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

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Just finished redoing suspension on my 98 2.5, plus all 4 new shocks. Ride feels like a nervous foul on a new patch of grass. Dang.
I too received the wrong LCA from Amazon though it clearly states they fit. I reused the old ones and pressed in new bushings. Those were a pita but my neighbor buddy came through with his hydraulic press made it ez pz (I swear am buying or building one of those.) Incidentally I didn't encounter the dreaded bolt hitting the cats that I have heard about. My only thing was nobody warned me about the passenger side LCA rear bolt being a camber type. That wheel has it's own true North. What's the use of this 3rd camber bolt, actually what's the use of 5 total camber bolts in this ranger?

I’m not sure what the engineers were trying to achieve with that. The 98-00 4x4 trucks typically had a two piece upper control arm on the passenger side. The inner piece of that set is unobtanium. Later years and most aftermarket sells a one-piece upper for those. I guess the adjustable lower was a 2wd thing. Ford has a habit of doing strange things.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yesterday I pulled the LockRight out of my Choptop rear axle. It wasn’t acting right at all. 3 of 4 pins were snapped. One plate has half of the pin jammed hard into it sideways. Almost all of the bores for the pins were blown out the side and there were some small chips and scratches on the ring gear from those hardened metal chunks. So now it’s back to an open rear. I’m done with playing around with the LockRights. Once I can get a couple projects hammered out here I’ll be in the market for an Eaton. I’m also thinking of building an Explorer 8.8 for it. Small rear axle stretch. Probably 4.56 gears.

Anyway, it also got a new pinion seal yesterday too. I’ll get it filled with gear oil today.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

What's the use of this 3rd camber bolt, actually what's the use of 5 total camber bolts in this ranger?

I only know of one.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I only know of one.

The upper links. Both bolts are adjusters.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Rear axle of the Choptop got filled with gear oil and I tinkered around with some other small projects. About to retire to the front porch for a cigar.

 

[Jay11]

I only know of one.

One? If yours has less than 5 that's a send-it-back to Ford situation LOL.
Seriously though here's the rear, adjustable third (or fifth in total) stock camber bolt on the passenger side LCA. Position needs to be marked before you remove it. You can see the regular type, rear bolt on the driver side LCA. I replaced the four UCA camber bolts with adjustable types.

 

[Jay11]

Tested lighting up the running board LED light connected to the dome light. It mimics the dome light when door opens and closes. Just waiting for other one to get here from TEMU-pimp-my-ride& wrap up this lil' project.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

One? If yours has less than 5 that's a send-it-back to Ford situation LOL.
Seriously though here's the rear, adjustable third (or fifth in total) stock camber bolt on the passenger side LCA. This needs to be marked before you remove it. You can see the regular type bolt on the driver side. I replaced the four UCA camber bolts with adjustable types.
View attachment 141228

Yep. One. Because so far, that's all I've seen on my truck. That could explain a lot of why this truck has a death wobble that I'm frankly getting tired of, fast. We'll see what happens.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yep. One. Because so far, that's all I've seen on my truck. That could explain a lot of why this truck has a death wobble that I'm frankly getting tired of, fast. We'll see what happens.

The upper ones come with a fixed degree plate from the factory to meet spec. To adjust you either replace with a different fixed degree plate or you buy an adjustable bolt set.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

The upper ones come with a fixed degree plate from the factory to meet spec. To adjust you either replace with a different fixed degree plate or you buy an adjustable bolt set.

I did buy a set of those, just because it was suggested. That fixed plate - is it oriented with the captive washer out towards the bolt head, or in towards the UCA mount? There's an orange line on mine across the top. I'll get a picture of it if you need one.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I did buy a set of those, just because it was suggested. That fixed plate - is it oriented with the captive washer out towards the bolt head, or in towards the UCA mount? There's an orange line on mine across the top. I'll get a picture of it if you need one.

Not entirely sure I’m following exactly what you’re asking. There’s a pair of square plates that hold the factory set alignment on each upper control arm bolt. Those get removed with the bolt and the adjustable camber bolts have a rounded washer that keys onto the new bolt on both sides, then as you rotate the bolt, the alignment changes. You can try to eyeball a rough alignment and take some measurements but it should really go to an alignment shop after changing everything.

 

[Li'l Work Truck]

Not entirely sure I’m following exactly what you’re asking. There’s a pair of square plates that hold the factory set alignment on each upper control arm bolt. Those get removed with the bolt and the adjustable camber bolts have a rounded washer that keys onto the new bolt on both sides, then as you rotate the bolt, the alignment changes. You can try to eyeball a rough alignment and take some measurements but it should really go to an alignment shop after changing everything.

So I AM missing plates. I literally only had one, so that makes a lot of sense. I bought those alignment bolts. I'll throw 'em on this weekend.