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

[scotts90ranger]

Oof... FYI I've in the past just screwed/nailed a couple random 2x4's together to the length of under the bed rails at it's COG and lifted from that instead of that complicated of a chain rigging... but I guarantee that's less complicated than the mess the last time I pulled the bed on the '90 when I thought I could get away with just a little lifting...

Tonight I drug home a 55 gallon oil drum from work and a few pallets so I can make a scrap metal barrel, 5 gallon buckets just don't do it...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Drove it for the first time in over a month.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Pulled the bed today, going to start on my frame patching tomorrow. Doubt it will be done by sun evening. Going to rig up a couple of 2x4’s across the frame and slap a sheet of plywood over the tires for the drive to work. Might order new bed bolts & new back shocks.
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A JI Case slab weight, don't see those every day...

 

[racsan]

A JI Case slab weight, don't see those every day...

Yes, have 2 of those. The little weights go on the back of my deere rider with the snowplow & chains, they are 40/pnd a piece. That case weight is around 100 I believe. Needed a counterbalance with my hookup point. The boom on the engine hoist doesnt go out far enough. Really need to get a 3-point boom for situations like this. That case weight was in either a 920 or 1070 case, think the 920. I used to put them under the back seat of a astro van & cable them to the seat brackets. Now I mostly use them for the yard roller.

 

[racsan]

Oof... FYI I've in the past just screwed/nailed a couple random 2x4's together to the length of under the bed rails at it's COG and lifted from that instead of that.

Yes, Ive done the 2x4 under the bed rails before too-with a overhead chain hoist in the barn, my engine hoist boom doesnt extend far enough out to get to the center of the bed, it might be enough with a shortbed-maybe. I dont trust the trusses in the garage to lift from, it might be ok but if it aint then I have more problems then just a frame repair.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yes, have 2 of those. The little weights go on the back of my deere rider with the snowplow & chains, they are 40/pnd a piece. That case weight is around 100 I believe. Needed a counterbalance with my hookup point. The boom on the engine hoist doesnt go out far enough. Really need to get a 3-point boom for situations like this. That case weight was in either a 920 or 1070 case, think the 920. I used to put them under the back seat of a astro van & cable them to the seat brackets. Now I mostly use them for the yard roller.

They came out with the first 400's. Like 800's and 830's had them too.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, yesterday I loaded up the F-150, today I’ll be headed out to @sgtsandman and get his exhaust welded up.

@racsan , be careful driving it without a bed, the rear will be really light and want to hop and spin tire. Do you need me to come help fix the frame? Lol

 

[racsan]

Oh its gonna be a handful to drive. Other side of frame had a small hole in it too, so I drilled out all the shock mount rivets in the back, pounded on the frame a bit with the hammer and surveyed the damage. Its still repairable but wont be pretty. Was going to rig up different shock mounts like I did on drivers side but remembered seeing a new set on fleabay so I just ordered those, will be easier than fabricating up something, Ive got enough of that to do. I had por-15’ed the frame 6 years ago when I got this truck. It’s peeling off and not very good underneath, not sure if it was my prep or what. At the end of the day its a (nearly) 30 year old truck. Ive seen newer in worse shape. Heres some pictures from the day, got my “fenders” and lights rigged up. The lack of any rear shocks will suck but I will just take the longer but more smooth route to work- and a bit slower. Put smaller tires on too, wont have to lift the bed as high to reassemble and no worries about paint overspray. Boy is it ugly now though, burnouts would never be easier. lol

 

[ben_2_go]

Oh its gonna be a handful to drive. Other side of frame had a small hole in it too, so I drilled out all the shock mount rivets in the back, pounded on the frame a bit with the hammer and surveyed the damage. Its still repairable but wont be pretty. Was going to rig up different shock mounts like I did on drivers side but remembered seeing a new set on fleabay so I just ordered those, will be easier than fabricating up something, Ive got enough of that to do. I had por-15’ed the frame 6 years ago when I got this truck. It’s peeling off and not very good underneath, not sure if it was my prep or what. At the end of the day its a (nearly) 30 year old truck. Ive seen newer in worse shape. Heres some pictures from the day, got my “fenders” and lights rigged up. The lack of any rear shocks will suck but I will just take the longer but more smooth route to work- and a bit slower. Put smaller tires on too, wont have to lift the bed as high to reassemble and no worries about paint overspray. Boy is it ugly now though, burnouts would never be easier. lol
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I live in the south where we have little rust problems, but my 2001 rear leaf spring hangars rusted out bad. I bought new ones and bolted them on with grade 8 hardware. They never moved since 2007. Everyone told me I'd better weld them on or else. Or else has never happened but this is a daily driver not a hot rod or offroader.

 

[racsan]

Mine are bolted on, another truck I had (93 4wd) I replaced all 4 hangers and bolted them on. No problems. Ive never heard of welding them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Pulled it outside so I could look at it while I did just about everything but give it real attention.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Took a trip to the Eastern Shore yesterday. The Ranger hit 125,000 miles on the way back, ran like a champ.

 

[ben_2_go]

Pulled it outside so I could look at it while I did just about everything but give it real attention.

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You're making me miss my '85. She was on 33s with Bronco axles, 4 inch Super Lift, and a 3 inch body lift. She had 4:10 gears and a nice built 2.8 that Turtle Brannon, the drag racer and engine builder, help me build when I was 17 years old. I miss that truck. I had an AOD built by Ammco Transmissions. She was a goof little truck. It would have had more power if she had better gears.

 

[Rick W]

I live in the south where we have little rust problems, but my 2001 rear leaf spring hangars rusted out bad. I bought new ones and bolted them on with grade 8 hardware. They never moved since 2007. Everyone told me I'd better weld them on or else. Or else has never happened but this is a daily driver not a hot rod or offroader.

Mechanical engineering 101:

A lot of technology goes into what is welded and what is riveted and what is bolted

Originally bolted is usually for items expected to be removed during the expected life.

A lot of the frame is riveted to allow the tiniest bit of motion, especially twisting. If you weld what was riveted, two problems: first, you can get fatigue cracks since the metal assembly can’t give, and second, the heat can and will change the steel characteristics making it more susceptible to warping and/or fatigue cracks.

The big rivets are a factory item to save money. Not practical to replace in the field, so bolts are the option.

& finally, “torque” is actually more important then “strength,” with the assumption the nut/bolt/washer strength is adequate. Bolts (or anything) are torqued to maximize the tension on the bolt, the strength, with a safety allowance for further strain on the bolt before it fails. It’s not a matter of tightening as much as possible is better, it’s a matter of proper tension, not max tension.

The quality of the repair also relies on the bolt diameter and hole diameter being correct (not necessary the same size). Not challenging anyone, but bolts that are too hard/strong might not “give” and cause a fatigue crack in the frame. It all has to be matched.

& one last thought in mechanical engineering, the bolt actually rarely carries the load. The bolt pushes the two pieces together and creates the right friction level, and the friction actually holds the strength.

Having said all that, I have no idea how to look that up for a 30-yr old shock mount, but I know it should be bolted (to replace the rivet), not welded, if you want long life.

I forgot, did you want to know how to build a clock or did you just want to know the time?

Hope it helps!!!

 

[sgtsandman]

Patched the exhaust on the 2011 with the help of @lil_Blue_Ford yesterday. So, it's good for another year or two. Not much other than putting the trailer back in the driveway was done with it and treating ll_Blue_Ford to dinner in appreciation of his efforts. And beer. He got beer.