'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sneaked it into town to get a couple things done.



I just had the cables ziptied up under the truck from when I had the camper in it last year, got them hooked back up and secured to the swingout.



I also got the under dash gauges so they will either be bright with full 12v power for running in the daytime like in timber without the running lights needing to be on... or off the dash dimmer which makes the brightness much less obscene in the dark.

 

[RobbieD]

Sneaked it into town to get a couple things done.



I just had the cables ziptied up under the truck from when I had the camper in it last year, got them hooked back up and secured to the swingout.



I also got the under dash gauges so they will either be bright with full 12v power for running in the daytime like in timber without the running lights needing to be on... or off the dash dimmer which makes the brightness much less obscene in the dark.

You look like you've put on a little weight over the winter . . .

 

[Jim Oaks]

Funny, I thought the camera made him look smaller.

 

[Uncle Gump]

You need to get yourself a pair of flush cut nippers little buddy...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

View attachment 123877

You need to get yourself a pair of flush cut nippers little buddy...

Those were actually borrowed lol...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Getting kinda tired of these false positive test drives.

Rattle in the shifters is back, I notice the 4wd (front) lever is the one that is doing it when at the forward end of neural. Noticed it had a fair amount of play and remembered it had a loose joint when I did the shifters last fall.

So I snagged another joint and replaced it



Kind of a weird deal, until I got the exhaust reworked last summer it did not have the front driveshaft in it aside from trailrides at TRS events... so the 4wd lever was like never used. The rear shifter I use all the time is still tight like new.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

New discovery of sorts. If you remember right before the Vagabond-TRS 25th the throttle cable broke. Nobody makes a new one for a 2.8 and I didn't have enough time to order one if they did. My FIL managed to save the day and find a 2.3 cable to get me going again.

'85 Ranger Restomod

The A/C has worked but has never really been right, it won't exactly freeze you out and the compressor never cycles. Dad was never super happy with the pressures and suspected something with the orifice tube. When I used it on the road before when I couldn't run with the windows down I would...

www.therangerstation.com

Now on the way out it never really did feel right. It was stiffer because it is longer but it never seemed to quite hit right. Like getting up to interstate speeds I could have it to the floor and while its rate of acceleration didn't feel right. But on the other hand the truck was running heavy (probably the heaviest it ever has for a road trip), it was hot, I had the A/C on and we were running faster than my usual putt around the countryside speed. But it worked.

I was poking around it last night and notice I am way way short on throttle travel. The cable hits the stop about where my secondaries are. I don't think I have my 2.8 cable anymore so I consulted my photo library and sure enough there is a big difference. Note the sleeve vs spring between the two, I know I checked with the 2.8 one would go to full WOT.

2.8



2.3



I might try a cable for a '85 Mustang. They came with a Holley 4bbl so maybe one of those will have enough movement to dump all the coal. It is also shorter than one for a F-150 and fits a bunch of early 80's cars... not sure what else I will find that is closer.

 

[Jim Oaks]

So you're saying you need a drive by wire setup.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

So you're saying you need a drive by wire setup.

I already have that, the wire is fine but the sleeve is too long.

 

[Curious Hound]

New discovery of sorts. If you remember right before the Vagabond-TRS 25th the throttle cable broke. Nobody makes a new one for a 2.8 and I didn't have enough time to order one if they did. My FIL managed to save the day and find a 2.3 cable to get me going again.

'85 Ranger Restomod

The A/C has worked but has never really been right, it won't exactly freeze you out and the compressor never cycles. Dad was never super happy with the pressures and suspected something with the orifice tube. When I used it on the road before when I couldn't run with the windows down I would...

www.therangerstation.com

Now on the way out it never really did feel right. It was stiffer because it is longer but it never seemed to quite hit right. Like getting up to interstate speeds I could have it to the floor and while its rate of acceleration didn't feel right. But on the other hand the truck was running heavy (probably the heaviest it ever has for a road trip), it was hot, I had the A/C on and we were running faster than my usual putt around the countryside speed. But it worked.

I was poking around it last night and notice I am way way short on throttle travel. The cable hits the stop about where my secondaries are. I don't think I have my 2.8 cable anymore so I consulted my photo library and sure enough there is a big difference. Note the sleeve vs spring between the two, I know I checked with the 2.8 one would go to full WOT.

2.8



2.3



I might try a cable for a '85 Mustang. They came with a Holley 4bbl so maybe one of those will have enough movement to dump all the coal. It is also shorter than one for a F-150 and fits a bunch of early 80's cars... not sure what else I will find that is closer.

That’s the most elaborate excuse I’ve ever heard for someone lagging behind the group.

 

[Jazzer]

It’s not possible to use a rotary tool to cut the sleeve back?

 

[Curious Hound]

It’s not possible to use a rotary tool to cut the sleeve back?

Interesting thought. But then the return spring may not be long enough to function properly.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That’s the most elaborate excuse I’ve ever heard for someone lagging behind the group.

It took me 6mo to come up with the story and you saw thru it that quick?

No, that's on me. Convoy speed varied too much for cruise and I get to gawking too much.

I don't need secondaries for cruising, we were running 70+ on the interstate with ease on the way out and back home... just seemed to take longer than it should have to get there.

It’s not possible to use a rotary tool to cut the sleeve back?

I thought about a tubing cutter and tinsnips but the end of it is flared so It doesn't catch on the spring. It would be a lot of work to destroy a possible spare cable if it doesn't work.

 

[Jazzer]

There are brass plumbing flares (ferrules) that fit inside pex tubing to keep them from collapsing in compression fittings.
Like the ones on bottom right;

Amazon.com

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

There are brass plumbing flares (ferrules) that fit inside pex tubing to keep them from collapsing in compression fittings.
Like the ones on bottom right;

Amazon.com

It's all crimped together, there is no way to disassemble the cable without ruining it.

A new mustang cable is like $30.