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

[sgtsandman]

FIFY

That principle SEEMS to get lost more often than not these days. It's a real shame, too. When you look at machinery from early 20th century, there was a lot of machinery designed that was robust, functional, ling-lasting AND very pleasing to the eye. Some things were artistic beauties. A small example is early Sunger sewing machines. But look at any old industrial machines. Curved gussets, ornamental pedestals, stands and legs, etc.

Long lasting and reliable doesn’t generate revenue. Companies can’t have that, now can they?

 

[Roert42]

Long lasting and reliable doesn’t generate revenue. Companies can’t have that, now can they?

Some companies do, especially in the world of industrial machinery. most people just don’t want to pay for it.

You can get a high quality USA made 20T bottle jack for $600 or a no name China made bottle jack that looks very similar for $80, or a name brand China made version for $250. What one are you going to buy?

The No name is in the trash within a year after the chrome flaked off or the check starting leaking, with name brand China one you might be able to get a warranty replacement when the same thing happens. Or the USA made jack that the chrome doesn’t flake off and the OEM sells rebuild kits for the next 100 years.

 

[superj]

On the return leg of our trip to virginia, we stopped at bmw in spartanburg sc. Man, there are a bunch of rangers and, at least, ine bronco2 in the employee parking lot. I didnt take pics because people were out there and they might have called security on me, but wow, lots of rangers.

We put my son's new play car on the uhaul to bring home. Its an 04 volvo v70r. I didnt kbow volvo made sleeper sport cars. This car is quick for being a large wagon.

 

[ericbphoto]

On the return leg of our trip to virginia, we stopped at bmw in spartanburg sc. Man, there are a bunch of rangers and, at least, ine bronco2 in the employee parking lot. I didnt take pics because people were out there and they might have called security on me, but wow, lots of rangers.

View attachment 93348

We put my son's new play car on the uhaul to bring home. Its an 04 volvo v70r. I didnt kbow volvo made sleeper sport cars. This car is quick for being a large wagon.

Dude! You should have let me know. I wasn't working today. But we could have met for lunch or something. Did you go through our little museum, the "Zentrum"?

 

[Roert42]

We put my son's new play car on the uhaul to bring home. Its an 04 volvo v70r. I didnt kbow volvo made sleeper sport cars. This car is quick for being a large wagon.

Is that the supercharged version? I know at some point Volvo made a S/C v6 wagon.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Got the choptop started yesterday (after a lot of effort) and moved it to my parents driveway (terrible idea, I should have moved the 92 and put he choptop there). Apparently there was a mouse nest in the exhaust again because when it started it launched the nest across the yard, lol. Today after church I’m going to finish loading up and haul it out to meet up with Lisa. Got a couple things to do out there, then I intend on picking up the 4.0 on Tuesday and come back with that and plates on the choptop. My buddy Paul volunteered his place and help with swapping motors and that’s better than my original two plans so Tuesday/Wednesday is swap motor and get it checked out.

 

[superj]

Dude! You should have let me know. I wasn't working today. But we could have met for lunch or something. Did you go through our little museum, the "Zentrum"?

We went where you start the tours and the store is. Where the cars are in the building.

 

[superj]

Is that the supercharged version? I know at some point Volvo made a S/C v6 wagon.

No, its the turbo charged version with the 2.5. Reading some from forums, it sounds like people swap the engine for the 2.4 and go for more boost. Sounds like the 2.5 has some issues with high boost and cracking

 

[Maritime Drag Racing]

Started the two to one piece driveshaft swap - just need to pick up a couple new U-joints in the AM. Also made a limiter strap for the engine to help with the problem we've been having with motor mount bolts loosening.

 

[ericbphoto]

We went where you start the tours and the store is. Where the cars are in the building.

View attachment 93369

That's the place.

 

[JoshT]

Some companies do, especially in the world of industrial machinery. most people just don’t want to pay for it.

You can get a high quality USA made 20T bottle jack for $600 or a no name China made bottle jack that looks very similar for $80, or a name brand China made version for $250. What one are you going to buy?

The No name is in the trash within a year after the chrome flaked off or the check starting leaking, with name brand China one you might be able to get a warranty replacement when the same thing happens. Or the USA made jack that the chrome doesn’t flake off and the OEM sells rebuild kits for the next 100 years.

Not my experience. Youmay be right about the price of USA made jacks, but 20 ton chinese bottle jack is more like $150. My experience experiences with cheap chinese bottle jacks are a 20 ton harborfreight on a shop press I bought ~10 years ago and a $50ish 3 ton that I bought back around 2000. No problems out of the 20 ton and the 3 ton still works fine. That was 20 years ago though so the 3 ton is probably more like $100 now, the harbor freight 20 tons are still about the same price.

The USA made brand may sell rebuild kits, but those o-rings comme off the same manufacturing line as the chinese kits and the kit costs $100/rebuild. I can probabl buy individual o-rings and rebuild the chinese too.

So $100-150 last 25+ years. Might go through three by the time I kick the bucket. $300-450 over my life. Probably less cause I can probably disassemble and spend $20 for enough orings to rebuild one two or three times.

$600 usa made name brand and need a rebuild every 25 years at $100+/each. $800.

I think I'll keep buying the cheap chinese jacks. If the "USA" made jacks were reasonable in price I'd consider sprnding a little more, but 3-4 times as much isn't reasonable. Especially considering that USA made these days really means USA assembled. Might be assembly and some final machining done here, but most of the parts come off the same assembly line over seas. I might also reconsider if I saw repeated issues like the chrome flaking, but hasn't happened to me yet. Not the bottle jacks, but my HF floor jacks have been left exposed in the weather for years and the hydraulic cylinders sre still good. I actually wish they'd go bad then I could justify buying a nicer one, that would still be from HF and left in the weather 90 percent of the time.

Just talking my experience.

Started the two to one piece driveshaft swap - just need to pick up a couple new U-joints in the AM. Also made a limiter strap for the engine to help with the problem we've been having with motor mount bolts loosening.

View attachment 93371
View attachment 93372
View attachment 93373

I thought limit straps were usually flexable and intended to prevent breakage of motor mounts, or at least keeping the engine from exiting the bay when the mount let go.

 

[JoshT]

Today I did some @Rick W style shopping and got another step closer to being ready to start the 99 Ranger project. One of the items on the list of that truck is to ditch the locking hubs in favor of live axles like later models. Saw a set of new wheel bearing assemblies listed on Marketplace a few days ago for an 02 Ranger. Apparently a fella bought them for his Ranger not realizing that he had bought 4wd instead of 2wd and it was too late to return. He listed them for $50 a few weeks ago, which was a decent price for new bearings. A new pair from Rockauto would be about $30 each before shipping.

I offered $40 for the pair and said I could pick them up during the week. About 40 minutes away from home, but only a mile or two from work so easy to stop by after work. He accepted. Few minutes later he said $20 cash if I got them today. 40 minutes later I was picking them up. Now I just need to order some CV axles and I can get a set from RA for about $80 shipped. Haven't shopped around them yewt, but I might get the live axle conversion done for about $100. The saving will help to offset the price of adapters for the wheels I'm going to try running.

 

[Kruegon]

Today, I installed new Detroit Axle upper control arms, sway bar links, inner and outer tie rods, MOOG lower control arms, Maxtrac shocks, and Supreme Suspensions 3" front lift kit.

2000 Ranger XLT EXT Cab, 3.0L Vulcan Flex, Auto Trans, 2WD, Black

 

[scotts90ranger]

The '97 spent the night at the inlaws so I took the '90 to pick up a replacement mower deck for the riding mower (hey, where are you going to find an extra deck for a '90's Craftsman mower for $100?) and quickly realized/remembered the alignment is screwed, when the passenger side upper balljoint adjuster moves it cambers out that tire and gives it a bunch of toe out... anyway, drove like 30 miles anyway . Also saw the fuel was low so went to get gas, 15.7 gallons in a 16 gallon tank

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Out of curiosity, I looked at a Ranger on a used-car lot down the road. No one was there on a Sunday, so I just gave it a once-over. Turned out to be a 2006 SuperCab with the 3.0 V-6.

The clearcoat was failing on the paint, which was Toreador Red (had a Taurus wagon the same color, so I knew the color). The interior looked all right, and it had the jump seats in back. The headlight assemblies were fogged and needed replacement. The frame under the bed had some surface rust, but I didn't notice any body rust at first glance. The truck had the factory tow package. The mileage was about 135,000.

The truck still had the original Ford dealer label from the new-car dealer in Franklin, Virginia. Unfortunately, I forgot to check whether it had 4WD, but I don't think it did.

This used-car dealer had a price posted on it of $8,999. It wouldn't be my cup of tea, but I've seen worse. Thought I'd mention it in case anyone here was interested.