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

[Blmpkn]

Hard wiring the Land Air Sea 54 GPS and finding a sneaky place to hide it.

Keeping track of the kids or the wife?

 

[Killakittie]

Keeping track of the kids or the wife?

Actually just the truck itself. About 10 years ago I had a car stolen (Saturn SL-1) and for the price of the subscription ($15/mo) it's a little peace of mind. Buut Can't say I haven't used it to confirm a gf was cheating. It can serve that purpose well too lol.

 

[Blmpkn]

Actually just the truck itself. About 10 years ago I had a car stolen (Saturn SL-1) and for the price of the subscription ($15/mo) it's a little peace of mind. Buut Can't say I haven't used it to confirm a gf was cheating. It can serve that purpose well too lol.

Right on lol. Sorry to hear about the jacked Saturn..

..I bet I haven't even seen an sl1 in at least 10 years now that I think about it..

 

[Killakittie]

Right on lol. Sorry to hear about the jacked Saturn..

..I bet I haven't even seen an sl1 in at least 10 years now that I think about it..

Yeah I had just bought it like 4 days prior when it was stolen. Surprisingly it was found about a week later in the middle of an Orange grove scratched to hell but otherwise running. Can't believe they didn't torch it. It was a nice little daily, kinda gutless with 100hp but could crack 35+ mpg so I wasn't complaining.

 

[jballard81]

I looked at the videos for changing the center bearing a few years ago. It looked like a real, royal, total PITA. Luckily, my Ranger is a 2011 and doesn't have it.

It depends on how rusted together the slip yoke is. I broke a 3 jaw puller and an old craftsman vise before changing tactics.

Ended up using a propane torch to heat it for quite a while before using a stronger 3 jaw puller and a 2lb sledge to shock it along the way.

I might have been unlucky or let it ride too long when it shredded itself. I watched a half dozen YouTube videos where the damn thing fell off as soon as the nut was removed. So mileage may vary

 

[jballard81]

Pressed in new upper and lower ball joints on the passenger knuckle. Same with the new bearing races in the rotor along with the rear bearing and seal.

Replaced the needle bearing and seals in the spindle hub and cleaned up the automatic 4x4 hub in preparation to reinstall everything.

 

[Killakittie]

Pressed in new upper and lower ball joints on the passenger knuckle. Same with the new bearing races in the rotor along with the rear bearing and seal.

Replaced the needle bearing and seals in the spindle hub and cleaned up the automatic 4x4 hub in preparation to reinstall everything.
View attachment 126656

I'm jealous of your working space. I recently moved to Sac for a job and had to leave my house behind (about 4 hrs south) and all it's tools and more importantly the garage! I miss it.

 

[superj]

Center support bearings were used on bmws forever. I have changed lots of them. I sperate the driveshaft after marking the teeth with dots from a punch as they are not splined together any special way. Dont mark the driveshaft and you have to take it to a balance shop tgough.

Anyways, i split the shaft and set the end on wood so i can tap the race off with a punch and hammer. Then i tap it back on with a large socket. On the bmw, you have to preload the bearing by sliding it all the way forward so the bearing dust skirt is pulled.

 

[jballard81]

I'm jealous of your working space. I recently moved to Sac for a job and had to leave my house behind (about 4 hrs south) and all it's tools and more importantly the garage! I miss it.

My space always looks like a went off, but I'm grateful for the space ('my' half of the garage ). I read your introduction and am jealous of the progress you've made on maintenance/repairs for your truck! I'm closing in on finishing the main parts of mine as well, AC is next on the list!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I haven’t had a “space” other than whatever I was working on and a couple tarps and sheds, that is, up until just recently when I turned a shed into a workshop. I’m slowly getting it whipped into shape and I’m determined to keep it neat. It really needs to be 4’ longer though. Not everything I want in there fits. Fortunately, that’s an easy enough fix once I find a place to move the two pallets worth of retaining wall block that are stacked behind the shed to.

 

[jballard81]

I haven’t had a “space” other than whatever I was working on and a couple tarps and sheds, that is, up until just recently when I turned a shed into a workshop. I’m slowly getting it whipped into shape and I’m determined to keep it neat. It really needs to be 4’ longer though. Not everything I want in there fits. Fortunately, that’s an easy enough fix once I find a place to move the two pallets worth of retaining wall block that are stacked behind the shed to.

I saw you posting about your new space, can you share a couple pictures of it? I would like to see it. Also, very happy for you!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I saw you posting about your new space, can you share a couple pictures of it? I would like to see it. Also, very happy for you!

Tried to link the other post but it kept inserting some random post, lol

 

[jballard81]

Tried to link the other post but it kept inserting some random post, lol

Awesome! That is a well organized setup!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Awesome! That is a well organized setup!

It’s getting there. Another 4’ of length and some more shelving should get me reasonably well set up. All of my fabrication stuff won’t fit even extending it 4’ and another 4’ is about the max without a permit. Plus that is about all the room I have to extend it where it sits. Which is ok, most of my fabrication gear is at my buddies garage anyway so it’s fine there for now.

When I get my dump truck fixed and moved, I may take the opportunity to build a second space next to this one to use for fabricating. I can use my tube bender to bend frame sections and I’m going to wrap my current one in metal as soon as I can get it extended.

I do have security cameras… and with weather improving, I’m outside a lot, even if it’s just sitting on the front porch, back patio or in my shop. Plus my trained attack shop cat likes to take naps under my workbench as long as I’m not hammering on the bench.

 

[sgtsandman]

I changed the oil on the 2011. I checked the miles after I did the change, it was only 3,300+ miles. Based on the average amount of miles I put on the truck over 6 months, I would almost make it to the fall maintenance interval. But there is the "or 6 months, which ever comes first" part of the whole process. The truck did sit for 3 months while was deployed. So, it probably wasn't a horrible idea to change it anyway.