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

[racsan]

Last day of driving with no rear shocks! After I got home from work I had to go to my daughters, a good 30 mile drive one way, I took the escape and was just amazed at how well it rode & drove. Cant wait to have the ranger back together with shocks and the bed back on the frame.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Finally got around to refueling the Ranger first thing after leaving the house. Had posted here that I made a trip to the Eastern Shore last weekend.

The tank of gasoline had 341 miles at refueling. Turned out I had averaged 23.5 miles per US gallon on the trip, which isn't too shabby with that thirsty V-6 with 125K miles.

By the way, since some of you are discussing fuel, that truck gets 93–octane premium all the time. It doesn't seem too happy running on regular or mid-grade. Probably the knock sensor is constantly retarding the timing on the lower grades of fuel.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

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.

It was a good time. Beer has lubricated the process of many a vehicle repair for me. Thanks again for the beer and dinner!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

With a kilt. It gives more room for such things.

This! Definitely this…

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I went to a regular metal supply place. I actually bought 20ft pieces of all that. I just cut that much off as a healthy guess of what I need for the bumper. I have 2 sources. This place is an old mom&pop company that is friendly and reasonably priced. I also have a "Metal Supermarkets" location about 4 miles from the house.

I’m inundated with metal stores around here, there’s at least 5 or 6. One I’ve been dealing with since I first needed some metal for a project that went beyond the couple foot lengths at the hardware store and was recommended to me by a family friend who bought steel there all the time. They say they have a Fab Shop, but they don’t have any way to bend tube. They can, however, bend up to like 1/4” steel up to 8’ long and they have a plasma table.

The other place I’ll buy from is a Metal Supermarkets location. They can only bend up to like 1/8” up to 4’ long and that’s really maxing out what they can do and no plasma table, but they stock some stuff the other place I go doesn’t. They’re funny though, I’ve asked for full sticks before (20’) and they’ve called me or asked me when I’m there if I have a way to haul full sticks. Guess it must be a problem for them because I wouldn’t ask for a full stick if I didn’t bring a truck that I can haul it.

The rest of the places either won’t get back to you on prices, won’t answer their phone, are more expensive than the two I go to, don’t have much of a selection, or just generally suck to deal with. Of course, those are also the closer places. None have tube bending ability. Some can’t bend over 14 gauge flat stock.

 

[sgtsandman]

Finally got around to refueling the Ranger first thing after leaving the house. Had posted here that I made a trip to the Eastern Shore last weekend.

The tank of gasoline had 341 miles at refueling. Turned out I had averaged 23.5 miles per US gallon on the trip, which isn't too shabby with that thirsty V-6 with 125K miles.

By the way, since some of you are discussing fuel, that truck gets 93–octane premium all the time. It doesn't seem too happy running on regular or mid-grade. Probably the knock sensor is constantly retarding the timing on the lower grades of fuel.

There is a definite difference. How much, I couldn’t say since all I have is a “butt dyno”. MPG is also better. For what I generally do, not enough to justify the price difference but it is definitely there. In some locations, the price spread between the different octane levels is much closer and probably more palatable but not in PA. There is a huge spread. The politicians at every level want their cut.

 

[ben_2_go]

Took her to try and check out a mower for my tractor. The guy was gone. It was lunch time so hit or miss. My last fuel up must be garbage. I've never had my tuck spark knock under light load as bad as this tank has.

 

[pjtoledo]

dropped several modified 2wd front hubs off for final machining.
the disks were previously removed, getting the hub trimmed about 1/8" , beveled, and cleaned up.

I couldn't get the hubs adequately secured to a rotary table, they weren't very round after my attempts.


on the 2005 I'm still fighting front wheel shimmy. I think it's time to break out the dial indicator.
I'm finding it a real PITA to get a 370,000 mile Ranger to ride silky smooth on 5 year old A/T tires.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, I took the F-150 over to my property and started poking at my choptop. I wasn’t originally intending on shifting gears and see if I can’t make this monster driveable again, but here we are. Well, I should say I was intending on fixing it, just at some point after the green Ranger and dump truck but the F-150 is getting pretty worn around the edges and the green Ranger now has an indeterminate repair point so…

Oh, and I found a good deal on an engine for it. We shall see how long this one lasts. Stupid truck has a penchant for eating motors. I probably won’t be able to get the engine for another week, but I wanted to get a feel for where things stand and what I might have to acquire other than an engine and D-35 axle shafts (Which so far I’ve had zero luck finding other than CroMoly which is unfortunately out of my budget).

Anyway, replaced a fuse, put a battery in and it cranks and the fuel pump does it’s thing, but no start. Not really a surprise, but it would be nice if I could get it running however poorly long enough to move it over to the house. I hate trying to move dead vehicles around and with the 35’s it’s not at all easy to steer. Guess the next steps will be to check spark and compression and see if I can find something. I’m not trying to spend a ton of time and effort to get it running, but maybe it’s something dumb keeping it from firing up. If I have to move it dead, I might try seeing if I can rig up electric power steering.

Aside from the motor and the front axle though, it seems to be in decent shape. Service all the brakes and the rear axle looks like it could use some attention (gear oil change, new breather, and shocks). One bad spot on the body. Then it’s the more cosmetic stuff, finish the cage, clean up the chop, new bumpers. Not required to be driveable, so I’m calling it cosmetic.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

There is a definite difference. How much, I couldn’t say since all I have is a “butt dyno”. MPG is also better. For what I generally do, not enough to justify the price difference but it is definitely there. In some locations, the price spread between the different octane levels is much closer and probably more palatable but not in PA. There is a huge spread. The politicians at every level want their cut.

I'm fortunate to have a convenience store with gas station within 2 miles of my place that has a decent price for 93–octane. The fuel brand is Pure, which returned to the area several years ago, and I've never had a problem with gasoline from those pumps. Right now at that place, regular 87–octane is $3.299/US gallon and premium is $3.899/gallon. Many stations are above $4.00/gallon for premium.

My lawn tractor and push mower get this same premium. It has 10% ethanol, but these are 4–stroke engines designed to accept that. I no longer use 2–stroke equipment.

At an extra $0.60/gallon, for a near-fill of 15 gallons that's an extra $9.00. For a few times per month while driving the Ranger mainly on weekends, I don't find that extra cost a big deal since we're talking $60+ for the transaction anyway. I look at 93–octane as cheap protection for this engine since it runs so well (KOW). If the truck had the smaller 4–cylinder, it would probably get regular instead.

 

[billwilliams]

The original discussion has disappeared. IDK.

We need some positive news. What did you do to your Ranger taday?

New mass air flow sensor new EGR valve new iap sensor new plugs wires coils and still not running right

 

[James Morse]

Washed the '97. Man, they knew how to lay on the chrome back in the day. Top piece of course is plastic but it matches pretty well.

 

[holyford86]

Looked at replacing my leaf spring plates with the pair I got to relocate the bump stops to there rather than on the frame, I currently have some standoffs welded to the axle which I would like to remove because they interfere with the spring plates since I transitioned to lift springs and ditched the blocks. But the ambition level was too low for that today, maybe tomorrow. Then I'll have two Jeep parts on it, haha

 

[racsan]

Got the frame patched today, new shock mounts, new rear shocks & the bed put back on. Sure drives a lot better now. Put a small drain hole in the new shock mounts, probably not necessary as I doubt this will be on the road for another 30 years but I thought it was a good idea.

 

[Roert42]

I like your helper springs