Recommendation for Affordable, Detailed Service Manual?

[CeltinWood]

Hello!

New to the Ranger Station as well as owning a Ranger.

My son - during a garage sale - traded a snow blower and table saw for a 1997 4X4 Ranger - regular cab. 3.0 L, 5 speed manual tranny. 120K miles. Great shape except for brake lines. Truck set for a year without moving.....

We need to replace all the brake lines/hoses.

Before we do, we would like to buy an AFFORDABLE yet detailed service manual.

Seems all the manual at the auto parts and book stores are shrink wrapped. You can't review the material to see if it will meet your needs!!!!!

We can't spend $100 + on an official Ford Ranger shop manual.

Has anyone else found a detailed, well illustrated and affordable service manual?

I heard that Chilton's - in regard to the info on braking systems - left a GREAT DEAL to be desired.

How 'bout it everyone. Any ideas!

Thanks!

CeltinWood.

 

[kunar]

haynes and chiltons both suck. you need these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1997...00036355125QQptZMotorsQ5fManualsQ5fLiterature

i know they arent exactly cheap, but it's definately worth it. keep your eyes peeled and you might find them for a better price. i got the one for my truck for about $13 shipped

 

[nitrofan1]

Actually Chilton's isn't bad for the money. I got one at Amazon used for 11.99. I will get the factory ones somday but in a pinch Chilton's works.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have used both Haynes and Chilton.. and yes, they work in a pinch, but they leave a lot to be desired a lot of the time. That said, I have one or the other (or both in the case of my BIIs cuz one truck came with one) and I have referred to them from time to time. Mostly for torque specs.

I've probably learned more on my own from tearing things apart or with the help of people that knew more about working on trucks than I did at the time than out of the books. And TRS along with a couple other sites I visit have helped too. But I've always been more hands-on for learning rather than out of a book.

 

[88_Eddie]

i have both as well, haynes for my exploder and chiltons for my BII. between them and these forums on TRS, i can get by doing just about anything. i have some mechanic friends as well, and that never hurts.

 

[Slim]

I wasn't sure if it was my imagination or not, but years ago Haynes manuals really weren't bad at all. No, they weren't a full-on Helmes manual, being the be all/end all of bibles as far as i'm concerned, but better than nothing and good for the average goofbal DIYer with half-a-clue about which end of a wrench to use.

Nowadays ..... they SUCK! I bought one for Escorts last year, and another for my Ranger and they're both pathetic. Poor explanations, cheap-a$$ short cuts and too few pictures, imho.


Ante up and get those good manuals in that link that kunar provided. (THANKS kunar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) For the money they are truely invaluable. You'll only be hindered by your fear of just how deep into a repair you want to go (i've been inside an auto trans and would go again with one of those books by my side).

 

[kunar]

Ante up and get those good manuals in that link that kunar provided. (THANKS kunar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) For the money they are truely invaluable. You'll only be hindered by your fear of just how deep into a repair you want to go (i've been inside an auto trans and would go again with one of those books by my side).

they really are worth the money. i used to think that haynes/chiltons were nice till i got my FSM. i have a haynes, a chiltons, a clymer and a FSM for my truck and the FSM does better than all the other 3 combined.

oh, look around for these manuals before you just go buy the one in the link. if you watch for a while you might be able to find them for cheaper. here's a couple more that look like a good deal

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...Motors_Manuals_Literature?hash=item4ceb6fd1ec

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1997...Motors_Manuals_Literature?hash=item5d264ba2d9

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1997...Motors_Manuals_Literature?hash=item45eea91e96

 

[king.usmc91]

haynes hands down ...

im goin with haynes ... considering its not the best out there yeah but .. with a lil brain for mechanics .. and that book . there hasnt been anything i havent been able to fix on my ranger .. and iv messed it up just by driver error (wrecking it .. blowing the heads in it .. ) ive done a full top end rebuild (new push rods .. gaskets .. sparkplugs .. getting the heads surfaced .. bascally .. anything on top of the pistons either gettin replaced or repaired ) and i never needed nothing more then a buddie and that book .. i dont go knowwhere without my haynes .. and yeah it dont include 100% what you need .. but i dont think it should .. if it give you 100% instructions on even how to whipe your ass you never learn nothing ..mechanics isnt about memorization .. its about practice,gettin a lil dirty , and knowledge of true hands on experience .. so with out a dought ide got to autoparts and get yah a haynes manual and crack into it

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Woah woah woah. What good is any manual gunna do for this guy anyways? He needs a manual to replace brake lines...

I've never seen in any manual, or in AllData, anything about replacing brake lines.

All he needs to know is; 3/16 line, bend it like the stock lines, don't kink it, use line wrenches, has to be double flared, and only use unions to join lines, never use compression fittings in a brake line.

The bleeding procedure is RR>LR>RF>LF

 

[king.usmc91]

add on ..and you might want to look at this

i just checked my haynes .. and ima quote what it says because if you get ahead of yourself you might be in deep if the lines are still on there and your just simpley putting new lines on it or even .. if the lines are old and have already been bled and not refiled properly .. check this out ..idk all the specs of your vehicle but the haynes covers 93-08(all new models) and it says a few things .. 19 chapers in all for breaks but for your problem check this out . "CAUTION..if the vehicle is equiped with a 4 wheel anti-lick break system (abs) make sure you plug the break line immediatley after disconecting it from the break hose,to prevent the fluid from draining out of the hose , to prevent the fluid from entering the HCU,the HCU on and ABS CANNOT BE BLED WITHOUT A VERY EXPENCIVE TOOL" and i went to another section to see what esle it had to say about it and it said "IF AIR GETS INTO THE HCU YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BLEED THE BRAKES PROPERLY AT HOME AND THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE BE TOWED TO A DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR OUTHER REPAIR SHOP EQUIPPED WITH THE NESSACARY TOOL " but if you can manage to do it right you wont get a spongy break pedel and you can bled your old system conventionaly.. bascally what im saying is after crackin into this thing for a lil bit .. if you still ahve your old lines on it and your just swapping them out with fluid and stuff still in it or with already bled lines on it i would talk to a few shops and stuff first to see if you can even replace them SAFELY at home .. cus if you dont swap them right .. service manaul or not .. you might be in for some un safe driving with a un responcive break pedal .. so i would ask around a few places and tell them what you know about the lines and see wat they say .. oh and if you ask the autoparts place like i did .. they let me take it out the wrapper to look at it first use the whole "the customer is always right " on em lol .. but just some things to keep in mind

-king