Rain water on the floors 86 Ranger

[JamesD]

Just bought a old ranger yesterday. Looking to fix it up nice. One problem I want to address asap is the wet floor boards. I am brand new to rangers so any help to seal the problem right now would be great!

Thanks James

 

[enjr44]

There are five typical reasons for water to get inside the cab and they are all a bitch to find and fix.
Windshield leak, rear window leak, leaking seal on the third stop light on the cab (if the 86 has one), blocked drains under the cowl (they are at the outboard ends) or bad/rusted seams in the box under the cowl (for added fun the ranger cowl doesn't come off, it is welded on) and rusted/open seams in the roof drip rails. They all show up as water under the carpet.

Do a search on this forum and you will find a bunch of chatter and crying posts about fixing this (some from me).

 

[rangerin]

There are five typical reasons for water to get inside the cab and they are all a bitch to find and fix.
Windshield leak, rear window leak, leaking seal on the third stop light on the cab (if the 86 has one), blocked drains under the cowl (they are at the outboard ends) or bad/rusted seams in the box under the cowl (for added fun the ranger cowl doesn't come off, it is welded on) and rusted/open seams in the roof drip rails. They all show up as water under the carpet.

Do a search on this forum and you will find a bunch of chatter and crying posts about fixing this (some from me).

^^^ Pretty much sums it up. I've been chasing the leaks in my '84. Some were through the back window seal. I have a sliding window and the drain holes were clogged causing some to come in that way. My door weather stripping was shot and my windshield leaked. My gutters leaked pretty good also. Now, I just have to deal with a rust hole in the fire wall (but that only leaks if I park uphill). As one could imagine, my floor boards have taken a beating to say the least.

Oh well, that's part of the allure to old vehicles I guess!

 

[JamesD]

Thanks guys if someone could post a picture of these crawl drain gutters I would appreciate it. Because right now its like you guys are specking Chinese to me.. I have a few manuals on the way!

 

[rangerin]

Thanks guys if someone could post a picture of these crawl drain gutters I would appreciate it. Because right now its like you guys are specking Chinese to me.. I have a few manuals on the way!

The rain gutters are above your doors. They leak when the 30 yr. old sealant cracks.

 

[enjr44]

Thanks guys if someone could post a picture of these crawl drain gutters I would appreciate it. Because right now its like you guys are specking Chinese to me.. I have a few manuals on the way!

Did you do the search like I suggested? http://www.google.com/cse?cx=partne...096j11#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=water leaks&gsc.page=1

 

[bobbywalter]

i dont have carpet and all the plugs are out.


it only leaks bad when it rains...and since it dont drip on my feet...... i just let the rivers run....


in my case the fire wall is rotted and split in the middle. sooooo. now i am wondering about making a nice custom firewall which will accommodate a 7.3 diesel....dont laugh....i have a 6.5 in there now and the floors are already custom from the rot of salty winter and abuse of the last 20 sumpin years..my 6.5 is shot and i have a psd that needs a little work out in the yard.


popping the cowl cap off and pulling the windshield is often the only way to properly correct the issues at this point. if you go to a junkkyard with a few batteries and rescue blades in a good dewalt 18 volt sawzall and cut a cowl up you will see the way its constructed and how hard it is to keep the structure together for a factory style fix. the uprights at the door hinges rot as well in the a piller and leak inside and cause all sorts of issues.

 

[bobbywalter]

the little flappy patch that is dirt colored more then the rest on the side of the cowl is the drain....

 

[al881]

I had the same issue. I bought a 2003 last year and resurrected it from the grave.

My problem we was both front and back leaks.
I did the following after determining that the passenger side floor was soaked.

Replaced the third brake light. Gasket inside was dead.
Caulked around rear window. Note that it still has a minor leak but it's not a major item. I will tap my insurance next year to get it replaced.

Here is the major one. After lifting the passenger side carpet up, in the top right corner of the floor where the metal forms together. Way in back under glove to right. My finger pushed right through the metal.

Go get some liquid steel and form it to the metal and your good to go. Dry cab.