Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register
for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.
Surprisingly not. There was some standing water but almost the whole place is covered in gravel, so it drains off pretty well and not a muddy mess. Biggest issue is that the last time they spread gravel the stuff they got was a bit too large, makes it a little rough walking and pulling a cart.
, that broke the passenger front mudflap on the '97 Ranger, so I took it off and fixed it again (was broken when I got it, it broke in a different place amazingly, my craptastic weld held up somehow)
I made a vacuum bleeder using engine vacuum. A mason jar with a hose long enough to run from engine to the farthest tire, sized to fit the bleeder valve, and a short hose to reach from mason jar to bleeder valve. Drill 2 holes in jar lid just big enough to have a tight slip fit for the 2 hoses. Attach long hose to a vacuum source on engine and fire it up. The bleeder should be cracked open. You will probably see some bubbles but just keep vacuum on until fluid runs clear. Don't run the master dry!I’m going through one of those times we all experience with older vehicles where there’s something wrong with everything at the same time, and I’m trying to work through one by one in order of priority.
I got the brakes done on the Road Ranger, but nobody handy to help me bleed them right now.
I did a quick look under the hood of the F250 to see if I could spot the vacuum leak for the AC. Nothing obvious. I don’t like to work on stuff out front, so I decided to move it around the back.
I’ve been driving the Missing Linc, and I’m just keeping up with the oil level in the rear end, and listen to that clickety-clack to make sure it doesn’t bust something. I don’t want to take it apart till I’m sure something else is running and stopping.
So I got in to move it out of the way for the F250. Turn the key, nothing.
Almost brand new battery, dead as a door nail. So I got the smart battery charger, and when I was putting on the positive clamp, I heard a crackle and my strobe lights came on. I took a closer look, and the clamp had cracked. It’s one of those pressed sheet metal clamps, not the lead clamp. No big deal, I’ve got a box of cables and another box of clamps.
Once I started, I didn’t want it cobbled up, so I took a brandy new cable I had. I think I got it by accident and then they credited me, and I just made a new cable. I cut it the length I wanted. I cleaned up a pretty solid heavy duty clamp I had. I spread the wire out a little bit, and put soldering paste all over it. I crimped it over the wire. Then I dropped my mini butane torch and broke it….
View attachment 118303
I ordered a new little torch from eBay. I’ll solder it when it gets here. It never ends…
so I ended the day where I thought I started…
I am sorry that I missed this until now... I got all of my lines and most of my fittings from Rock Auto. had to get one of the Master Cylinder fittings from Autozone. basically you want nickel copper alloy lines. here is the list from Rock auto for all of my parts except the booster. runs just shy of 300 bucks for all of this:
AGS | CNC325K | Brake Line | $ 33.79 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 33.79 |
AGS | CNE3 (CNE360) | Brake Line Length: 60" | $ 9.27 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 9.27 |
AGS | CNE3 (CNE340) | Brake Line Length: 40" | $ 7.60 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 7.60 |
DORMAN | 80189 | Power Brake Booster Check Valve Wholesaler Closeout -- 30 Day Warranty | $ 2.35 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 2.35 |
DORMAN | 13911 | Brake Bleeder Kit | $ 3.89 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 3.89 |
| 1997 FORD RANGER 4.0L V6 | ||||||
CARLSON | H94722 (H9472-2) | Banjo Bolt / Washer | $ 2.15 | $ 0.00 | 2 | $ 4.30 |
DORMAN | HW1457 | Brake Hose Clip | $ 0.53 | $ 0.00 | 4 | $ 2.12 |
DYNAMIC FRICTION | 35054342 (350-54342) | Brake Hose | $ 16.69 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 16.69 |
POWER STOP | L4606 | Caliper | $ 34.79 | $ 12.00 | 1 | $ 46.79 |
POWER STOP | L4607 | Caliper | $ 34.79 | $ 12.00 | 1 | $ 46.79 |
RAYBESTOS | BH380389 | Brake Hose | $ 15.89 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 15.89 |
RAYBESTOS | MC390268 | Master Cylinder | $ 59.79 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 59.79 |
RAYBESTOS | BH38813 | Brake Hose | $ 13.90 | $ 0.00 | 1 | $ 13.90 |
So, it’s a bit of a miserable task but it is possible to fish a line past the gas tank without removing anything. I’ve done it a few times. Beats trying to drop a gas tank but it’s still not exactly fun. A lot easier to do with the bed off, however. In my opinion, a bed is easier to pull than a gas tank. So if that line isn’t leaking but I have an excuse to take the bed off like a fuel pump, or rust repair or suspension repair or something, well, then it’s getting a new rear line whether it needs it or not because it’s pretty simple right then.
yes you are correct, 3/16th.
I didn’t think to try that, but that makes an awful lot of sense. I have one of the little harbor freight hand vacuum bleeders, which has worked for me on other vehicles, but the best I could do is get spongy brakes. On that particular rig with that bigger trailer, it’s not something I want to experiment with.
, I'll be able to limp it along for a while.
For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.
