94 Ranger 2.3L SOHC, Body Mounts and I-Beam Bushings

[johnny71]

Well it looks like I'm overdue for some new body mounts on my Ranger. I started noticing my front right side bouncing when I hit bumps. Took a look underneath:



I also found that on the driver side, furthest back body mount, that the hardware bracket that is bolted and rivoted (anyone know why one side is rivoted and one side is bolted) into the frame has deteriorated.

So a few questions relating to body mounts.

1) Where can I find the body mount hardware cheap? Does anyone have information on bolt/nut/washer sizes?

2) Where can I find the body mount bracket that bolts onto the frame on the driver side near the gas tank?

3) Given how close the gas tank is in regards to the frame, would that have to be dropped and moved out of harms way to grind off the bolts and rivots that are holding the deteriorated bracket? (Please say no!)

Next issue are the I-Beam bushings. They are deteriorated as well:


Some questions:

1) The polyurethane replacements don't come with a sleeve. Is there somewhere I can buy this sleeve?

2) Are these bushings pressed in? If so what's the best method to replace them? I assume the whole beam would need to be removed from the truck?

This truck has 160,000 miles on it. Most people tell me its not worth doing this but I really want to get the most out of this vehicle.

Thanks

 

[strvger]

assuming you are installing new mounts for the bed as well, the easiest way to the tank is right on top of it after you lift your bed off. for mount kits, try here on trs in the parts link at the top right of this page, summit racing, ebay, etc. got mine for about $50 plus shipping iirc.
as for the other questions, i'm sure someone with more knowledge than me will have answers for you soon.
good luck with your build and welcome to trs!

 

[johnny71]

assuming you are installing new mounts for the bed as well, the easiest way to the tank is right on top of it after you lift your bed off. for mount kits, try here on trs in the parts link at the top left of this page, summit racing, ebay, etc. got mine for about $50 plus shipping iirc.
as for the other questions, i'm sure someone with more knowledge than me will have answers for you soon.
good luck with your build and welcome to trs!

Thanks for the welcome. Yeah I found the body mount polyurethane kit at summitracing, that's no problem. The problem is the hardware to install them .

I'm just doing the cab mounts atm.

 

[strvger]

the old ones can be a bear to get out, especially the ones at the very front of the cab. if they don't come out they can be drilled out then replaced with grade 8 bolts/washers/nuts of the correct length. search the threads for body mounts as there are some really good write-ups i've seen here. here is the link to the tech library article. it's also for a body lift, but the new mounts are there as well.
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/bodymount_lift.htm

 

[johnny71]

OK I'm back for more questions.

I took a look in a Ford Service Manual to see if I could find more specifications on bolt and fastener sizes and found nothing but part numbers:

N807248
N802289
N804609
N621946
N800788
N804610
N807248

However these part numbers must have changed because google and ford's part website can't find those numbers. So I went to the Ford part website and did some looking and found a diagram:



After looking at the diagram I have become even more confused as to what I need. The front body mount bolt part # differs from the other cab mount part #'s. There's also some kind of shim on the front body mounts.

I highlighted what I think I need in RED and questionable parts in PINK:


Hopefully someone can help me figure out what it is I exactly need to do the job right. I did some searches on here and couldn't find specifics on sizes.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've pulled one cab off a '88 ranger and the shank size is ~ 1/2" [13 mm]I didn't think to keep track of lengths, but you can buy [ like strvger said ] grade 8 bolts and washers and lock nuts of the correct length after removing your old ones. You should be able to reuse your old washers [ n800788-52 the big ones with the cross in the center] or if too bad make your own. I didn't replace the cab so I have no knowledge of the actual body mount availability. I didn't see any shims- %00145 -on my truck. The rubber bushings and the funnel shaped washers were destroyed when I removed the cab, even though I tried to save them. The only way I was able to remove them was with a zip disc and cut them apart.
Hope I helped,

Richard

 

[johnny71]

Thanks for all the input, going to get the parts in and have a go...

Now what about those axle pivot bushings, any tips?

 

[machine090767]

LOL nobody has said the obvious: 1994 2.3 SOHC? there is no such thing.
thats like me saying 2001 4.0 Duratec.

 

[exbass94]

LOL nobody has said the obvious: 1994 2.3 SOHC? there is no such thing.
thats like me saying 2001 4.0 Duratec.

Umm, the old Lima 4 cylinders engines are SOHC. There is one camshaft, located in the cylinder head above the valves. By definition, it is a SOHC.

 

[johnny71]

Well I decided to try to work on the Axle Pivot bushings first. So far nothing good. The left side bolt and nut seems less corroded so I was trying to take that off so I could get new hardware. Will not budge (I could shear it though if I wanted to ). Using a 1/2" drive 24" long breaker bar. Soaked it a few times with Deep Creep, ordered some Kroil Aero Kroil to see if that'll help.

While trying to break loose the nut I noticed that the top piece of the I-Beam that is rivoted into the frame looks pretty corroded and weak. Maybe I can just drill out the rivots and put new hardware in to secure it better, or maybe its time for a new I-Beam...

 

[machine090767]

Umm, the old Lima 4 cylinders engines are SOHC. There is one camshaft, located in the cylinder head above the valves. By definition, it is a SOHC.

ok, you are techinally correct, but Ford never called those engines SOHC. Just Lima, then Duratec. the SOHC Ranger is known as the 4.0 2001+

 

[exbass94]

ok, you are techinally correct, but Ford never called those engines SOHC. Just Lima, then Duratec. the SOHC Ranger is known as the 4.0 2001+

That's not the same thing. Ford didn't "name" those engines SOHC, we simply call them SOHC to differentiate it from the 4.0 OHV, since they're both the same displacement, and the main thing that differs between them is the camshaft configuration.

Names like Duratec, Scorpion, Hemi, VTEC, are registered trademarks of Ford, Chrysler, Honda, etc. SOHC is not. Like I said, it simply means that an engine has one camshaft in each cylinder head above the valves. Saying the SOHC refers to ONLY the 01+ Ford 4.0, is like saying a "push-rod" engine refers to a 350 SBC only, just because it uses push rods. Many, many other engines have push rods too, and many, many engines are SOHC too. My 92 Accord has a SOHC engine.

 

[johnny71]

Well I finally have time to work on this project...

I decided to try and break loose the left side axle pivot bolt nut first. The nut wouldn't break loose so I just broke it off. Then I went to the head of the bolt and broke it free...thought I was in the clear now. Nope!

The bolt just spins and spins now! So where do I go from here? Should I just take an axle grinder to it and take the bolt head off?

UPDATE:

It appears there's a metal washer or something that is spinning with the nut side of the bolt. Is this preventing it from threading?

 

[johnny71]

OK....

I removed the right side rubber spacer and can now see the problem. It appears the bolt is stuck inside the metal sleeve, and when you go to remove the bolt the sleeve just spins with it.

I sprayed some more penetrating oil on the end of the sleeve. If this doesn't work hopefully removing the left rubber spacer will allow me to just pull the whole sleeve out with the bolt.

 

[strvger]

can't help you with those pivot bolts. my 1st generation ranger is different. hope the body mounts go easier for you. keep us posted!