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

[2drxploder]

Worked 36hrs in 2 days, 1 day off tomorrow will attempt to start ranger again, maybe, might actually take a day off. The overtime helps with parts bill. Glad I only do these bank shutdowns a few times a year

 

[MikeG]

Drove it! Monday, the low was 4F, I think, today it got in the 70s......

Also used it to pull down a big tree limb that was in danger of falling on the house, or breaking windows, or taking out the water softener.

How people exist without trucks is beyond me....

 

[Roert42]

How people exist without trucks is beyond me....

They pay other people with tools to do the work for them.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So the Red Ranger has a new unwelcome noise and I went to investigate. Turns out the driveshaft carrier bearing is going. Was going to try at least pulling a one-piece off a parts truck here if not totally swap it today. Put my 12mm 12point on my impact and promptly cracked the socket on the first bolt. Thought I had another socket but couldn’t find it so I decided that it just wasn’t my day and I should work on some thing else before I rendered my DD un driveable just in time for the work week to start. Of course I could always drive the F-150 in a pinch or for Monday/Tuesday the GF‘s car, with my luck it’s better to quit while I’m ahead and regroup before giving it another go.

Also found another bad cab mount. Guess that explains that noise, lol.

 

[Rick W]

OK, I need the wisdom of the Ranger gods, please & thanks.

1987 2.9 4WD 5-spd standard, about 3” lift.

Along with a bunch of little things, I changed out the front rotors, bearings, seals, calipers, hoses, the little stuff, and put pads on. I’ve done this many times on other vehicles.

On the driver side, when I put it together, the pads were snug with the rotor, but I could still turn it with a tiny bit of effort. However, on the passenger side, I actually had to gently tap in the caliper, and the pads hugged the rotor so tight that I couldn’t move the rotor by hand, and I also couldn’t turn the wheel by hand (235/75–15).

I took it apart, and everything works as it should (hydraulics, no bearing noise, etc.). I think it is literally the brake pads are too fat for the caliper and the new rotor. I double checked all the part numbers on my order (rock auto) and everything is correct.

I decided not to test drive it before I talk to you guys, before I set it on fire again. Wisdom comes to me like that sometimes.

So, oh ye wiser than me, what gives on this? I’m thinking of simply pulling the pads and running them over the stationary 8 inch belt sander, shaving off 1/16”, but I’ve never had to do anything like that before with all brand new parts.

I did get to correct the color red on the accents on the wheels while I had it all apart. And I’m kind of getting used to it sitting on jackstands right behind my back deck. Maybe I should just leave it and plant something in the back....

Help!

 

[Uncle Gump]

You need new calipers.

 

[Rick W]

Oops, forgot the pics.

The carnival red on the bottom right had too much pink, so I switched to the more manly regal red on the bottom left (after all, it is a 4WD). (The bald cypress needle further inspired me for the outdoor paint job and texture)

These are home made galvanized splash guards. Thought you guys would like them.

Old trick I was taught was to put the rotors in a bag and pop a hole for the packed inboard bearing and to put the seal in. Then put it on the spindle and pull the bag off. Minimal grease on the rotor.

When assembling, the little titty on the first locknut was flat. Sooo, I took a (hard) torx deck screw (I couldn’t find a masonry nail), ground it to the pin diameter, flattened the tip, and Voilà, with this custom pin punch, I drove the pin out enough (with a handy framing hammer) so that it would all work right.

& after I did the first side, putting things back as they came off, I realized the other was in a different order. I went to this cool website -The Ranger Station-and got the correct sequence. Good site, try it!

More to follow. A BTW, little help on the frozen brakes, please & thanks!!

 

[Rick W]

You need new calipers.

They are new, everything/all parts new, hence my confusion (other than my normal confusion)...

 

[1990RangerinSK]

You need new calipers.

That was what I thought, too. A sticking caliper. BUT, as Rick says, they're new. I'm going to take a wild guess that a new caliper won't stick.

 

[Rick W]

That was what I thought, too. A sticking caliper. BUT, as Rick says, they're new. I'm going to take a wild guess that a new caliper won't stick.

All new parts. I took the pads out, piston would cycle. I mic-ed the left and right, both the same. I suspect if I put the 1/2 worn old pads on, it would all work.

 

[Dirtman]

New as in real new, or new as in they came from autozone/advanced so used?

I've seen many a "new" autozone/advanced calipers crap right out of the box. I got a "new" caliper for my ramcharger that had a helicoil on the threads for the brake line. Also seen a couple with no seals on the piston. They are re-built by Chinese children so, yea, never trust "new". I trust junkyard OEM over "new" most of the time.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Just because they're new, doesn't mean they're good, auto parts are a crapshoot anymore...

Today I got up and unloaded the ~6' stack of pallets I drug home from work on Friday in the '97, got stuck (ground is near liquid, forecast is for another 4" of rain this week I think...), wife pulled me out with her Explorer (AWD) but not in the direction I wanted so just unhooking it the 4 tires sunk enough to make it immobile again... said screw it and grabbed the tractor and just had the wife steer while I drug it around... Then loaded it with firewood from the back shed. Was a slight decline from there so I had her drive it back to the driveway while I put the tractor away, still had to give it a slight push to get going...

 

[Uncle Gump]

They are new, everything/all parts new, hence my confusion (other than my normal confusion)...

One thing you can try is to take an old pad and set in the caliper up against the piston... then take a big c-clamp and try to push the piston into the caliper a bit more.

What I do know is it should never take a hammer to install a caliper over the rotor with pads. If the piston will not compress enough to install the caliper without a hammer... get a new caliper.

 

[Rick W]

One thing you can try is to take an old pad and set in the caliper up against the piston... then take a big c-clamp and try to push the piston into the caliper a bit more.

What I do know is it should never take a hammer to install a caliper over the rotor with pads. If the piston will not compress enough to install the caliper without a hammer... get a new caliper.

I did try and compress the piston (used plywood, not pad), it was all the way home, and both calipers mic-ed the same.

& on the hammer thing, I just barely tapped it to start it, I wasn’t wailing on it (although I feel like it now!)

 

[Uncle Gump]

When it's right... they just slide on with no effort.

Try swapping sides with the brake pads maybe... something just doesn't add up.