The 92 Ranger I would have bought...

[e21pilot]

I just picked up a 92 XLT extended cab 4x2 for cheap. It's got lots of features like 4.0 V6, A/C, auto, sport buckets, P/S, P/W, P/L, tilt, cruise etc. and is probably the truck I would have bought new back then if I would have had the money. Now I'll enjoy bringing this truck back to life.

The pros:
- rust free and nearly dent free body
- all original except for stereo and dealer swapped trans at 100K
- A/C already converted to 134A
- 4.0 runs smooth on the highway and still has lots of power

The cons:
- tailgate is stuck closed
- hood release latch doesn't retract so hood doesn't latch properly
- fuel filler pipe is cracked (will fail evap emission test)
- P/S pump is making noise
- air box cover is cracked and needs replacing
- suspension making clanging sounds over bumps (bushings??)
- power windows make scraping noise when lowered
- power locks not fully operational
- PRNOD21 gear indicator on dash stuck in '2'
- rug needs replacing
- seat side and back support pump not working.
- drivers door panel needs replacing
- truck jolts when trans shifted between R to OD
- dash is cracked in more than a few places


Lots of this to repair so between this and football, I'll have lots to do over the winter.

Any suggestions on fixes for the problems above are appreciated. If anyone has a spare tan drives door or a dash panel in good shape, PM me, I'm interested.

 

[Mark_88]

Welcome to TRS~!

Sounds like more good than not so good. Depending on where you are located, I would suggest checking the frame out really good to make sure no rust spoils your build.

- fuel filler pipe is cracked (will fail evap emission test)

Probably the most critical...depending on when you need to fix it...but it is easy to do...have to remove the box for best results but can be done by lifting one side (just undo the screws on the filler cap side and remove or loosen the bolts in the bed)...

- suspension making clanging sounds over bumps (bushings??

Second or THE most important...could be bushings, ball joints, spring shackles...or something like a heat shield is loose somewhere...

- truck jolts when trans shifted between R to OD

May indicate low fluid...not familiar with the automatics but could also be simple fix...or much more complicated...check fluid first...

The good news is...these can mostly be fixed with a bit of time and patience...and cash...and parts...and there are many trucks around that you can scavenge parts from or maybe buy from other TRS members...check the for sale section...

The not so good news is...if you live in Canada...you probably have to buy new stuff because the old ones are disappearing faster than you can say "HEY"..

 

[e21pilot]

Funny you should mention Canada, I grew up in BC and know the tin worm well. This truck was from New Mexico where the dry climate really helped preserve it. Once I cleaned all the dust from underneath, I was surprised to see how clean the frame and body panels were. Of course, the dash is cracked in several places from the sun exposure but that's the way it goes.

I'm curious why the Rangers disappear in Canada? Are they in demand somewhere else?

 

[bmerr98]

Sounds like a sweet find. I had a 1991 4x2 3.0 5 speed extra cab that I drove for 15 years. I'm a fairly big fella and I always had plenty of head and legroom. Very cool that it was a New Mexico truck with minimal rust. I think the Canadian ones just disintegrate.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Sounds like a nice project truck.

Most of your list is really chicken feed items in terms of cost and ease of repair, so that is great. Mark has some great advice in his post, I second all of it. Get your fuel filler neck off of ebay, it will cost you about 40 bucks. the interior parts like the dash cover and door panels you might be able to get from LMC Truck. Take the seats out and take the carpet and pressure wash it at the car wash, you might be surprised at how clean it gets. If it is torn or worn through, again LMC truck might be your friend.

And post pictures of your progress

AJ

 

[Mark_88]

Funny you should mention Canada, I grew up in BC and know the tin worm well. This truck was from New Mexico where the dry climate really helped preserve it. Once I cleaned all the dust from underneath, I was surprised to see how clean the frame and body panels were. Of course, the dash is cracked in several places from the sun exposure but that's the way it goes.

I'm curious why the Rangers disappear in Canada? Are they in demand somewhere else?

Sounds like a sweet find. I had a 1991 4x2 3.0 5 speed extra cab that I drove for 15 years. I'm a fairly big fella and I always had plenty of head and legroom. Very cool that it was a New Mexico truck with minimal rust. I think the Canadian ones just disintegrate.

Not that they are needed anywhere other than to make room for the newer ones that are rapidly filling their yards. They are crushing anything over 1998...unless you happen to be there on the day it arrives you can pretty much forget getting any parts off anything earlier than that.

We do have quite a few still running around on the roads...and some doing time filling in voids in fields or becoming rodent nests...I found my recently acquired 92 3.0 on a farm where the elderly lady had to give up driving it because it was a 5 speed and she dislocated her shoulder...said she couldn't drive it any more without causing herself physical pain...

 

[bmerr98]

...They are crushing anything over 1998...

It kills me to go to the local Pick-a-Part and see that so many of the vehicles there are newer than what I'm driving! Lots of them would have been a great first car or low cost ride for someone in a bind, but once again, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF GOVERNMENT MEDDLING. Now those markets face increased prices due to the supply being thinned out by the Cash for Clunkers boondoggle.

...I found my recently acquired 92 3.0 on a farm where the elderly lady had to give up driving it because it was a 5 speed and she dislocated her shoulder...said she couldn't drive it any more without causing herself physical pain...

Always a good find. Those are usually well kept and gently used. Glad you had some capital to make the buy!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I've found that if it's the latches holding the tailgate from opening, some careful work with a screwdriver (I've used a regular Craftsman 1/4" prybar....err...screwdriver) and reached in from the top to pop the latches. You have to pull out on the tailgate as you do it and hold pressure so you can get both. Takes a lil practice but it can be done. Then you can lube things up and try to find where the problem is.

Rockauto has a ton of stuff for those older trucks at great prices too.

I'd check for loose heatshields around the exhaust for any rattling noises. If I had the time and money I'd also replace every suspension bushing. I've done mine piecemeal on trucks before and once you get them all replaced it usually does make a difference in the quality of the ride.

For the gear indicator, it might be mis-adjusted but most likely something is broke. There is a tiny little cable that moves things, you have to pull the steering column cover and the dash piece that goes around the gauge cluster and the like. I've pulled a couple of them before, bit of a pita the first couple times you do it but I got better with practice.

 

[e21pilot]

Thanks for the advice on the latches. I'll bet it's something like that. This truck has dust everywhere and some lube might make the difference.

Exhaust is original but it still seems to e tight including the heat shields. It could also be that the engine runs so smooth that the exhaust hasn't taken too much of a beating.

Suspension is the problem. I took it to the local tire shop and they found most of the bushings cracked, including the rag joint and even some of the body mounts are loose along with worn shocks and brakes....where to begin.

I can easily tighten the body mounts and replace the shocks with bilsteins but the twin I-beams is an area I am not familiar with. With so much wear, I think I should replace all the bushing in one shot rather than individually. I wonder if there is a reference somewhere to rebuilding the complete suspension on a gen 1 Ranger and also references to the parts needed. In the past, I have replaced stock rubber bushings with poly bushings on other cars and not been happy with the results. I'm hoping someone makes a full rebuild kit with quality rubber bushings for the complete Ranger suspension including the front and rear sway bars. Any advice on this would be appreciated. This 2wd truck will never see off-road use but will get lots of highway miles and some towing duty as well.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Front suspension bushings are pretty simple. There is a bushing set on the end of each of the control arms, IIRC it is a 1 1/8" nut that holds it together. Of course, you'll have to either disassemble the radius arm mount or take the rest of the front suspension loose to get the bushings changed because of the design. But if you're changing shocks and the axle pivot bushings too, it's not really a problem.

Of course, you'll want the frame supported on jackstands to do the work. I've always just set a pair of 6-ton jackstands right behind the front bumper. As far as rubber bushings, they are available, I know Moog makes some. I've always gone poly and greased it well and so far have no complaints. I've gotten a Prothane axle pivot set from Summit Racing and it comes with a little tub of silicone grease for it along with a new metal sleeve if you have to replace it. For the radius arm mounts, I bought a poly set but it didn't come with a new plastic piece. Of course, about a year after changing them I found the one plastic piece blew apart (not really a surprise). I stopped in at Autozone and was looking at their bushings and found that their store brand came with new plastic pieces. I also discovered that some of the boxes came as a complete set instead of what the computer claimed was for one side and that some of them looked to be rubber and some looked to be poly depending on where it was manufactured. IIRC, they have rubber sway bar links as well.

 

[e21pilot]

Thanks for the tips on the twin I beam. I can see how I can drill out a few rivets and be able to replace the radius arm bushings easily.

Its the axle pivot ones that are more tricky. If I support the front frame on jack stands as suggested and remove the front tires, if I leave everything else connected, will I be able to remove the axle pivot bolt, slide out the axle pivot bushing, slip the new bushing in and then insert the axle pivot bolt again?

This would be easy enough to do. However if I have to compress and remove the spring then I would need more tools than I have.

 

[1994Ranger$$$pit]

I did the driver's side radius arm bushing using a comealong after disconnecting the shocks,sway bars and might have even taken the brake caliper off,don't remember. I couldn't get the passaenger side far enough forward to get the radius arm to drop out of the mount hole. There's some info on different sites about doing this.
Then I heard that you need to get both side out before you reinstall the front bushings and then the rear half and nuts. Stupidly,I installed the drivers side bushings,then tried to pull the passenger side forward.Live and learn.

So I ground off,air chiseled the passenger rivets and removed 1/2 the cross member to intall.
It bolts together at the 1/2 way point on my 94.


The last time I had the front pivot bolt out I had the drivers side spring out.
No compression tools needed as the front end will just hang if you have it jack stands at the frame. I had to torch the spring bolt,no way to get that somebiotch off.
I removed to entire drivers side X section to replace the front wheel drive inner U joint.
The front pumpkin has a clip that need to be removed to get that inner shaft out.
Just about everything I removed needed some heat to get it loose.

 

[e21pilot]

Sounds like if I have the front end handing in the air, the spring is actually hold up the twin I-beam. That means I might be able to remove the axle pivot pin as long as I support that side of the I-beam otherwise it may just drop down on me. If it works that way, it won't be too bad.

I don't mind grinding the rivots off the radius arm supports. That way, I can change them easily in the future.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thanks for the tips on the twin I beam. I can see how I can drill out a few rivets and be able to replace the radius arm bushings easily.

Its the axle pivot ones that are more tricky. If I support the front frame on jack stands as suggested and remove the front tires, if I leave everything else connected, will I be able to remove the axle pivot bolt, slide out the axle pivot bushing, slip the new bushing in and then insert the axle pivot bolt again?

This would be easy enough to do. However if I have to compress and remove the spring then I would need more tools than I have.

If you have the suspension hanging with the wheels off, you can pull the axle pivot bolts out and you should be able to pull the beam down far enough to work on it. I've done them in and out of the truck before... they are easier to do outside the truck by far, but then you have to pull the whole axle assembly out - not exactly fun either.

In theory you can push the old bushing out with a C-frame press (or a large C clamp and some enginuity) but I've been reduced to burning them out before. If you don't need to change the metal sleeve, all you have to do is push out the old bushing and push in the new one. If you push out the old one and find the metal sleeve has rotted to junk, then you have to pry and chisel out the old sleeve so you can put a new one in.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You will likely not have to support the axle pivot end of the axle beam if the radius arm and the spring are still connected up (I would throw something under the spring end of the beam just to be safe). You will likely have to pry the axle pivot end down to work on it. With two of the three points to the front axle still connected, it doesn't usually have any tendency to drop on it's own.

When I remove rivets, I always drill the hole out to 1/2" and put a grade 8 bolt in on suspension stuff.