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

[Curious Hound]

Replaced the tail lights.

 

[holyford86]

Wheeled mine like I haven't in almost a decade, in the process I learned I'd like to add a skidplate for the front diff. Also learned my already oversized and properly torqued ubolts along with upgraded plates weren't enough to keep my overloads from rotating out from under the pack, so upsized them one more size and tightened them more, which seems to have fixed the problem. I'm a few days behind in posting but haven't done anything of merit since then, other than drive to and from work.

 

[ElectraRider]

well got my 2000 ranger back from the shop and no more antifreeze in the oil. the intake was the culprit they also pulled the timing cover which was badly corroded so that got replaced and I had them put in a new timing chain kit while they were in there. runs like a top now.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Green Ranger went for a spin today, had to run out for gas for the tractor, lol. Not much is likely to happen to any of the trucks other than use them for the next few days. Property cleanup weekend is about to happen.

 

[Jazzer]

While rotating tires, I cleaned them and doused them with (Aerospace) 303, then painted the Raised White Letters.

I used to use Turtle Waxes "Endura-Shine on the rubber 'til it was discontinued. Thin as printers ink and messy to work with, but it gave the tires a deep matte black finish that lasted 3-4 months. Turtle Wax made a vinyl trim dye, also discontinued. The front bumper on this truck was last treated with it 2 years ago, still black and shiny.
I just ordered a similar dye, "Forever Black", and I'll check that out to see if it's as good as the TW. There's another one, "That Black Stuff", but it's twice the price.

-Jazzer

 

[Rick W]

While rotating tires, I cleaned them and doused them with (Aerospace) 303, then painted the Raised White Letters.

View attachment 99093

I used to use Turtle Waxes "Endura-Shine on the rubber 'til it was discontinued. Thin as printers ink and messy to work with, but it gave the tires a deep matte black finish that lasted 3-4 months. Turtle Wax made a vinyl trim dye, also discontinued. The front bumper on this truck was last treated with it 2 years ago, still black and shiny.
I just ordered a similar dye, "Forever Black", and I'll check that out to see if it's as good as the TW. There's another one, "That Black Stuff", but it's twice the price.

-Jazzer

I’ve been very happy with “forever black,” easy to use, easy to clean off anything that’s not supposed to have it, and seems to last forever. And no silicone, so it doesn’t fade and turn gray and yucky. Only lesson I learned the hard way after two or three times was to always wear vinyl gloves cuz it sticks to skin as well as it does to rubber/vinyl!

 

[Jazzer]

Yeah, Rick, that’s how the TW was. I’d use a 1” square velour staining pad to apply, and had a wet paper towel handy for drips. Glad to know the FB is good, thanks!

-Jazzer

 

[ben_2_go]

Anyone know if the transmission cross member location is the same between different engines and transmissions on the 98-01 trucks? I'm trying to get everything ready for a manual conversion when I do the Kubota swap. I'd like one of those cross members that doesn't hang so low. I want to put the manual transmission in the factory place so the shifter is in the OE location. Going from 2.5 with 4R44E to a V2203T with a M5ODR1. I think I have everything figured out and planned out. Should be getting the engine next week, if all goes well.

 

[Stankard757]

Spending a raining Saturday inside temporarily fixing my dash panel all tabs are broken now

Not expecting miracles, just need to last til I replace my dash

 

[Curious Hound]

Spending a raining Saturday inside temporarily fixing my dash panel all tabs are broken now
View attachment 99106
View attachment 99107
Not expecting miracles, just need to last til I replace my dash

Unfortunately, plastic only lasts forever in landfills. Hope it works.

 

[Rick W]

Spending a raining Saturday inside temporarily fixing my dash panel all tabs are broken now
View attachment 99106
View attachment 99107
Not expecting miracles, just need to last til I replace my dash

Do you know the baking soda and superglue plastic fix? YouTube search it. If you have the pieces, you can put them all back together, and it will be stronger than the original. And you can whittle it down with a Roto tool if you use too much.

Also, if there are any cracks in your dashboard: I use the Roto tool to take all of the extra vinyl edge off and all of the oxidized foam out, so there was a clean hole, noting rotten or sticking up. Then I filled it in with a hot glue gun. You just have to go slow and make sure it’s sticking to the base. Then, basically, you can overfill it, let it harden, and then you can sand it down flat, and then you can paint it. I did it on my 87, two pretty big, deep, grooves, and it came out like new, literally. I always joke, but I’m dead serious, I painted it with semi gloss black Rustoleum with a nappy roller, so it had a texture, and you couldn’t even see what I did the repairs. A year later, one little tiny, crack has reappeared, not worth fixing yet.

Edit afterthought: even if you don’t have all the pieces, dig in your scrap pile for something that you can carve into the right thing, right shape, and stick it on the same way.

 

[scotts90ranger]

On that I would go to a hobby shop that deals with model trains and get a jar of "plastruct bondene" or whatever Plastruct that they have, it's in a little glass bottle with a black cap that is brush in cap, it's basically MEK or some other bad stinky stuff (their bondene and plastic weld are different stuff, one's MEK and the other is something else...), if you have ABS or PVC it melts the plastic and makes it as strong as it was from the factory... I've had mixed results on vehicle stuff but it's worth a shot to try since it won't work after you try superglue or anything else...

Last night and this morning I made a load of blackberry vines and some trimmings from the walnut tree in the yard so I could get the tractor under it to harrow some before we put some grass seed down for the rain that's coming later today, moved that to the burn pile in the '97 Ranger then went to town for some diesel for the tractor and a new pole saw from Harbor Freight...

 

[Stankard757]

Do you know the baking soda and superglue plastic fix? YouTube search it. If you have the pieces, you can put them all back together, and it will be stronger than the original. And you can whittle it down with a Roto tool if you use too much.

Also, if there are any cracks in your dashboard: I use the Roto tool to take all of the extra vinyl edge off and all of the oxidized foam out, so there was a clean hole, noting rotten or sticking up. Then I filled it in with a hot glue gun. You just have to go slow and make sure it’s sticking to the base. Then, basically, you can overfill it, let it harden, and then you can sand it down flat, and then you can paint it. I did it on my 87, two pretty big, deep, grooves, and it came out like new, literally. I always joke, but I’m dead serious, I painted it with semi gloss black Rustoleum with a nappy roller, so it had a texture, and you couldn’t even see what I did the repairs. A year later, one little tiny, crack has reappeared, not worth fixing yet.

Edit afterthought: even if you don’t have all the pieces, dig in your scrap pile for something that you can carve into the right thing, right shape, and stick it on the same way.

Fine sand, cinnamon etc.. will work also. Used them all in my woodworking. Today we're gonna plastic weld with zip ties.

 

[Stankard757]

Do you know the baking soda and superglue plastic fix? YouTube search it. If you have the pieces, you can put them all back together, and it will be stronger than the original. And you can whittle it down with a Roto tool if you use too much.

Also, if there are any cracks in your dashboard: I use the Roto tool to take all of the extra vinyl edge off and all of the oxidized foam out, so there was a clean hole, noting rotten or sticking up. Then I filled it in with a hot glue gun. You just have to go slow and make sure it’s sticking to the base. Then, basically, you can overfill it, let it harden, and then you can sand it down flat, and then you can paint it. I did it on my 87, two pretty big, deep, grooves, and it came out like new, literally. I always joke, but I’m dead serious, I painted it with semi gloss black Rustoleum with a nappy roller, so it had a texture, and you couldn’t even see what I did the repairs. A year later, one little tiny, crack has reappeared, not worth fixing yet.

Edit afterthought: even if you don’t have all the pieces, dig in your scrap pile for something that you can carve into the right thing, right shape, and stick it on the same way.

Well the plastic welding didn't go as planned. Wasnt expecting much, but wanted to try. So fell back on the oldie but goodie baking soda and CA which worked as usual..

 

[Rick W]

I did some things with the Road Ranger today, and I posted it on my build page. I also did some tinkering on the Missing Linc and the trailer I’m building for it.

Part of it was painting. Unrelated, while cutting the grass, I discovered several ancient cans of rust oleum (at least 20 years old, maybe 30) in my shed (the shed was the original shed of miracles before I built the garage). Truly amazing stuff, when I opened them up, the pigments had settled, but after a stir, it was all as good as new.

I also buy a pair of $20 Walmart cheap as I can get sneakers about once a year solely for the purpose of painting (something I learned after ruining good shoes several times). Well, over the years, even the quality of these cheap shoes has gone downhill and the current pair hasn’t made it to the end of the year without the sole coming down on one. I wasn’t sure if I should post this here, or in the homemade tool section, or wherever. But I was able to do a repair on the shoe, and I’m sure it will take me into the spring. BTW, I used that E6000 silicone glue stuff. My admiration is right up there with Rustoleum.