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

[MSGia]

It has been almost a year since I last tried to set a personal gas mileage record, but now that I am almost always on the highway I tried again, this is the absolute most I could get out of my little old ranger . 272 miles @ 16.6 MPG.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Reinstalled new front rotors and bearings today after another front rotor warped, causing a pulsing brake pedal. This is twice that's happened.

I had been using a NAPA front hub/rotor with new bearings the first two times. This time I went to the dealer, who had the VIN, hoping to get OE hubs/rotors to avoid the problem. The parts guy gave me the part number correct for the VIN, which was different from all those for the truck online and from RockAuto, and said Ford had obsoleted it. He did find two in the system, one each from different sources, but the price was nearly $200 each. I passed.

The Motorcraft part number is BRRF62; Ford is AL5Z1102A. That was the first time I had seen either part number. I got an aftermarket equivalent referencing BRRF62 and BRRF64 on eBay for about $70 each. Everyone who had the actual Motorcraft part wanted a lot for it too. Evidently the particular combination my truck is—SuperCab with jump seats, 4.0 V-6, auto, tow package—requires this particular hub/rotor, which is allegedly heavier duty than the standard assembly. The ones I had been getting evidently weren't quite up to snuff.

Understand that I don't ride the brakes, do not normally stop hard, and have pulled a light trailer with the truck only once, but the rotor warped anyway. The driver's side bearings showed signs of overheating, but the passenger's side looked all right. I use one of the best synthetic high-temp moly greases available, Red Line, and bearings had been installed to torque specs. The wheels rotate freely with no play.

We'll see how it works this time. Getting tired of messing with these.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Well, today was busy! I finally swapped in the "new" front differential. By "new" I mean a pull-a-part core with the right gear ratio, completely torn down, cleaned, inspected, and resealed. Bearings looked good, so I didn't change them... I don't want to deal with shims if I don't have to.

So I swapped that in, didn't take too long, the hardest part was snaking the CV axles out. I am genuinely impressed with them- 250,000 miles, original parts, and they are still as smooth as butter with no play or damage.

Also put the front driveshaft back in, with new CV and U-joints on their respective ends.

Don't tell anyone... But I reused the axle nuts that ford says to replace. I forgot to order them, so for now they have been cleaned, had loctite put on the threads, and torqued down.

 

[Bill]

I blew a 20 amp fuse.

 

[97ranger22bronco]

Switched out the spark plug wires and replaced the fuel filter, getting 14 year old fuel all over the garage floor and myself in the process

 

[sgtsandman]

Switched out the spark plug wires and replaced the fuel filter, getting 14 year old fuel all over the garage floor and myself in the process

Yeah, I've yet to figure out a convenient way to change the fuel filter without wearing some of it.

 

[snoranger]

Yeah, I've yet to figure out a convenient way to change the fuel filter without wearing some of it.

Yes you did… you bought a 2019+ with a filterless system.

 

[sgtsandman]

Yes you did… you bought a 2019+ with a filterless system.

Good point there.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Switched out the spark plug wires and replaced the fuel filter, getting 14 year old fuel all over the garage floor and myself in the process

Welcome to the club. Wait till you have the joy of it deciding to syphon on you from the tank.

Yeah, I've yet to figure out a convenient way to change the fuel filter without wearing some of it.

I had a line on a potential solution with going to a screw on canister style but I didn’t get one and then after CoVid the only ones I’ve found aren’t rated high enough for the “returnless” system my 2000 has. Apparently another product line that went up in smoke.

 

[Rick W]

Welcome to the club. Wait till you have the joy of it deciding to syphon on you from the tank.


I had a line on a potential solution with going to a screw on canister style but I didn’t get one and then after CoVid the only ones I’ve found aren’t rated high enough for the “returnless” system my 2000 has. Apparently another product line that went up in smoke.

If you bathe your self in gasoline, it kills the Covid virus. I’m not sure if there’s other bad affects though.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

If you bathe your self and gasoline, it kills the Covid virus. I’m not sure if there’s other bad affects though.

Been known to cause cancer in laboratory rats, or so I’ve heard.

I do know the smell of gasoline on a man seems to bother women substantially, and usually not in a good way. If you’re not sure what I mean, wash you hands in gasoline before you go see Sweet Pea next time, I’m sure she will explain the problem, lol

 

[Rick W]

Been known to cause cancer in laboratory rats, or so I’ve heard.

I do know the smell of gasoline on a man seems to bother women substantially, and usually not in a good way. If you’re not sure what I mean, wash you hands in gasoline before you go see Sweet Pea next time, I’m sure she will explain the problem, lol

I’m sure she would, on the return visit after I got thrown out!

 

[scotts90ranger]

If you bathe your self in gasoline, it kills the Covid virus. I’m not sure if there’s other bad affects though.

If you light up a smoke (cigar, what have you...) afterward on the plus side you won't have to shave for a couple years, but there's some other lasting effects in that same time period...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

If you light up a smoke (cigar, what have you...) afterward on the plus side you won't have to shave for a couple years, but there's some other lasting effects in that same time period...

Ehh, it’s easier to find ones that tolerate cigars. Gasoline, not so much.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Very true