$300 truck on CL?

[mhughes165]

Welding is an example. All handmade fabrication is irreproducible.

You CANNOT guarantee that without an objective quality control process including tracking "outliers." Which is impossible for any one-off.

Some of us actually have worked in quality. It's not as simple as you think. It's a PITA, but rather necessary to make the statements you have asserted.

some of us have actually built solid axle rigs.....and understand what it takes to make it work and be safe....and far more reliable then a stock setup, can u say the same???

 

[blackbronc]

I've been in quality control as a certified welding inspector. I've seen welders (not robots) that can produce xray certified welds while literally smoking a cigarette with the hood up listening to the sound of the burn. I've worked with TIG welders in refineries, nuclear and conventional power plants and paper mills. I've never seen a robotic welder worried about their weld quality or job security. A robot is very consistent but if not setup and maintained it can produce consistently bad welds. Material tracability is a factor as well and I hope nobody is welding old water pipe into their trucks or using coat hanger for filler rod. Seems to me the majority of fabricators out there are responsible and overbuild most of the time.

 

[Speedwagon]

This isn't a damn Benz we are talking about here. Ford quality is NOT top of the line. I realize I'm on a Ford forum, but your are a damn fool if you think Ford is the best there is. Just because it's an assembly line robot, doesn't mean a damn thing about it's quality. It could make 100 crap units, before someone says "oops, I forgot to check that."

But enough derailing my thread...

I bought the damn thing. It drives quite well, and shifts better than my truck. The trans was totally rebuilt some miles ago, by a reputable shop. Doesn't blow any smoke either. Don't like the gears, as it's a 3.73 open diff.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If you consider the axles alone, sure.

If you consider the complete system, YES a factory installed D28 is more reliable than a custom installed D44. It's not just the axle itself that might fail.

The factory installation has been through quality control, and presumably hundreds of thousands of miles of "proof testing."

The thing is, welds aren't anywhere near of uniform quality unless a robot makes them and the rods and stock are from uniform suppliers. There will ALWAYS be guessing about the quality of any particular weld (at least without an X-ray machine), as testing it requires breaking it or sawing it in half.

So I take it you run 25psi in the tires on your Explorer then right? After all that is what Ford tested to give the best ride and performance when it was built.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

This isn't a damn Benz we are talking about here. Ford quality is NOT top of the line. I realize I'm on a Ford forum, but your are a damn fool if you think Ford is the best there is. Just because it's an assembly line robot, doesn't mean a damn thing about it's quality. It could make 100 crap units, before someone says "oops, I forgot to check that."

But enough derailing my thread...

I bought the damn thing. It drives quite well, and shifts better than my truck. The trans was totally rebuilt some miles ago, by a reputable shop. Doesn't blow any smoke either. Don't like the gears, as it's a 3.73 open diff.

Any pictures? Considering what else it has for gear options it could be a lot worse.

 

[Speedwagon]

Any pictures? Considering what else it has for gear options it could be a lot worse.

These are the pictures he sent me before I went up to look at it:

 

[sparkdic]

Its looks to be damn nice for the cash. If it were me I'd say look at my new trail toy, its nice enough to put some time and effort into but not too nice that ur trashin a possible show peice. honestly i wouldn't try to swap any parts from it to the other truck, leave the other be a nice driver and use this one to play. Spray a cheap-o single stage paint job on her and down the road, turbo that lil 4 banger... Take it out and give those toyota guys a run for their money...

 

[mhughes165]

for the money u got a sweet ass deal, and whats even better, if u trash the truck beyond it being road worthy anymore and the trans is still fine, u can sell that for what u bought the truck for, those 4cyl 4wd's are a RARE BIRD indeed, i say toss a body lift on it, thorw some agressive ass 31's, get 4.56's for it and weld the back and ull ahve one fun ass little truck

 

[blackbronc]

There's an Xcab 88 2.9 stick 4wd on craigslist here in better condition than that one. Also $300. Wish I had somewhere to keep it.

 

[MAKG]

There's an Xcab 88 2.9 stick 4wd on craigslist here in better condition than that one. Also $300. Wish I had somewhere to keep it.

Wanna take bets on cracked heads?

Either that, or it has been rolled or won't smog.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Wanna take bets on cracked heads?

Either that, or it has been rolled or won't smog.

Good sheetmetal, tranny, axle... still well worth $300 imo

 

[blackbronc]

I didn't say it was perfect. We won't ever know who would win that bet. It very well might not pass smog. Many more cars in Cal will not pass this year because of new regs that went into effect Jan 1. Based on your rules I think you lose though, It runs great and the body is very good. The rear window is broken out, definitely not from a rollover. They stopped driving it when the clutch went away. You couldn't buy it in parts from the wrecking yard for $300. Smog and registration could easily cost more than $300. My clutch in my BII cost $8 so I'm writing that off. The back window $25. Under $700 for a 4wd seems pretty reasonable to me. $300 is hardly a big investment nowdays.

 

[MAKG]

If the heads are cracked, your $300 estimate is very low, especially if it has been left that way for a long time.

 

[blackbronc]

Must not of been too bad. It's sold today. Vehicles are a commodity to be bought and sold. Parts is Parts.

 

[blackbronc]

I have another set sitting on the shelf behind me. Cost $0