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

[85_Ranger4x4]

Never completely flat, but they get to the point where they won't take any sort of load.

There's not an excessive draw on the battery when the truck is off, not that it ever sits for more than a few hours.

And you have checked the alternator?

 

[Jazzer]

ThatOneGuy, those painted parts look great. Can’t wait to see them assembled on the engine.

-Jazzer

 

[ThatOneGuy]

ThatOneGuy, those painted parts look great. Can’t wait to see them assembled on the engine.

-Jazzer

Thanks might be this weekend, but its going back onto the doner explorer, engine and 5 sp are planed to swap onto my 83 ranger. I had to fix the intake leaks, to prove to myself its as good an engine as i think lol

 

[fred m]

And you have checked the alternator?

Several times. Charges fine.

In all fairness this truck works hard and I’m sure that takes its toll on battery life. I may very well start it 15-20 times a day, and half of the year it gets over 90 degrees regularly.

Last night I drove about 5 miles down a bad dirt road right before the battery died. May have had something to do with it, plates shorted out somehow.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just saying, I am an interstate dealer and have never heard of such a thing. In ag so it is generally diesels pummeling batteries.

 

[Rick W]

Check the main power cables for any rub spots in all the tight corners where if you shake you might short. Doesn’t take much.

And, when we had the fleet of Rangers and s-10s, a lot of construction site work, we put a stiff but flexible closed cell foam under and around the sides, and then held them down with bungies. Nicely done job, not a rig, and battery problems dropped in half, the battery no longer got banged when the truck got banged.

 

[sgtsandman]

Several times. Charges fine.

In all fairness this truck works hard and I’m sure that takes its toll on battery life. I may very well start it 15-20 times a day, and half of the year it gets over 90 degrees regularly.

Last night I drove about 5 miles down a bad dirt road right before the battery died. May have had something to do with it, plates shorted out somehow.

It might be time to consider and AGM battery when it comes time to buy another one. Standard lead acid batteries don't like getting sloshed around a lot like it sounds like is happening with yours.

 

[1.slow.pitt.ranger]

I changed the alternator belt on it finally and I’m gonna drive it to work and that’s it :/

 

[fred m]

Check the main power cables for any rub spots in all the tight corners where if you shake you might short. Doesn’t take much.

And, when we had the fleet of Rangers and s-10s, a lot of construction site work, we put a stiff but flexible closed cell foam under and around the sides, and then held them down with bungies. Nicely done job, not a rig, and battery problems dropped in half, the battery no longer got banged when the truck got banged.

I'll check over all the cables. That's a good idea to "insulate" the battery from harsh rides.

 

[fred m]

It might be time to consider and AGM battery when it comes time to buy another one. Standard lead acid batteries don't like getting sloshed around a lot like it sounds like is happening with yours.

I'm thinking this is the direction I will go next time.

 

[fred m]

Just saying, I am an interstate dealer and have never heard of such a thing. In ag so it is generally diesels pummeling batteries.

That's the same thing our local Interstate Battery Center said.

 

[Rick W]

That's a good idea to "insulate" the battery from harsh rides.

Afterthought, make sure you use a “closed cell“ foam. That’s the kind that won’t absorb water like a sponge. It’s pretty common in packaging on stereos and such, not Styrofoam, it’s like a bubbly Polyurethane. And you probably want to slap the dickens out of whatever the foam will be touching with rustoleum. You don’t want to fix one problem and create a trapped moisture/rust problem as part of the solution.
Good luck!

 

[Rick W]

I may very well start it 15-20 times a day...

After afterthought: i’m pretty sure starting the truck draws the most from the battery. If you’re starting the truck many many times with only short trips in between, even with a well functioning alternator, you may simply not be driving long enough to top off the battery properly. While I understand that problem, I am not so sure of the solution, not my expertise.

Is there an alternator that provides a higher charge initially and then tapers off? What about two batteries? What about a new starter? Even if the old starter is still working, as they age, I know they take more amps. What about putting it on a trickle charger every night to top it off?

You can buy one of the little trickle chargers that also tells you the battery status on eBay for like $15 or $20. Maybe take that around with you for a few days and just check the battery level every time you stop. Start with a full charge from a charger, and then in your daily travel see if it’s tails off. I’m sure a bunch of these other TRS guys know how to test and do such things.

 

[Roert42]

Deep Cycle Battery maybe?

 

[fred m]

After afterthought: i’m pretty sure starting the truck draws the most from the battery. If you’re starting the truck many many times with only short trips in between, even with a well functioning alternator, you may simply not be driving long enough to top off the battery properly. While I understand that problem, I am not so sure of the solution, not my expertise.

...

That's something to think about.

Many short trips around town, 5-10 minutes. Lots of highway trips (3+ hours) as well but only a couple days a week.