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


racsan

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Location
central ohio
Vehicle Year
2009
Make / Model
ford/escape
Engine Type
2.5 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
2.5/151 I-4
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
235/70/16
My credo
the grey-t escape
yes it seems like step bars are more for appearance then function. Ive had 2 sets where I modified the brackets so they were useable as a step. Its crazy how much they are too, I think the escape bars were nearly $200, then I spent a day & some materials making them “useable”. Back when diamond plate running boards were common, they were about $80 and no fabrication needed to be useable.
Its raining today , so I’ll just chill & watch tv. Yesterday I tried putting a tach on again, didnt go well. the inductive pickup was supposed to go with a certian tach, despite the description saying “will work with any equus 3-3/4 or 5 inch tach”. So I tried the conventional hook up, no matter which tan w yellow wire I used for the tach signal, it read low, real low- 200 rpm at idle. So for the hell of it I snipped the end off the pickup & tried that. Nothing. Guess theres always the diesel option, those use the alternator, tach has 500 increments instead of 1000 and only goes to 3500 but thats ok, horsepower peak on a 2.3 is about 4600 I think , 3,000 is usually plenty of rpm for my useage. But I doubt I mess with it much now. I found a few stock tach clusters on ebay but who knows if they work, I might have some weird ignition or wiring issue that would STILL have a stock tach read really low but yet not effect the engine starting & running.
Ive had a neighbor want to buy mine, It does draw some attention with the unique paint & other things Ive done with it. Ive not drove it much since being laid off, was nice to take it out the day I got that trailer.
 
Last edited:


Uncle Gump

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Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
What I know about those step bars... they will dirty up your pants at the exact time you really don't want dirty pants.

I still have mine on... but they aren't very functional. One day I might just build a set that function in a couple ways.
 

Grumpaw

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Location
Virginia
Vehicle Year
2009
Make / Model
Ford Ranger XL
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
Stock
Total Drop
Stock
Tire Size
Stock 225/70/15
My credo
I don't count birthday's anymore...just happy to be looking down at the ground instead of looking up
What I know about those step bars... they will dirty up your pants at the exact time you really don't want dirty pants.

I still have mine on... but they aren't very functional. One day I might just build a set that function in a couple ways.
Pant's.....what are those ?
I'm either in jeans or shorts.....truthfully, can't remember the last time I wore "pants" !
But, yeah, I know their mostly useless, but I luv the look, and in the end I guess that's really what it's all about. :icon_thumby:
 

ericbphoto

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Age
59
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Pant's.....what are those ?
I'm either in jeans or shorts.....truthfully, can't remember the last time I wore "pants" !
But, yeah, I know their mostly useless, but I luv the look, and in the end I guess that's really what it's all about. :icon_thumby:
I thought jeans and shorts ARE pants - clothing that covers the legs/groin/hips.
 

scotts90ranger

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Location
Dayton Oregon
Vehicle Year
1990, 1997
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
2.3 Turbo
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6
Tire Size
35"
yes it seems like step bars are more for appearance then function. Ive had 2 sets where I modified the brackets so they were useable as a step. Its crazy how much they are too, I think the escape bars were nearly $200, then I spent a day & some materials making them “useable”. Back when diamond plate running boards were common, they were about $80 and no fabrication needed to be useable.
Its raining today , so I’ll just chill & watch tv. Yesterday I tried putting a tach on again, didnt go well. the inductive pickup was supposed to go with a certian tach, despite the description saying “will work with any equus 3-3/4 or 5 inch tach”. So I tried the conventional hook up, no matter which tan w yellow wire I used for the tach signal, it read low, real low- 200 rpm at idle. So for the hell of it I snipped the end off the pickup & tried that. Nothing. Guess theres always the diesel option, those use the alternator, tach has 500 increments instead of 1000 and only goes to 3500 but thats ok, horsepower peak on a 2.3 is about 4600 I think , 3,000 is usually plenty of rpm for my useage. But I doubt I mess with it much now. I found a few stock tach clusters on ebay but who knows if they work, I might have some weird ignition or wiring issue that would STILL have a stock tach read really low but yet not effect the engine starting & running.
Ive had a neighbor want to buy mine, It does draw some attention with the unique paint & other things Ive done with it. Ive not drove it much since being laid off, was nice to take it out the day I got that trailer.
I need to head to the junkyard in a couple months, I'll find you a tach cluster if you want, your year range is fairly normal to find over here, my door came off a '94, and first gen explorers are still fairly common...
 

snoranger

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Jackson, NJ
Vehicle Year
'79,'94,'02,'23
Make / Model
All Fords
Engine Type
2.3 EcoBoost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
I didn't ask for your life story, just answer the question!
I thought jeans and shorts ARE pants - clothing that covers the legs/groin/hips.
Short are shorts... pants go all the way to your ankles (jeans, dress pants, etc. are all pants of some sort.)
 

ericbphoto

Overlander in development
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Age
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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.

airbourneranger

Active Member
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Greensboro, North Carolina
Vehicle Year
2011
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Drop
4/5
Tire Size
245/45-18 & 275/40-18
My credo
Tighten it until it snaps then back off a 1/4 turn
Added a 1998 OHC and a 2000 Explorer center console to my 2011 Ranger
 

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PetroleumJunkie412

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Location
Dirtman's Basement
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.
20200913_172052.jpg




New core support.














No, I will not put one in yours.
 

Uncle Gump

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Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
But... but you have all this experience now. it would be easy for you.
 

Uncle Gump

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Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
This was yesterday.... to much honey do going on today. I need to remedy some of the flex... I'm also going to add a leg to support the weight when fully opened.

carrier loaded.jpg
 

ThatOneGuy

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Messages
522
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Points
93
Location
South sound
Vehicle Year
1983 1993
Make / Model
Ranger Explorer
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
Explorer is 4.0 ranger is 2.3 soon to be 4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
235/75/15
My credo
Let the universe take you where it will !!!
This was my progress today once I finally got to work, getting everything clean. Almost have non functional e brake assembly removed . Cleand and rust converted all the dash core supports. Not shown in pics but got first coat of paint on dash core. Still working on finishing dash.
 

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Dirtman

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Location
41N 75W
Vehicle Year
2009
Engine Type
2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
It's up there.
Total Drop
It's down there.
Tire Size
Round.
My credo
I poop in the furnace.
That's very green of you.
 

Bgunner

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Location
Western Mass.
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford/Ranger XLT
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
225/70/R15
My credo
If it's not broken Don't Fix It!
Gave it good run and fueled it up. On the way home gave it a bath then kid and I gave it a waxing. The blower motor hit the local Post Office so that will arrive tomorrow. I may put that in if weather permits and kid doesn't have issues with the new online schooling system tomorrow.

That darn vibration is back making me think the carrier bearing is bad again. I guess I need to drop the drive shaft and check it. I am now considering doing the driveshaft swap and eliminating that bearing altogether now. Tech section here I come to do some reading up on which shafts will work. I'd much rather just replace 2 U-joints than 3 along with a carrier.
 

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