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

[JoshT]

Is the cap OEM?

Not if it has a pressure release lever. I don't think any Ranger radiator caps had a pressure release lever stock. Might want to get a new cap, but if it works I probably wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Rick W]

Thanks! I took the Wife out shopping this afternoon, so everywhere we parked, I took a peek under the hood and under the engine. No leaks, knock on wood.
I DID notice that the radiator cap seems crooked: when I pull the pressure relief lever, the coolant squirts out of the cap, NOT the overflow hose! No matter how I remove and install that cap, it still doesn't sit straight.
Any advice? Do these things actually FAIL? Do I have to buy a new cap now?

I don’t know if you’ve seen me talk about my “shed of miracles.” When I go to the pull a part for something, I will grab extra fuses, bolts, radiator caps, gas caps, windshield washer clips, etc. etc..

Basically, my shed of miracles is my personal “pull a part.” My “new“ car is a 97, and I daily drive from a 78 to a 96. Three of my vehicles are Lincolns that they haven’t made parts for for 20 years. So when they get one in the pull a part, that’s like a “blue light special” for me, and I just pick a lot of stuff that I may need someday. I actually keep a “wanted” list on my
phone for items that I run low on n “inventory.” That’s where the “The Missing Linc” came from, extra parts from the shed of miracles when I happened to be putting it together.

Blah, blah blah, I’m too long winded, but my point is, you could buy these things for pennies at the scrapyard. Stock up! I hate buying anything at retail!

 

[Rick W]

Afterthought, I am amazed how many parts are common between my 87 and 88 Town Cars and my 87 and 97 Rangers, even my 96 F250 diesel (not starter), especially the little things like the starter and the radiator cap, etc. etc. Don’t think you have to find your year truck to get the part you need.

Hope it helps.

 

[Rick W]

Sooooo, Lincoln and I recorded Pocono today for inspiration on our sprint up to Carlisle, the Ranger 40th 683. I think there were more laps on caution then there were on green. Not the kind of inspiration I need!

 

[scotts90ranger]

I looked a little for my pink speedo gear I have somewhere, found a drive gear but no driven gears, the 2 or 3 I have are probably together somewhere... I looked in the two transfer cases that have them and found another black and a purple 23 tooth from what must be a '97 F150 in my spare 4406...

Pulled the '00 Explorer into the shop and started tearing into it... so far got the hood off, coolant drained, radiator out, alternator off, power steering pump off and out of the way (still plumbed) same with the A/C compressor then removed the brackets for those. While there pulled out the wires that had at one point gone to an amplifier... Oh it's up on jack stands too... Found it's missing one of the cradle pad things for the radiator so I'll wander back to the Mountaineer and snab one at some point...

 

[Rick W]

I looked a little for my pink speedo gear I have somewhere, found a drive gear but no driven gears, the 2 or 3 I have are probably together somewhere... I looked in the two transfer cases that have them and found another black and a purple 23 tooth from what must be a '97 F150 in my spare 4406...

Pulled the '00 Explorer into the shop and started tearing into it... so far got the hood off, coolant drained, radiator out, alternator off, power steering pump off and out of the way (still plumbed) same with the A/C compressor then removed the brackets for those. While there pulled out the wires that had at one point gone to an amplifier... Oh it's up on jack stands too... Found it's missing one of the cradle pad things for the radiator so I'll wander back to the Mountaineer and snab one at some point...

Maybe the multicolor is the one you need…

 

[scotts90ranger]

lol, I think that would get wadded up in the transmission and make my speedometer not work...

I forgot, I did drag the wheels over by the pump house and strip the paint off the wheels, one is different than the others, took way more paint stripper and even the casting is different as the valve stem hole is recessed about 1/8" less than the others, they all say Ford on them and have similar casting numbers and stuff... anywho, after that there was some discoloration so I went over them with the 600 grit again then used up the whole can of wheel clearcoat...

That said, here's the rust holes I found on the F350, the ranger trailer loaded with lumber that I stole the tires off of for the '97 then the wheels as they sit on the shop floor waiting for the valve stems that should be here tomorrow and the tires that should be here Thursday... Went with Hankook 225 70 15 tires, they should look and work better on these 15x7 wheels than what I've been driving on which were some Ranger 15x6 steelies up front and Jeep 15x8 in back...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I don’t know if you’ve seen me talk about my “shed of miracles.” When I go to the pull a part for something, I will grab extra fuses, bolts, radiator caps, gas caps, windshield washer clips, etc. etc..

Basically, my shed of miracles is my personal “pull a part.” My “new“ car is a 97, and I daily drive from a 78 to a 96. Three of my vehicles are Lincolns that they haven’t made parts for for 20 years. So when they get one in the pull a part, that’s like a “blue light special” for me, and I just pick a lot of stuff that I may need someday. I actually keep a “wanted” list on my
phone for items that I run low on n “inventory.” That’s where the “The Missing Linc” came from, extra parts from the shed of miracles when I happened to be putting it together.

Blah, blah blah, I’m too long winded, but my point is, you could buy these things for pennies at the scrapyard. Stock up! I hate buying anything at retail!

This is what my shed was intended for, but it got filled with random stuff and nothing got organized and it really needs cleaned out and organized. I haven’t got to one of the events yet, but the one local pick-a-part does “wheelbarrow days” where whatever you can put in a wheelbarrow and wheel unassisted the concrete strip up to the office (like 100’), you can have for $75. Great way to stock up. I need to clean my shed and make a couple runs to stock back up.

Also prior to having a commercial account at the parts store (and I still will keep stuff on the shelf), common things like brakes and U-joints I kept new spares in there. Break something fixing a truck at 7pm on a Sunday? No problem, go look in the shed. Saved my bacon a few times.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

lol, I think that would get wadded up in the transmission and make my speedometer not work...

I forgot, I did drag the wheels over by the pump house and strip the paint off the wheels, one is different than the others, took way more paint stripper and even the casting is different as the valve stem hole is recessed about 1/8" less than the others, they all say Ford on them and have similar casting numbers and stuff... anywho, after that there was some discoloration so I went over them with the 600 grit again then used up the whole can of wheel clearcoat...

That said, here's the rust holes I found on the F350, the ranger trailer loaded with lumber that I stole the tires off of for the '97 then the wheels as they sit on the shop floor waiting for the valve stems that should be here tomorrow and the tires that should be here Thursday... Went with Hankook 225 70 15 tires, they should look and work better on these 15x7 wheels than what I've been driving on which were some Ranger 15x6 steelies up front and Jeep 15x8 in back...

View attachment 95779View attachment 95780View attachment 95781

Rims look nice! I hate Hankook tires though, hope you have better luck than I did with them

 

[scotts90ranger]

I've put the last 40k miles on a set of Hankook tires on the Ranger and it's behaved very well, commuter so car tires and winter traction isn't an issue with it and they're cheap... sounded like a better idea than Westlake or something cheaper

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So yesterday I went to mow my property and remembered I forgot to check my tractor after hitting a stump last time. Checked and I have a broken spindle, sooo… spindles are now on order. Did some clean up and organizing, tried to button up a few more odds and ends on the Choptop, decided to fix the wire for the coolant temp sensor for the dash among other things. Put a new end on it, plugged it in and stood back to decide what I wanted to work on next and BLAM!!!

Apparently something is wired incorrectly and apparently one of those single post sensors will eject themselves if wired incorrectly with a fiery report like a .45 ACP in about 30 seconds after being connected. I wrapped tape around the plug for now…

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I've put the last 40k miles on a set of Hankook tires on the Ranger and it's behaved very well, commuter so car tires and winter traction isn't an issue with it and they're cheap... sounded like a better idea than Westlake or something cheaper

Fair enough. I didn’t like how they handled in the rain and they really sucked in the snow, so they got replaced with Mastercraft CXT, lol

 

[pjtoledo]

lol, I think that would get wadded up in the transmission and make my speedometer not work...

I forgot, I did drag the wheels over by the pump house and strip the paint off the wheels, one is different than the others, took way more paint stripper and even the casting is different as the valve stem hole is recessed about 1/8" less than the others, they all say Ford on them and have similar casting numbers and stuff... anywho, after that there was some discoloration so I went over them with the 600 grit again then used up the whole can of wheel clearcoat...

That said, here's the rust holes I found on the F350, the ranger trailer loaded with lumber that I stole the tires off of for the '97 then the wheels as they sit on the shop floor waiting for the valve stems that should be here tomorrow and the tires that should be here Thursday... Went with Hankook 225 70 15 tires, they should look and work better on these 15x7 wheels than what I've been driving on which were some Ranger 15x6 steelies up front and Jeep 15x8 in back...

View attachment 95779View attachment 95780View attachment 95781

I have seen Chinese knock-offs of those wheels. from a distributor in Canada.
there are at least 2 different types of those from the factory.
2010/2011 Sports had the inner barrel enlarged to accommodate larger brakes.

 

[Lefty]

lol, I think that would get wadded up in the transmission and make my speedometer not work...

I forgot, I did drag the wheels over by the pump house and strip the paint off the wheels, one is different than the others, took way more paint stripper and even the casting is different as the valve stem hole is recessed about 1/8" less than the others, they all say Ford on them and have similar casting numbers and stuff... anywho, after that there was some discoloration so I went over them with the 600 grit again then used up the whole can of wheel clearcoat...

That said, here's the rust holes I found on the F350, the ranger trailer loaded with lumber that I stole the tires off of for the '97 then the wheels as they sit on the shop floor waiting for the valve stems that should be here tomorrow and the tires that should be here Thursday... Went with Hankook 225 70 15 tires, they should look and work better on these 15x7 wheels than what I've been driving on which were some Ranger 15x6 steelies up front and Jeep 15x8 in back...

View attachment 95779View attachment 95780View attachment 95781

Nice wheels! I love your trailer.

 

[scotts90ranger]

They're all stamped China and Ford, they look the same but the painting and coating process was different... They do look decent, he threw in the center caps so it should look pretty clean once I get them on...

The picture doesn't show all the spots I gave up on but they look way better than when I got them. Don't know if the TPMS sensors I pulled off of them are useful to anyone but let me know and pay shipping and they're yours...