'85 Ranger Restomod

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Be wary of the u bolts. I did that at first. They stretched...

I may have an extra set.

This is sad to say, but I can't risk the junkyard with the current state of the world... this is ****Ed up.

We really should get those sketched up as vector files.... super easy part....

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Be wary of the u bolts. I did that at first. They stretched...

I may have an extra set.

This is sad to say, but I can't risk the junkyard with the current state of the world... this is ****Ed up.

We really should get those sketched up as vector files.... super easy part....

I wondered how well they would hold. They are also round where the factory ones are flattened.

It would be really nice to come across the spring u-bolts from when I pulled my 8.8...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Driveshaft shop is apparently riding the struggle bus.

They have had the shaft for a week, I called to check on it and they measured it wrong and only took out 3/4" and have to redo it yet. Hopefully today maybe tomorrow.

I really need to get the Ranger on the road so I can work on my F-150.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I got the driveshaft back in it, the thing rides like a dream with the new shocks. Took it on a 75mi cruise with about 100 other classic/special interest vehicles and Saturday it didn't miss a beat. Temp was saying 95*... A/C would be really nice to have.

So it can continue to support the Ranger my F-150 had surgery over the weekend:

New upper balljoint/control arm and tie rods on the drivers side:



New upper balljoint/control arm, tie rods and CV shaft on the other side:



Oliver also got his first ride in my Ranger this morning. I don't know if @PetroleumJunkie412 has been badmouthing my 5.0 to him or what was with the expression.



He had better get used it it, it is his ride to daycare until the F-150 gets aligned.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Loaded up the truck and went camping over the weekend:



While not quite as heavy as when we went to Ohio the truck still had a rake and handled it great.

Topper was very nice to have to keep food away from critters and gear in.



One of these things is not like the others...



And lil guy had three flat tires on his stroller. Ain't got time for the little hand pump thing!



After that we ran to Omaha yesterday. I actually found a BII in the yard with a spare tire carrier so I nabbed the spare tire holder bracket:



It also had a nice deflector for the PS air intake snorkel so I grabbed it too:



I was trying to get the axle sway bar brackets from a OBS F-150. They had three. One looked like it went down with the Titanic, total rust bomb. Two clean ones but they set the sway bar brackets on the stands so I would have to pick the truck up to get at them... and who knows if they were bent. It was hot and I ran out of ambition.

Pretty good day of pillaging though:

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Ugh. I thought I just left this party...





A fun and exciting weekend in store now!

 

[ericbphoto]

 

[racsan]

pull the bed- it makes all that much easier

 

[ericbphoto]

Just attach a piece of 1/4" plate to the bottom of the bed. That way, when the shackle finishes breaking, the spring won't poke through the bed.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

pull the bed- it makes all that much easier

Its actually fairly open under there.

Kinda gripes me, the bracket that was $30 for my Ranger is $140 for my F-150. No easy button this time...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just attach a piece of 1/4" plate to the bottom of the bed. That way, when the shackle finishes breaking, the spring won't poke through the bed.

When the other side broke a last year it was trying to come thru the bed.

Truck drove really weird too, it got neglected in the push to get the Ranger to the roundup last year and I am still playing catch-up.

 

[sheep herder]

 

[sgtsandman]

I don’t envy your immediate future.

Do you have a ball joint pickle fork and a 3+ lbs hammer?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don’t envy your immediate future.

Do you have a ball joint pickle fork and a 3+ lbs hammer?

I will have all that plus an air hammer and a torch...

I am not screwing around with this at home, doing it at work over the weekend.

 

[sgtsandman]

Even better. It can’t stay seized if it’s liquid.