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

[CamTheHedgehog]

I installed new pads and rotors. That completes the front suspension project. New upper and lower control arms, inner and outer tie rods. Both lower ball joints and one outer tie rod end was toast after 17 years and 206,000 miles. I think they may have lasted longer if the dust boots didn't disintegrate. Now it's nice and shiny!

View attachment 120059

I need to get it aligned and acquire a new set of those flexible splash shields so the alternator and the sides of the engine doesn't get drowned when it rains.

I got rid of my rubber splash shields over a year ago since they had torn, and I’ve had no issues. That said I had trouble finding a new set for a decent price which was a decent amount of my reasoning to leave them off.

 

[Bill]

I got rid of my rubber splash shields over a year ago since they had torn, and I’ve had no issues. That said I had trouble finding a new set for a decent price which was a decent amount of my reasoning to leave them off.

I had one off a few years ago. I managed drown the alternator in heavy rain. I have a 2.3L, so it is probably the position of the alternator on my engine. It looks like an aftermarket set is $26.

Ford - FORD Ranger 98-11 - Detroit Muscle Technologies, LLC

www.detroitmuscletechnologies.com

 

[Uncle Gump]

I got rid of my rubber splash shields over a year ago since they had torn, and I’ve had no issues. That said I had trouble finding a new set for a decent price which was a decent amount of my reasoning to leave them off.

I bought a set on Amazon.

Garage-Pro Engine Splash Shield Set of 2 Compatible with 1998-2006 Ford Ranger https://a.co/d/1WY3NYL

I got them right about the time I was moving and have not seen them since. Likely in storage. After getting them I've read a couple times from others that they had bought two passenger side shields and modified one of them to fit the driver side. The driver side from the factory is rather small as shown in my link.

In the rust belt... it really does keep the salt spary out of the engine compartment.

 

[ben_2_go]

I had one off a few years ago. I managed drown the alternator in heavy rain. I have a 2.3L, so it is probably the position of the alternator on my engine. It looks like an aftermarket set is $26.

Ford - FORD Ranger 98-11 - Detroit Muscle Technologies, LLC

www.detroitmuscletechnologies.com

Thanks for posting that. Mine fell off around 15-16 years ago on my 2001. I've never had any issues with my 2.5 with auto. Never experienced belt squeal while driving in the rain or the rare snows we have here. I have been in some vicious downpours and floods half way up the doors without those splash shields in place. I could see the guys up north wanting them to keep the salt goop out of the engine bay as much as possible.

 

[MT_PLS]

I picked up another 2.3L a couple of months back that they seller said they had professionally rebuilt, bored .030 over, balanced ARP hardware throughout, etc. and only had ~20k miles on it. He was advertising the engine and a low mileage M50-D with transfer case for $1000. I offered $800, and he took it. The only thing that made me wary was the timing belt was off the engine and the valve cover was loose when I went to pick up the parts. He also made a comment about the head being brand new, but had lapped the valves in himself, which was another red flag.
Well, I had yesterday off thanks to my company deciding that ONLY veteran's get Veteran's Day off, so I went to my buddies shop and proceeded to pull the head off the engine. The seller wasn't kidding about the ARP hardware or the .030 overbore or the home lapping job. The intake valve on cylinder number 4 was fairly black. No other issues could be visually seen. So I drove the head to a trusted machine shop 45 miles away. He scoped it real quick and said that the intake valve was off by about a .001 or so. He is going to disassemble and check everything over and should have me a healthy head back by the end of next week.
I will then reassemble the engine and swap it for my current engine, which is sucking a quart of oil every ~500 miles thanks to bad valve seals.
It will be nice to have a healthy powerplant to go in my truck. I plan on swapping the M50-D at the same time since the shift bushings are in fantastic shape and my current M50-D has more slop than the local pig farm.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yesterday the fenders got temporarily bolted on the 88 and more work was done to prep it for moving. I also found like 30 stainless and brass brake line flare nuts, so that was a win, I had no idea I had lost them in the truck. There’s so many parts and pieces stuffed in that thing…

 

[Curious Hound]

Tried to rebuild my rear brakes. Sad outcome. Passenger side went well. Driver side, something is keeping the shoes from moving in to what should be the rest position. It seems like the spreader bar is holding them apart. Because if I squeeze the bottoms together, the top separates from the mani pivot boss. If I squeeze the top together, the bottom separates and they want to go off-center. I haven't checked operation of the parking brake cable yet. If that's stuck in a partially engaged position, I guess that could cause the issue. Everything came apart fine.

Also found my axle/spring u-bolts loose. Very loose in driver side. Just a tiny bit of play on passenger side. Hosed down the nuts with PB Blaster a few times. They won't budge. I'll try again tomorrow. But it looks like I need to source new u-bolts. I had these custom made at a big truck spring shop and they were expensive.

That ain't s'posed ta do dat.

youtube.com

 

[SenorNoob]

But it looks like I need to source new u-bolts. I had these custom made at a big truck spring shop and they were expensive.

Are those 5/8ths? IF so Ruff Stuff sells just about any dimensions you could need at $13 each.

 

[Curious Hound]

Are those 5/8ths? IF so Ruff Stuff sells just about any dimensions you could need at $13 each.

Thanks. That might be in the ballpark of what I paid locally, years ago. Ruffstuff wants $52 for 4 u-bolts plus $25 shipping. I signed up for texts and emails so I could get a 10% off promo code. But the site won't apply the code to my order. Kinda ticks me off a bit.

 

[snoranger]

Tried to rebuild my rear brakes. Sad outcome. Passenger side went well. Driver side, something is keeping the shoes from moving in to what should be the rest position. It seems like the spreader bar is holding them apart. Because if I squeeze the bottoms together, the top separates from the mani pivot boss. If I squeeze the top together, the bottom separates and they want to go off-center. I haven't checked operation of the parking brake cable yet. If that's stuck in a partially engaged position, I guess that could cause the issue. Everything came apart fine.

Also found my axle/spring u-bolts loose. Very loose in driver side. Just a tiny bit of play on passenger side. Hosed down the nuts with PB Blaster a few times. They won't budge. I'll try again tomorrow. But it looks like I need to source new u-bolts. I had these custom made at a big truck spring shop and they were expensive.

That ain't s'posed ta do dat.

youtube.com

Your brakes aren’t partially applied… it just feels like it because you have a 3.0L.

 

[scotts90ranger]

While cleaning the shop I took a break and tried the key maker to make a key for the '97 Ranger and wouldn't you know it it even works! Nifty, wasn't too bad, didn't have the key for the F350 in the shop so I didn't copy it yet, maybe tomorrow...

 

[Rick W]

Tried to rebuild my rear brakes. Sad outcome. Passenger side went well. Driver side, something is keeping the shoes from moving in to what should be the rest position. It seems like the spreader bar is holding them apart. Because if I squeeze the bottoms together, the top separates from the mani pivot boss. If I squeeze the top together, the bottom separates and they want to go off-center. I haven't checked operation of the parking brake cable yet. If that's stuck in a partially engaged position, I guess that could cause the issue. Everything came apart fine.

Also found my axle/spring u-bolts loose. Very loose in driver side. Just a tiny bit of play on passenger side. Hosed down the nuts with PB Blaster a few times. They won't budge. I'll try again tomorrow. But it looks like I need to source new u-bolts. I had these custom made at a big truck spring shop and they were expensive.

That ain't s'posed ta do dat.

youtube.com

Can you slice the nuts at 1/3 and 1/3, without damaging the threads, and break them off? Then run a die over the bolts to clean up the threads, and then just use new nuts?

My first thought was to heat everything up with a torch, but for that application, I would be afraid that if you heat up the U-bolt to much, might change the strength of the U-bolt, which could have a bad result. Maybe also doublenut them.

My two cents, hope it helps. Nuts are cheap, so am I.

 

[scotts90ranger]

A little heat and PB blaster wouldn't hurt, as long as you don't go til it's bright red you shouldn't hurt the temper... On my F350 when I lowered it with F250 blocks that are like an inch or so shorter I broke one U bolt off at the edge of the nut but that was fine in my case so I just went to the store and bought one new nut

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Tried to rebuild my rear brakes. Sad outcome. Passenger side went well. Driver side, something is keeping the shoes from moving in to what should be the rest position. It seems like the spreader bar is holding them apart. Because if I squeeze the bottoms together, the top separates from the mani pivot boss. If I squeeze the top together, the bottom separates and they want to go off-center. I haven't checked operation of the parking brake cable yet. If that's stuck in a partially engaged position, I guess that could cause the issue. Everything came apart fine.

Also found my axle/spring u-bolts loose. Very loose in driver side. Just a tiny bit of play on passenger side. Hosed down the nuts with PB Blaster a few times. They won't budge. I'll try again tomorrow. But it looks like I need to source new u-bolts. I had these custom made at a big truck spring shop and they were expensive.

That ain't s'posed ta do dat.

youtube.com

Yeah, definitely check for a sticking brake cable.

That seems a little concerning that the au bolts are loose but the nuts don’t want to move. Considering that you off-road the truck, new bolts probably aren’t a bad idea.

So far I’ve bought U-bolts from a parts store (it was a situation where I needed it yesterday), I’ve had them made at two different local spring shops, plus I’ve ordered them from ATS and Bronco Graveyard. All but the parts store ones looked like they were bent on the same machine with the same stock. Guessing there aren’t too many different U-bolt bending machines out there, lol

 

[Curious Hound]

The parking brake cables are sliding fine. However, I believe they are the issue and it's a self-induced problem. Disconnected driver side cable and everything assembled fine.

When I built and installed my rock sliders, one of the brackets interfered slightly with parking brake cable position., kicking it out of line with the original natural path. Because of where it is and how all of it mounts to the bracket at the spring perch, that is requiring extra length on the driver side cable and not allowing it to release fully at the wheel.

So, a new project to build a new cable bracket to relocate the brake cables so they allow full movement.

I'll definitely order new u-bolts. Either the bolts have stretched or the threads are beginning to give way. And in either case, new bolts are the only proper solution.

This view shows how much the cables are kicked out of alignment.