Back in the Ranger game

[Hotrodlincoln]

It's the FM-145 as far as I can tell. Has the stamped steel "pan" on the bottom and the trans code on the door sticker is D.

I'll have to see what I can come up with.

Drive shaft length... I know the transmissions are all different lengths, wouldn't the Transfer case be mounted in the same spot regardless, and the difference made up for with an adapter on the extension housing, so the drive shafts will always be the same?
We are talking Ford here... so if it makes good sense to do something, they probably didn't do it that way.

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

PICS!

I found some spots where the tires have been rubbing the wheel well liners in the front. So it'll probably get a body lift in the spring. Along with who knows how many other things.

Also think I may have the transmission noise narrowed down to the 4th gear needle bearing. Anyone know if there's a manual for rebuilding the FM trans online somewhere?

 

[dangerranger83]

Looks just like my dads truck on the inside and my dad has the same rims only his are chrome.

BTW does the A/C work in your truck?

Another goody to add to these trucks are the intermiten speed wipers. Just find a truck with the wiper switch that has it and its a plug and play thing.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Why does that truck look familiar to me...? I swear I have seen one alot like it before.

They probably have a rebuild kit for the FM trans just google it though... The kit I got mine specialized in mazda transmission.

What are you talking about with an intermitten wiper system? you mean like changing the speeds and stuff? I thought all rangers had them. my bare bones 84 does.

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

Well I've read around some and decided it's probably not worth it to rebuild the FM trans. Apparently these have trouble with the 5th gear needle bearing race loosening up on the main shaft which allows it to slide over and eat into the synchro hub. Eventually destroying the 5th gear needle bearing, and the synchro hub. A rebuild kit is roughly $200 plus another 50 for the upgraded 5th gear bearing kit, + shipping. I can buy two junkyard transmissions for that much.

No belt on the AC compressor, but I think I can get it back to working pretty easy. I have access to an AC service machine so a recharge isn't hard to do. A new drier is cheap, and a few O-rings here and there and an orfice tube should have it running good again.

The intermittent wipers are great. Have those on my 84 XLT. Gonna swap the whole column from that truck into this one. I like the horn being on the turn signal stalk.

 

[dangerranger83]

My horn dont work, my tyrn signal switch came off a truck that didnt have a horn on the switch, dad needed a quick fix at the time (it was his truck). I want my horn to be on the steering wheel.

The one thing I wish my truck had was tilt steering.

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

The "tilt" steering on the older trucks doesn't do much. I think my 84 has it, but I don't ever use it.