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

[pjtoledo]

for polishing round stuff I use a wide flat boot string coated with polishing compound.
crocus cloth, a type of emery, is also good for polishing.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Tore into the Explorer rear axle some, pulled the cross pin bolt that was about finger tight (wasn't expecting to put 50k miles on it) then pulled the spiders and the axle shafts... somehow the bearing surface on the shafts is perfect? I did everything wrong, put half the oil in that was supposed to be there then drove 50k miles without flushing it after pulling out extreme sparkly oil from STRIPPED spider gears... Anywho then pulled the pinion seal and replaced that and finally pulled the axle shaft seals, was supposed to get those today but they didn't send them to work because the guy wasn't paying attention yesterday...

Since the spiders are screwed and the whole axle is basically done other than the ring/pinion and axle shafts (you rust belt guys might disagree since it's rust free just has bearings going out...) I might attempt to weld the thing solid for funzies... we'll see what tomorrow night brings... not the best idea being limited slip but...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Forgot one thing... when I pulled the rear rotors off I noticed that there was NO pad material on the parking brake shoes on the drivers side... what would explain some things... might wander around my spare junk and see if I can find the ones I pulled off the '90 a few years ago... anything is better than nothing... but then again it's a 5" drum brake on a 5k pound vehicle, best case in good working order they don't work good...

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Used the Ranger yesterday to dispose of the dead freezer in my previous post at the city dump (had to pay a fee because of the refrigerant). Having a pickup when you're working around the house is so handy.

A replacement inside rear-view mirror I had ordered came in. The coating was failing around the edges of the glass on the original. A glass shop swapped the mirror for me for free; didn't charge.

There are special tools to pop off and install mirrors off the glued-on pad on the windshield. But they're not cheap for a one-time use and you have to know what you're doing, or you could break the windshield. Taking it to a pro was the better option.

 

[Rick W]

I’ve had my hands full with all the spaghetti wiring on The Road Ranger, and then my turn signals went out on The Missing Linc. I have had nightmares about it for a couple days, but all it was was my loud turn signal button under the dash. When I bought it, I bought a half a dozen, so it was a quick fix.

My F250, Big Red, has brake lights up high on the back of the cab as part of the ladder rack, and I wanted high brake lights for the 87 too. I wire them without making the running lights hot, so when you step on the brakes or turn on the signal, it’s the first time they appear. I’ve been hit from the rear really hard twice, and I’m paranoid about it

I don’t know why I didn’t do it when I made the light rack out of the same scrap toolbox (one side’s cover). I have all kinds of LEDs and such, but they just didn’t blend in right with The Missing Linc. So when I was fooling around, figuring out the turn signals, I went into the shed of miracles and found a few of the really old fashioned 3 inch trailer tail lights. I made a couple of mounts out of the same scrap toolbox. They came out great, but I’ll mount and wire them in another day.

Edit: I forgot the picture. Yes, that’s a Rustoleum.

 

[scotts90ranger]

'00 Explorer again, yesterday I pulled the rear carrier and the ring gear then welded the mess together... no going back now! Not optimal welding a limited slip axle, did what I could, might work and might not... didn't post about it yesterday because I was letting it cool naturally (put a 5 gallon metal bucket over it with some rags to insulate and cool off on it's own), seems to have not cracked anywhere?

Anyway, tonight I put that mess back together, cleaned up the diff cover and brakes and put all that together, just got gear oil in not too long ago, about to go put tires on then top off the front diff with oil if I can then call it...

 

[broncc]

Had a great Saturday! Years of work paid off and landed me with a very capable vehicle.



The locker makes great traction. It will be a bit of learning to drive smoothly on asphalt with manual.



The 4.10s add a lot of low speed control too and let me get into some real situations.



Nothing broke and I was not being gentle. I have some small fiddly things left but this was a total win!

 

[scotts90ranger]

Driving the '00 Explorer around with the newly welded rear axle that's definitely a different experience... I've had lockers in my '90 Ranger but that welded diff is way more positive... When you get it spinning it's even more predictable though, that part is nice but I can see it being a handful in ice... out "hunting" yesterday I ended up snow wheeling by myself since there were absolutely no deer out and about and well I found snow... good times, that thing now has enough traction to have axle wrap even though V8 Explorers have spring under and traction bars... I thought something was broken but nope...

 

[holyford86]

Swapped my air gauge to a larger illuminated gauge this afternoon, now I can see the air pressure at night and I was able to find a new old stock stewart warner gauge for less than a new imported one so that's a plus also.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Covered 2/3 of the radiator on the '97 with a cotton rag again, temp gauge barely moved today at all and on the way home I almost had some heat... not uncomfortable inside but the gas mileage is already down 1mpg due to the coolant temp being low so had to fix it...

 

[05MountainGoat]

Cleaned an 1/8th of an inch of oil crud off my 3.0L from the oil filter down, and back. Clean starter splash shield, clean bellhousing. Found out my Y-Pipe was replaced by the previous owner when the degreaser/cleaner dripped down and washed away all the surface rust. Pulled the starter to clean it too, took it apart for a rebuild. Off to the junkyard tomorrow to replace some MIA springs for the brushes. Lol. Will be assembling it this time around in the washroom with a closed toilet, and plugged drains

New steering rack arrives Thursday then she will be back on the road. Added an oil filter relocation kit to my shopping list

 

[PurpledDeRanger]

Wired in a stereo and removed a bunch of really crappy wiring.
The starter wire was literally hanging on by a thread. I keep finding bare wires just twisted together without even any electrical tape. I’ve been soldering and heat shrinking everything I come across.
Somebody decided thatthey really wanted 6x9’s and hacked the $h!t out of the doors and rear inner quarters.
Oh well, it’s just gonna be a camping/fishing rig anyway.

 

[PurpledDeRanger]

I finished the oil pan gasket and rear main seal on Friday and the clutch and transmission rebuild on Saturday.
I was able to use a chain hoist and transverse engine bar to sneak the oil pan out. Drove it today for @100 miles and no more leaks. Shifts like a dream.

 

[Rick W]

I finished the oil pan gasket and rear main seal on Friday and the clutch and transmission rebuild on Saturday.
I was able to use a chain hoist and transverse engine bar to sneak the oil pan out. Drove it today for @100 miles and no more leaks. Shifts like a dream.

Refresh me a little. This is fun? A hobby, Right? We do this cause we like it, right?

In the last week half my junk pile fell apart while I was working on the other half. It always happens when I take one or two out for upgrade or service.

I dropped the tranny pan on the 87 Town Car to flush out the old fluid and add a drain plug for the next time I do it 10 years from now. I also took a couple things off the top of the engine to swap out all the plugs and do a general tuneup. So, of course, the AC went out on Ole Blue (88 Town Car). Pulley started screaming like a Halloween banshee. I haven’t checked if it’s just a clutch or if compressor locked up. Thank God it lasted till after the hot weather.

The Missing Linc is pulling a little bit to the right, and I noticed the right front tire wearing a little bit on the outside. I got the pinion seal, but haven’t replaced yet, and I’ve got a list of two or three other “have to” items. I want to at least rotate the tires, so I don’t ruin the one, and then get underneath and figure out what’s going on up there.

Ditto, I started to change out the fuel filter bowl on Big Red, and you know I’ve had the whole interior out of The Road Ranger to finish up the wiring to the accessories.

It’s all about careful planning. The 78 Mark V is running like a top, but of course it’s parked behind everything else, and I can’t get out it. It’s going to be a busy week…

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Refresh me a little. This is fun? A hobby, Right? We do this cause we like it, right?

In the last week half my junk pile fell apart while I was working on the other half. It always happens when I take one or two out for upgrade or service.

I dropped the tranny pan on the 87 Town Car to flush out the old fluid and add a drain plug for the next time I do it 10 years from now. I also took a couple things off the top of the engine to swap out all the plugs and do a general tuneup. So, of course, the AC went out on Ole Blue (88 Town Car). Pulley started screaming like a Halloween banshee. I haven’t checked if it’s just a clutch or if compressor locked up. Thank God it lasted till after the hot weather.

The Missing Linc is pulling a little bit to the right, and I noticed the right front tire wearing a little bit on the outside. I got the pinion seal, but haven’t replaced yet, and I’ve got a list of two or three other “have to” items. I want to at least rotate the tires, so I don’t ruin the one, and then get underneath and figure out what’s going on up there.

Ditto, I started to change out the fuel filter bowl on Big Red, and you know I’ve had the whole interior out of The Road Ranger to finish up the wiring to the accessories.

It’s all about careful planning. The 78 Mark V is running like a top, but of course it’s parked behind everything else, and I can’t get out it. It’s going to be a busy week…

That sounds about right… I’ve had full intentions of fixing something 100% and then I won’t have to worry about it again for awhile every time I’ve taken something out of service and they usually end up 70-90% done and pressed back into service because something else broke and I now need what I was fixing