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

[sgtsandman]

I’m going absolutely stir crazy not using my right arm, and then I was going slap happy stir crazy doing real estate at the desk and other paperwork things, so I went outside in the 75° sunny weather to fix the Grinch lights* on the Road Ranger. I had two of them.

One was the number five red light on the headache rack. It’s a high/low LED, parking light on low, and intermittent brake flasher on high. The low side wouldn’t work. I also had some incredibly sloppy wiring in that area from when I slammed the thing together before the nationals a couple years ago. I got the light working, and I cleaned up the incredibly sloppy wiring so now it’s only mildly sloppy wiring.

On the roof rack, I had two really cool rectangular flood/flasher lights. They’re white floods, white flashing floods, amber floods, amber flashing floods, or alternating Amber and White, etc.. I really love them, but the way you change the pattern is by flicking the on off quickly. Well, it seemed like every third or fourth time I went to use them, they got out of sequence, they weren’t doing the same thing. I got tired of that, and then the driver side outright died, so I just swapped them out with the regular old LED floods.

I also pulled the third axle wheel on the driver side. I’m hearing some funny noises and that’s the bearing that went out a couple times and damaged the spindle. I did a really good job of cleaning up the spindle & polishing it before I went to nationals last year, and I still assumed that was the problem. Nope. So now I’m thinking something may be scraping (very lightly) on the drum brakes on the second axle that I also did in a hurry before nationals last year. I’m thinking one of the springs that holds the brake shoes back may have come loose. Project for another day, but I am taking it down to the Georgia Tech show on Saturday. 20 mile round-trip.

*Grinch Light: The Grinch, in a moment of deceit, told Cindy Lou Who, "Why, my sweet little tot, there's a light on this tree that won't light on one side," as a way to steal her Christmas tree.

Just don't over do it and reverse the repair work they did on you. It stinks not being able to do stuff but it will pay off in the long run, as long as you're patient.

 

[Summers22]

What percent of tint matches the rear window and ext cab windows on these trucks? I am guessing its 20%?

 

[MK667]

Yesterday and today I installed new wheel hub assembly, new upper control arms with camber bolts, and rotated tires. Finally got everything put back together and took it for a drive and now i hear what sounds like metal clacking. I think it's something with the new cv axle i just put in, it picks up pace as I pick up speed & vice versa.

**EDIT** It's not the passenger side. I took it for another drive and rolled the driver window up with the pass down. Couldn't hear it. I reversed the windows and I could hear it clear coming from the driver side. Only thing i did on that side was upper control arms. Now i'm wondering if that sound was always there and just forgot about it

 

[SenorNoob]

AFAIK there was no stock tint. If you want things to match you'll need to find a shop (or cop) with a meter

 

[Brain75]

What percent of tint matches the rear window and ext cab windows on these trucks? I am guessing its 20%?

You are asking about a stock truck or referencing one of the earlier pix / posts?

The old old truck guys obsess about tint and what year it came in and so on and so on (when I say old old truck I am talking the "classics" guys - 1948-1956, and then some of those guys/gals have 60's mobiles as well).

From the factory Ford used absolutely zero tint all the way back in 1948, but even as early as the 60's they were putting in a tiny amount. Having pulled all the ruined cheap tint off mine and re-tinted it with nano ceramic it was obvious my 1990 was not a zero percent. It is/was about 4 or 5% and with a significant green shade to the tint. Ford also did a 4% or 5% blue as well. But 5% was about all that they ever came with from the factory. (Though I don't know or care about the unafforadble new $50k vehicles so haven't kept up on the really new stuff.)

 

[Summers22]

Every Ranger 98 up on the road has this tint on the ext cab and rear window from the factory. Looks to be 20%, I'll just tell my tint guy to match it I guess.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You are asking about a stock truck or referencing one of the earlier pix / posts?

The old old truck guys obsess about tint and what year it came in and so on and so on (when I say old old truck I am talking the "classics" guys - 1948-1956, and then some of those guys/gals have 60's mobiles as well).

From the factory Ford used absolutely zero tint all the way back in 1948, but even as early as the 60's they were putting in a tiny amount. Having pulled all the ruined cheap tint off mine and re-tinted it with nano ceramic it was obvious my 1990 was not a zero percent. It is/was about 4 or 5% and with a significant green shade to the tint. Ford also did a 4% or 5% blue as well. But 5% was about all that they ever came with from the factory. (Though I don't know or care about the unafforadble new $50k vehicles so haven't kept up on the really new stuff.)

I think he’s talking about the tinted windows Ford did in some of the extended cabs…

That said, I’m not sure it’s quite 20%, almost seems like 25%. My first Ranger I laid 5% over the factory tint in the extended cab. I liked how that worked.

 

[Summers22]

My window sticker even lists it as "solar tinted glass"

 

[Summers22]

You are asking about a stock truck or referencing one of the earlier pix / posts?

The old old truck guys obsess about tint and what year it came in and so on and so on (when I say old old truck I am talking the "classics" guys - 1948-1956, and then some of those guys/gals have 60's mobiles as well).

From the factory Ford used absolutely zero tint all the way back in 1948, but even as early as the 60's they were putting in a tiny amount. Having pulled all the ruined cheap tint off mine and re-tinted it with nano ceramic it was obvious my 1990 was not a zero percent. It is/was about 4 or 5% and with a significant green shade to the tint. Ford also did a 4% or 5% blue as well. But 5% was about all that they ever came with from the factory. (Though I don't know or care about the unafforadble new $50k vehicles so haven't kept up on the really new stuff.)

You have your percentages reversed. Tint is referenced as "amount of light let through" 0% would be solid black, 4% would only let 4% of light through, or "limo" type. You meant 95% or 96%.

 

[Brain75]

Your right, but funny enough Ford called it 4% when they did it.... usually in the tint world people append VLT to the end so it is clear which way they mean, totally understood.
It's entirely possible Ford used darker tint after I quit paying attention to new vehicles, but their history is nothing more than low single digits...

Here's a pic of my driver door glass (still had the seatbelt etching and plant sticker so I am sure it is original) if you look at the sky portions you can see the really green color.
That is not my tint job btw, not even someone from the PO, it is from the 1st owner - the kid who had it before it entered the family.

I don't have any pix of my tint job, but that is all gone and the exterior rubber replaced so doesn't look like that now.

 

[Brain75]

I'll also bet you that Ford went with the absolute lowest darkness tint to be legal in every state or at least 49 out of 50... so given CO and TX are 27 and 25 VLT , I can bet you that is no more than 27 or likely 30/35... it looks a whole lot like the 35 (I couldn't buy 30 in the higher end stuff only cheap chinese unless I went ungodly expensive). I applied 35 over the top of the factory 95, and while not as dark as I want it, it is just barely within where the fuzz will leave me alone.

 

[Rick W]

Every Ranger 98 up on the road has this tint on the ext cab and rear window from the factory. Looks to be 20%, I'll just tell my tint guy to match it I guess.
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Be careful! This is a subject I know very little about. The little bit I know is that the police use excessive window tint as a reason to pull people over. What they discover when they do is up to you.

Also, I believe it’s the law in many places that the driver’s window and the windshield are limited to very little tint, but the other side windows and back windows and rear windshield can be tinted to a higher degree. So when you buy such a vehicle, it looks like the tint has been removed from the driver‘s window, but that is actually a requirement of the law. It’s for the benefit of police officers, etc., so they can see in through the driver’s window, and to make sure the windshield is not too dark to obscure the driver‘s vision

Point being, if you tint your driver’s window to match the rest of the vehicle, it may be illegal, and you may be inviting trouble. Second, the law allows for tinting in the top of the windshield to shield against sun blindness, but you can’t bring it down over the whole windshield.

And if you’re getting your tinting advice from me, you’re in deep trouble…

My two cents, hope it helps.

 

[Brain75]

There are a TON of websites that are dedicated window tint laws... I'd double check a couple of sites to make sure what you ask for is still legal - that said you can see right through it easily and compared to other 35% VLT I have seen it looks like 35% VLT (the most commonly available on the aftermarket)....

Window Tint Laws By State - Updated 2024

Explore our 2024 guide to window tint laws by state, featuring updated regulations, detailed infographics, and easy-to-understand summaries for each state.

windowtintlaws.us

 

[SenorNoob]

If you have a shop do it, at least here in TN they have to measure after install and certify it as legal for road use with some form of paperwork with the shop letterhead and signature. I've heard of shop owners being charged for installing illegal tint. Relevant code below:

Spoiler: TN Windows Tint Code

• (a)
  • (1)It is unlawful for any person to operate, upon a public highway, street or road, any motor vehicle in which any window that has a visible light transmittance equal to, but not less than, that specified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, codified in 49 CFR 571.205, has been altered, treated or replaced by the affixing, application or installation of any material that:
    • (A) Has a visible light transmittance of less than thirty-five percent (35%); or
    • (B) With the exception of the manufacturer's standard installed shade band, reduces the visible light transmittance in the windshield below seventy percent (70%).
  • (2) Any person who installs window tinting materials in this state for profit, barter, or wages or commissions is defined as a "professional installer" for the purposes of this section; and it is unlawful for a professional installer to apply tinting materials to any motor vehicle so as to cause that motor vehicle to be in violation of this section.
  • (3)All professional installers of window tinting materials shall supply and shall affix to the lower right corner of the driver's window an adhesive label, the size and style of which shall be determined by the commissioner of safety, that includes:
    • (A) The installer's business name; and
    • (B) The legend "Complies with Tennessee Code Annotated, § 55-9-107."
  • (4)All professional installers of window tinting materials shall supply each customer with a signed receipt for each motor vehicle to which tinting materials have been applied that includes:
    • (A) Date of installation;
    • (B) Make, model, paint color and license plate number and state;
    • (C) The legend "Complies with Tennessee Code Annotated, § 55-9-107, at date of installation"; and
    • (D) The legend "This receipt shall be kept with motor vehicle registration documents."
  • (5) The owner of any vehicle in question has the burden of proof that the motor vehicle is in compliance with this section.
  • (6)
    • (A)The restrictions of this subsection (a) do not apply to any of the following motor vehicles:
      • (i) Any motor vehicle model permitted by federal regulations to be equipped with certain windows tinted so as not to conform to the specifications of subdivision (a)(1)(A) with respect to those certain windows;
      • (ii) Any motor vehicle bearing commercial license plates or government service license plates that are used for law enforcement purposes, for those windows rearward of the front doors;
      • (iii) Any motor vehicle that is registered in another state and meets the requirements of the state of registration; and
      • (iv) Any motor vehicle owned or leased by private investigators or investigations companies licensed pursuant to title 62, chapter 26.
    • (B) This subdivision (a)(6) shall not be construed in any way to exempt the front door windows of any motor vehicle of any kind from the specifications of subdivision (a)(1)(A).
• (b)
  • (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a)(1) to the contrary, any person with a medical condition that is adversely affected by ultraviolet light may submit a statement to the commissioner from that person's physician certifying that the person has a medical condition that requires reduction of light transmission in the windows of the person's vehicle in excess of the standards established in subsection (a). The commissioner shall submit the certified statement to the department's medical review board for evaluation. If the review board finds the exemption warranted, it shall recommend that the commissioner authorize the exemption, and the degree of tinting exemption that is appropriate. The commissioner shall then supply a certificate or decal, indicating the degree of exemption, to the applicant who shall display it in the motor vehicle.
  • (2) Any applicant aggrieved by a decision of the medical review board or the commissioner may appeal in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5. The appeal may be made to the chancery court of the county where the aggrieved applicant resides at the option of the applicant.
• (c) It is probable cause for a POST-certified law enforcement officer of this state to detain a motor vehicle being operated on the public roads, streets or highways of this state when the officer has a reasonable belief that the motor vehicle is in violation of subdivision (a)(1), for the purpose of conducting a field comparison test.
• (d) It is a Class C misdemeanor for the operator of a motor vehicle to refuse to submit to the field comparison test when directed to do so by a POST-certified law enforcement officer, or for any person to otherwise violate any provisions of this section.
• (e) The commissioner of safety shall establish a standardized method and procedure by which law enforcement officers can readily, and with reasonable accuracy, conduct a field comparison test to determine if a motor vehicle's windows are in compliance with this section.

 

[Brain75]

hehe, that is too funny.... In both CO and TX, there is no paperwork, no tracing, no liability it is up to the owner to be in compliance and only the owner.
That said TX requires a stupid little sticker that you can have printed up on aliexpress for $1.05 - no tracing where it came from, but got to have a sticker.