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

[scotts90ranger]

I just did it's annual oil change last night and filled the transmission since I just installed it and topped off the transfer case from the 1/2 quart I spilled when I left it on the floor upside down overnight after I got it out when I was pulling stuff...

 

[Rick W]

Is the RoadRanger coming to Carlisle? I want to see that thing in person.

Road Ranger yes, trailer is 50-50 right now.

I still have to wire a bunch of things, and install CB/SSB, seat covers, carpet, etc., but it’s road worthy. I have to polish up most of the wheels and I have some custom graphics and pinstripe, but with 90+ heat in Hotlanta, those may not get done….

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, in the continuing saga of “well, that didn’t go quite as planned”, once again not everything I intended on happening today got done and some things not on the list, did.

Choptop got the front end hosed off to knock the mud that was still hanging on from Southington during the TRS 20th ride out of the way for doing repairs and I flushed the cooling system again (I’ll probably flush one more time then fill with coolant). Also cleaned my cooler that I took to JeepFest since I haven’t got to that (it was empty, just filthy from riding in the back of my F-150 home in the rain). Got the oil changed in the F-150 too. Had to run out with dad for a bit and made a stop at Autozone so I now have new calipers for mom’s 02 Explorer, new 9” brake shoes to go on the shelf, and a new cap and rotor for the F-150. DIY up at Autozone now hates me again after all the digging in my warranty file lately. I’ll give them a couple months to calm down before I clean up my shed and restock again, lol.

Now I’m on the front porch with a cigar and beer….

 

[Lefty]

I installed a pair of James Duff traction bars.

 

[ben_2_go]

I installed a pair of James Duff traction bars.View attachment 94469

I've looked at those. Mine has no sway bar, or anything, to help with axle wrap. I can't believe this burnt up 2.5 with 4r44e can wrap the axle bad enough to break traction on rough roads. New shocks didn't even make a difference. Lower tire pressures don't make a difference either.

 

[Rick W]

Soooo, I went into the Shed of Miracles and dug in the trailer parts junk pile looking for 4 matching double eye springs for the Road Ranger trailer. I have enough parts to fill up the back of a Ranger, but of course, I didn’t have four matching. So I ordered two springs today that match two I have for probably what it cost me to get that whole pile of parts over the years. They’re the 25.25” 1,750# springs for 3,500# axles, but my axles are lighter. It’s all overkill anyway.

I also ordered two equalizers.

I’m reusing the existing brake axle w/drums, and I have a matching break axle, but it doesn’t have the brake drum hubs. Those will have to come later. If I get far enough, I’m comfortable running it up to Carlisle with just the one set of brakes (or no trailer brakes).

A while back while dreaming this all up, I picked up two 2” x 4” x 6’ x 3/16” rectangular tubing pieces for little money on Craigslist ($20?). They’re powder coated, white, and had some angle brackets, but I have no idea what they came from. I’m going to use them to make the axle truck that will go under the tail of the trailer. I’m debating making the truck where I can slide it, just for giggles, but I’ll never get that far by the meet.

Hopefully, I’ll get the trailer moved tomorrow, and get it jacked up at the right level from the ground, so I can start putting all the stuff together. It’s only supposed to be 95° tomorrow…..

 

[Rick W]

Just drained Lincoln for the last time today. He seems content.

My trailer axle truck frame pieces. Does anyone know what these are from?

 

[Lefty]

I've looked at those. Mine has no sway bar, or anything, to help with axle wrap. I can't believe this burnt up 2.5 with 4r44e can wrap the axle bad enough to break traction on rough roads. New shocks didn't even make a difference. Lower tire pressures don't make a difference either.

There's a cheap fix for that. Take a look at the clamp on the leaf spring pack which is mounted about 6 inches in front of the axle. It will reduce both sway and axle wrap. You can buy leaf spring clamps at most parts stores, about $17.00 for a pair.

 

[ben_2_go]

There's a cheap fix for that. Take a look at the clamp on the leaf spring pack which is mounted about 6 inches in front of the axle. It will reduce both sway and axle wrap. You can buy leaf spring clamps at most parts stores, about $17.00 for a pair.

Thanks. I didn't think of that. Probably should replace the leaf spring bushings. I noticed the edges were split while I was adjusting my rear brakes.

 

[JoshT]

...but with 90+ heat in Hotlanta, those may not get done….

You ain't kidding. Thursday night or Friday morning I found an intake manifold for the FE in my F-100 in McDonough. New it's a $600 intake, used they still tend to run in the $450 to $500. I've actually seen used listed for higher than new and sell since availability can be limited at times. The intake is an Edelbrock Performer 390 for those wondering. Well this one popped up on Marketplace for $150 and I can't tell that it has ever been installed. I figured I better hit the road and get it.

Heading north on I-75 just before the Tangers Outlet exit (212?) traffic is backed up and at a crawl as is usual for that area around 6 pm. Since the Ranger had developed a coolant leak that I haven't tracked down yet, haven't tried to, I had hopped in the F-250. Well a county sheriff had gotten in the line of traffic behind me. A couple hundred yards before the exit he pulls me over. Turns out my brake lights weren't working. Third brake light was, but not the ones on the bed. Only slightly surprised, I had noticed my turn signals weren;t working around Forsyth, but I was mostly riding the left lane and wasn't too worried about those. Had no idea that the brake lights were out.

For once I was actually happy to have a cop behind me, at least he was more attentive than most other drivers on the interstate. He gave me a warning and told me to get them fixed ASAP. Not a problem, as I explained to the officer I was already planning to stop and check out the turn signals as soon as I got off the interstate. Turns out that I got to explode the dash on an F-250 in an AutoZone parking lot and that 90 degree weather to replace a turn signal flasher.

Well, in the continuing saga of “well, that didn’t go quite as planned”, once again not everything I intended on happening today got done and some things not on the list, did.

You too? I intended worrk a full dat, go home and do an oil change on the car, temp install backup cam on dad's tractor, and maybe see if I could spot a coolant leak on the Ranger. Instead I took off work early (didn't need to), left late for Hotlanta (shouldn't have), bought parts for a project, and fixed a truck in an autozone parking lot 60 miles from home. Did manage to get the backup camera installed though.

I've looked at those. Mine has no sway bar, or anything, to help with axle wrap. I can't believe this burnt up 2.5 with 4r44e can wrap the axle bad enough to break traction on rough roads. New shocks didn't even make a difference. Lower tire pressures don't make a difference either.

I'm going purely off recollection here. If axle wrap is you problem, you want the traction bars. Sway bars and lowering tire pressures aren't going to help that. I feel like the lower tire pressure may actually hurt more than help. Sway bars are going to counteract body roll side to side, not rotation of the axle. Traction bars are going to couteract axle rotation, not body roll.

I can;t speak to the leaf spring clamps that Lefty recommends. The only time I've used them was to hold a spring pack together while changing the center pin. Didn't drive with them installed, and feel like it could cause the springs to bind up rather than working as they should. I have no experience with them though.

My trailer axle truck frame pieces. Does anyone know what these are from?

I don't know what the white pieces are from, but some of that looks like something I might have slept on before. Granted that could describe the white pieces too. On a slow day government aircraft mechanic can sleep almost any place he can hide.

 

[Snoranger]

Just drained Lincoln for the last time today. He seems content.



My trailer axle truck frame pieces. Does anyone know what these are from?

The white pieces look like long sills from a mason dump… only there’s not enough rust on them for me to be sure.

 

[Rick W]

The white pieces look like long sills from a mason dump… only there’s not enough rust on them for me to be sure.

Soooo, I’ve known several Masons over the years, but I didn’t realize they needed such heavy duty hardware to relieve themselves.

Call Or is it a different kind of mason dump?

 

[Lefty]

You ain't kidding. Thursday night or Friday morning I found an intake manifold for the FE in my F-100 in McDonough. New it's a $600 intake, used they still tend to run in the $450 to $500. I've actually seen used listed for higher than new and sell since availability can be limited at times. The intake is an Edelbrock Performer 390 for those wondering. Well this one popped up on Marketplace for $150 and I can't tell that it has ever been installed. I figured I better hit the road and get it.

Heading north on I-75 just before the Tangers Outlet exit (212?) traffic is backed up and at a crawl as is usual for that area around 6 pm. Since the Ranger had developed a coolant leak that I haven't tracked down yet, haven't tried to, I had hopped in the F-250. Well a county sheriff had gotten in the line of traffic behind me. A couple hundred yards before the exit he pulls me over. Turns out my brake lights weren't working. Third brake light was, but not the ones on the bed. Only slightly surprised, I had noticed my turn signals weren;t working around Forsyth, but I was mostly riding the left lane and wasn't too worried about those. Had no idea that the brake lights were out.

For once I was actually happy to have a cop behind me, at least he was more attentive than most other drivers on the interstate. He gave me a warning and told me to get them fixed ASAP. Not a problem, as I explained to the officer I was already planning to stop and check out the turn signals as soon as I got off the interstate. Turns out that I got to explode the dash on an F-250 in an AutoZone parking lot and that 90 degree weather to replace a turn signal flasher.



You too? I intended worrk a full dat, go home and do an oil change on the car, temp install backup cam on dad's tractor, and maybe see if I could spot a coolant leak on the Ranger. Instead I took off work early (didn't need to), left late for Hotlanta (shouldn't have), bought parts for a project, and fixed a truck in an autozone parking lot 60 miles from home. Did manage to get the backup camera installed though.



I'm going purely off recollection here. If axle wrap is you problem, you want the traction bars. Sway bars and lowering tire pressures aren't going to help that. I feel like the lower tire pressure may actually hurt more than help. Sway bars are going to counteract body roll side to side, not rotation of the axle. Traction bars are going to couteract axle rotation, not body roll.

I can;t speak to the leaf spring clamps that Lefty recommends. The only time I've used them was to hold a spring pack together while changing the center pin. Didn't drive with them installed, and feel like it could cause the springs to bind up rather than working as they should. I have no experience with them though.



I don't know what the white pieces are from, but some of that looks like something I might have slept on before. Granted that could describe the white pieces too. On a slow day government aircraft mechanic can sleep almost any place he can hide.

Leaf spring clamps are an old racing trick. You won't notice the difference except for less sway around corners and less axle wrap. They don't solve these problems, but they certainly help.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So, I’m trying to talk myself into replacing the cap and rotor on the F-150 today. I have a suspicion that it might be playing into why the truck isn’t running quite like it should. I picked up a new cap and rotor yesterday and it’s technically overdue for a tune-up. Problem is, one of the bolts that holds the cap down looks more like a rust blob than a bolt. I’m expecting it to disintegrate when I try to remove it. I’m fairly confident I can still remove what’s left and get it done, I’m just not sure I want to put that much time and effort into something I need tomorrow, but if it runs and starts better, that will make the next few days nicer….

Aside from that, I’d like to finish getting the 02 Explorer back together today and start on the ball joints for the choptop.

 

[Lefty]

So, I’m trying to talk myself into replacing the cap and rotor on the F-150 today. I have a suspicion that it might be playing into why the truck isn’t running quite like it should. I picked up a new cap and rotor yesterday and it’s technically overdue for a tune-up. Problem is, one of the bolts that holds the cap down looks more like a rust blob than a bolt. I’m expecting it to disintegrate when I try to remove it. I’m fairly confident I can still remove what’s left and get it done, I’m just not sure I want to put that much time and effort into something I need tomorrow, but if it runs and starts better, that will make the next few days nicer….

Aside from that, I’d like to finish getting the 02 Explorer back together today and start on the ball joints for the choptop.

Maybe new spark plug wires too?

BTW: I just finished painting my used '97 Explorer sway bar. It looks like a great improvement. Thanks!