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


Blmpkn

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2.5"
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285/75/18
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lil_Blue_Ford

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You guys… :icon_rofl::icon_rofl:

So over the past few days I managed to extract the broken fitting from the steering rack and get the new lines on and get it back bolted in place on mom’s 02 Explorer.

Then we moved on to mom’s 2012 Nissan Murano. Man, eff that thing. It threw a code for the VVT solenoids. They are over $100 each. Can’t find anything online for where exactly they are on hers so I went looking and now I regret going looking. Apparently they are sensitive to oil sludge. So I figured maybe try cleaning and testing them first (I was able to find that information). Well, they are located on the ends of the heads with the timing assembly. On the bottom where sludge will collect and where they are not really accessible. The back one I think I can pull a bracket off and pop it out, which will dump oil on the serpentine belt system. The front one there’s a metal coolant line in the way, so it looks like I have to pull this big cover piece off. Autozone can get the gasket that I think is right… as a special order through the commercial department. To make matters worse, the oil filter (pull the right front tire and fender liner to access) is smaller in diameter and length compared to my 24 hp lawn tractor. So sludge in the oil is a problem and it’s got the wee tiniest oil filter. Great job Nissan. While I was poking around under the hood, I realized that to change the spark plugs, the intake has to come off and not only that, but the three under the intake is also under the cowl area. I suggested fixing the current problem and sell it for something easier to work on.

So then I was up at my mechanic buddies place and finally went looking (again) for the front end vibration in the F-150. Looks like the steering box has excessive play. So now that’s got to be fixed.

He has been trying to fix the brakes on the neighbors daughters Kia Forte, she blew a brake line a couple weeks ago. He replaced the line, bled the system and it was good, for about 4 days then she lost brakes again. Couldn’t find a leak at first, then found a fitting that was leaking. Snugged it up and now it won’t bleed. At all. Well, sometimes it will squirt some fluid out but most of the time there’s zero pedal pressure and nothing at all out the bleeder. Car on or off, doesn’t matter. I’m thinking the master cylinder is junk since pushing the pedal even when there’s no resistance increases the fluid level in the master. Funny thing is, she’s had the car about a year and the master cylinder looks like a replacement…
 

Lefty

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I looked at 19 Rangers last week hoping to find a decent LS rear axel. No such luck.

Their fate was rather sad: rode hard and put up wet, and done so year after year, treated roughly, never loved, never accessorized, had no special factory options, were never garaged, or even waxed, rusting out everywhere. Almost all suffered their fair share of dents and dings. One was hail damaged and never fixed. The cabs were greasy and smelly on the inside: the carpets were caked with dirt. The dashboards were scuffed and scratched, seats stained, many with cigarette holes. many never cleaned or covered. Even the headliners were messed.

I found a few potential limited slip donors only to find one axel was rusted beyond saving. Another had a leaky differential, not at all a good sign.

Perhaps too, these little boneyard trucks tell another story: that so many stayed in service well beyond the life span of so many other vehicles, did their job faithfully, held up under duress, and even abuse.
 

Isk Stark

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2WD / 4WD
2WD
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5"
Tire Size
15
Dropped off at my mechanic's shop to replace the inner tie rods. Gave up on trying to break them loose without a proper lift.

Took possession of Roush front and rear sway bars today. Can't wait to install them.
 

superj

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ranger edge
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3.0 V6
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3 liters of tire smoking power
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Manual
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2WD
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none
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none
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235s
My credo
Grew up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s
We are waiting to hear about those bars. We need measurements and everything
 

sgtsandman

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Pre-2008 lift/Stock
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31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Installed rivnuts in place of the screws holding the windshield visor. Good thing I did, there was some minor rust that shouldn't have been there. And of course the project didn't go smoothly. Two rivnuts spun, necessitating dropping the roof liner and I lost one of the fasteners somewhere at some point.

Anyway, while I had the thing off, I drilled some holes in the low points for water drainage. Now, all I need to do is get a flange nut for the one spot where I now have a make do fastener plugging the hole.
 

ericbphoto

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1993
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Ford Ranger
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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.
Installed rivnuts in place of the screws holding the windshield visor. Good thing I did, there was some minor rust that shouldn't have been there. And of course the project didn't go smoothly. Two rivnuts spun, necessitating dropping the roof liner and I lost one of the fasteners somewhere at some point.

Anyway, while I had the thing off, I drilled some holes in the low points for water drainage. Now, all I need to do is get a flange nut for the one spot where I now have a make do fastener plugging the hole.
No good deed goes unpunished.
 

sgtsandman

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Make / Model
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Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17

scotts90ranger

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4WD
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6
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35"
Made the investment of filling the '97 on the way home... I'm not the best at gauging how many miles I have since the mileage wanders a lot in the winter/spring... 15 gallons was $70... still had 5 gallons left! (21 gallon tank in this beast), But at 364 miles that's 24mpg so not bad...
 

ekrampitzjr

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I looked at 19 Rangers last week hoping to find a decent LS rear axel. No such luck.

Their fate was rather sad: rode hard and put up wet, and done so year after year, treated roughly, never loved, never accessorized, had no special factory options, were never garaged, or even waxed, rusting out everywhere. Almost all suffered their fair share of dents and dings. One was hail damaged and never fixed. The cabs were greasy and smelly on the inside: the carpets were caked with dirt. The dashboards were scuffed and scratched, seats stained, many with cigarette holes. many never cleaned or covered. Even the headliners were messed.

I found a few potential limited slip donors only to find one axel was rusted beyond saving. Another had a leaky differential, not at all a good sign.

Perhaps too, these little boneyard trucks tell another story: that so many stayed in service well beyond the life span of so many other vehicles, did their job faithfully, held up under duress, and even abuse.
Even work trucks should be maintained better than that. Sad, ain't it? And you know lots of those you saw in the boneyard were personal vehicles.

There was a YouTube video (since deleted) showing an auto shop preparing to fix the steering box on a (approx.) 2002 Ford Super Duty work truck. The video was posted in a thread on BITOG before deletion. The frame was rusted so badly that the repair was impossible. The Super Duty was not repairable without replacing the entire frame. Pieces fell off when the shop owner tried to raise it with a lift. One of the crossmembers under the bed was totally gone.

Yet the business owner of the truck said he really liked it and had wanted to keep it running. Then why didn't he get it rustproofed and undercoated after he bought it new?

I tell myself sometimes that I'd like to find a limited-slip 3.55 axle to replace the standard open-diff 3.55 my 2011 has. The limited-slip had been a factory option, but discovering one in a boneyard would be like finding a needle in a haystack. The axle would have to come from a 2010 or 2011 as earlier axles won't interchange. Think I'll just leave well enough alone. Everything inside the diff was super-clean when I changed the diff fluid last year.
 

superj

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ranger edge
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3.0 V6
Engine Size
3 liters of tire smoking power
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
none
Total Drop
none
Tire Size
235s
My credo
Grew up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s

Lefty

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Even work trucks should be maintained better than that. Sad, ain't it? And you know lots of those you saw in the boneyard were personal vehicles.

There was a YouTube video (since deleted) showing an auto shop preparing to fix the steering box on a (approx.) 2002 Ford Super Duty work truck. The video was posted in a thread on BITOG before deletion. The frame was rusted so badly that the repair was impossible. The Super Duty was not repairable without replacing the entire frame. Pieces fell off when the shop owner tried to raise it with a lift. One of the crossmembers under the bed was totally gone.

Yet the business owner of the truck said he really liked it and had wanted to keep it running. Then why didn't he get it rustproofed and undercoated after he bought it new?

I tell myself sometimes that I'd like to find a limited-slip 3.55 axle to replace the standard open-diff 3.55 my 2011 has. The limited-slip had been a factory option, but discovering one in a boneyard would be like finding a needle in a haystack. The axle would have to come from a 2010 or 2011 as earlier axles won't interchange. Think I'll just leave well enough alone. Everything inside the diff was super-clean when I changed the diff fluid last year.
Call me crazy, but I continue to quest for that limited slip. I look at the door codes and/or those 4X4 decals. I go to the boneyard anyway, looking for other smaller parts in what has become an attempt at a complete restoration. This summer's plans include removing the tub and paint the frame with Synmast Epoxy and/or POR 15.

I rather like the idea of restoring common cars and trucks. They represent a certain era of American automotive history often showing how simple but inexpensive upgrades made them so popular. So, for example, mine is a 2004 Ranger Edge, which comes with a few fiberglass body parts and a torsion bar front. It's also the last of the flaresides, a one hundred year old tradition.

This will never be a collector's item, but it's mine. Like so many others here on this site, I'm having fun!
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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I’ll never understand how a lot of people trash their vehicles. My parents always took good care of their vehicles and kept them clean and neat. I do the same. I’ve watched people with brand new 80k and up trucks beating the heck out of them, smashing bedsides and tailgates and all. Often it’s a “contractor” doing it. I’ve said something to a few people like that over the years and the answer is usually along the lines of “hey, it’s just a work truck.” Eff that! I still cringe when I get stone dumped in the bed of my 95 F-150 and stuff hits the cab or tailgate. For dang sure if I spent $80k on a work truck I would be doing my best to keep it nice for as long as possible. And the filth inside of peoples vehicles, ugh. I won’t even call people pigs for that anymore, it’s an insult to pigs. Absolutely disgusting.
 

Lefty

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I’ll never understand how a lot of people trash their vehicles. My parents always took good care of their vehicles and kept them clean and neat. I do the same. I’ve watched people with brand new 80k and up trucks beating the heck out of them, smashing bedsides and tailgates and all. Often it’s a “contractor” doing it. I’ve said something to a few people like that over the years and the answer is usually along the lines of “hey, it’s just a work truck.” Eff that! I still cringe when I get stone dumped in the bed of my 95 F-150 and stuff hits the cab or tailgate. For dang sure if I spent $80k on a work truck I would be doing my best to keep it nice for as long as possible. And the filth inside of peoples vehicles, ugh. I won’t even call people pigs for that anymore, it’s an insult to pigs. Absolutely disgusting.
I find that people treat me different when I bring my almost pristine old Ranger in for repairs. The ones who care treat it much better. I'm the customer they want to have.

You might enjoy watching SarahnTuned who is busy restoring her Grandmother's old Ford Ranger. It's become something of a family heirloom. It's always been well maintained, but she explains she has OCD and kicks it up a notch.
 

Blmpkn

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4WD
Total Lift
2.5"
Tire Size
285/75/18
My credo
Its probably better to be self deprecating than self defecating.
Call me crazy, but I continue to quest for that limited slip. I look at the door codes and/or those 4X4 decals. I go to the boneyard anyway, looking for other smaller parts in what has become an attempt at a complete restoration. This summer's plans include removing the tub and paint the frame with Synmast Epoxy and/or POR 15.

I rather like the idea of restoring common cars and trucks. They represent a certain era of American automotive history often showing how simple but inexpensive upgrades made them so popular. So, for example, mine is a 2004 Ranger Edge, which comes with a few fiberglass body parts and a torsion bar front. It's also the last of the flaresides, a one hundred year old tradition.

This will never be a collector's item, but it's mine. Like so many others here on this site, I'm having fun!
Just look on ebay. Pretty sure you can get used ford carriers for around 2-250. A Yukon duragrip by itself can be had for 550 or so, a duragrip with new gears and a master kit can be had for 850ish.

I paid around 750 for install. Not gonna be cheap however you slice and/or dice it... worth every penny though.
 

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