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Need Help With Fabricating ’92 Ranger Body Mount Retainers (Sleeves) - BAD


rangerenthiusiast

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Hey, everyone.

Taking one last crack at making my own retainers (sleeves) for my body mount hardware before coughing up another $240.00 to LMC for them (I’ve already dumped well over a grand into tools over the last few weeks, trying to save this old lemon, which I only got to drive for a few months before taking her off the road).

So here’s where I’m at. I have new Prothane body mount bushings. I cut the rot out of the tops of the body mounts (which are otherwise solid) and will be welding patches in place. I’m planning to replace a lot of the rotted busing hardware (bolts, washers, spacers, etc) with grade 8 hardware from Tractor Supply. The problem is the d@*n retainers (sleeves) that Ford used directly inside the bushings. On mine, the hardware on all but one mount had completely disintegrated. The one that “survived” is solid enough to give me an idea of how to fabricate new ones from steel tubing welded to large washers, but not solid enough to provide all of the dimensions. Here’s what I have:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bO7nlINXGfmVMwcLc3-Tn3Eqatn4yeqp/view?usp=sharing

As you can see, the bottom sleeve is relatively complete (along with “mushrooming”) and measures .71 in diameter on the mic (not sure if it would be 11/16” or 3/4”):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i0-AcGTus54Huku-b7vEUPFbXFrSSM1U/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Gnr0AOsflPnFXP_E3G_nQOKuPXwB0_I/view?usp=sharing

The top retainer is a different story. Toward the bottom, it has a taper, then disappears into rot, preventing me from knowing how long it should be:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CFU-gohAA1Phj6PQKeF0AEEcCLDK82II/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-eok70CLJ_vVJopmbXVrBxqtHf0gdE4Z/view?usp=sharing

The top of the sleeve measures .91 on the mic, which I’m assuming must include some swelling, since it doesn’t slide into the new busing without a fight:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sc78L1egZ-0dRdbF47JP55PfIZnu8HPH/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tDPDLub_E2OnC8-moi_XZFn_BEd1nUW9/view?usp=sharing

Where it tapers down (at least what’s left of it in that area), shows as .88 on the mic:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-Rk_vJM_xPcGV5LgMgFkgQ9AlQulttl/view?usp=sharing

For their part, Prothane included the following diagram, indicating how the sleeve/hardware/busing set-up is supposed to work:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y1aziTUC6UUmLOoANf23XJcmjJ92neuF/view?usp=sharing

I know from other threads that some of you guys out there have made these retainers/sleeves (I’m looking at you, @AdirondackRanger). For anyone who’s done is successfully, can you please tell me the following?

1. What sizes of tubing did you use? Did they have to be any particular strength/wall thickness? All I can seem to find is conduit, which seems too flimsy...

2. How long should the top sleeve be?

3. How did you accomplish the taper in the top sleeve (I don’t own a lathe or torch to shrink the tubing).

4. When you were done, did you get a nice press fit like the factory, or did you have to live with a bunch of slop and redo the job a few years later?

Thanks so much for any insights. I’m pretty desperate over here... :icon_confused::dunno:

PS - So sorry that I can’t embed photos in the thread. It really sucks, I know. :annoyed:
 
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alwaysFlOoReD

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Without being any more knowledgable than you, I would guess that the tube piece is meant to prevent squishing the bushing too much. If that's the case, then I would be comfortable using conduit or any thinwall pipe or tube, providing that you use some kind of rust preventative such as anti-seize. Then just snug up the bolt and lock nut.....
 

rangerenthiusiast

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Thanks, FlooReD. Anyone else? Could really use the dimensions.
 

AdirondackRanger

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answers.. hopefully

see below

1. What sizes of tubing did you use? Did they have to be any particular strength/wall thickness? All I can seem to find is conduit, which seems too flimsy...
It's been a while. tractor supply sells steel tubing that is a snug fit inside the bushing. it's pretty thick gauge.

2. How long should the top sleeve be?
Top sleeve was longer than the bottom. I made mine so that the top sleeve was 1/4" or so shorter than the thickness of the bushings sandwiching the frame

3. How did you accomplish the taper in the top sleeve (I don’t own a lathe or torch to shrink the tubing).

I don't have either of those. Tractor supply had tubing that fit snug inside the upper tube as well. Again sorry I don't remember the sizes.. The lower sleeve is much shorter than the top.

4. When you were done, did you get a nice press fit like the factory, or did you have to live with a bunch of slop and redo the job a few years later?

To accomplish the fabrication of the upper sleeve I used a vice and a magnetic right angle (also sold a TS). Welded the sleeve inside the washer and ground down the weld flat. The lower sleeve was a little harder due to having the larger diameter hole in the washer and the smaller OD of the lower tubing. I had to use a second magnet to hold the sleeve centered in the washer. Then fill welded the sleeve to the washer and ground down the weld. Once complete the upper larger diameter sleeve bottoms out on the lower sleeves washer. So that the bushings only mushroom a little. As far as I can tell this works the same as the factory sleeves. Keeping the bushings in alignment and allowing a very slight up and down movement and no side to side movement. As far as trying to copy the press fit.. It wasn't something I was trying to accomplish. It's my opinion that the press is only to hold the bushings and retaining nut in place as the frame goes down the assembly line. Since I was using grade 8 bolts and lock nuts.. there was no need to weld the nut to the lower sleeve.
:
 

rangerenthiusiast

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Hey, Adirondack Ranger.

Thanks so much for taking the time to provide all of the helpful info above; it was really kind of you. Unfortunately, I had to end up just ordering the hardware from LMC (too many unknowns, lack of proper tools, continuing health issues, etc). I really appreciate your efforts in trying to help out and hope it can be of assistance to others who may read the thread.

Thanks again!
 

rangerenthiusiast

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Hey, guys.

Got a further question that’s been bugging me for the duration of this project and it’s getting to crunch time. As mentioned, both the tops of body mounts and the sheet metal where the retaining bolts for the bushings pass through the body were rounded out because the PO kept driving the truck with shot bushings and hardware. So when I fabricated plates to weld to the tops of the mounts (which are otherwise in good shape), I cut holes in them for the bushing sleeves to pass through that were ever-so-slightly larger, thus ensuring a snug fit.

I’m assuming that the fit where the bushing bolts pass through the body should also be snug, right? I’m planning to weld some #8 washers to the body where each bolt passes through, so that they’re passing through a hole that’s just barely larger than themselves. My thought here is that while the bushings should allow slight up-and-down movement of the body, the hardware should allow no side-to-side or front-to-back movement. The only reason that I’ve started to question myself on this idea is the fact that all of the bolts use large, thick slotted “washers” in addition to the sleeves, nuts, shims, etc. This would seem to imply that some movement is expected. On the other hand, if the bolts were allowed to slide around, I would think that this would throw the cab out of alignment, right?

Can anyone help with some insights into this? Sorry, but as old as I am, I’ve honestly never replaced bushings before, so I don’t know how things would look if all the damage hadn’t been done.
 

rangerenthiusiast

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I think I might have gotten my answer to the above. By the way, does anyone know what the spacing should be between the rear of the cab and the front of the bed? 3/4”? 1”?

Thanks.
 

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