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

[JoshT]

That kit may be different than the others I’ve used and what others have used. Meaning the head light lens might stay that way. The ones I’ve used were maybe good for a year unless you clear coated the lenses. Without a protective coating, they just haze over again.

Oh, I don't doubt that. I fully excpect it to haze up again, but this is still the best results I've had for the kits I've found at the local auto parts store. If it tides me over for 6 months to a year I'll be happy.

Ideally I'd remove the headlight, sand it to 600 or 800 grit, clear coat and buff. That takes time, place, and conditions that I don't have access to right now.

-AKA- I had an hour or two to work on it outside before it got too dark to see. I don't have a place inside to do it. If I had more time to work on it while the sun is up it's still too cool out to reliably spray paint right now.

Perhaps come spring or summer I might invest in doing that. I've actually got enough 500 and 800 grit discs left over from the kit that I'd only need to pick up some clearcoat and the stuff to buff it out.

The future of this truck is still a little fluid. I don't know if it's going to get sold, or get kept and fixed back up. If the latter I don't know if I'm going to keep it looking like a '99 or give it a face lift. I'll be replacing the headlamps if I facelift and I might still replace them if I don't.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The newest addition to the family...
View attachment 85540View attachment 85541

@85_Ranger4x4 what's the best Bronco forum?

Congrats!

I initially figured you were one of the other guys on Bronco Corral with a different handle, the other two on there are CO too. But then I noticed your OB wheels.

Neat to see anothere mere mortal one!

 

[G8orFord]

Congrats!

I initially figured you were one of the other guys on Bronco Corral with a different handle, the other two on there are CO too. But then I noticed your OB wheels.

Neat to see anothere mere mortal one!

Well, there's 4 of us now.

 

[Blmpkn]

I did go pick up my kid at daycare with the Ranger, kind of a surprise for him since it usually doesn't have a carseat in it... thus he usually can't ride on the street in it.

Kinda neat, it was still kinda cold when I got there so I set the parking brake, put the trans in neutral and put the tcase in neutral and let it idle (to discourage someone from taking off in it) I came out after we got all our shoes found and coat on and it was still idling just as nice and smooth as the late model Yukon beside it.

You live somewhere that having your truck jacked from daycare is an actual concern?

I figured there was too much Jesus out that way for people to do that lol.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You live somewhere that having your truck jacked from daycare is an actual concern?

I figured there was too much Jesus out that way for people to do that lol.

There is a gas station and hotel near by and it is right off the highway..

My truck getting stolen is one of my bigger fearsno matter how safe the area is.

 

[Blmpkn]

There is a gas station and hotel near by and it is right off the highway..

My truck getting stolen is one of my bigger fearsno matter how safe the area is.

Right on. I wasn't giving you any guff or anything I was just curious. That thing definitely is your baby, don't want anything happening to it!

I've never been out your way either, so the picture in my head of how it's like out there may very well be pretty inaccurate

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Right on. I wasn't giving you any guff or anything I was just curious. That thing definitely is your baby, don't want anything happening to it!

I've never been out your way either, so the picture in my head of how it's like out there may very well be pretty inaccurate

Car thefts are pretty rare.

 

[Snoranger]

Car thefts are pretty rare pretty rare.

That makes it sound really rare.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Not the Ranger, but another visit to the junkyard got me two good tires and rims. Well, one tire seems to be a little flat but there’s no gashes so it could be rim corrosion or a nail I haven’t looked for. Fits the F-150 and the price was right and that truck desperately needs tires which I’m still intending on getting but it might be a couple weeks yet so this should be a good interim and spares.

 

[Uncle Gump]

 

[superj]

Thats a lot of snow!

I took the ranger and picked up a bike for a girl i cycle with to fix up so her youngest son (hs freshman) can cycle with her while they work up to doing a small triathlon. Back rim was really bent up but i got it good enough for riding but its going to need the barrel replaced for pro use.

I drove a hyundai santa cruz, to conpare to the maverick, and its cool but the seats are hard and its 39k for the sport or black editions, which is all the dealer here will order. I would pass on the santa cruz though because the engine feels powerless. Definitely not a 39k trucklet and not compareable to the maverick, in my short time of driving either

 

[scotts90ranger]

Got the '97 home after Sunday's incident... there's more damage than I thought, the drivers door doesn't shut right again, the core support is pushed back in places, radiator was screwed (bent and must have cracked one of the side tanks), both headlights are screwed, drivers side headlight the reflector is broke pretty good somehow... got the hood so it opened but now the latch on the core support doesn't line up but I need to adjust the drivers side hinge again since it's pushed up... Changed the timing belt and it was loose but not sure it was skipped or not since once I got it back on it still wouldn't start... turns out the inertia switch was unplugged... oops .

Since there was so much straightening of the core support to do we didn't put the fan in and only put one mount bolt in, gonna head to the shop, pull the '90 out, pull the '97 in then take the headlight support stuff out and put the '90 in front of it to pull against, between that and my slide hammer kit it should be easy... while it's in the shop I'll roll the A frame over it and check on the motor mount situation...

The replacement radiator I got is for an auto transmission (only option really...) so it's twice as thick, it had too much radiator before, I'm going to have to go electric fan...

 

[racsan]

Went and picked up a live christmas tree today, some cedar trim for a toybox project and topped off the gas tank. Enjoyed the trip to town and back, temps in the low ‘50’s and sunny. Had to have the heat on & window down since Im not running a fan at the moment.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So yesterday I hit the flat tire with air and confirmed it was leaking around the one bead. Today I popped the bead with my high lift jack and the front of my F-150. Took way more effort than I expected, but I cleaned up the rim at the bead, put some tire lube on the bead and aired it back up. Then I put both new tires on the back of the 150 and moved one back tire to the front so now the two worst tires are off the truck, the two best are in the back and the others in the front. Gonna need that tomorrow going back in a field. Dad took his Ranger back there today and nearly got stuck and dug around a lot, so I switched out his tires with the ones from my green Ranger since it’s still going to be a minute before I need them on the green Ranger. They are almost brand new Mastercraft CXTs and a bit more aggressive than the AXTs that were half worn on his Ranger.

 

[LearningStick]

I had a look underneath and noticed some new stuff. A spring leaf broke. There's a foot long rust hole in a frame rail. I studied welding almost twenty years ago, but I never ran a bead overhead while lying on the ground. My memory of what I studied is sketchy. A strong weld probably requires a 220V heavy duty welder to get penetration in the steel. I would need the washing machine's outlet, or a gas powered welder. Maybe I can rent one. Buying one may still be cheaper than having the work done professionally. But I may need pro work to prevent warping of the rail or damage to other parts, or I need equipment I can't set up at home. Repairs may cost more than the truck is worth.