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

[Curious Hound]

That's fundamentally incorrect in regards to what you are responding to

I was responding with reference to my original post on the subject, which sparked the discussion. I had never before encountered a disc brakes assembly that didn't have bearings installed in the rotor. So I've learned so.ething there. Thank you. I will still say that in my experience, drum brakes really aren't much more difficult to work on as compared to disc brakes. It's just parts. I just dislike having g to mess with tapered roller bearings and their preload procedure. But I've been doing it since the 80's. So, no biggy. I just don't like it.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Thinking about it, I don't recall seeing a cable adjustment on any of my Rangers. Unless it is up in/near the pedal assembly, I'm not sure that there is one.

I had to actually look at mine when I went to the store. Nope... no adjustment there. Then I had to go look at the G-Unit... no adjuster there either... it does have a cam lever coupler to attach front to rear cables.

Not sure why that popped forefront in my mind. But many moons ago when I did this fir a living... I recall having to adjust park brake cables at the equalizer many times.

 

[Curious Hound]

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Not sure why that popped forefront in my mind. But many moons ago when I did this fir a living... I recall having to adjust park brake cables at the equalizer many times.

Might have been on those Volkswagon things you like.

 

[Uncle Gump]

This reminds me to get back on the search for a couple factory manuals. Paper manuals... I somehow lost the files I bought on a DVD. There one day and not there the next.

 

[Curious Hound]

This reminds me to get back on the search for a couple factory manuals. Paper manuals... I somehow lost the files I bought on a DVD. There one day and not there the next.

They're buried deep inside a directory called "Ranger Stuff".

 

[Roert42]

Thank you very much. I can figure out the tools. I'm pretty well equipped for most mechanical jobs.

The big one is the socket for the wheel bearing nut. It’s spring loaded and internal to the axel, more like a bolt, uses a splined socket. Looks like a tone ring for a wss
I think I also bought a tool for disconnecting the parking brake cable. ( after I ending up cutting off the driver side parking brake cable. )

In relation to the axles being discussed, repairing a failed drum brake system is going to involve more work than repairing a failed disc brake system. The discs do have added complexity of also incorporating a drum for parking break, but it rarely fails or needs to be touched (unlike the drums). Yes that parking drum can fail or the shoes wear, but relatively speaking its still an easier repair than a normal drum system since it is less complex and no hydraulics involved

I can’t agree with that. A good rear drum brake needs like less maintenance then a rear disc.

Adding a parking brake to a rear drum addmuch less potential for issues as well. Cable, lever, adjuster.
Rear disc with parking brake either has an entire drum brake assembly inside (asinine) or the ratcheting pistons.

Im convinced anyone who complains about rear drum brakes just doesn’t have a good set of drum brake tools.

 

[Curious Hound]

The big one is the socket for the wheel bearing nut.

I probably don't have that one, yet.

 

[Curious Hound]

The big one is the socket for the wheel bearing nut. It’s spring loaded and internal to the axel, more like a bolt, uses a splined socket. Looks like a tone ring for a wss
I think I also bought a tool for disconnecting the parking brake cable. ( after I ending up cutting off the driver side parking brake cable. )




I can’t agree with that. A good rear drum brake needs like less maintenance then a rear disc.

Adding a parking brake to a rear drum addmuch less potential for issues as well. Cable, lever, adjuster.
Rear disc with parking brake either has an entire drum brake assembly inside (asinine) or the ratcheting pistons.

Im convinced anyone who complains about rear drum brakes just doesn’t have a good set of drum brake tools.
View attachment 120183

That tool in the center in your picture is one of the best tools ever invented.

 

[Roert42]

That tool in the center in your picture is one of the best tools ever invented.

Compared to using needle nose pliers and a screw driver it’s like having sex.

 

[JoshT]

I had to actually look at mine when I went to the store. Nope... no adjustment there. Then I had to go look at the G-Unit... no adjuster there either... it does have a cam lever coupler to attach front to rear cables.

Not sure why that popped forefront in my mind. But many moons ago when I did this fir a living... I recall having to adjust park brake cables at the equalizer many times.

I know that my old truck, the F-100, does have an adjustment at the equalizer. The cables on it are laid out way different though.

 

[Jazzer]

Yesterday I replaced the PCV vale in my ‘07 2.3.

Through the DS wheel well w/ liner removed. I had to remove the oil separator/breather plate and use a heat gun on the PCV retaining cap, as the plastic it’s made of was too brittle to remove until softened by heat. That method saved the retainer for reuse.

It went well, but I’ve decided I like the topside valve cover PCV’s better.

 

[Rick W]

This reminds me to get back on the search for a couple factory manuals. Paper manuals... I somehow lost the files I bought on a DVD. There one day and not there the next.

Have you tried going all the way up the ladder to the C drive and searching by the name or topic? I’ve had things disappear, either they really disappear, or that part of my brain disappears, but then I’ve been able to find them by using the search function when the directory is up on the screen.

hope it helps

 

[Uncle Gump]

Have you tried going all the way up the ladder to the C drive and searching by the name or topic? I’ve had things disappear, either they really disappear, or that part of my brain disappears, but then I’ve been able to find them by using the search function when the directory is up on the screen.

hope it helps

I never dumped files onto my hard drive... it was all on CD.

I put the CD into my laptop... the CD is like wiped clean.

 

[Rick W]

I never dumped files onto my hard drive... it was all on CD.

I put the CD into my laptop... the CD is like wiped clean.

You’ll need a bigger nerd for that one

One last thought, are other CDs working in the same drive without problems?

 

[bobbywalter]

I’m sure you caught in my post that I said cut the nuts, and then use new bolts. That was a typo: cut the nuts, clean the threads, and then use new nuts.

I would find it very hard to believe that the U bolts stretched. They are usually pretty hard steel and they will break before they would ever stretch enough to cause a rattle

The only place they might allow play at the nuts, and the cross brace is, if the crown of the U bolt bent around the springs, that may be possible, but the threaded part or the shaft of the legs stretching? I don’t think that could happen.

you have to take them off anyway, so if you cut the nuts and break them off, you should be able to see if there’s any considerable wear on the bolt threads at that point. If you run a dye over them, you may be able to tell where the dye is cutting through the surface rust, and just barely grazing the actual steel surface where the nuts were. If you do that, and it looks like brandy brand new cut where the nuts were, then I would agree that those threads are probably deformed.

I’m not trying to press it, just food for thought, to hopefully help you think it out as inexpensively as possible.

on 13/14 mm or 1/2 in ubolts, they absolutely stretch and distort. definitely to the point of failure.

that is why i recommend 9/16 minimum if you know you will be swapping parts, 5/8 if you have the room.

i used to swap my spring packs(and destroyed 28 spline axles) alot and learned the hard way.