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

[CamTheHedgehog]

I am a big believer in pics with posting. I'm a part of multiple forums and I find the folks that care the most use them in their posts. That's not an indictment on anyone here, but it really adds to the enjoyment of being a forum member. There is a saying about what a picture is worth. Sometimes you just have folks that would rather type up the 1000 words.

What I finally did TO my Ranger:
- Finished up my pillar pod holder. I'm using a Glowshift Vac/boost gauge on top for the supercharger and testing a dual temp digital on the bottom. I am not loving the temp gauge. Sometimes it bounces wildly +/- 5deg. The top is to a sensor near the grill, and the bottom is the interior temp near the footwell. The night mode is still ridiculously bright too. The Glowshift is perfect.
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- I got my TRS decal on the window! Looks good! Thanks Jim!
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Do you have the grab handle on your pillar? I want to do this to my ranger for oil press. and water temp, but I have the “oh crap” handle in the way and I don’t know if the glow shift double pod will fit under it…

 

[rubydist]

Do you have the grab handle on your pillar? I want to do this to my ranger for oil press. and water temp, but I have the “oh crap” handle in the way and I don’t know if the glow shift double pod will fit under it…

I can tell you that the dual pod does not fit with the "oh crap" handle on - I had to remove it to put my dual pod housing on. And, I still mounted it too low. If you put it down too low, it blocks the airflow from the vent on the end of the dash that is supposed to keep the driver's window from fogging up, so you can see the driver's outside mirror. The way I have mine, the airflow is partly blocked and it does not do a good job of keeping the window clear. fyi, I have a boost/vacuum gauge and a air/fuel gauge in mine.

I think there was some GM truck that had a "oh crap" strap that just attached with one screw. I've been looking for one during my jy trips, but have not yet found one. If I find one, I will install it on the one screw location that is still available.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I put the same pod on my truck... I was mindful of the vent but it still isn't big enough to cover both grab handle mounts. I opted for a volt meter and oil pressure. The glowshift gauges match close enough when sitting with key off. When running... the dimmable LED lights are really too bright. But I'm living with it.

 

[Rick W]

I can tell you that the dual pod does not fit with the "oh crap" handle on - I had to remove it to put my dual pod housing on. And, I still mounted it too low. If you put it down too low, it blocks the airflow from the vent on the end of the dash that is supposed to keep the driver's window from fogging up, so you can see the driver's outside mirror. The way I have mine, the airflow is partly blocked and it does not do a good job of keeping the window clear. fyi, I have a boost/vacuum gauge and a air/fuel gauge in mine.

I think there was some GM truck that had a "oh crap" strap that just attached with one screw. I've been looking for one during my jy trips, but have not yet found one. If I find one, I will install it on the one screw location that is still available.

If it helps, I put a few JC bars in all three trucks for sweet pea to get in and out. One overhead and one on the A pillar. My 87, 96 250 and 97 didn’t have them. In the 87:

Obviously these weren’t Ranger grabs from any year. The column was a Ford, and the little one overhead was from a square body Town Car, which coincidentally, fit the Missing Linc theme. They’re just put in with self drilling/self tapping hex heads, which is pretty much the way Ford put them in anyway. I can hang off all of them, and I’m a little bit bigger than sweet pea.

Point being, if you look around the pull a part, you can probably find a handle that works and you can still put the column gauges on. I mean no criticism, but if I had to grab it, I would want more than one screw in it. Might have to drill a couple more holes, but it’s plenty strong to take all of it.

My two cents, hope it helps

 

[JoshT]

I am a big believer in pics with posting. I'm a part of multiple forums and I find the folks that care the most use them in their posts. That's not an indictment on anyone here, but it really adds to the enjoyment of being a forum member. There is a saying about what a picture is worth. Sometimes you just have folks that would rather type up the 1000 words.

I feel like I'm being targeted here and take offense.



Some of us just ain't good with cameras, besides if I stopped to take pics every 5 minutes I'd never get anything done. Maybe if I were working in my own shop, I'd take a little more time to get some pictures.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I take pics but I don't always post them... combination of when I plug my phone into the computer Winamp wigs out (yes, still use it, it's still a thing...) and my one unit of internets makes things annoying, and I get distracted easy... That and I type fast...

 

[bhgl]

Rolled MAB3L over to 80 000KMs today on a quick 8 hour road trip to find some elusive thin tires.

Got compliments for driving a regular cab, short bed truck by a nice fellow with a late 80s Chevy C/K, with a reg cab and short bed.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

I'm using a Glowshift Vac/boost gauge on top for the supercharger and testing a dual temp digital on the bottom. I am not loving the temp gauge. Sometimes it bounces wildly +/- 5deg.

This fluctuation is normal in most vehicles, which is why the factory temperature gauge is damped to keep the needle in one spot near the middle between C and H at normal running temperatures.

 

[Manscout]

Do you have the grab handle on your pillar? I want to do this to my ranger for oil press. and water temp, but I have the “oh crap” handle in the way and I don’t know if the glow shift double pod will fit under it…

I'll reply since you asked me on my post, but it's the same as others have said. I don't have that handle anymore. It covers the lower mounting point. It's not a huge deal for me.

 

[Manscout]

you put it down too low, it blocks the airflow from the vent on the end of the dash that is supposed to keep the driver's window from fogging up, so you can see the driver's outside mirror.

Thankfully, I don't live in an area where window fogging really happens.

 

[Bgunner]

Well I went out to see if the Beer Fetcher would start knowing that it has sat for over 3 months. I got exactly what I was expecting, No lights in the cab and no lights with the ignition turned to run so I put the good ole electronic battery charger on it and low and be hold it had some juice... 6.8 volts worth of juice. I left the charger on it set to 2A and went inside for about an hour and a half and went to check on it. Bad Bat... or so the the charger read. I remember a day when a battery charger would actually charge a dead battery, I'm keeping my eyes open for an old charger. I unplugged and plugged it back in again but set to to the BOIL setting (12A) this time and went in for a half hour. When I went back out the charger was still going this time so I adjusted the battery clamps and charger so I could set the hood down knowing it's going to need all night to charge. A few hours later my friend stopped by so while I was out there I lowered it to the 2A trickle charge setting for over night cooking. A slow charge is better than a fast one so that is where I'm at on that.

I did talk to my friend about getting the Beer Fetcher into his shop to get the timing chain and cover done so progress has been made on that front. He has a lift and the shop is in walking distance of an O'Reilly's incase that thing that pops up that wasn't planned for inevitably pops up.

Added coolant to the overflow as it was low also.

I probably should have put the charger on it when I got home but life just had me down and I needed some time to get my head right.

Tomorrow the Beer Fetcher will be back at work getting me them beers.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Was a dumb day, was at work for another 7 hours... got home, mowed more then screwed around some on some tinkering things, then remembered the stereos in the '90 Ranger and the F350 both push in annoyingly when you touch them so between the two I installed 3 drywall screws in the corners, fixed! Also put a battery with jumper cables and a float charger to the '00 Explorer with a dead battery to fight the issues Bgunner just mentioned, not my first rodeo with that goat... it's conveniently not raining so I just left the battery on the hand truck outside, will leave it over night, should figure itself out...

 

[JoshT]

Fixed the steering shaft rubbing header problem...
hopefully... Thought I had it fixed the first time when I took the excess threads off the bolt. Thought I had it fixed the second time when I knocked the corners off the nut. That time helped, but it came back as a metal on metal squeak. This time I threw a flap sanding disk on the grinder and really beveled that edge of the nut. If it comes back again, it's really on. Stayed gone on the drive home, so I think it's good.

Next I replaced the hood release cable. It melted on the header, sticking the cable in the sheath, and hood wouldn't latch shut without prying the cable out. Will have to do it again, cables are different between the Ranger and Explorer, but it's working for now.

Then I replaced the fan relay since I only had one fan speed. I still only have one speed, high. They all worked before swap and I assumed I killed relay when cleaning out ac plenum. Looks like I have another problem. I really need to figure out where I stashed those wire diagram manuals at a few weeks ago.

 

[Bgunner]

I just checked on the progress of the charger and these damned new fangled chargers are worthless for charging a dead battery. It's saying Bad Bat again.

I texted a friend and asked for a ride to go get a new battery. He'll be by later today to bring me to get one. I'm at the point I'm not playing the chargers game. The battery is over 5 years old at this point so changing it out wont be out of the normal for a battery of this age.

EDIT: Ordered one from O'Reilly's. Group 65 850cca. Way over what is needed but at times I just sit in the truck with the ignition off listening to the radio. With an amp I want to be able to start my truck after that so the extra doesn't go to waste for me. I'm going from a NAPA Legend w/ a 2 year warranty to a Super Start Extreme Battery w/ a 3 year warranty of the same size.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Put a second battery inline with the one you want charged. Pos to pos, neg to neg.