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


ekrampitzjr

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2WD
Forgot to mention I used my Ranger to get a new mattress. A twin-bed mattress fits nicely and snugly in the bed with the tailgate closed. No need to tie it down.

Nice to have a better mattress too. Ironically, this one came from Ollie's (a chain like Big Lots) and is a lot better than the one I bought just over a year ago from BJ's Wholesale Club. I'm a big guy and hard on mattresses, but the old one was just plain crap. I have a sleeping disorder and can use all the help I can get when it's time to rest.
 


Maritime Drag Racing

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Ford Ranger
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V8
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355 Chevrolet
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Automatic
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2WD
Total Lift
0
Total Drop
0
Tire Size
27 X 5 X 15 Hoosier front - 9X30 Hoosier rear(slicks)
My credo
Race it - Break it - Fix it - Repeat
I thought limit straps were usually flexable and intended to prevent breakage of motor mounts, or at least keeping the engine from exiting the bay when the mount let go.
It already has solid motor mounts but the 3/8" bolts kept loosening almost a full turn after a season. Not enough to cause a problem but the new strap just adds a little more. Full front motor plate and midmount coming this winter. Only flexible mount is on the transmission.
 

Maritime Drag Racing

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Vehicle Year
1987
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Ford Ranger
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
355 Chevrolet
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
0
Total Drop
0
Tire Size
27 X 5 X 15 Hoosier front - 9X30 Hoosier rear(slicks)
My credo
Race it - Break it - Fix it - Repeat
It already has solid motor mounts but the 3/8" bolts kept loosening almost a full turn after a season. Not enough to cause a problem but the new strap just adds a little more. Full front motor plate and midmount coming this winter. Only flexible mount is on the transmission.
Also transbrakes will break anything but a solid engine mount LOL.
 

sgtsandman

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Location
Aliquippa, PA
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2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
Washed the 2011 and discovered where the slow leak is on the one problem tire. It's leaking around the valve stem as evidenced by the bubbling of the trapped water in the valve stem area. Nice to have an answer on what the issue was. I was thinking it was a bead seat leak.
 

JoshT

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2WD / 4WD
4WD
Since I got the hub assemblies yesterday, it kind of triggered the move to start ordering the rest of the parts. RockAuto whole sale closeout came through for CV axles to finish out my live axle conversion for less than $100 total.

Also ordered a set of drop torsion keys, as that'll be happening at the same time the axle conversion goes in. Could have just removed adjuster bolts and/or flipped the keys, but I'll be more comfortable about it having the drop keys and adjuster bolts installed. Also ordered a set of the super short shackles. Don;t know if I'll use them, but I'd rather have them on the shelf since I don't know what combo I'll need to drop the back end to match the front.

Now I just need to figure out what thickness I need for spacers for the wheels I've got.
 

Maritime Drag Racing

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Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
355 Chevrolet
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
0
Total Drop
0
Tire Size
27 X 5 X 15 Hoosier front - 9X30 Hoosier rear(slicks)
My credo
Race it - Break it - Fix it - Repeat
Final piece of the two piece to one piece driveshaft swap. Hybrid U-joint was needed to fit the TH350 yoke to the Ranger driveshaft. Ranger shaft has external clips and the TH350 yoke has inside ones.

20230606_140919.jpg
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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Manual
Well, I’m back home after dragging the choptop around a bit. It’s now sitting at Paul’s and the newly used motor is on the F-150, along with the engine stand and engine hoist. Tomorrow starts that project. Got some other things I have to deal with tomorrow so I dunno how exactly it will go, hopefully well. Not like I haven’t had a lot of practice with this. Last time only took a few hours, but I might be moving a little slower these days.
 

97RangerXLT

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1997
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Engine Size
4.0
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Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2"
Tire Size
31"
Vacuumed it out and cleaned the center cup holder which was nasty

AJ
 

Blmpkn

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2.3
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2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2.5"
Tire Size
285/75/18
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Its probably better to be self deprecating than self defecating.
Ever since dunks switched to paper cups with poorly fitting lids my cupholders have been a nightmare lol.
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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All my white t-shirts look like I just started learning to drink. Cupholders are no better. Coffee stains quickly make workshirts of any t-shirt I wear...
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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All my white t-shirts look like I just started learning to drink. Cupholders are no better. Coffee stains quickly make workshirts of any t-shirt I wear...
This is part of why I pretty much refuse to wear white shirts anymore. One little whoops that would never be noticed on any other color make the shirt look like it was worn by a two year old when it comes to white shirts. Most of my shirts anymore are grey or black. The grease smudges and stuff blend right in after a wash or two…
 

lil_Blue_Ford

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So after a whole lot of ridiculous jumping through proverbial hoops and wasting a whole bunch of time and gas, I started stripping down the motor in the choptop this evening. Thinking the power steering and the lower intake with the fuel rail I’ll just flip out of the way so it’s less I actually have to disconnect. Everything has been apart a stupid number of times so that’s not really a problem. Getting my head wrapped back around this project has been a little more of a challenge but we’re figuring it out. Only potential bad news at this point is that I forgot we didn’t get the oxygen bottle for my torch set filled. That’s annoying because I’ll have to disconnect it and run it over to the weld shop if I need the torch, but at the same time, the weld shop really isn’t far away and they’ve been pretty good to me so far so it’s really just that the time crunch is on and I’m a little less than happy I might have to burn a little more time and gas, however little it is.

At any rate, it shouldn’t be the end of the world. I got the money for the oxygen fill if I need it and this is all pretty straightforward at this point. If I can manage not to break anything I need in the process, it shouldn’t be all that bad. Not setting any records with this swap, but for what time I’ve actually been able to put in it and all that’s going on, I’m not complaining. It should be together tomorrow, even if I have to fill the oxygen and deal with broken stuff. That should get her going again and I can make pretty later as long as it goes like it should. If there’s a hiccup along the way I’m not figuring on, well, I gave it a heck of a try to have it going for JeepFest and nobody can say I didn’t. I’ll take the F-150 if I have to to camp out and spend some time with a buddy I don’t see much. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you tried, even if life kicked you in the balls.
 

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