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

[Maritime Drag Racing]

CalTracs install finally complete - Excess U-bolt and center bolt threads cut off, U-bolts torqued to 100 ft/lb, wheels back on, sitting on the wheel dollies and snug and warm under it's blankie. Roll bar is next on the "to do" list.

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok inquiring minds want to know.... did you clean up the wrench and return it to the toolbox?

AJ

I thought about it, but with the crappy welds and story I'm thinking of just hanging it from the shop wall

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Yes, I think it's a wall hanger...

 

[Bill]

I didn't complete the gear oil change project yesterday, so I resumed that today. With better lighting I could see that the spider gears are worn enough to account for what appears to be excessive rotational play. However, they are still good enough for government work. Maybe I'll replace them sometime later this year. Differential cover was painted a nice glossy black because I couldn't find semi-gloss black spray paint. I'm sure all the dust and things blowing past it will take that gloss off in not time. Then came the unexpected fun part. I bought a gallon of Super Tech gear oil at Walmart because it was $15 for the whole gallon instead of $10 a quart for the name brand stuff. When I got ready to put the gear oil in I crawled under the truck and noticed the fuel tank was in the way. I went over to the passenger side thinking there would be enough space to lift that gallon jug up above the differential and fill it from there. However, the muffler was in the way. So, I scrounged around the garage and foung a longer piece of flexible tubing to used so I could wrap it around the back of the differential and fill it from behind. This time the spare tire was in the way, so I removed it and proceeded to fill it. The weight of the gear oil pulled the hose out of the fill plug and I ended up spilling some on the driveway. After I secured that end of the hose the other end came off the thing I bought that screws on the jug and I spilled gear oil on top of the differential. When I shifted the jug backwards it ran down my arm. Now I had gear oil on my hands, so everything was slippery. I decided to set the jug down so I could wipe enough of it off so I could hold it in place again. Eventually I got it filled. As I was cleaning up I kept thinking to myself, "I smell gear oil." It turns out that I dragged my hair through the puddle of gear oil as I was getting out from under the truck, or maybe I poured it on my hair as I was fighting with a slippery bottle. There's a reason you don't see many mechanics with long hair.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I thought about it, but with the crappy welds and story I'm thinking of just hanging it from the shop wall

Yep... that is a total wall hanger.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I didn't complete the gear oil change project yesterday, so I resumed that today. With better lighting I could see that the spider gears are worn enough to account for what appears to be excessive rotational play. However, they are still good enough for government work. Maybe I'll replace them sometime later this year. Differential cover was painted a nice glossy black because I couldn't find semi-gloss black spray paint. I'm sure all the dust and things blowing past it will take that gloss off in not time. Then came the unexpected fun part. I bought a gallon of Super Tech gear oil at Walmart because it was $15 for the whole gallon instead of $10 a quart for the name brand stuff. When I got ready to put the gear oil in I crawled under the truck and noticed the fuel tank was in the way. I went over to the passenger side thinking there would be enough space to lift that gallon jug up above the differential and fill it from there. However, the muffler was in the way. So, I scrounged around the garage and foung a longer piece of flexible tubing to used so I could wrap it around the back of the differential and fill it from behind. This time the spare tire was in the way, so I removed it and proceeded to fill it. The weight of the gear oil pulled the hose out of the fill plug and I ended up spilling some on the driveway. After I secured that end of the hose the other end came off the thing I bought that screws on the jug and I spilled gear oil on top of the differential. When I shifted the jug backwards it ran down my arm. Now I had gear oil on my hands, so everything was slippery. I decided to set the jug down so I could wipe enough of it off so I could hold it in place again. Eventually I got it filled. As I was cleaning up I kept thinking to myself, "I smell gear oil." It turns out that I dragged my hair through the puddle of gear oil as I was getting out from under the truck, or maybe I poured it on my hair as I was fighting with a slippery bottle. There's a reason you don't see many mechanics with long hair.

Sounds about right. I’ve gone about it two ways. Keep a quart bottle on hand that was bought specifically to be refilled from a larger container to transfer the oil in, or with a hand pump which gets rather tiring since the oil is so thick. And sometimes the hose pops out of the diff or off the end of the pump and you get a mess. Feel like there should be a better way.

 

[Bill]

Sounds about right. I’ve gone about it two ways. Keep a quart bottle on hand that was bought specifically to be refilled from a larger container to transfer the oil in, or with a hand pump which gets rather tiring since the oil is so thick. And sometimes the hose pops out of the diff or off the end of the pump and you get a mess. Feel like there should be a better way.

This is one of many things I think should have had a better tool/way to do. Quart bottles make a mess. The transfer pumps are too slow. The pumps that go in the top of the bottles make the least mess, but are slow. They used to come with the gallon jugs of Sta-Lube, but not anymore. Walmart used to sell them, as did the auto parts stores. I couldn't find one and all the places to order online would take two weeks for it to arrive. Another thing I think should have been improved given the safety issues are jack stands. My driveway has a slight slope. If I put the rear up on jack stands the truck will roll and tip the jack stands over. Wheel chocks don't always work as they can slide. The problem is the small foot print the jack stands have. I think the 3-ton have about a 7" foot print and the 6 ton are about 9-10". I have to roll the floor jack in from the side and lift up on the frame to keep it from rolling. I'm seriously thinking about drilling some holes in the driveway and dropping large nails through a large piece of lumber into the concrete to keep the truck from rolling. Anyway, I looked and there is nothing that isn't expensive to keep a vehicle jacked up securely.

 

[holyford86]

Sounds about right. I’ve gone about it two ways. Keep a quart bottle on hand that was bought specifically to be refilled from a larger container to transfer the oil in, or with a hand pump which gets rather tiring since the oil is so thick. And sometimes the hose pops out of the diff or off the end of the pump and you get a mess. Feel like there should be a better way.

remove ABS sensor and fill plug, insert funnel into sensor hole, fill until oil comes out fill hole.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

remove ABS sensor and fill plug, insert funnel into sensor hole, fill until oil comes out fill hole.

Do those actually come out without breaking? Asking for a friend…

 

[1990RangerinSK]

Sounds about right. I’ve gone about it two ways. Keep a quart bottle on hand that was bought specifically to be refilled from a larger container to transfer the oil in, or with a hand pump which gets rather tiring since the oil is so thick. And sometimes the hose pops out of the diff or off the end of the pump and you get a mess. Feel like there should be a better way.

Of course there's a better way. Drop the axle. Fill the diffy. Reinstall the axle. Don't want to drop the axle? Lift the bed off. Fill the axle. Replace the bed.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

This is one of many things I think should have had a better tool/way to do. Quart bottles make a mess. The transfer pumps are too slow. The pumps that go in the top of the bottles make the least mess, but are slow. They used to come with the gallon jugs of Sta-Lube, but not anymore. Walmart used to sell them, as did the auto parts stores. I couldn't find one and all the places to order online would take two weeks for it to arrive. Another thing I think should have been improved given the safety issues are jack stands. My driveway has a slight slope. If I put the rear up on jack stands the truck will roll and tip the jack stands over. Wheel chocks don't always work as they can slide. The problem is the small foot print the jack stands have. I think the 3-ton have about a 7" foot print and the 6 ton are about 9-10". I have to roll the floor jack in from the side and lift up on the frame to keep it from rolling. I'm seriously thinking about drilling some holes in the driveway and dropping large nails through a large piece of lumber into the concrete to keep the truck from rolling. Anyway, I looked and there is nothing that isn't expensive to keep a vehicle jacked up securely.

Here's a better idea. Cement a telephone pole into the ground at the top of the driveway. Wrap a come along around the pole and the truck bumper.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Here's a better idea. Cement a telephone pole into the ground at the top of the driveway. Wrap a come along around the pole and the truck bumper.

Actually that’s not really a terrible idea… figure out where you usually work on the vehicle, punch through the driveway uphill of that area a little, dig footer holes, fill with concrete and set an anchor or something, then you can drive over this footer pad(s) and you can also run chain from the footer to the frame to anchor a vehicle….

 

[Roert42]

I didn't complete the gear oil change project yesterday, so I resumed that today. With better lighting I could see that the spider gears are worn enough to account for what appears to be excessive rotational play. However, they are still good enough for government work. Maybe I'll replace them sometime later this year. Differential cover was painted a nice glossy black because I couldn't find semi-gloss black spray paint. I'm sure all the dust and things blowing past it will take that gloss off in not time. Then came the unexpected fun part. I bought a gallon of Super Tech gear oil at Walmart because it was $15 for the whole gallon instead of $10 a quart for the name brand stuff. When I got ready to put the gear oil in I crawled under the truck and noticed the fuel tank was in the way. I went over to the passenger side thinking there would be enough space to lift that gallon jug up above the differential and fill it from there. However, the muffler was in the way. So, I scrounged around the garage and foung a longer piece of flexible tubing to used so I could wrap it around the back of the differential and fill it from behind. This time the spare tire was in the way, so I removed it and proceeded to fill it. The weight of the gear oil pulled the hose out of the fill plug and I ended up spilling some on the driveway. After I secured that end of the hose the other end came off the thing I bought that screws on the jug and I spilled gear oil on top of the differential. When I shifted the jug backwards it ran down my arm. Now I had gear oil on my hands, so everything was slippery. I decided to set the jug down so I could wipe enough of it off so I could hold it in place again. Eventually I got it filled. As I was cleaning up I kept thinking to myself, "I smell gear oil." It turns out that I dragged my hair through the puddle of gear oil as I was getting out from under the truck, or maybe I poured it on my hair as I was fighting with a slippery bottle. There's a reason you don't see many mechanics with long hair.

For next time. Make sure to use a very low psi. 2/5psi.

 

[Bill]

View attachment 74265
For next time. Make sure to use a very low psi. 2/5psi.

I have a gallon garden sprayer that I use for replacing the fluid in the manual transmission. I'm not sure how well that it would work with 80w90. Probably very slow. The pickup tube in them is very narrow.

 

[holyford86]

Do those actually come out without breaking? Asking for a friend…

I've never had an issue, can't pry on them unevenly, haha