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

[SenorNoob]

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.

That was always the plan eventually. And I know better than to think I'm done spending money. That doesn't even happen when you die.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Took the '90 to the snow today, did pretty good, the squeak in the front axle didn't fix itself and now the body mounts are squeaking like the body is rubbing the frame which is annoying... but aside from that I cycled the flasher button a couple dozen times and that fixed the turn signals which is great! The turbo oil seals didn't magically fix themselves either and neither did the IAC... Other than that it was a success of a trip, no pictures because I never think of it

 

[Rick W]

I finally took the trailer off the Road Ranger from last week. I’ve had the pneumatic caster wheels on the front for two or three months now, and it’s actually very easy to move around with them. I welded a pipe to the top of them that is snug but easily slides into the tongue jacks, So it only takes a minute to remove them when I’m going to head down the road. I’m planning on taking it up to the steel scrap dump a couple times and weighing the whole thing with the trailer and without the trailer. I’m just curious, and that would be free.

I started looking for some Craigslist angle iron or square tubing to fill in the cross bracing underneath the diamond plate deck. I’ve already carried some heavy stuff, but I’ve been carrying it on pallets that sit across the frame rails, or I put down a three-quarter inch piece of plywood to spread the weight. If I can find something that will work, I bet I could get it all welded in a couple hours.

With thinking that out, I’m also trying to figure out a way to put up temporary sides, or maybe just some vertical braces (like a logging truck), if I carry something like pipe, or something with an amorphous shape, so it won’t want to slide off the side. Also, so I could load it up with small stuff, like when you’re moving, without it flying all around.

I have everything for the third axle brakes, and the brakes on the two trailer axles, and I already installed the controller. I don’t think that will take too long, and I’ll probably do that this week.

 

[Rick W]

Oh wise ones….

In all my vehicles, my phone holder is stuck to the windshield in the bottom left-hand corner. That works great for me. The problem is the charge cable is either hanging underneath the steering column or running over the steering column, which I hate.

I have installed USB outlets in a couple of the vehicles, but they’re down in the middle by the ashtray. I’ve used the round ones where you cut I think a 1-1/4” hole, and I’ve used the rectangular ones where you cut an 3/4” x 1-1/4” squared-off hole.

I’d like to put a USB outlet somewhere up high on the dash by the phone, left of the steering column, or maybe on the A pillar really low. Has anybody done that or seen something that would work?

I thought of putting one in the top of the dashboard, with the holes facing up, But I’m afraid I’d get trash in it.

My other thought is to run a cable from the power wherever, behind the dashboard and have about 6 inches sticking out to stick into the phone when I put it there. But then I probably won’t like that little bit of cable hanging there when I don’t have the phone up there.

Not a biggie, but if somebody’s has something that works, please let me know

 

[97RangerXLT]

put it back in the garage in preparation for the 3" of snow and 2/10ths of ice that will start hitting by tomorrow afternoon and thursday.
SNOW. Sh** No-One Wants

AJ

 

[JoshT]

I don't really like anything on top of my dash or in my window, so I wouldn't have the phone up there. That said...

My other thought is to run a cable from the power wherever, behind the dashboard and have about 6 inches sticking out to stick into the phone when I put it there. But then I probably won’t like that little bit of cable hanging there when I don’t have the phone up there.

That's exactly what I'd do. Run it such that it came up by the a-pillar. When no in use and it gets annoying, drop it down between the dash and door. Might require opening the door to pull it back up top when needed.

I wouldn't want to put a port on top of the dash for the very reason that you stated. I would also think that having a high mounted (not on top) USB port would result in the same detractors as your current cable setup over time.

 

[Rick W]

I don't really like anything on top of my dash or in my window, so I wouldn't have the phone up there. That said...


That's exactly what I'd do. Run it such that it came up by the a-pillar. When no in use and it gets annoying, drop it down between the dash and door. Might require opening the door to pull it back up top when needed.

I wouldn't want to put a port on top of the dash for the very reason that you stated. I would also think that having a high mounted (not on top) USB port would result in the same detractors as your current cable setup over time.

Thanks. Even as I was writing my situation and request, it was looking like running a wire over in that area that’s accessible, but won’t be an eyesore was probably the best solution.

The only thing I don’t like about that solution is those wires tend to go bad fairly quickly. I don’t want to have to take the dashboard apart every three months if the wire craps out, but then again, I don’t use it very often.

 

[sgtsandman]

Oh wise ones….

In all my vehicles, my phone holder is stuck to the windshield in the bottom left-hand corner. That works great for me. The problem is the charge cable is either hanging underneath the steering column or running over the steering column, which I hate.

I have installed USB outlets in a couple of the vehicles, but they’re down in the middle by the ashtray. I’ve used the round ones where you cut I think a 1-1/4” hole, and I’ve used the rectangular ones where you cut an 3/4” x 1-1/4” squared-off hole.

I’d like to put a USB outlet somewhere up high on the dash by the phone, left of the steering column, or maybe on the A pillar really low. Has anybody done that or seen something that would work?

I thought of putting one in the top of the dashboard, with the holes facing up, But I’m afraid I’d get trash in it.

My other thought is to run a cable from the power wherever, behind the dashboard and have about 6 inches sticking out to stick into the phone when I put it there. But then I probably won’t like that little bit of cable hanging there when I don’t have the phone up there.

Not a biggie, but if somebody’s has something that works, please let me know

Other than the mount I installed for the tablet in the 2011, nothing is installed permenantly, which may be the opposite of what you are looking to do. For that mount, the sound cable and a short USB power cable are left in place, with the sound cable running under the seat and up through the crack between the 60/40 bench under the folding arm rest.

When I'm in full travel mode, the suction cup mount for the cell phone mounted in the middle of the windhield helps hold up the power cables out of the way of the radios as they run up to the phone and the Garmin GPS mounted in the lower, driver's side corner of the windshield. It's not the prettiest setup but it works.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thanks. Even as I was writing my situation and request, it was looking like running a wire over in that area that’s accessible, but won’t be an eyesore was probably the best solution.

The only thing I don’t like about that solution is those wires tend to go bad fairly quickly. I don’t want to have to take the dashboard apart every three months if the wire craps out, but then again, I don’t use it very often.

There’s little sticky cable routing buttons that I’ve seen before that can be stuck on the dash to route a cable along the edges or something. I’ve been meaning to get some myself…

 

[SenorNoob]

They're literally called cable tie mounts. Most of the ones I've seen aren't particularly sticky. Gotta have a really clean surface.

 

[Rick W]

They're literally called cable tie mounts. Most of the ones I've seen aren't particularly sticky. Gotta have a really clean surface.

I’ve got some of those in different sizes. It’s a good idea for routing most of the cable. I don’t think they would look good on the outside of the dashboard, but I could use them to get close.

As regards the foam tape type adhesive, yeah that pretty much sucks. What I’ve usually done is use a wire brush to get rid of the foam part of the adhesive pad, but not remove the part that’s attached to the holder. Then I use a drop of E 6000/goop, hold it in place for 20 30 minutes with a piece of masking tape. I always like that, because it holds forever, but it very easy to take off when you get around to wanting to do that, and it doesn’t leave a bar once you get it off.

Thanks for the tips

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

They're literally called cable tie mounts. Most of the ones I've seen aren't particularly sticky. Gotta have a really clean surface.

No, these things…

Amazon.com

 

[Rick W]

A picture is worth 1000 words…

I’ve tried three or four of these stick on the windshield holders. The ones I’ve seen, the suction pads actually have a sticky surface, which helps them hold much better than a plain suction cup. But my experience is also that they are good for two or three times taking them on and off, and then it’s almost impossible to get them to hold. On this one, I mounted it so that the arm actually barely touches the top of the dash pad, and I put a tiny drop of E 6000/goop right there. It seems to be solid as a rock.

Each design seems to have a different annoying quirk. The issue with this one is that the width of each of the jaws that holds the phone are not deep enough. So when you clip your phone in there, you have to do it just right, or when you hit a bump, the phone will fall.

The one I have in the Road Ranger has a similar suction cup, but then a flexible arm like an old desk lamp. The clip is similar to the plastic curved hair clips that the women use to pull their hair up out of the way when they’re doing something. Those clamps have a soft rubber tab inside them that really holds the phone great. But with the bendable arm, the phone is shaking so much back-and-forth and up and down that you can’t tell what the hell is on the phone in the first place. I’m probably going to fabricate some kind of a little T shape thing that I can glue to the dashboard with a saddle on top that I can goop to the flexible arm.

Which brings me to another helpful hint. When I need some peculiar thing like that, I no longer try to build it from scratch. I learned a long time ago to go down to the Goodwill, and go to the toy section, and find find a toy in the right color where that shape is part of the shape of the toy, and then just cut it out with a hacksaw. With a tiny bit of cleaning up, it looks like it’s made for whatever you’re using it for.

I actually have a box of broken up toys and plastic pieces from whatever that is my go to when I need to fabricate something like that.

 

[Uncle Gump]

140 Pack 3/4" Zip Tie Adhesive Mounts Self Adhesive Cable Base Holders with Multi-Purpose Tie wire clips with screw hole,Anchor stick on wire holder,Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RMS5H25?tag=959media-20

 

[superj]

I added mud flaps to the 24 ranger. I got musology flaps from their amazon store and they fit like factory. No drilling goles or screwing into the metal, they use the factory mounts and plastic push clips.

They mount way better then the factory 04 flaps do, thats for sure. I had to replace those plastic christmas tree clips already on that truck because of play in the clips