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

[Rick W]

So tell me you left the pen behind...

First, no larceny, I didn’t steal it from a bank.

Second, I don’t remember where I got it, but I’ve had that thing for years and years and years, knowing someday it would have a home like this.

Third, I don’t remember the pen, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s in the shed of miracle somewhere.

 

[JoshT]

Injections went well. Still won't be able to make progress on the truck tomorrow, but should be back at it after work on Friday. Mom was chauffeuring me for the eye injections (not a good idea to drive after) so hung out over there for a while, even though most of it was spent in the recliner with my eyes closed.

Dad took the initative today and kept the ball rolling. He got the PS exhaust ready to reinstall with the new hanger setup. Then got the muffler hanger for the DS pipe attached and got the tail pipe tacked back into the muffler.

Before I left we hooked the smoke tester up on the PS side pipe to give it a better look and found another leak that needed to be welded, a spot they missed between the muffler and the pipe, and realized that the flange welde on this one was just as back as the DS and would have ended up leaking too. All easy stuff to fix out of the truck.

At this rate he'll have all of it finished tomorrow, or at least by the time I get off work friday. Looks like Friday afternoon or Saturday I'll finish reinstalling the leafsprings (swapping shackles and tightening bolts), and have it back on the wheels.

Well, that didn't work out as planned. Dad kept on going and got the exhaust mostly finished up. Pipes are ready to bolt back into place, but had no gaskets. Gaskets turns out to be yet another thing that the shop screwed up. We were hopeful that with the limited run time after install, the installed gaskets would be usable. Unfortunately wasn't the case. The shop was nice enough to give the part number for them on the reciept, so off to the store I went to get more and I had them in hand after two stops (one at each). Returned to install and no way those were going to work. They put a donut (stell crush ring) style gasket with an ID of nearly 3" on a pipe with an OD of 2.5". The gasket was so oversized, even the slotted bolt holes would have leaked. So back I go trying to find another gasket that would fit.

Think I finally found one, the 1997 Explorer exhaust gasket that the shop should have installed to begin with. I told them multiple times that was what the cat pipes were for. They even called that Saturday while they were doing the install asking about the flanges and I tlkd them'97 Explorer again. Even if you were going to swap to a donut style gasket, it should have been a closer fit to the pipe.

Also found that they had left the stubs of the pipe going through the flange too long and uneven. It appeared to be bottoming on the front section, before fully crushing and sealing the gasket. No wonder they needed to use so much high temp silicone on the gasket trying to seal it. We'll get that fixed in the morning too. Leave some stub to locate a donut gasket incase we need to switch back to that, but short enough that they can crush and seal.

Also preemptively ordered some remflex gaskets in what I believe to be the right size. If I got the right size, I guarantee that those flanges will be sealed by this time next week, even if what I have now doesn't work. Worst case I return them or they're on the shelf for next time I have to remove the pipes. (...or would it be best case?)

 

[JoshT]

Finally got it all put back together!

The Explorer gaskets worked. All pipe work is finished. Only have a minor seep of a leak where the EGR tube connects to the header, which I will address when the upper intake gets pulled for injectors. Truck is fully back together and back home.

Now I need to decide what I'm doing for a MAF and TB, finish wiring my wideband O2, and get the thing tuned. Suppose I also need to make a final decision on tuners. There are only two possibilities on the list. I'm leaning towards one because they're cheaper and easier to work with, but the other has potential advantages as well. Both are good at what they do.

Since it's driveable now as is, the next projects are getting some maintenance done on the other vehicles. Also maybe getting the back glass in Dad's '02 Ranger resealed if the weather cooperates.

 

[ben_2_go]

Last I reported, the Strangler was having battery issues and I used my battery charger to repair the battery. It made a big improvement on start up and idle quality. Today, I hit the switch andddddd,,,

she sprung to life like she had a brand new battery, after sitting several days. Made me a little bit happy today.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Started and drove it for the first time since November. Fired right up. Took a load of stuff to goodwill.

AJ

 

[sgtsandman]

Both trucks went to church. Obviously, I only drove one of them.

 

[superj]

Tyger t1 tonneau cover installed. It fits ok. Its square built but the bed is not square and the back is thinner then the front. But, its not terrible. There are lots of holes in the ranger forward bed wall, the one against the cabin, so even if the rest of the bed cover sealed perfectly, water could still come through those factory holes unless you put some type of plug in them.
Tyger does send lots of foam rubber gasket material to fill seams and spots through so you could actually make it water proof.

Anyways, onto the pics

Tyger t1 tonneau for 2024 ford ranger
179 bucks brand new

Here you see the factory holes in the bed wall, and the area i have to put some foam rubber seal into.

Here is the top of the tailgate. I need to slide the tonneau cover back about half an inch. I lined it up parallel to the leading edge of the forward bed wall, which has a top edge that is over an inch wide. I can move the tonneau back about half an inch and it will fit perfectly, fore and aft.

For the cost, i have zero complaints. I have had this same model tonneau on my previous 01 frontier and my 17 titan and they were trouble free so i expect this to also be without issues.


Now i just need to order some bed side mounts for my bed extender so i can use that to keep junk from sliding out of reach, like i added to my 04 ranger

 

[SenorNoob]

Oil change and got the front winch wiring done. Transfer case didn't go according to plan. New plan is to get the local 1350M from the junkyard to get me running for now and maybe try to take the 2 and make one over a longer term.

 

[SenorNoob]

Plan changed. Guy I work with has a 1354e and matching driveshaft for $100. Gonna try to make a 1352.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Finally found my front end vibration on the '90, turns out the front driveline vibrates less when it has 70% less rollers in the front U joint than it should have... I found a "good used" joint from my stash probably from the last time I was in there 10 years ago so it's way less bad... the pinion nut was a touch loose but not as bad as I thought before, it was all the U joint...

Now if I could just figure out why the passenger side shaft is hitting the beam... that squeak is annoying...

 

[97RangerXLT]

Drove it to Noblesville to pick up a nice book case. 90 minute round trip with a 5 minut stop to load the truck with book case.

AJ

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Oil change and got the front winch wiring done. Transfer case didn't go according to plan. New plan is to get the local 1350M from the junkyard to get me running for now and maybe try to take the 2 and make one over a longer term.

Just when you thought you were done spending money, suddenly you realize that you must have a set of jumper cables with an Anderson connector on one end so you don't have to pop the hood anymore for jump starts.

 

[Snoranger]

Just when you thought you were done spending money, suddenly you realize that you must have a set of jumper cables with an Anderson connector on one end so you don't have to pop the hood anymore for jump starts.

Ha, you though you were done spending money.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Replaced the front wheel bearings. I was shocked at how easy it was.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Spoiled it with a new air filter:

The we went wheeling on a hiking trail.