"RR94"

[Jim Oaks]

Why would you want to replace old brake hoses? It's so much fun when they collapse and you're trying to get home with your brake caliper stuck grabbing the rotor.

Had this happen on my Ford Excursion, and my daughters Chevy Cobalt. What a nightmare.

 

[Denisefwd93]

I hear you on that Jim I had a brake fire on one of my Fieros years ago the rear calipers have a terrible design, I also had bad hoses,. I had to cut one open just to see and yes they actually do collapse inside!

 

[Denisefwd93]

It finally stopped raining. So things are looking up and "hey might be able to get this thing back together today!" I was thinking.

What whoa,?!

"D, look at that, 2 lines connect to that brake hose, you can't see the one because it goes in the back where the clip holds that little block in place the frame".

BREAK TIME!

 

[Denisefwd93]

Update! Well because we wanted to work on my truck this week; it rained all week.

Front brakes, rotors are on, new front brake hoses, seat of the pants wheel alignment done, looks like Ieft side camber needs a bit more +

The beast seems to stop on a dime in the driveway, I don't know why I'm afraid to take it for a drive.

I still want to get the back wheels taken off, check the back brakes and bleed the the back brake lines,

Giving Ron his just due, also going to put in a192 thermostat, the Beast just won't warm up! ( Really wondering about the radiator at this point was it replaced? apparently yes, because it has automatic transmission cooler connections I don't think a factory manual shift truck would have.

Could a replacement radiator or oversized replacement radiator keep the truck from warming up? Will see!

Picked up an oxygen sensor for Bank 1 if I understand it right it's the right side with number one cylinder. STILL raining, sigh.

 

[Denisefwd93]

Weeeeeee! Took it for a short drive! The brakes are as good if not equal to the brakes on my other truck!

CEL, It still did not warm up! Maybe the new 180 thermostat isn't working right. More reason to go with the higher temp

The shop owner tells me that heater in the O2 sensors goes bad more often than the O2 sensor but, still it rains...

 

[Denisefwd93]

I'm actually driving the Beast!!
Got CEL 20 mins after leaving the house. Picked up sandwiches @deli NO CEL on the way back! Good!
192 thermostat = a definite Improvement!

Still not up to changing a o2 sensor.

On the hiway 5th gear is pretty tall! Around 1500 rpm 60mph!

 

[Denisefwd93]

Update! I am so getting into this truck!

After my friend Hank and I swapped the Transmissions a few weeks later I find out the O2 sensor harness was pinched between the transmission and engine block! I couldn't do it, took it to the shop that I've been using for years they backed off the trans and put in a new sensor and that took care of the engine check light code 172

Being in the air conditioning business most of my life and having a truck whose air conditioning doesn't work is a personal embarrassment, hopefully that will change soon! we got the blower/coil unit out I continued on with the heater core cleaned up the whole works.

This truck has a very rusty frame, have not found any cracks, even the shock absorbers that were replaced by somebody are rusty and have loose bushings and bolts! (Another addition for the "list")

I have a fiberglass cap that I'm slowly working on but I'm very limited in my ability and progress because I don't have a garage but I'm halfway into it!

I did sell my 93 long bed, the guy that bought it texted me yesterday said it wouldn't start and conked out when he was driving. This surprised the hell out of me, I hope this doesn't bite me in the butt!
More soon!

 

[Denisefwd93]

Update,
Well the new standard Duty fan clutch works perfectly! I took it for a drive in the heat today and you can hear the fan moving some air, the new 192 thermostat and oxygen sensor are working very well I'm no longer getting the CEL,

the AC works very well but I'm sure the refrigerant will leak out. I'll have to get some help when I can afford to change out the condenser which is a major operation.

Truck seems to run quite well doesn't lurch it warms up properly no longer getting C E L.

Valve covers leak, we snugged up the bolts it's slowed it down but I'm going to try and get by until we replace the engine.

I'm embarrassed that we did not replace the clutch when we swapped transmissions because it chatters now. I can live with it until we change out the engine which is the plan.

The shock absorbers apparently were replaced by somebody that did not know how to tighten anyting because they are all loose and the rubber grommets are getting worn out and the bolts are so Rusty we're going to have to saw or split nuts fix them.

It needs brake booster mostly because of the noise it makes, the brakes are wonderful with the bypassed rabs valve.

But, all in all I'm satisfied with this truck. it needs a lot of parts, but it runs and drives and I only need it for local driving.

 

[Denisefwd93]

Almost ready to start living large with the Beast!

Replaced the driver side window mechanism and motor, works very nicely!

With that as my inspiration I opened up passenger side door and just removed the motor using the parts of both Motors I cut 3 pieces of half inch aluminum dowel rod to replace the missing plastic that was ground up in the motor drive, put motor back in it also works! not as well as the new one! but both windows go up and down!

After that project it was finally time to tackle the air-conditioning problems in earnest.

Replaced the evaporator about 2 weeks ago but the refrigerant still leaked out.

The condenser and new refrigerant line set arrived about a week ago. By this time the heat of summer is now upon us big time. But we got into it! Now the air conditioning works I have learned a bunch of stuff about this new old truck how easily the radiator comes out and how someone easily the air conditioner condenser comes out.

The high side refrigerant line and low side refrigerant line come with new Schrader valves even O-rings, they fit near perfectly!
as I write this the weather is saying it's going to be the hottest day in 12 years I may just take the truck out just to say my air conditioning worked the best in 12 years lol

 

[Denisefwd93]

Well, I'm really impressed with my truck my friend Hank and dare I say, myself?

Fixed the air conditioning! it's working perfectly! (still need to install the high pressure cutout)

The front tires are scalloped from the misalignment that we may or may not have corrected. This week I'm going to have them front tires criss-crossed to the back and see if we get less noise. I really hate tire noise!

Playing around with the radio it has really good sound & tone but the speakers in the back don't work. another low priority item for the "list" it may be the radio or the speakers themselves who knows at this point.

Cruise control isn't working and I think it was working when I first got the truck so it's probably something I did.

This truck is really good on gas! I'm not checking the numbers but just driving it I know it's much better on gas than the automatic 4.0 long bed I had.

 

[Denisefwd93]

Diddn't do too much on the truck this past week. picked up more parts though! MC, Booster, radio, spring mount.
put the new radio in. so I'm happy to drive again. AC, Stereo with bluetooth CD player. queen of the road! LOL

 

[Denisefwd93]

Been awhile since I've updated this thread. Still lots to do on the "beast" The "shake was the nearly new 31s that came with the truck. I spent nearly a year trying to find the shake finally took into the shop for a "clinking chirp" in the one pice driveshaft we put in during the fall. I was pretty sure the truck needed rear work or another rear. It was the freaking tires! talking like 1/2" out of round or flat spots. the chirp was dry but new universal joints! (new one on me)

I finally had the rear spring shackle mounts rotated. the shackles are now on the bottom of the mounts,not on top which not only lowered the truck, it also limited the travel of the main leaf.
before and after pics.

Next issue front spring height!

 

[racsan]

I always wondered what “flipping the shackle” would do. Full size trucks did run them above the bracket that’s attached to the frame. Fords seems to be the worst on those rusting and breaking. Cheap steel or bad design? Not sure. When I replaced mine on the ‘93 4x I used to have, I sprayed the new brackets down with aerosol bedliner spray.

 

[Denisefwd93]

I'd isay you don't have to be a suspension expert to know it's wrong to have the shackle upside down on a Ford ranger I mean if it was done to lower the truck why didn't they just take the lift blocks off the axle!

 

[racsan]

i did that once with my '93. didnt like it that way so put them back in. later on i had a bent frame issue and to get the rear end to be level i had a lift block on the left side and no lift block on the right side.