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

[Lefty]

Most of those custom seat covers are air bag compatible. If so, they will say so. Here's one such dealer. https://www.shearcomfort.com/Seat-Options/6011/54/2003/0 There are others, of course.

I lucked out. My seats were badly stained but not too worn. I vacuumed and used the compressed air hose to remove caked in dust, then washed them down with about a half a dozen passes of rubbing alcohol on a sponge.

 

[Bgunner]

Ordered a tailgate limiting strap since the driver side broke last summer. It had gotten worn by the gate closing on it and it finally snapped when I put my big arse on it. Now it says it is coming from Syracuse N.Y. so it should be here in a day or two, but this is USPS so the Friday April 29th, there expected delivery date, is actually when I will see it delivered.

 

[Vindictus]

i wonder if my truck has flaps on it

I lost my mud flaps 8 years ago

 

[Blmpkn]

Too many tacos give me the mud flaps.

 

[snoranger]

I lost my mud flaps 8 years ago

You still haven’t found them? Where did you see them last? Did you try retracing your steps?

 

[Vindictus]

You still haven’t found them? Where did you see them last? Did you try retracing your steps?

ahh.. the abominable snowman got them

 

[sgtsandman]

Finally got around to getting an picture of the 2011 with the updates to the antennas and the roof rack bars.

 

[superj]

I looked, I have mud flaps!!!!!

And I even have some plastic strips in the wheels wells to keep rocks from hitting down there.

I took the ranger to town and got a baked potato from Rudy's with brisket on it. And got ethanol free gas since I have a two hour drive to the bike ride tomorrow. Anyways, a friend from when I used to build turbine engines was on the next pump with his jeep. We talked about the kids and then he started asking about the ranger and said he was looking at one recently by my house that was on a car lot. I knew which one, a silver single cab. Anyways, he said he will go look at it more closely since I was explained mine is a V6 five speed and on the 4x4 suspension, even though it's 2x4. He thinks that's super cool

 

[Bill]

I was going to do a short-interval oil change at 3,000 miles because the oil in it now is a mix of part-empty bottles of conventional, semi-synthetic, and synthetic versions Chevron, Valvoline, Motorcraft, Castrol 5w20 and 5w30 oil leftover from previous oil changes. I'm at 3,500 miles on that oil. I pulled out the dipstick and the oil isn't anywhere close to being dark. I would describe it as a rich amber color with a little bit of noticeable carbon. It must be due to most of the mileage being on the highway. I think I'll wait a bit before I change the oil.

I've also been fighting the lock cylinder on the driver's side door. It turns out there's nothing wrong with the lock cylinder. It's the key that's worn out. So, I looked up transponder keys and I see Amazon has blank sets of two for around $15. Has anyone purchases these keys online and had them cut locally?

 

[rubydist]

Even at the dealership the key blanks are not that expensive. Its the programming that costs because most places have a 3/4 hour minimum at $150+ per hour.

 

[Angry Possum]

Even at the dealership the key blanks are not that expensive. Its the programming that costs because most places have a 3/4 hour minimum at $150+ per hour.

I'm glad I don't have to deal with the chip keys.
They can get real pricey. My 93 Ranger key only costs $3 at Lowe's, so I had 3 made, plus my original. Having 4 keys is a little OCD, ya think?

 

[Blmpkn]

Aubuchon hardware can do chip keys now, not sure of the expense.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I've also been fighting the lock cylinder on the driver's side door. It turns out there's nothing wrong with the lock cylinder. It's the key that's worn out. So, I looked up transponder keys and I see Amazon has blank sets of two for around $15. Has anyone purchases these keys online and had them cut locally?

Ok, so I’ve been down this road…

First, if you haven’t already done so, hose the lock out good with electrical contact cleaner (it’s plastic safe) and work the key in and around while you’re at it. Sometimes gunk builds up in them and the key doesn’t work right. It’s worth a shot, I’ve had some success with that.

Buying chip keys online is a mixed bag. Sometimes the chips don’t work or aren’t compatible and once in awhile you hear about ones that are sold as chip keys and don’t actually have a chip in them. So make sure it’s a reputable source.

Home Depot and some other places can cut and ”program” chip keys for less than the dealer or a locksmith. But what they do is “clone” your key. So they duplicate the cuts on your key and program the chip to match your key. Thus if you only have one chip key and you get one made like this, you can’t use those two keys to program a third on your own because the computer sees both keys as being the same key. The other thing is, if your key is getting worn down, they don’t cut it to original code, they just make a match to your worn key. So if you don’t have a “good” key, you still need a locksmith or dealer to cut a “good” key and possibly program it.

Now, the solution I found when I was in your boat back a few years, I found a locksmith on eBay, Wolf Security was the name, he had me send a good close picture of my key and sent an unprogrammed key cut to code for about $20 or so. Armed with Forscan on my laptop and a usb to obd2 cable I programmed in the new key. A year or two later I finally got myself a basic key machine since I like to tinker with locksmithing and came up with a bit of a plan. Now if it’s a chip key, if I have a good original key (or have one code cut), I retain that for a spare AND cut a non-chip key that goes in the spare box with a tag. Now I will always have a near perfect key to cut from for that particular vehicle. Then I have two keys for regular use, since I always carry a primary and spare with me. If it’s a chip key, I maintain two spares at home too (since it’s reasonably cheap for me to do so), thus I’m always going to have a good mechanical cut and a pair of chip keys to program with. I only buy Strattec chip key blanks for the Fords and usually try to use them for other brands. Strattec is the OEM key for Ford, so programming is not a problem.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Buddy of mine has access to a Formlabs printer... I'm working on getting a snug fit on my transfer case linkage to solve popping out of 4hi.

View attachment 75283

That is sweet, the stock ones are getting fragile and hard to find, I think mine is partially broken...

That said, if it's popping out of 4hi it's probably the linkage adjustment not the bushing, although if you don't have a bushing that could do it from the geometry of the linkage... To adjust the linkage get the adjuster bolts loose, move the linkage into the 4hi detent on the transfer case then move the shifter into the 4hi corner, then lock down the bolts. When I first converted my '90 it popped out of 4hi and it turned out it was just the linkage adjustment...

 

[superj]

Drove 150 miles to my bike ride event, rode 44 miles, ate brisket, and went home 150 miles. The ol rock n roll ranger did a great job but the 30+ mph head wind coming home really out the smack down on the gas mileage. Went from my normal 18.5 at 80-85 to 14.5 at 80-85.