I got to thinking about it and I guess I never realized it, but the same thing happens on my Chevy truck... whenever I switch it to defrost it seems to kick in to a higher speed.... like maximum and I know on the AC end of it there was almost two settings.... AC and MAX AC... and when you turned to MAX AC I am sure it bypassed the speed resistor and kind of roared a bit and made a different sound as the air flew out of the vents.... I was annoyed first, that I had perhaps wired the resistor on the Ranger wrong..... but spent so much time looking at it to determine if it could possibly be wired any other way..... there was/is no alternative... only one way to do it and I practiced the definition of insanity and traced the wires more than once expecting a different result..... and came to the conclusion that I did wire it correctly..... and there was nothing else to try.... That is when I checked on the videos and read the comment sections below the videos that I find invaluable or laughable some times..... and one guy mentioned the defrost bypasses the resistor... He also documented which color wire controlled what speed.... he was very thorough... but in passing he dropped a statement when he said the resistor was by passed when the know was turned to defrost.... This all bothered me but I had ten minutes and some ambition left and was annoyed at the results earlier in the day again, so I wandered out to the garage, and actually started the Ranger this time, and then moved the selector to "defrost" with he same results... high speed fan.. So moved the selector to the icon of floor heat and then tried the different speeds and there IS a noticeable difference.... in other words, it works right but in my opinion the fan still turns too fast.... but there are distinctive speeds and I can live with that.... I still do not know if the A/C works.... and honestly, don't care because I just don't use A/C that much and this Ranger will pull a boat trailer five miles to the lake launch and back home the same five miles....
I also found out that this same aftermarket resistor is used on MANY Ford models.... and that is why the wires were all generic black and not color specific for the Ranger... but the wires all went to corresponding pins and the plug could go only one way into the socket on the firewall.... I also thought that maybe there was a ground wire on one of the two bolts that hold the assembly on that I forgot to install but looked and nope.... and I don't remember any other ground wire.....
So this morning I am supposed to go after the alignment... anybody got any extra ambition they care to send? I still have some questions and need to watch a couple DIY you tube videos on this again.... A1 Auto does the best... and so does UHAUL in producing these videos.... they try to be professional for the most part succeed.. but the A1 video on DIY alignment skips a couple areas where information is needed ..... and maybe I missed it?? So I will go back and review....
and a ps... After getting two newer headlight assemblies from U PULL IT PARTS.... I cleaned them up... and had no idea if the bulbs worked in them but, they were the last thing installed. The reason I bought them is that the original adjusters on the Ranger were beyond rusted... no hope... so how could I adjust them.... Yesterday, when I got back from the shake down cruise, I got to the garage door and turned on the low beam and high beam lights.... If anything, they are too low..... but not by much and again... I will probably never use this truck after dark..... although I may leave to go fishing early in the morning so might need them then or in a fog..... but all the lights except one back up light works.... my goal was to make sure the headlights on low beam would not be pointed at oncoming traffic..... dangerous....
An a PS..... I suspect this Ranger, like most???? , has a factory installed four flat wiring harness... and it doesn't work.... my test device would not light up.... signals, brakes, nothing.... so there is no power to the four flat.... First thing I will do is see if there is a fuse for this.... is there? Anybody know? and then start tracing with a test light for a break.....
Enough... take care... and again... thanks for the ideas/suggestions.....