sensitive in our posts. SLM!!!*

(*squirrel lives matter)

 

[scotts90ranger]

After I got bit yesterday trying to serve an eviction notice, niceties are off between me and rodents, not that there was any love for them... Squirrels get a pass for now, there's only a few in the neighborhood until the hazelnut trees next to me start to mature I'm sure...

 

[MikeG]

Drove it in the snow. Ordinarily, this is a pretty stupid thing to do in central Texas, but middle of the day Sunday, and the ground not being cold enough to freeze, basically meant driving on a wet road more than a snowy one, and very few cars. You had to find a neighborhood street with no traffic to drive on actual snow. Still.....

I passed TWO Nissan Rogues, and a Subaru Outback (!!!!!) on a stretch of 4-lane, with my mostly empty 2wd truck. The Outback had the hazards on, so of course when the idiot changed lanes (saw it in my rearview mirror), the poor bastard he pulled in front of had no warning.

Some people shouldn't be allowed to have cars.......

If this crap doesn't melt by tomorrow morning, it will be the Armageddon in Austin.

 

[Roert42]

Used the Blue ranger to get a new bed for the red ranger. Very pleased, no rust at all, but a couple of cracks in the fiberglass. $300 for the bed and tailgate.

original bed was a fleet side, so I have to figure out how to make my filler neck to fit. I bought the filler neck from the doner truck, but it was a ‘96 and mine is an ‘03 so it is quite different. Surprising the tail lights fit, so I’m good there. They guy had already sold the bumper or I would have grabbed it too. Ordered a new bumper from Affordable Off Road, which is nice because it’s thick enough I can mount rings and a tire mount.

 

[Dirtman]

I never knew the stepsides were fiberglass. Learn something new everyday.

 

[Curious Hound]

I never knew the stepsides were fiberglass. Learn something new everyday.

Just the outer bed sides are fiberglass. The rest is steel.

 

[Roert42]

Neither did I. It was noticeably lighter taking it off too.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Ordered a new bumper from Affordable Off Road, which is nice because it’s thick enough I can mount rings and a tire mount.

Not sure any of their offerings in the rear bumper are made for the style side beds. At least I didn't see one... maybe they have new offerings. Their bumper could altered to fit... but it will be really wide against the style side bed.

EDIT... from experience even their heavy duty version doesn't handle the load of the spare as well as I had hoped. I made it better but I need to have another serious look at it in the spring... it still needs some braces or something to reduce the flex I get.

 

[Roert42]

Not sure any of their offerings in the rear bumper are made for the style side beds. At least I didn't see one... maybe they have new offerings. Their bumper could altered to fit... but it will be really wide against the style side bed.

EDIT... from experience even their heavy duty version doesn't handle the load of the spare as well as I had hoped. I made it better but I need to have another serious look at it in the spring... it still needs some braces or something to reduce the flex I get.

I ordered the heavy duty bumper, there was an option when ordering for either regular or style side bed. You can not get their tire carrier with the stepwise bed.

What sort of flex are you getting?

 

[Uncle Gump]

The hinge side of the bumper twists when you swing out the carrier. It was bad enough I fabricated an adjustable leg that I drop down to support it when it's swung open. I also added a metal "chow box" to the carrier that amplifies the condition. I'm certain I can make it way better... I wrapped it up just before last years trail ride and haven't had the time to re-evaluate.

I didn't know they had that option... they do really nice work. Being your bumper will be narrower... will certainly help reduce the flex issue I have. It make work good as is... but then again... it may need a bit of reinforcement.

 

[Roert42]

The hinge side of the bumper twists when you swing out the carrier. It was bad enough I fabricated an adjustable leg that I drop down to support it when it's swung open. I also added a metal "chow box" to the carrier that amplifies the condition. I'm certain I can make it way better... I wrapped it up just before last years trail ride and haven't had the time to re-evaluate.

I didn't know they had that option... they do really nice work. Being your bumper will be narrower... will certainly help reduce the flex issue I have. It make work good as is... but then again... it may need a bit of reinforcement.

Maybe adding some gusseting on the inside would help. Good to know. I would like to also add a tray to hold a gas can like 85_Ranger4x4 , but I’m not sure how that will work now having the narrower bed.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I did do a gusset and also a brace back to the frame... made it better but I'm not happy with it.

I'm thinking a heavy piece of angle along the top... and then boxing it in top to bottom. From the outside all the way inward to the bumper bracket plates.

I will re-visit it when the weather gets better.

I will also say that the top of their bumper is pretty narrow... there was no way the hinge I bought from 4x4 innovations would sit on top of it. I only mention it because you need to choose your hinge wisely. I think you might have issues even with the trailer spindle type unless you push the bumper further back away from the body.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Took it for a spin in the snow, glued boards together for the camper and cleaned up my new-to-me welder.

 

[Uncle Gump]

well do tell.... what did ya get for a welder?