Found treasure at the junkyard

[outatime88]

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them. A pair of 2nd gen ranger fog light brackets still on a truck at my local junkyard. Never thought I'd see these babies in person. I even ended up designing and 3D printing my own brackets after thinking I'd never find them lol

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So… out of curiosity how about pics of the brackets you made too? Lol

 

[Shran]

2nd gen? 89-92?

 

[Snoranger]

2nd gen? 89-92?

No, the other 2nd Gen… you know the 3rd Gen.

 

[Josh B]

I think I've accidentally found better stuff than i went looking for, most notably in tools.

Snap on rachets and wrenches, Snap on large screwdrivers.

One day I was out there looking around and it had been spittin rain was rather chilly, I must have been the only one around. Suddenly something landed in the gravel right beside me. I stepped up on the floor of the truck beside me and looked all around, even went walking a few alleys in either direction, nobody anywhere.

When I went back to my rat killin there was an extra long Williams 1/2" rachet on the ground beside me. Apparently it had been left on top of a wheel still on a vehicle and somehow I had bumped it around a little bit

 

[outatime88]

So… out of curiosity how about pics of the brackets you made too? Lol

Here's a photo. The bracket is made of PLA (~80% density) and is holding up well for the past couple of months they've been on. I made it two pieces that bolt together for easy printability.

The holes that are for mounting to the bumper are slotted for adjustability but its a bit of a pain to get it all setup right.

I'm going to use the junkyard brackets I just found as a reference for a new version, but these turned out pretty good without having them.

 

[Josh B]

You printed those? That's cool!

 

[Ranger850]

I think I've accidentally found better stuff than i went looking for, most notably in tools.

Snap on rachets and wrenches, Snap on large screwdrivers.

One day I was out there looking around and it had been spittin rain was rather chilly, I must have been the only one around. Suddenly something landed in the gravel right beside me. I stepped up on the floor of the truck beside me and looked all around, even went walking a few alleys in either direction, nobody anywhere.

When I went back to my rat killin there was an extra long Williams 1/2" rachet on the ground beside me. Apparently it had been left on top of a wheel still on a vehicle and somehow I had bumped it around a little bit

I wondered where I left that ratchet, lol.

I always end up a tool or two short when I leave the JY. That's why I only carry the cheap stuff in now.

 

[outatime88]

You printed those? That's cool!

Thanks! I saw another forum member made his brackets with metal stock, but printing has become my personal go-to for making auto parts that I can't find elsewhere.

 

[wildbill23c]

I find all sorts of "treasures" at the pick a part yards, I leave them there though typically as my pick a part yards don't sell vehicles. I did find a Leatherman Surge sitting on the upper radiator support in an F250 a few years ago. I'm sure someone at the yard pocketed it after I left, I just left it at the front counter with one of their employees, so I'm sure they just stuck it in their pocket. I find random tools in vehicles frequently but they're usually the cheap dollar store stuff, not worth bringing home either.

I should have pulled the roll bar assembly out of the STX Ranger I saw a while back, but I have no use for it and it would be in the way at home so I passed that up LOL. Guess I could have got it and put it in my 87 Ranger, not sure how it would bolt in since my Ranger isn't an STX so it wouldn't have the mounting holes, and it wouldn't work because I have a camper shell on my truck anyways, which is far more useful than a roll bar on a 2WD truck LOL.

 

[superj]

But you could have passed it on to me.

 

[Snoranger]

I should have pulled the roll bar assembly out of the STX Ranger I saw a while back, but I have no use for it and it would be in the way at home so I passed that up LOL. Guess I could have got it and put it in my 87 Ranger, not sure how it would bolt in since my Ranger isn't an STX so it wouldn't have the mounting holes, and it wouldn't work because I have a camper shell on my truck anyways, which is far more useful than a roll bar on a 2WD truck LOL.

None of them had mounting holes until the dealer drilled them.

 

[Josh B]

I find all sorts of "treasures" at the pick a part yards, I leave them there though typically as my pick a part yards don't sell vehicles. I did find a Leatherman Surge sitting on the upper radiator support in an F250 a few years ago. I'm sure someone at the yard pocketed it after I left, I just left it at the front counter with one of their employees, so I'm sure they just stuck it in their pocket. I find random tools in vehicles frequently but they're usually the cheap dollar store stuff, not worth bringing home either.

I should have pulled the roll bar assembly out of the STX Ranger I saw a while back, but I have no use for it and it would be in the way at home so I passed that up LOL. Guess I could have got it and put it in my 87 Ranger, not sure how it would bolt in since my Ranger isn't an STX so it wouldn't have the mounting holes, and it wouldn't work because I have a camper shell on my truck anyways, which is far more useful than a roll bar on a 2WD truck LOL.

Actually I went that route the first time, and I was there daily about 2 weeks straight scavenging stuff for 2 different vehicles, I was new to the gig and going hog wild on the deal, Plus pulling a transmission that did not want to let go.
I had seen some guys at least a couple of days who pushed a yard engine pulling rack into place in a most awkward location. I was much farther back and didn't see much of them but heading out there was a nice little chain there with hooks on both ends and I left it at the desk thinking it must be the yards.
Next morning I asked the guy at the counter then if they have loaner chains and he said no, but that chain was gone, so I figured the counter guy had taken it, since I had been the last one out and first one back.
From there on I just picked em up and anybody ever asked, they'd have it back, but nobody ever did :/

I rather figured it was someone sending their shop hand down to grab a part or something, leaving a string of stuff that never would get figured out

 

[wildbill23c]

None of them had mounting holes until the dealer drilled them.

So the STX was a complete dealer add on package?

 

[Snoranger]

So the STX was a complete dealer add on package?

The roll bar and push bar were.