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

[superj]

I found a step side camper

 

[sgtsandman]

I found a step side camper

Campers have step sides?

 

[snoranger]

Campers have step sides?

The one he found does.

 

[superj]

Yup. A leer but the only bad thing is it's dark blue or black, not red. Oh well, can't be picky with a step side

 

[scotts90ranger]

Got home from camping/wheeling today, took the '90 and a 4 wheeler, went with two other families, glad I brought everything I did... Sunday it hauled one friends quad back to camp once he noticed the rear swing arm was cracked in like 3 places... got back to camp then took it apart and used my welder to get it back going in a couple hours... then sitting at camp some guy came up and asked whos Ford that was and if he had a strap... turns out his dune buggy had hit something while doing a wheelie and broke the oil pan... so I drug it to camp, then later out on a ride (yes, I was riding a Ranger while another like 6 people were on quads... wife didn't want to ride a quad...) which was convenient because one of the kids had their rear carrier bearing in the swing arm explode as far away from camp as possible... so I drug that back to camp

They used to call the Ranger Tumble weed since around 11 years ago I rolled it, now they're thinking of calling it the rescue ranger... whatever, it's all part of the experience

On Saturday the weather was complete garbage but there was a poker run in the dunes which is a good time, bunch of raffle prizes, and it was kinda fun trying to keep up with quads , Ranger did good, still has all the front tire clearance problems, the upper balljoint adjusters moved in like they always do so the camber and toe is way out but that doesn't matter offroad, it's been aired down since March... After 12 years the Centerforce clutch is starting to do some surgy stuff in low range low gears... The main problem with it was at one point the stereo quit working... conveniently it fixed itself on Sunday? it's only like 11 years old, I don't know what it's problem is... lol

 

[sgtsandman]

Yup. A leer but the only bad thing is it's dark blue or black, not red. Oh well, can't be picky with a step side

Is it one with windows on the angled part or solid fiberglass? It seems to me the solid side one would leave a huge blind spot but I’ve never been in a step side, let alone one with a cap.

 

[superj]

its the solid one. thats the only thing that bothers me about having one of those on is the blind spots. i have had them on other trucks with straight beds and i always feel like i cannot see alot of the areas behind me.

but i am hoping the benefit of having it will out weigh the blinds spots. my oldest son thinks it will be awesome though

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

its the solid one. thats the only thing that bothers me about having one of those on is the blind spots. i have had them on other trucks with straight beds and i always feel like i cannot see alot of the areas behind me.

but i am hoping the benefit of having it will out weigh the blinds spots. my oldest son thinks it will be awesome though

It’s possible to get used to living with larger blind spots. My F-150 has ladder racks and side boxes and I drove a dump truck on a regular basis for about 8 years. I have been kicking around the idea of getting one of those 360* camera systems and fitting it on the truck just because I don’t trust people, but I’m used to dealing with it

 

[Roert42]

The only problem I had with blind spots when I had a cap on my F-150 was backing out of a parking spot. The solution was to just back into the parking spots.

 

[sgtsandman]

My issue has been more due to the tint at night. It makes it hard to see what I’m backing into. With the window layout on my cap, there little to any blind spots otherwise.

Eventually, I’ll get some auxiliary back up lights so that the tint issue is minimized or eliminated.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Tried adjusting the steering box in my F-150. I was a little worried about trying that because I did it once before and I want to say it had started binding and I backed it off a little. Seems ok this time, but I really had to crank it in, think I put 5 or 6 turns on it before the wheel felt ok. I moved it back and forth and it doesn’t seem to bind, but I’ll have to drive it. Still think I’m gonna have to replace it.

That said, I did find a spare steering box that I had. Looks either nearly new or refurbished, but it doesn’t seem to want to turn by hand. Not sure if it should be that tight or if something is wrong with it.

Sharpened the chain on my little Stihl MS-170 and got it cutting straight again. Think the carb needs adjusted yet, but it works. Tested it out on a couple hickory chunks.

Tried tinkering with the green Ranger, but didn’t really make much progress

 

[JoshT]

Found a driveshaft. Called this morning about closest one I was looking at on the car-part website, $50 and an hour away. Truck had already been crushed. Next closest one was about twice as far and twice as much, but the place was sketch. (so they probably would have had it) Only ones the first yard could find one at was 4-5 hours away. I'd seen their lsiting on the car-part website. Showing new parts at $600 plus.

Remembered I had a extended cab reiveshaft at my parents house, too long but right ends. Looked for a place to get it shortened and struck out.

Taking a break from everything I hopped on facebook and top market place listing was for "Ford Ranger Parts". A guy about 10 miles from where I live was parting out a 1990 and 1993 Ranger. The '90 just happened to be a long bed with the exact driveshaft I needed. Offered $30 and I'd pull it myself, bed was off so easy job. He agreed! 45 minutes later I had a driveshaft in the back of the truck. Took 30 minutes just to find my 12pt 12mm tools. I really need to clean/organize shop next.

Also discovered that the rear axle in the little things is a 3.45, not the 4.10 like the door tag led me to believe. Not sure if the axle has been swapped or F75 is an elusive axlecode not in the chart. I assumed that just the F7 mattered which meant 4.10. Truck also has what appears to be a BII sway bar already installed in the rear, I had one I was planing to install, as well as an aftermarket Walker Quiet-Flow exhaust installed. Now I've got to figure out if I'm reinstalling the currently removed (via sawzall) catalytic converter how I'm moving forward with the rear axle swap.

 

[Walksnotruns22]

Went and got a back window and now not sure it it's gonna work. Mine bolts in and one I got has no bolts. Junkyard to far to return right now.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Must have gotten a regular cab window, the extended cab windows bolt in but regular cab windows use the gasket, I think all used bolt in starting in '98

 

[Walksnotruns22]

Must have gotten a regular cab window, the extended cab windows bolt in but regular cab windows use the gasket, I think all used bolt in starting in '98

Hmmm. Guess junkyard labeled it wrong.

That really sucks.