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

[Uncle Gump]

The last set of shsckles and hangers i did... i picked them up with a broom and dust pan.

 

[RangerSkellington]

Today, I changed the rear differential oil (which smells godawful). The Ranger Station Tech page makes it very easy to determine which gasket is needed (which for my truck is a 7.5 Ring), and I definitely heeded the advice of every post, article, video, and more by taking the drain plug out FIRST, and thankfully, the drain plug came out as easy as could be after one spray of PB Blaster.

However, I did manage to get hit with some oil despite myself, and word of advice when getting oil off your skin and hair - use dawn and then conditioner.

I'm hoping the loud grinding noise coming from the back of the truck was just low differential oil, since there was leaking around the pan before I changed it.

 

[sgtsandman]

Today, I changed the rear differential oil (which smells godawful). The Ranger Station Tech page makes it very easy to determine which gasket is needed (which for my truck is a 7.5 Ring), and I definitely heeded the advice of every post, article, video, and more by taking the drain plug out FIRST, and thankfully, the drain plug came out as easy as could be after one spray of PB Blaster.

However, I did manage to get hit with some oil despite myself, and word of advice when getting oil off your skin and hair - use dawn and then conditioner.

I'm hoping the loud grinding noise coming from the back of the truck was just low differential oil, since there was leaking around the pan before I changed it.

For the future, a gasket does make the job easier but is not required as long as you have some high temperature, oil resistant gasket making RTV.

The benefit of the gasket is faster surface clean up and prep time but if you are in a pinch and can't get a gasket, RTV will get you there. Just make sure you use brake cleaner to remove any oily residue.

 

[Rick W]

Today, I changed the rear differential oil (which smells godawful). The Ranger Station Tech page makes it very easy to determine which gasket is needed (which for my truck is a 7.5 Ring), and I definitely heeded the advice of every post, article, video, and more by taking the drain plug out FIRST, and thankfully, the drain plug came out as easy as could be after one spray of PB Blaster.

However, I did manage to get hit with some oil despite myself, and word of advice when getting oil off your skin and hair - use dawn and then conditioner.

I'm hoping the loud grinding noise coming from the back of the truck was just low differential oil, since there was leaking around the pan before I changed it.

When you had it apart, or if it’s still a part, Were there any metal shavings in the bottom of the case or in the oil? If you still have the old oil, you can drag a magnet through it and see what comes up.

Did you look at all the contact surfaces on the gears and such? Also, you can take a long screwdriver and (carefully) kind of wiggle everything. There shouldn’t be much motion if you try to move the shafts up and down or back-and-forth, or wiggle the gears around in any direction other than the way they spin on each other. Wobbly motion is not good. Doesn’t necessarily mean you need to change it out right now, But if you’ve got a lot of motion, you should probably put it on your to do list. If you drive it hard or pull heavier loads, better sooner than later

My two cents, hope it helps

 

[Summers22]

Drained rear diff yesterday and prepped the housing and cover. Lubelocker came today, got it all back together after work today. Also did the Buggman mods headlight switch in green. Put leds in the dome light locations, plus leds in the cargo lamps and a red zevo led in the third brake light. First pictures also after the interior and exterior full detail.

 

[RangerSkellington]

When you had it apart, or if it’s still a part, Were there any metal shavings in the bottom of the case or in the oil? If you still have the old oil, you can drag a magnet through it and see what comes up.

Did you look at all the contact surfaces on the gears and such? Also, you can take a long screwdriver and (carefully) kind of wiggle everything. There shouldn’t be much motion if you try to move the shafts up and down or back-and-forth, or wiggle the gears around in any direction other than the way they spin on each other. Wobbly motion is not good. Doesn’t necessarily mean you need to change it out right now, But if you’ve got a lot of motion, you should probably put it on your to do list. If you drive it hard or pull heavier loads, better sooner than later

My two cents, hope it helps

I did inspect the gears and their surfaces looked good. Nothing wiggled, and no metal shavings were on the inside. I then cleaned the surfaces and put on the new gasket, but I do got the old oil still and will run a magnet through it just in case.

My Ranger is mostly a reliable beater truck which gets me to point A to point B (not my daily driver). Though, I love fixing it up to make it more reliable. I also never tow anything with it, and if I am hauling anything, it is usually furniture and/or bins in the truck bed.

But the differential vent is something I need to buy a new hose for. The hose was completely torn off it, and it needs a new hose over it because the old one won't fit back on. The rubber tears trying to go back over the pipe.

 

[RangerSkellington]

For the future, a gasket does make the job easier but is not required as long as you have some high temperature, oil resistant gasket making RTV.

The benefit of the gasket is faster surface clean up and prep time but if you are in a pinch and can't get a gasket, RTV will get you there. Just make sure you use brake cleaner to remove any oily residue.

That is good to know! I was actually wondering at one point how well gasket making RTV would work with the differential cover!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That is good to know! I was actually wondering at one point how well gasket making RTV would work with the differential cover!

They actually come from the factory with RTV. I may go to a lubelocker gasket on my off-road toys but I dunno. Used RTV for years. Regular black and the rigid grey both work. Right Stuff works too. Mostly I use Ultra Black or the new stuff that is specifically for diff covers, depends on how fast it needs to be back in service because the diff cover specific stuff requires a minimum of 24 hours before adding oil. Sometimes that’s not viable for me.

Also, a wire wheel, preferably brass, will clean RTV off pretty easily.

 

[Summers22]

I did Lubelocker yesterday, love them. Did them on my 19 Superduty and 17 F150 as well

 

[MK667]

Removed passenger side wheel hub assembly & the CV axle. Freaked out a bit when i saw what i believe is called an intermediary shaft? All the videos i've seen on youtube have been driver side axle replacement. I thought i bought the wrong part. Gonna clean the int shaft up and hopefully have the axle back in tomorrow. Can anyone link me an axle seal? I keep on seeing a bunch of different kinds on all the auto stores, they look different and apparently all work with my truck

 

[JoshT]

Hey, I can actually post in here for a change.

Today I finished what I started yesterday, which was replacing spark plug wires on the V8 swap.

For a little more detail. I did install new plug wires when I did the swap last year, unfortunately a few of them decided to get physical with the headers. As a result I reinstalled assorted plug wires from an old set. Didn't like the missmatched wires and wanted to spice it up a little (lighter wallet is probably only gain), so I bought a new set of Taylor Wires and Screaming Demon coil packs. Installed the coil packs about a few weeks ago for testing, but never got around to the wires.

Started changing wires yesterday, a somewhat invoved process because I wanted to carry over the metal plug boot heat shields to the new wires. Managed to damage a shield in the fitting process whic brought everything to a halt.

Stopped by pick-n-pull today to grab some more wires to salvage the shields. IMO, I scored. There was a 2000 Mountaineer that hadn't been out long from the looks of things. Appeared to still have original assembly line installed wires and they looked excellent. I was only after the boots, but if I needed wires, I wouldn't be afraid to install and run them. Got the set along with all wire holders, mine broke and disappeared over time and rebuild. Got a good power steering reservior for a spare since the aftermarket doesn't have a replacement. Got another good air intake tube. My original was torn and fortunately someone here sent me a replacement, but I decided I wanted one or wto spares on the shelf. Walked around to the back and popped the hatch, brand new upper and lower radiator hoses sitting there with the lables still on them. Just installed new, but these will last on the shelf for future as long as nothing chews on them.

Might go back in a week or two and see if anything is left. I think I'd like to grab the upper and lower intake. Also the valve covers. I'm currently running mustang aluminum because the stock steel that were on this engine were bad rusted, but the stockers fit better with this intake setup.

 

[ben_2_go]

Took the Strangler to the trash dump. I tried to leave it there. They told me I couldn't leave it. They only accept trash not junk.

 

[Summers22]

Flushed through a full quart of brake fluid using the one man bleeder system. Old fluid was brownish-yellow and stunk! I assume its original fluid from 2001.

 

[Rick W]

I picked up 4 more center caps, the ones I like for the Road Ranger project, for $25 total.

I think this gives me two extras above what I have planned and what I have now for trailers using the bullet hole wheels.

Of course, let no good deed go unpunished, I drove the Road Ranger to pick them up, my first try at the stick shift since my elbow surgery, the windows were open, and I think I heard the bearings squealing/crunching in the third axle again.

 

[MK667]

Got my intermediate axle into the cv axle. Tracked down a CV axle seal to replace the old one. Attempted to remove the seal. The rubber portion came out but the steel flange remained. I had to mangle and muscle that thing out and I ended up gouging the inside of the axle tube where the seal will sit. I have a little metal burr sticking up where the seal is supposed to seat. So tomorrow I'll be sanding that down. I read on another forum to sand it down and then put rtv over it.