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


The project truck finally has A/C. :)

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FIRST PASS of the day..... Driveshaft twisted in two, transmission bellhousing broken and tail shaft ripped off after catastrophic failure right at the finish line. And how was YOUR day?

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Dang...

When you break it... you just break everything.
 
My heart really goes out to you guys who have to suffer through such things. I was a car nut before I even got my drivers license. When I moved to Georgia in 79, I was astounded by all the old cars with zero rust in excellent condition. Since the weather doesn’t beat up the roads like up north, mechanically they were in much better condition. When Frito-Lay “promoted me“ to Dallas, a lot of my reason for staying were the rules and laws and insurance cost etc. here. Dallas of course would be rust free too, but I need a lot more green and a few rolling hills in my life than Dallas provides.

Since I’ve gotten involved with TRS, I have thought of setting up a pipeline for rust free stuff down here, but with my injuries and blood problems, I can’t really take care of my own stuff!
It kinda becomes an annoying way of life, living here in the rusty steel buckle of the rust belt…

I’ve thought of a pipeline for rust free stuff before. If you’re serious about this, perhaps we can work something out…
 
I like the pipeline idea..
 
Yesterday I figured out exactly where the frames need to be cut, marked them, and worked on getting the donor piece out. Actually ended up knocking a few of the rivets off with a cold chisel and 4# sledge, the rest were a mix of grind/cut/drill. 4 bolts left and the cut to do there. 9 bolts, 2 rivets, and two rust blobs to deal with on mine plus the cut. Didn’t get as far as I had hoped yesterday, but it wasn’t the best mental day so I’ll take any progress. Not sure yet if I’m gonna work on it today or take a rest day.
 
I had big plans to work on my truck yesterday. I also have plans to work on it today...

The wife doesn't ask for much... she wants some built in seating on the deck to be removed and replaced with a handrail with spindles.

You know what I'll be doing...

Happy wife... gets me more truck parts.
 
It kinda becomes an annoying way of life, living here in the rusty steel buckle of the rust belt…

I’ve thought of a pipeline for rust free stuff before. If you’re serious about this, perhaps we can work something out…

You know, my heart is there, but the old man body couldn’t be up to it. I debated a lot about even mentioning it. If someone in need had a particular thing, I’m always willing to help out, but I couldn’t turn it into any kind of full-time or even part-time regular thing. I wasn’t joking when I said I couldn’t even keep up with my own stuff.

But I learned a long time ago, I never say, never…
 
So I may have mentioned before I love Craigslist. I wasn’t looking for anything, really, and I stumbled up on this and fetched it with the Missing Linc:

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8 pieces of 3’ 1-1/2x1/8 perforated square steel,​
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  1. 8 pieces of 3’ 1-1/2x1/8 perforated square steel,
  2. 4 pieces of 18 inch.
  3. 6 pieces of 12 inch.
  4. One 9’ 8” aluminum, 2” x 4” x 1/8.
  5. Two 10 foot 2x2-1/8 slotted square tubing, it’s some kind of frame piece
  6. Two 10” x 1-3/4” mirror-polished aluminum tube plus a 3’ 5” piece (tent pole?)
  7. Two 6’ 7” pieces, 1-5/8” that can slide snug but not tight into the others
  8. One 8 foot piece of 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 aluminum angle
  9. Plus a six foot piece
And the WOW mind bender, 12 pieces of 1/2”x1-1/2x 4’ x 1/8 high-polish chrome plated steel tubing, looks to me like it was part of a display or something.
Also, one 5 ft piece.

$95.00. That’s about what the big aluminum piece would cost by itself.

All the stuff above, I know I’ll use it sometime for something, but the chrome slats just intrigued me up. I already have a vision of redoing the light bar on the missing link, and putting on a stake side riser made out of the chrome pieces. Don’t try to understand, it’s just the way my brain works.

Smaller & closer to the cab, but this idea
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And I’ve had a rash of wheel bearing disease for the last couple months: front of the Road Ranger, one each on the two town cars, and then the biggie on that extra axle I added to the Road Ranger. These are all spares, but I think I learned my lesson, and I’m going to carry the spare with me..

I ordered extras/spares from rock auto on Thursday, and they arrived yesterday. Amazing.

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I’m starting to like Rock auto as much as Craigslist (but I wish they had a free section)

Oh, and I’m going to spray the yard to see if I can kill it in the future. The yard and the driveway.
 
Last edited:
I apologize for this, but I’ve got a message for Jim Oaks and I couldn’t figure out how to send a private message, but I figured this was a public service item anyway

Jim, I have a special request.

I try not to be a complainer and a pain in the ass, a lot of times I don’t succeed at that, but this is something on your website that’s annoying me and I’m sure it’s annoying other people. BTW, I think your website and all of this is fantastic, this is a one off.

There is a banner across the top of the screen that drops down about a half inch with the latest Google ad. You have to tap it on the lower corner to get it to slide up, but it doesn’t go away. The problem is that it blocks the top of the forum screen so every time do you want to click on any of those things at the top first you have to close that banner. And everything you do, it drops down again, so when you’re creating a simple post or reading a couple things, it drop down 10 times even in the simple message .


I know you have to have the advertising to keep this thing going, and I’m glad you got it all figured out, because again, I think it’s great. But this one item is a real pain in the ass.

As always, I hope it helps
 
I apologize for this, but I’ve got a message for Jim Oaks and I couldn’t figure out how to send a private message, but I figured this was a public service item anyway

Jim, I have a special request.

I try not to be a complainer and a pain in the ass, a lot of times I don’t succeed at that, but this is something on your website that’s annoying me and I’m sure it’s annoying other people. BTW, I think your website and all of this is fantastic, this is a one off.

There is a banner across the top of the screen that drops down about a half inch with the latest Google ad. You have to tap it on the lower corner to get it to slide up, but it doesn’t go away. The problem is that it blocks the top of the forum screen so every time do you want to click on any of those things at the top first you have to close that banner. And everything you do, it drops down again, so when you’re creating a simple post or reading a couple things, it drop down 10 times even in the simple message .


I know you have to have the advertising to keep this thing going, and I’m glad you got it all figured out, because again, I think it’s great. But this one item is a real pain in the ass.

As always, I hope it helps

Preeeeeeeeeeeemium membership 🙂



Think of it as being for the greater good.
 
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