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

[JoshT]

Tied my exhaust to the neighbor's fence and filled it with dirt...

View attachment 94036

 

[01WHTRNGR]

Got started on installing a center console

 

[Roert42]

Been in that boat more than once. Chin up though, we have the technology to fix it. Kinda wish somebody made replacement frames for these though. Or Ford would do what Toyota did with the Tacomas.

We briefly searched for a donor truck to use the frame, and every truck under $2k had the same issue.

would have been nice to make frame out of fresh steel, but I don’t have the patience for that at the moment.

 

[ben_2_go]

So, in other words, you were full of today.

And puke.

 

[Rick W]

Tied my exhaust to the neighbor's fence and filled it with dirt...

View attachment 94036

Damn, I always think of myself as creative and inspired, solve any problem with what’s on hand, but it just never dawned on me to tie my exhaust pipe to the neighbors fence and fill it with dirt. I bow down…

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So yesterday I finished my work of giving the brakes a once over. Everything seemed fine, did a quick vac job in the cab and took it for a spin last evening to find the passenger front is apparently hanging up. Seemed fine when I cleaned and lubed it, but apparently not fine. Little annoyed but not the end of the world, I’ve had new brake hoses and calipers sitting around since the last time I had it on the road, so I’ll just have to swap it over.

Unfortunately, I’m going to be restricted to local trips until I can do the ball joints, for some strange reason m the upper ball joints are both going bad. Lowers seem fine, but I have a little play in the uppers, which if I remember correctly only have a few thousand miles on them. Gonna have to see if they are under warranty… I need to pop the front axle apart to take care of the broken axle shaft and I want to check all the seals and u-joints and stuff too.

 

[Rick W]

Tied my exhaust to the neighbor's fence and filled it with dirt...

View attachment 94036

Are you going to let us know why?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Are you going to let us know why?

I would guess he is going to bend it. Filling with dirt or sand will prevent a kink when bending.

 

[Roert42]

Finished my welding, then put my brother on wire wheel duty to clean it up for the Por15. Then he found more holes, so more welding to come.

 

[Vindictus]

Was knocking some rust off the old girl. getting it preped for some por 15
and had an opps

I know what I'm doing this weekend

 

[broncc]

I would guess he is going to bend it. Filling with dirt or sand will prevent a kink when bending.

Correct! It did not fit with the new springs.

 

[JoshT]

Welp I got good news and bad about my Ranger today. First I fixed my AC for the cost of a can of refridgerant that I didn't use, I'll need it at some point so on the shelf it goes. Still feels like it could be colder and work better, but it's working which is good enough until I do the engine swap down the road.

Bad news, I fixed the AC by finding out I have a coolant leak. On the way home the temp gauge spiked. After letting it cool off I checked and radiator might have only been half full. Guess I get to figure out where that's going now. Sounds like the Ranger is parked for a week or two while I work on some other things.

On other note I'll hopefully be taking the F-250 to pickup this trailer this weekend. Assuming it doesn't sell out from under me of course.

Popped up on facebook marketplace when I Was looking last night. $400. Not perfect but a whole hell of a lot more solid than what's on my truck now, and most of what I'd find on this side of the country. Was from California, still has the CA plate on the tailgate.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Correct! It did not fit with the new springs.

View attachment 94069

You sure it was the springs and not the lift shackles?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, helped dad a bit with getting the new core support fitted in his Ranger and did the calipers and hoses on the front of the choptop. Pulled the side that was sticking apart first and the caliper pushed in easy enough and the pads were free since I had it apart yesterday. It obviously was sticking though. Since I already had braided hoses and new calipers, that’s what went on. Had to make a few adjustments to things to make it all work, but it’s done now and I’m relatively happy with it. Rear shocks are the next thing to tackle. I think for the time being I’m going to use some shocks I had for a Ranger, they probably wouldn’t be long enough for off roading but they are a good 4-5” longer than ride height for the choptop so that should do until I can work out what shocks I need again.

Then I need to collect up things and do the axle shafts and ball joints. So much for only needing a motor, but that’s how it goes. Once these things are done, I can go back to the green Ranger and see what I can make happen there. In between working on the parents vehicles and life and all.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Choptop got newly used rear shocks and cleaned out today, then went for a couple runs and seems ok-ish. Gotta fix the ball joints soon. And flush the cooling system a couple times. But we are mobile, I’ll just stick to local trips with it until I get the issues worked out. Also helped dad a little today with his Ranger. Probably going to tackle the last of the rear axle stuff on the Explorer tomorrow, weather permitting. Bounce around between things a little but I want to keep hammering at the choptop because as soon as that’s squared away I’m getting back on the green Ranger, I’d like that up and the bugs worked out before the fall ride.