80's Ranger 4x4 for the Trails

[scotts90ranger]

All right i'll kill em.

On the note of small holes....Here's a pic of a dent in cab edge. There are a few spots like this, inconveniently along the edge so will be a bunch more work than just pulling.
Anyone recommend a particular small dent puller for sizes like this one? I mean the kind that screw in a small hole and then yank. No need to be "paintless" since i'll be doing lots of bondo work anyways.
This truck will never get perfect but it can be fun looking pretty quick.

View attachment 50752

That is right behind the seat belt bolt I believe, you might be able to get in that with something to get it pushed out some... sometimes you have to think outside the box...

 

[eightynine4x4]

In both sides of the cab, water tends to collect here after it rains.
When I slightly lift up the rubber grommet piece near it, some water leaks down and out.
Seems like this is supposed to be a constant floor drain. Is the rubber piece supposed to hold water in or let it out somehow? Are they just old and need to be replaced and are blocking when they shouldn’t be?

 

[Roert42]

The geometry is supposed to keep water from coming in the cab.

would probably be best idea to find where the water is coming in and reseal.

 

[eightynine4x4]

Thanks will do.
I was tightening a shock today and reminded of how difficult it is with these on this truck...
When bolting down a front shock from the top, the internal shock shaft itself will just keep rotating unless you hold it in place somehow which is very awkward since the only spot you can really grab is the large round flat collar sitting just below the mount point of frame. Gotta hold it tight on the lip with some heavy duty pliers and hope you can keep a grip while turning the bolt with socket wrench to tighten it. Am I missing something here? Like why would a company design it so you can’t even tighten it properly? Sure it might be ok when the shock is brand new and your nut and bolt isn’t old and rusty, but it’s a terrible design when removing them down the stretch.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Mine have always had a hex at the top of the shaft so you could hold them from turning.

 

[scotts90ranger]

yeah, that, and some of the aftermarket ones have a hex on the bottom side of the bushing for a 9/16" wrench sometimes...

 

[eightynine4x4]

I decided to take a front shock off and measure it. In doing so, I could also more closely inspect the top area. Turns out it’s just a little flattened up at very top of threads so it has two sides. You could maybe grip it with a vice grip, but even that wouldn’t be easy since it will want to slip still. Additionally, then you can’t use the deep socket anymore to get the nut off. Kinda lame!
Anyways, it actually measures around 12” to around 18.5”. So compared to the ones on skyjacker I scoped with the help of yall, it seems these shocks were properly selected for the 4” suspension lift. Makes me feel lIke I can put this re-shocking on the backburner for a bit and focus on other things.
Also I still haven’t started up the truck and tooled it around the street since reattaching the one loose front left shock. Looking forward to doing that and hopefully noticing a 25% improvement in the general stability .

 

[PNW Paul]

Late to the party, but wanted to pass along that the lift kit you have is made by Rancho, I had a nearly identical kit on my '91 Explorer Sport and it was 2.5" lift. It is quality gear that is worth keeping (or removing carefully for sale to another forum member). It explains the extra spring in your leaf pack, but would say with some confidence that a company with Rancho's pedigree would not have added "block on block" for rear axle lift, so that part was added later by some one w/o much suspension (or safety) knowledge. . .

As for the Explorer rear leaf upgrade, you can probably grab a set from a first generation Explorer ('91-'94) four door at a local Pick-n-Pull for less than $100.00. Might need different mounting hardware (fasteners) for the front of the hangers, but generally a direct bolt-in. Good swap and alleviates the requirement for the blocks as the Explorer leaf pack is under the rear axle, and for the Ranger its mounted on top of the axle - - so 4" of lift, just like that. . .

Last thing, I bet dollars to donuts that those fender flares you have are from Bushwhacker. They made a set called Extend-a-Fender flares for the RBVs in the early to mid-90s, can't say for certain that they made them for the Ranger, but like the Rancho kit, look very similar to what I had on my Explorer Sport. Would also keep those, or if you don't want them would probably make an offer if interested in selling. . .

Note flares below:

Good luck with the project,

Paul

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Explorer springs are not an 4” lift.
Explorers have the springs positioned differently on the frame than a ranger to account for being spring under.

 

[scotts90ranger]

From being stiffer they do add a little ride height, I'm running a leaf pack with some Explorer leaves, some random ones from a friends house, some 3" blocks and about 3/4" taller spring perches on my explorer rear axle and Belltech shackles on my '90 and it's level with about a 6" lift up front.

 

[MikeG]

OK Explorer springs are in fact heavier. But they are also flatter than Ranger springs. So.... you usually get some lift, especially if your stock Ranger springs are kinda squished..... but maybe not 4". Partly depends on how heavy the truck is.

 

[eightynine4x4]

Ok got it. This is second or third person to tell me it's a Rancho front suspension lift so i'm confident now that it is and that it's a respectable quality that i can keep. I bought the truck for what that whole kit might perhaps sell for used, so it's basically a free truck surrounding it. I'm not sold on keeping the body lift but i might. But one factor i'm not looking forward to is lowering the body if removing the body lift. Sounds like a whole lot of jacking with multiple going at once. I'd have to buy more jacks/stands so it gets costly and time consuming vs just buying replacement lift mounts for 100 bucks and starting with a level playing field.

Lot's to do regardless..

I did drive it around the street a bit (no plates yet) and there's a big difference with both the engine torque and the body stability. Having all shocks attached sure helps, imagine that! The engine is just simply tightening up from preliminary basic work. I'm sure after warming up on an actual drive it will get even better. But considering i haven't done very much to the engine yet, i'm feeling optimistic.

For something completely different... I'm ready to start attempting different ways of removing the hand painted grey stuff on the sides of the bed. It might be a primer of some sort..? It separates from the OEM paint cleanly with a pressure washer but it would take me a whole week full time to accomplish it, or more. One small chip every minute. Water bill nightmare.

Pics below. Any ways can I go about this with substances like paint stripper and what not? But without removing all the OEM paint? Doesn't need to be perfect, so flaws are ok and i could patch paint some i guess. Anything is better looking than a bunch of grey brush strokes. I'm looking for a temporary solution here, since i won't be ready to paint the truck until panel/body work is done. Just want this grey stuff off. I don't know what kind of paint it is. Gasoline didn't do anything. Goo Gone didn't do anything. What's the next safest thing to test? Assuming the goal is to not kill all the OEM paint, which does have it's clear coat under there still. So I should try substances that would be aggressive enough to remove a lot of paint types but not strong enough to remove car paint.

 

[Roert42]

Reminds me of that silver roof paint for metal roofs.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

OK Explorer springs are in fact heavier. But they are also flatter than Ranger springs. So.... you usually get some lift, especially if your stock Ranger springs are kinda squished..... but maybe not 4". Partly depends on how heavy the truck is.

I think a shy 2" is about average for a light truck.

I used them will belltechs to delete the factory lift blocks and ended up about an inch higher.

 

[MikeG]

Agreed with 2" or so being typical lift when putting in Explorer springs.... mine was on the low end of that, maybe a bit less, but it's an extended cab and I keep a toolbox on the back, and a bunch of junk in the toolbox and behind the seat. Hey, it's a new form of lift.... clean all the crap out of your truck