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07 level II YELLOW submarine


The bed rails of this style Ranger are not flat. They taper down towards the outside. The bed camper top has a flat shape that won't sit flush, so I needed to come up with some sort of gasket, not a typical topper gasket, something that has some height. The top's mating surface is totally flat and in contact at the inside, with a 1/2" gap at the outside.

Enter the color coordinated gasket.....
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This is redneck as I've gotten in awhile.....
 
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The bed rails of this style Ranger are not flat. They taper down towards the outside. The bed camper top has a flat shape that won't sit flush, so I needed to come up with some sort of gasket, not a typical topper gasket, something that has some height. It's totally flat and in contact at the inside, with a 1/2" gap at the outside.

Enter the color coordinated gasket.....
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This is redneck as I've gotten in awhile.....
Is that a length of plastic hose? Ingenious!
 
From lowes, extra section of "no kink" garden hose, better than the new stuff.
 
Getting ready for an excursion out to the south west section of Texas where the tiny towns of Marfa & Alpine are located. Where the local women regularly kick city mens butts. Getting together a group of rockhounds headed off road with the 2wd SUVs. I will have my rigging straps just in case. Somebody needs to bring the tools & stuff (me).

Will be accompanied by Frankie the cardiac nurse (part of my anturage). She was the one with the white knuckles up on Imogene Pass last July.
Here we all are here........:)
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Really the only thing to get done is an oil change, maybe attach some gaskets above the headlight buckets. I've tried various glues and PSAs with nothing staying attached at all. The surfaces prepped with solvent. So time to go with the #4 button heads and tap the thread into the thin clear plastic. I'm using (this time) some door gasket material that slides into place on exterior entry/exit building doors at the bottom. Sweeper type gasket. This plugs the 3/4" opening above the EBAY headlights. I'll post a pic of the problem area before & after. Also a few pictures of the rock hunt.

I stole the above pic from some TV ad, thought it would be an interesting pic of what may be (in my head) when my ship comes in ~haha. Oh yea, that's me in the white suit. Have a super Saturday yall.
 
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Getting ready for an excursion out to the south west section of Texas where the tiny towns of Marfa & Alpine are located. Where the local women regularly kick city mens butts. Getting together a group of rockhounds headed off road with the 2wd SUVs. I will have my rigging straps just in case. Somebody needs to bring the tools & stuff (me).

Will be accompanied by Frankie the cardiac nurse (part of my anturage). She was the one with the white knuckles up on Imogene Pass last July.
Here we all are here........:)
View attachment 118892
Really the only thing to get done is an oil change, maybe attach some gaskets above the headlight buckets. I've tried various glues and PSAs with nothing staying attached at all. The surfaces prepped with solvent. So time to go with the #4 button heads and tap the thread into the thin clear plastic. I'm using (this time) some door gasket material that slides into place on exterior entry/exit building doors at the bottom. Sweeper type gasket. This plugs the 3/4" opening above the EBAY headlights. I'll post a pic of the problem area before & after. Also a few pictures of the rock hunt.

I stole the above pic from some TV ad, thought it would be an interesting pic of what may be (in my head) when my ship comes in ~haha. Oh yea, that's me in the white suit. Have a super Saturday yall.
Every Ranger I know looks just like this. All dressed and ready to change the oil or a tire, or pull a nieghbor out of the mud.
 
Crazy colorful........
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Dry without water even.
Local cuisine was the best....
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In the middle of nowhere.......
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I think I’m going to model my front suspension rebuild after yours! Anything you would change as an afterthought?
 
Lukey81 Thank You!

Q: Anything you would change as an afterthought?
A: Not really, maybe a couple of things...and I'm always willing to give a critique. Just put the work in realizing that to remove the shock, the lower A arm will need to be dropped. Since you won't have the exact kit that I started out with, make sure that the structure that both shock ends connect to are well engineered to support the force of the shock. That is where it connects to the lower A arm & the upper frame mount better known as the "shock tower".

My next step would be to try a "dual rate" spring assembly. The Eibach 800 pound / inch spring is a tiny bit stiff for my stock trim level (no added weight, example- a winch on the front), so while maintaining the added in 2 inch lift, so far so good, but the ride could be slightly softer but only during the initial 1.5" of travel. The adjuster is apx 30% up the threaded section. So that gives me interest in running a softer spring coupled on top of the main 800 Eibach spring, pls note that the final length will be the same height & travel. I should include the stock # but Eibach uses their part numbering system is very simple....2.0-800- (Dia - lbs/in - length) in inches. I would need to change both springs to incorporate 2 springs on each shock to have a "dual rate" setup. Other manufacturers offer a non linear wound spring that someday I may tryout. This setup is more for a much longer shock where installing a "shock hoop", however enjoying a longer A arm(s) and then a longer front drive axle. One day perhaps.

These are FOX 2.0 diameter shocks. The Shock. Well affordable, just take the time to fabricate a reservoir plate and test fit it to make sure that your tire won't hit it. I really should purchase a nitrogen shock servicing kit, bottle included. The fit is very tight, but still plenty of room to do it right. So take your time. Spend a few days up on the jack stands to look at the situation such as the small amount of room needed to move the stock brake line over and what the area should look like while you weld in the tower gussets. (Edit: Fox service techs state that adjusting the nitrogen shock pressure is NOT a way to adjust the compression.)

Take your time to do the custom installation right. Which is a development along the way, ongoing until all the parts are in their place and the only thing left to do is tune 2 things, your overall design & your adjustments within that design.....

So that's the only 3 things I still need to try-
1) Tune the nitrogen shock pressure lower by 10-20% (stock 60/40 valve timing is fine).
2) Try a dual rate spring system (see Eibach spring catalog or other).
3) Soften up the rear axle initial spring rate, it's stiffness makes the front receive weight transfer rather quickly.
4) Top out straps & bottom out bumpers. So far I've had no issues at either end of travel- so far. I removed the stock bottom out bumpers, I believe the shock springs stack up solid at full travel & the springs don't become loose at any point fully extended. Start looking at the exact shock model I used referring to the full extended & compressed lengths.

FOX P/N: 980-02-040. (Copied from Kartek.com)....
Factory Series 980-02-040 Dimensions:
Setup For Single Spring Rate
12" Maximum Spring Length
Typically Customers Purchase a 12" Spring
2.0" Diameter
5.0" Travel
16.420" Extended
11.420" Collapsed
2" x 8" Reservoir
12" Reservoir Hose
0.625" Shaft Diameter
1.25" Mounting Width Between Tabs
Uses 1/2" Shock Bolts
40 Compression / 60 Rebound Standard Valving

5) Inquire if FOX will add a 90 degree fitting to their reservoir.

Please post here any questions you may have, I believe I covered my main concerns along the way here in the Yellow Sub thread, but also feel free to start your own thread and I'll be looking forward & watching, replying with the rest there also. Remember (in shear) Grade 8 hardware for the shocks! - Doug
 
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Doug likes 33s-

Going with my favorite manufacturer lately Mickey Thompson and the worn out 32' x 11.5 x 15s I had, needed to make a decision regarding going up to 33s. 32's are hardly anything available so pulled the trigger and got the 33s. So far so good on the street & parking lots. Only the smallest rubbing detected, but that's only initially in my backyard attempting to see what if anything I should be concerned about driving, parking getting out & looking at full tilt, full left & right steering. I'm just not sure & don't really want any surprises. So now thinking about doing a small block at the rear & moving the upper shock dropout in the shock tower down one bolt hole (there are two) and transfer drilling the second. This will give a conservative 3/4 to 1" lift which will allow me to back off the preload coil spring adjustment on the (front) shock body a turn or so. Front fender lip currently is at 37"

The rear had some new Ranchos, but were more for the stock height, and now I discovered a next longer set in their line up, so going to try those. The rear axle was being held in place by the older shocks limiting any further up travel. The stock U-bolts have an extra 1.5" so their plenty long enough for my almost 1 inch thick home spun spacer block. The locating pin size will be determined (5/8ths or 9/16ths) and installed.

(Shameless plug)> July is coming up for my Colorado excursion (ford word) so getting ready now. Would love to gather ye Rangers. Durango has a nice motel that is very reasonable next to a little flowing creek $50/night called the "Junction hotel & hostel" Including a gem & mineral show (7/11-13/25) a block away. Durango is the perfect basecamp for daily trips up to Silverton (45 minutes north), Telluride and others. Tons of off-road. Lots of great folks doing it. Not to mention the train ride which everyone should experience once in their lifetime.

Getting started as soon as the rain stops, most likely tomorrow. Pics coming.
 
I sure would like to do that trip...

Distance to get there and the thought of Texas in July (sounds way to hot for me) will likely leave me out.

Just food for thought on your rear lift. It's not a good idea to "stack" lift blocks on the rear. Also taller lift blocks lead to a greater chance of axle wrap.

If you need a bit more lift in the rear... lift shackles are a better bet IMHO. I put 1-2 inch lift shackles on my truck. At the one inch setting... no ill effects that I've noticed. I heard people having issues using the two inch setting... leaf spring will sometimes hit the exhaust.

Either way you choose... good luck and enjoy your trip!
 
Driving at altitude, along hwy 40 in New Mexico is avg 4000' elv, in the 90s during the mid summer that far north, however in Durango, (7500" elv) summer nights are in the 50s. Days in the 80s. Mornings there require a long shirt. No flys, no skeeters, no wasps, no ants.

If I can remove the rear stock block (comes OEM w/ a bump stop), I may just screw my new 3/4" block to the OEM one. Thx for the tip. I'm never hard on take off with this rig on the street~
 
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man, colorado is so nice that time of year. its the perfec temp to go out and have fun exploring. i believe we are going to nebraska to see our oldest son since he should be back from his trip out of country
 
The front will stay where it is for now. The upper shock mount is firmly up at the very top of the stock shock tower. I thought the 2ea. 1/2 bolts were in shear, but the bracket is all the way resting at the top inside & bolted. The upper A arm is also very close to the upper frame rail when jacked up. I believe that is all I can get out of with what stock suspension that's left. If the front wants to go any higher, it will require different parts. Exactly what & when that will be if ever I'll see. She's good as she is. There is also a decent chance that if ever I find some decent 32s, the rear lift may lose the blocks and go with a new set of leafs as these are alright, just not 100% fresh, slightly sagging, not flat. Don't want a longer shackle as they will affect the depart angle and drag as the lower plastic rear bumper trim has burrs from the trail rubbing the bottom of the bumper. No widened deep dish cranked up mall crawler stuff allowed :)

The rear went well however > No change in the ride that I can tell with the short drive 1 mile down the road & back.
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3/4 inch higher at the rear ready for some 6ea. 50lb buckets of rock.
Here is how it went down at the rear axle-
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Keeping my original alignment lines-
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Made sure to lubricate the U-bolts using a teflon pipe dope crayon stick.
 
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