What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[superj]

i had to change my old gmc Sonoma to led up there because the regular bulbs kept getting to hot and distorting the lens and causing cracking so it could have happened on your truck, too

 

[professor229]

I removed the back bumper.... and found this... no way this was the original back bumper because with this much damage, the bumper would have shown some pretty good damage and there isn't any.... The crease on the dent was more than I wanted and Ranger's have sealed panels so you could not pound this out from the back side..... and since this area is hidden once the bumper is put back, it didn't have to be an exceptional fix..... I tried dent pulling on the crease for about two minutes... and then got out the 4.5 inch cut off wheel and made a slit down the crease.... used my mini pry bar to pull the two sides back out to where they were "close" to where they should be... got a piece of metal from the old fender that was removed, folded it in half lengthwise and tapped it in the seam... welded like crazy, and then got out the grinder... since these photos were taken, the grinding of the metal to "close" was done and some cosmetic bondo put in place to make it look decent.... have some finish work to do... but this technique really worked well... Getting close to paint in mid March but now comes the exciting part of restoring vehicles... sanding..... whooo hoo....

 

[Jazzer]

Rotated tires on the '07 yesterday, good thing too, found a nail in one of the tires. Ran to NAPA to get some patch/plugs, demounted the tire and installed the patch/plug.

-Jazzer

 

[sgtsandman]

Replaced the front sway bar end links on the 2011. The bushings "heavy duty" ones I installed during the previous suspension work smashed, deformed, and more or less gave out. The bolts bent a little as well. Since I didn't like setup for installing them, I chose not the warranty them through Rock Auto and bought local with a lifetime warranty instead. They had weird flange, nut thing on the barrel nut and I had a difficult time getting them to tighten properly. This set had a proper nut for a wrench or socket.

 

[Jazzer]

Yesterday while rotating tires, I noticed my DS sway bar link was a little loose. The nut on the bottom wouldn’t budge. I hit it with PB Blaster and finished the tires. I then got the nut to move a half turn and soaked it again.
Today I got it turning but it would loosen but not tighten, like it it ran out of threads- full stop. I removed it and cleaned it, put five extra washers under it and it snugged up fine. The bolt might have stretched a little.
I gravity bled the new clutch to hopefully help the shifting problem, but haven’t driven it yet.

-Jazzer

 

[sgtsandman]

Yesterday while rotating tires, I noticed my DS sway bar link was a little loose. The nut on the bottom wouldn’t budge. I hit it with PB Blaster and finished the tires. I then got the nut to move a half turn and soaked it again.
Today I got it turning but it would loosen but not tighten, like it it ran out of threads- full stop. I removed it and cleaned it, put five extra washers under it and it snugged up fine. The bolt might have stretched a little.
I gravity bled the new clutch to hopefully help the shifting problem, but haven’t driven it yet.

-Jazzer

I’m pretty sure the nuts on my new ones bottomed out on the threads when I installed them. If they didn’t it was darn close. Most of the threaded portion was sticking out of the nut.

So, the bolt could have stretched or the bushings shrunk.

 

[Jazzer]

Sounds right, I had about 2” of threads exposed below the nut. Those links may be a compromise design to fit different vehicles.

-Jazzer

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yesterday I tried working on replacing the power steering lines on the rack, the little metal ones that are part of the rack assembly. Cardone sells replacements. Well, the one nut is rusted to an awkward shape and another is conveniently located where you can feel it but not see it with the rack in on a 2002 Explorer and I’m pretty sure that one stripped. So yay me, lol

 

[sgtsandman]

Yesterday I tried working on replacing the power steering lines on the rack, the little metal ones that are part of the rack assembly. Cardone sells replacements. Well, the one nut is rusted to an awkward shape and another is conveniently located where you can feel it but not see it with the rack in on a 2002 Explorer and I’m pretty sure that one stripped. So yay me, lol

I think I had to cut a line or break it in order to get one of the fittings off on the ‘98. It was rusted through, so it wasn’t like I would have been able to save it anyway.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I think I had to cut a line or break it in order to get one of the fittings off on the ‘98. It was rusted through, so it wasn’t like I would have been able to save it anyway.

That’s the deal here, it’s rusted through and leaking. Very awkward to try to do anything to the rack on this Explorer, it’s mounted behind the engine crossmember instead of on top of it like the Ranger. Plus the pressure line to the rack snakes down the front of the motor to right near where it should connect, then inexplicably goes to the other side of the crossmember, clips to the frame, then crosses back over to the rack. Oh, and the power steering cooler is mounted in front of the rack. Definitely wasn’t designed with ease of service without removing either the engine or the rack. As it is, I’m having a hard time fitting line wrenches in there. Might have to go buy a cheap set and make some custom bends

 

[ekrampitzjr]

On the suggestion of another member here, last night I replaced the bulb in the center brake light above the cab with an LED version. Shouldn't have to worry about that one overheating and cracking the lens, as it's only 1.6 watts, v. 12 watts for the regular bulb.

Stop and think about this: that small original bulb draws 1 amp (= 12 W ÷ 12 V). Hmm...

 

[sgtsandman]

Broke into the 2011 because I failed to check that I had keys in hand before locking it. Luckily, it was at work, so had plenty of options for prying the door away from the frame and getting a heavy enough rod in there to push the unlock button.

So, I may have some door realignment work in my immediate future...

Definitely some paint touch up.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Broke into the 2011 because I failed to check that I had keys in hand before locking it. Luckily, it was at work, so had plenty of options for prying the door away from the frame and getting a heavy enough rod in there to push the unlock button.

So, I may have some door realignment work in my immediate future...

Definitely some paint touch up.

Here's a sneaky trick that might help you in the future. Open the fuel filler door and feel inside at the top of the recess above the fuel cap to find a flat place out of view. I don't mean on the door itself, but at the inside top of the recess. Get some electrician's duct seal (it's like clay and comes in 1–pound blocks) and use that to fasten a spare key in that area where no one would normally see it.

Don't use one of those magnetic boxes for holding spare keys. They will come loose. Lost one from under a fender many years ago.

I had a 1997 Ford Escort wagon years ago and did a similar trick with duct seal. On this car the key went beside the fuel filler door hinge arm, which pivoted inside the fender. There was a deep cranny where the hinge arm moved. No one would ever notice the hidden key when opening the filler door because it was tucked inside that cranny. I checked for the key every once in a while, and it never moved.

 

[Roert42]

I've always taped my spare key to the fuel filler neck of something under the body. Inside the filler door is good though, don't have to crawl on the ground to find the key.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

To this day I use dad’s solution. Carry two keys, always. He would carry one set in one pocket and the other in another pocket. I’ve taken to clipping my primary set to a belt loop and carry the spare in a pocket. Train yourself to only use the spare when necessary. If I use the spare to say open a toolbox or something, it immediately goes back in the pocket. I carry a spare for any operational vehicle I have and just the primary for whatever I’m actually driving. If I go out and the one I’m driving has a problem and I have to switch vehicles, I swap out primary sets. If I’m working around the property and need to use more than one vehicle, I carry both primary sets. I also maintain at least two other complete sets for each. One stays locked up at home and one stays with my parents.