'85 Ranger Restomod

[85_Ranger4x4]

More of the same on the other side.











The cheesy little POS that I think is the cause of my fun.

 

[racsan]

Maybe a solid axle swap to something that uses a better seal design? But if your like me you prefer the t.t.b. even with the issues it comes with.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Maybe a solid axle swap to something that uses a better seal design? But if your like me you prefer the t.t.b. even with the issues it comes with.

I think that area is an issue with everything.

The kerfuffle is the axle goes in and out of the spindle slightly as you steer so you have that to account for, it isn't just a shaft spinning in a housing.

We fought and fought that area leaking on tractors too (they have gear reduction in the front hubs and had hydraulic oil in the hubs to leak out) They had a fancy "bellow" seal that actually required break-in.

 

[Curious Hound]

More of the same on the other side.











The cheesy little POS that I think is the cause of my fun.

My truck had a flat-ish plastic ring/slinger that backs up that seal. One of them is missing and I doubled up that seal when I did mine a few weeks ago. I haven't checked stuff yet to see how mine looks after the trip. How are your big o-rings on the back of the hub? I could send You a couple new ones if you need them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, the spindle bearing kits came with new seals, plastic spacer washers, dust boots and spindle bearings.

The back side of the seals were nasty too. The dust boots are nearly worthless imo.

One hub o ring was new last December, second was has been on the truck since August.

And I know when you play in water this kinda goes with the territory.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Interesting idea:

It's the cardinal rule for farmers,
"WHERE GREASE IS, MOISTURE AND CRUD CAN'T BE."

By keeping the HUB and the SPINDLE full around the short axle shaft (Stub shaft) in the front,
you NEVER have to worry about splashing a warm hub off in cold water again,
And the air spaces contracting and 'Sucking' in water.

Since there are no 'Air' spaces, they are full of grease, there is no way for water/crud to get in,
No way for it to migrate to the bearings if some does manage to force it's way in,
And you can flush your wheel bearings from the hub grease zerk from the center out without handling the bearings.

With the spindle full of grease, that little dinky spindle seal that is EASILY overpowered,
Is now reinforced by a 6" column of grease the moisture can't penetrate.

In stock trim, if the moisture gets past the spindle seal, and it's TINY and gets PACKED with mud!
The water/crud has direct access to the lockout and wheel bearings!
With the grease column in there, the water has NO CHANCE of getting to the wheel bearings or lockouts from that particular problem prone route...

Water 'Proofing' Ignition, Axles, Hubs, Ect. | Jeep Enthusiast Forums (jeepforum.com)

 

[SenorNoob]

Maybe that's partly why I seem to have fewer problems than others. (And I avoid water like the plague.) Packing things with grease is just the way I learned to do it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Cleanup/inspection continues, I thought I found a better dust seal but it doesn't go on the shaft far enough, leaves like a 1/16" gap. They don't show this seal for a '94 front axle, I swapped the axle shaft last winter so I wonder if it is machine differently for this style seal to work on the newer axles.





Nothing really bad but it doesn't take much to slip the shaft out and check the insides of the splines once you have the spindle off. After they were stuck together last year when I was here it is well worth the effort to look at it.

The fight is getting the boot over the c-clip eliminator spring...

 

[Jazzer]

Looks like you’re nearing the point where you can just sit back and hand him tools…

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Everything is back together:

Pulled it out to put stuff away and do some fall purging. Next thing is efan wiring.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have been playing with it and really even on the Vagabond/Roundup trip I was trying to put my finger on what was going on when with the starting.

I have noticed when it finally does start it often is like when I let go of the key. I have seen bad ignition switches do this in tractors. No sparkles when cranking but as soon as you let the key go the engine is coasting and then it takes off. I can mainly notice it when the engine is warm, cold is so wonky if it is in its funk its really hard to tell.

Now for those of you just tuning in Duraspark has two circuits, one is "run" with 12v choked thru something like a 3ohm resistor (factory is a resistor wire, I have a ceramic resistor) and a "start" circuit which gets pure unfiltered 12v and also adjusts the timing to start easier when warm.

Well I know it isn't my keyswitch because I have the "start" circuit wired on the the starter relay so if the starter works the ignition should be getting its "start" signal.

So tonight I got it to act up again, for giggles I threw on my spare ignition module. Started like I just shut it off. Not very scientific because maybe it was ready to do that with the other module. BUT as a side twist I did notice the connector for the "Start" and "Run" circuits looks like this:



So running theory, bad connection at the connector is cutting juice to the ignition when starting. Engine has to get caught at the right spot in the cycle when the ignition comes on in the "run" setting... if it doesn't get flooded first. If it gets flooded I have to get it aired out and then get fuel back into it and catch it in the right part of the cycle when the key turns to "run"... if it doesn't flood out again. Lots of "ifs" have to line up so we don't get into the vicious cycle of no fire>flooded->missed opportunity->no fire->flooded etc.

Or the timing adjusting part of the ignition module is whacked out and not doing whatever voodoo it is supposed to do in the start position and we get into the same flood/catch-engine-while-coasting paradox.

Given that it does somewhat come and go kinda points to the bad connection, I would think if it was the module it would be more consistent.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Went out tonight after work and hit it, it rolled over and cracked right off. I shut it off quickly to try to maintain the "cold start vibe" and plugged the normal ignition module back in. Started the exact same.

I intend to drive it to work tomorrow so we will see how it does. So far everything is pointing to me disturbing corrosion in that connector when I switched modules.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Makes me wish I had somewhere to store my topper...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Last week I won a new set of bulbs from @LASFIT's Halloween giveaway:

How Did You Decorate Your Vehicle for Halloween Last Year? Let’s Share Ideas! | The Ranger Station

I have tried LED's in my front marker lights before, generic white ones wash out the amber lenses so I stuck them in for my license plate lights and went back to incandescent. So when given the option this time I chose amber bulbs in hopes that it wouldn't overpower my lenses.

194 168 2825 Amber CANBUS Error Free Side Marker Turn Signal Light (lasfit.com)

I received them pretty quickly, they shipped out of California Thursday and showed up today.





Well it is certainly still amber...



And slightly brighter than the old incandescent.



Here you can see the incandescent more from a distance, and note how the LED is lighting up my F-150

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

We also took it for a spin over to the lake. It is freaking squirrely on gravel, without trying I was easily kicking the rear out in four gears without really trying. I suppose it is rather nose heavy and tail light.