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


Rick W

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1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
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4.0 V6
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4.0 & 2.9
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Manual
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Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
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N/A
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235/75-15
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You've been very helpful, thanks. You gave me an idea.

I started out repairing and replacing body and fender parts as well as a few items like a radio. It seems as though today's car parts often snap or twist together, that manufacturers avoid screws, nuts, and bolts whenever possible. In other words, everything is a special trick. So I learned how to fix things either by watching a You Tube or by going down to the Upull yard first and practising and figuring things out.

Granted those Rangers don't have batteries, but maybe I can do something similar for electrical additions and repairs, using a continuity tester first on mine, then going to the boneyard and figured out how/where to hack away.

Electrics will become highly relevant this spring. I will be swapping out those old 60/40 seats with a set of nice leather buckets that came with electrictronic seat controls.
Absolutely right on track. I’ve been doing this for more than 50 years, and I figured out how to do so many things more easily by looking at the YouTube videos, and I frequently abuse derelicts in the scrap yard before I chop mine up! Good luck!
 


scotts90ranger

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Dayton Oregon
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1990, 1997
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Ford
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2.3 (4 Cylinder)
Engine Size
2.3 Turbo
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6
Tire Size
35"
How much lift do you have, what size wheels and what size tires? That’s exactly the Missing Linc’s body, and I want to add some Lincoln 15x7 turbine wheels and tires, but I don’t want to do the work if it’s going to rub. They’re also 5x5, so they’ll also sit out another inch with an adapter. I’m concerned about it rubbing when I turn. Probably will be something like 235/75/15s. Mine is a 2 1/2 inch lift.
Pretty sure it's somewhere around 6" lift, got the parts used... the wheels are 15"x8" and tires are 35x12.50, I did have to trim the back of the front fenders and the front and back of the rear fenders a little but I rolled the edges of both so it doesn't look like I did anything... with 2" lift and 235's you should be fine even with some extra offset on the wheels I would think...
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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So, I’ve actually gone to solder-shrink connectors. it’s a heat shrink tube with a low melt solder ring in it. Put it on and hit it with the heat gun, I even got a battery powered Milwaukee heat gun.

But whether you crimp or solder, definitely use the adhesive lined heat shrink. I’ve been known to add silicone to any connection I’m concerned about or has more than one wire per side.
 

ThatOneGuy

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Make / Model
Ranger Explorer
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
Explorer is 4.0 ranger is 2.3 soon to be 4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
235/75/15
My credo
Let the universe take you where it will !!!
I put some 4 door explorer leafs into my rolling tool chest aka 95 mazda b2300. With the ladder rack and 2 tool boxes, the stock suspension was way over loaded. Now I need to decide on some HD shocks. Truck is just a 2wd beater I found but runs great with the new clutch.
 

ericbphoto

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3.0L
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Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
I will always advocate in favor of soldered wire splice connections on vehicles. Twist the wires together, solder, heat shrink with glued/sealed heat shrink.

Twisting the wires properly helps give mechanical strength. Soldering gives further mechanical strength AND keeps moisture and contaminants from getting inside the connection. The sealed heat shrink gives a little more me handicap strength, protects the outside of the connection from moisture and contaminants and provides electrical insulation to the connection.
 
Last edited:

sgtsandman

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Pre-2008 lift/Stock
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31X10.5R15/265/65R17
I will always advocate in favor of soldered wire splice connections on vehicles. Twist the sires together, solder, heat shrink with glued/sealed heat shrink.

Twisting the wires properly helps give mechanical strength. Soldering gives further mechanical strength AND keeps moisture and contaminants from getting inside the connection. The sealed heat shrink gives a little more me handicap strength, protects the outside of the connection from moisture and contaminants and provides electrical insulation to the connection.
Just wire nut it and be done with it. YOLO!
 
Last edited:

ThatOneGuy

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Ranger Explorer
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Engine Size
Explorer is 4.0 ranger is 2.3 soon to be 4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
235/75/15
My credo
Let the universe take you where it will !!!

lil_Blue_Ford

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Yall do too much just twist and tape:eek::eek::oops::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: lol don't do that.
My 88 the engine would cut out every time you hit a bump when I first got it. I found a main ground wire that was “repaired” by laying stripped wire ends next to each other and wrapping in tape (there was like 5 or 6 of these “splices” in about 18” of wire). It was a mix of electrical tape, friction tape, and duct tape. Every bump would wiggle these ”splices” and cause the engine to briefly cut out.
 

sgtsandman

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Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17

sgtsandman

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4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
My 88 the engine would cut out every time you hit a bump when I first got it. I found a main ground wire that was “repaired” by laying stripped wire ends next to each other and wrapping in tape (there was like 5 or 6 of these “splices” in about 18” of wire). It was a mix of electrical tape, friction tape, and duct tape. Every bump would wiggle these ”splices” and cause the engine to briefly cut out.
You should have wire butted it (this time it’s on purpose)!
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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You should have wire butted it (this time it’s on purpose)!
Hush, you’re not supposed to say anything about the wire nut on my F-150 on the drivers side floor holding the dome light wiring together…
 

ericbphoto

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Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Hush, you’re not supposed to say anything about the wire nut on my F-150 on the drivers side floor holding the dome light wiring together…
tenor-21.gif
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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It was a temporary thing when I found some disconnected wires and was trying to figure out exactly which wires were supposed to go together and well, it’s a temporary thing but I can’t open that door right now to get to it… the cab might crumble off if I open it, so it’s temporary and will be fixed at some point…
 

ericbphoto

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Engine Size
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Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
It was a temporary thing when I found some disconnected wires and was trying to figure out exactly which wires were supposed to go together and well, it’s a temporary thing but I can’t open that door right now to get to it… the cab might crumble off if I open it, so it’s temporary and will be fixed at some point…
One if the things I often like to say is; " Nothing is as permanent as the thing that is repeatedly called temporary. "

:icon_twisted:
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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It was a temporary thing when I found some disconnected wires and was trying to figure out exactly which wires were supposed to go together and well, it’s a temporary thing but I can’t open that door right now to get to it… the cab might crumble off if I open it, so it’s temporary and will be fixed at some point…
I’d say I might just leave it there to upset people, but I have a line on a solid frame and cab… and I don’t really want to cut a perfectly good wire just to irritate people… ;missingteeth; :stirthepot:
 

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