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

[djfllmn]

put gas in it

 

[Curious Hound]

would this be useful for working on bicycles and y2k fords?

Tap & Die Set (40pc.); Metric
Features:

NC, NF and NPT sizes
Blow molded plastic storage case
Set includes: 17 taps and 17 dies, tap wrench, T-handle tap wrench, die stock, screwdriver and screw pitch gaug
Die sizes: 1/8-inch PT, M3 x 0.5, M3 X 0.6, M4 x 0.7, M5 x 0.8, M5 x 0.9, M6 x 0.75, M6 x 1.0, M7 x 0.75, M7 x 1.0, M8 x 1.0, M8 x 1.25, M10 x 1.25, M10 x 1.5, M12 x 1.5, M12 x 1.75

I can't attest to the quality. But that range of sizes is good for metric threads. A similar set of SAE sizes is also recommended. Honestly, for taps and dies, I went 30 years or more just buying individual sizes as needed. Then, one day, I saw a set by Gearwrench on sale that was too good of a deal to pass up.

 

[pjtoledo]

would this be useful for working on bicycles and y2k fords?

Tap & Die Set (40pc.); Metric
Features:

NC, NF and NPT sizes
Blow molded plastic storage case
Set includes: 17 taps and 17 dies, tap wrench, T-handle tap wrench, die stock, screwdriver and screw pitch gaug
Die sizes: 1/8-inch PT, M3 x 0.5, M3 X 0.6, M4 x 0.7, M5 x 0.8, M5 x 0.9, M6 x 0.75, M6 x 1.0, M7 x 0.75, M7 x 1.0, M8 x 1.0, M8 x 1.25, M10 x 1.25, M10 x 1.5, M12 x 1.5, M12 x 1.75

bicycle, maybe. Ranger, worthless.
oh, by the way, the Ranger rear axle is all fractional bolts. the truck is metric, but the axle is fractional.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

hmmm, ive seem to have gotten really good at never marring my bicycle or truck bolts but i am OFTEN having to clean up threads when trying to refurbish items like wheel barrows and furniture dollys. just seems like there are wayyyy too many bolt sizes, threads and pitches out there. though as far as buying these one at a time... wouldnt a single size tap
and die set be like $15? and i can get like 10-15 sizes here for 30? does this set at all match up with the common machine screws from the screw aisle at home depot?

so i was loosening an imperial/SAE differential cover and imperial pinion cross-pin bolt with metric wrenches and sockets? /facepalm
i just put 'buy better 13mm socket' on my to do list

 

[Rick W]

hmmm, ive seem to have gotten really good at never marring my bicycle or truck bolts but i am OFTEN having to clean up threads when trying to refurbish items like wheel barrows and furniture dollys. just seems like there are wayyyy too many bolt sizes, threads and pitches out there. though as far as buying these one at a time... wouldnt a single size tap
and die set be like $15? and i can get like 10-15 sizes here for 30? does this set at all match up with the common machine screws from the screw aisle at home depot?

so i was loosening an imperial/SAE differential cover and imperial pinion cross-pin bolt with metric wrenches and sockets? /facepalm
i just put 'buy better 13mm socket' on my to do list

I’ve literally been doing this about 55 years. I’ve got what’s left of my father‘s tap and dies, when I was still in school, I worked in a couple hardware stores and picked various taps and dies and handles and such as I needed them, and then I’ve been fiddling with cars since school so I’ve bought who knows what over the years. Yet somehow, when I’m working at 10 o’clock at night upside down and backwards under whatever, I don’t have the one I need…

Harbor Freight sells a metric set and sells a SAE set for cheap, even cheaper on sale, which is pretty regularly, and I’ve bought both. They’re not super quality, but if you’re careful with them, they can get the job done, especially if all you’re trying to do is clean up threads. As a young buck, you want start collecting a comprehensive set of tools if you’re going to do this until you’re my age

Tip number two, get some proper cutting oil. The oil used to thread pipe is certainly adequate and inexpensive. Cutting oil is not just regular oil, it usually has a little bit of solvent in it so it helps cut the metal, but it also helps take the heat away.

Item 3, go to every garage sale and estate sale in the best neighborhoods in your area, and look at what they’ve got for tools. After I got a few dollars in my pocket, I wouldn’t pick this one or that one, I’d ask the person running the sale. “How much do you want for the whole table?” Multiply that by 2/3, and make them an offer. It worked three out of four times over the years.

One last thought back to Harbor Freight. They have a pretty good selection for playing with the cars and trucks. I’ve got a lot of tools that I’ve only used once, a few that I haven’t used at all yet, but it’s pennies on the dollar for what it would cost to take the car or truck to the shop.

Hope it help

 

[Curious Hound]

Ranger, worthless

I disagree. There is a good amount of metric stuff on a Ranger, especially newer models.

 

[Curious Hound]

so i was loosening an imperial/SAE differential cover and imperial pinion cross-pin bolt with metric wrenches and sockets? /facepalm

Probably. When in doubt, try several things until you get the best fit.

does this set at all match up with the common machine screws from the screw aisle at home depot?

Many of the smaller metric sizes, yes. All you have to do is read the label to see what it matches with.

In case you're not familiar with the measuring systems;

For SAE (non-metric fasteners); the size consists of 3 parts. First, the nominal diameter of the threads. Second, the number of threads per inch. Third, the length. So, a 1/4-20 x 1 1/2 would be a 14" diameter bolt with 20 threads per inch and it is 1 1/2" long, not including the head.

Then, when you get smaller than 1/4", the diameter is expressed in #gauge sizes, similar the sheet metal. You can look these up on charts. Smaller # is smaller diameter. So, #12, #10, #8, #6, #4, etc. For example, the screws that hold your lught switch in the box on the wall are normally 6-32 x 1". That is a #6 diameter screw, 32 threads per inch and 1" long.

NOTE; WE DO NOT CALL THEM OUT BY THE SIZE OF THE WRENCH YOU USE ON THEM. a 1/4-20 bolt commonly takes a 7/16" wrench or socket if it has a hex head. But not always. There are specialty fasteners with bigger or smaller heads, plus all the other drive types, like Allen head, torx, inverted torx, phillips, etc.

For metric fasteners; again 3 parts to the designation. First, the nominal diameter if the threads. Second, the pitch size. Measured from peak to peak or valley to valley. Third, the length. So, an M6 x 1 x 20 fastener has 6mm thread diameter. The pitch is one millimeter from peak to peak and the fastener is 20 millimeters long, not including the head. FYI, an M6 hex bolt often takes a 10mm wrench or socket. But not always.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I’ve literally been doing this about 55 years. I’ve got what’s left of my father‘s tap and dies, when I was still in school, I worked in a couple hardware stores and picked various taps and dies and handles and such as I needed them, and then I’ve been fiddling with cars since school so I’ve bought who knows what over the years. Yet somehow, when I’m working at 10 o’clock at night upside down and backwards under whatever, I don’t have the one I need…

Harbor Freight sells a metric set and sells a SAE set for cheap, even cheaper on sale, which is pretty regularly, and I’ve bought both. They’re not super quality, but if you’re careful with them, they can get the job done, especially if all you’re trying to do is clean up threads. As a young buck, you want start collecting a comprehensive set of tools if you’re going to do this until you’re my age

Tip number two, get some proper cutting oil. The oil used to thread pipe is certainly adequate and inexpensive. Cutting oil is not just regular oil, it usually has a little bit of solvent in it so it helps cut the metal, but it also helps take the heat away.

Item 3, go to every garage sale and estate sale in the best neighborhoods in your area, and look at what they’ve got for tools. After I got a few dollars in my pocket, I wouldn’t pick this one or that one, I’d ask the person running the sale. “How much do you want for the whole table?” Multiply that by 2/3, and make them an offer. It worked three out of four times over the years.

One last thought back to Harbor Freight. They have a pretty good selection for playing with the cars and trucks. I’ve got a lot of tools that I’ve only used once, a few that I haven’t used at all yet, but it’s pennies on the dollar for what it would cost to take the car or truck to the shop.

Hope it help

The separate metric and SAE kits used to be tolerable, the current ones are barely good enough to chase threads and even then not all of them... saying that as someone that bought them a few years ago... I think the combo metric/sae set is better quality somehow? Bought one of those too around the same time... having an assortment isn't bad for chasing threads, for making new threads is when you need good/name brand taps which I have some of too...

 

[sgtsandman]

would this be useful for working on bicycles and y2k fords?

Tap & Die Set (40pc.); Metric
Features:

NC, NF and NPT sizes
Blow molded plastic storage case
Set includes: 17 taps and 17 dies, tap wrench, T-handle tap wrench, die stock, screwdriver and screw pitch gaug
Die sizes: 1/8-inch PT, M3 x 0.5, M3 X 0.6, M4 x 0.7, M5 x 0.8, M5 x 0.9, M6 x 0.75, M6 x 1.0, M7 x 0.75, M7 x 1.0, M8 x 1.0, M8 x 1.25, M10 x 1.25, M10 x 1.5, M12 x 1.5, M12 x 1.75

The short answer is yes.

The longer answer is that while taps and dies are handy, it is better to have a thread chaser set in metric since they tent to clean up and reform threads rather than removing material to make a threaded hole or fastener usable again. People have used tap and die sets to accomplish the same thing for a long time. So, they will work, it's just not the best tool for the job. Taps and dies are made to create threads where they weren't before, not cleaning up messed up ones.

As mentioned, Fords, more the older ones than the newer ones, tend to be a mix of metric and SAE. So, a set of both could be handy.

Also, keep in mind that automotive metric fasteners often have a different thread pitch than what you find most common at a hardware store. So, you may find some holes in what the tap and die sets have in them. At a quick glance at what you listed as offered, it looks like the set you are looking at addressed some of that.

 

[youngbuckwithapickuptruck]

regarding pick-n-pull environmental fee added to parts purchase: i should get a fkn rebate/discount for salvaging/re-using older/existing materials instead of purchasing new!!!

 

[superj]

Dude!!! @Rick W is exactly right in the garage sale tools. We went to an estate sale and the guy was a harley guy that had passed. I got so many wrenches and small metric stuff for like 3 or 5 bucks. Like 6mm all the way to 10mm but wrenches, sockets, more wrenches, and than also a bunch of larger normal size wrenches and sockets because they were in a bucket and the bucket had water in it at one time so everything looked orange. I dumped it out and picked a few up, rubbed them with my thumb and they turned chrome again, so I dug every wrench out and asked how much for the ones from the rusty colored bucket. All name brand too

 

[sgtsandman]

I got the fabrication part of the fuel pump access hatch done today and started working on repairing the front passenger side of the bed that has the worst corrosion damage. Three pieces are done and I have a piece of steel angle marked for cutting. I'm hoping to get all that stuff done so I can paint and prime them tomorrow and maybe move on to patching other parts of the bed. I have to wait until Monday for the steel I need to repair the front bulkhead before I can complete at least the biggest part of the project. It would be nice to have the other repairs at least ready to go on before I put the bed back on the truck.

With the exception of the fuel pump access hatch, everything is going to be riveted on and installed with a heavy coating of paint able acrylic RTV sealant. So once they are on, they are on.

No, it won't look pretty, but it's a truck bed, and they will be covered by the wood platform I keep in the bed anyway. So, as long as the repairs function as they should and stop/slow the slow rotting of the bed, I don't care. Chances are good that the next owner of the truck will be the scrap yard anyway.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I got the fabrication part of the fuel pump access hatch done today and started working on repairing the front passenger side of the bed that has the worst corrosion damage. Three pieces are done and I have a piece of steel angle marked for cutting. I'm hoping to get all that stuff done so I can paint and prime them tomorrow and maybe move on to patching other parts of the bed. I have to wait until Monday for the steel I need to repair the front bulkhead before I can complete at least the biggest part of the project. It would be nice to have the other repairs at least ready to go on before I put the bed back on the truck.

With the exception of the fuel pump access hatch, everything is going to be riveted on and installed with a heavy coating of paint able acrylic RTV sealant. So once they are on, they are on.

No, it won't look pretty, but it's a truck bed, and they will be covered by the wood platform I keep in the bed anyway. So, as long as the repairs function as they should and stop/slow the slow rotting of the bed, I don't care. Chances are good that the next owner of the truck will be the scrap yard anyway.

Stick on exhaust insulation get you too??

 

[sgtsandman]

Stick on exhaust insulation get you too??

Partly. I had ripped it off after you had pointed out the issues it was causing. The 1998 I had before rotted out in the same spots without ever having that insulation. I guess no fuel tank protecting the bottom of the bed on that side and the heat from the exhaust just promotes rot on that side.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Almost had a perfectly reasonable excuse to get a set of headers today...

I let one shop touch my truck one time, and they somehow return it with four stripped exhaust flange studs.


So, for several hours:

End result is probably usable...

Worst case, another JBA box shows up at my house.

That would be just terrible.