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


This came yesterday... just opened the box and it started to rain. Maybe later today or tomorrow.

Here's to rust in my eyes...

20231019_091649.jpg
 
This came yesterday... just opened the box and it started to rain. Maybe later today or tomorrow.

Here's to rust in my eyes...

View attachment 100488
Please wear safety glasses. I'm had rust, all kinds of metal, and glass in my eyes. Shit ain't fun going to the doctor to get it removed.
 
This came yesterday... just opened the box and it started to rain. Maybe later today or tomorrow.

Here's to rust in my eyes...

View attachment 100488

Straight through muffler? How long is the body? That's pretty much what I bought for my truck, I think the body on mine might be a couple inches shorter though.. Definitely shorter than I thought it would be when I opened the box šŸ˜‘ hoping it's not too loud coupled with the little high flow cat.
 
I checked over that Strangler yesterday and found no issues after making contact with the deer. While I was at it, I changed the purge valve. She runs a lot better, but still spark knocks up the slightest hill. I put premium fuel in her, and she still spark knocks. No codes in the computer after changing the purge valve. I've done everything to the truck to stop the spark knock and nothing is helping. It has gotten better, but hasn't been eliminated. Next week I will take the Strangler into a friend's shop, and he will check over the tires and suspension to make sure I didn't miss anything. Maybe we can figure out together why I developed a right side hop after the deer incursion.
 
Please wear safety glasses. I'm had rust, all kinds of metal, and glass in my eyes. Shit ain't fun going to the doctor to get it removed.

Yeah... I wear glasses everyday. Polycarbonate lenses... and times such as this... I have a prescription pair of saftey glasses with side shields that will come out to play.


Straight through muffler? How long is the body? That's pretty much what I bought for my truck, I think the body on mine might be a couple inches shorter though.. Definitely shorter than I thought it would be when I opened the box šŸ˜‘ hoping it's not too loud coupled with the little high flow cat.

Yeah... straight through. Fifteen inches long. The reviews said it had a good note and no drone. I also went with a turn down dump opposed to a full exhaust. However... the full exhaust parts will fit if I decide to add that sometime in the future. I really wanted a Gibson SS system... but this 409 SS system was $500 less. It's also made in Canada. I'm gonna take the chance... I also hope it isn't obnoxious.
 
Has anyone ever done something like this or worked with this material….

I am making a little console/CB mount, about the size of my CB radio, to mount between the visors. The face of the little console will have the switches for all my lights and beacon and whatever. I’ve done this before using aluminum diamond plate. The 1/8 inch diamond plate is very easy to work with, but when you drill it for the switches, the ā€œdiamondsā€ can make it hard for the switches to lay flat.

Short while ago I bought Sweet Pea a new gas grill, and I had to scrap the old one. It was one of the stainless steel ones with the cabinet underneath. Before I dumped it, I took off the stainless steel doors and the stainless lid for the shed of miracles.

My brainstorm is to use a piece of that stainless to fold up my little console.

i’m wondering if anybody has used that sheet metal from a gas grille before, and what the issues with it might be before I waste a lot of time.

Here’s the console in The Missing Linc. Purely functional, low on pretty. I’d like the one in The Road Ranger to look a little more professional.

IMG_0361.jpeg
 
Has anyone ever done something like this or worked with this material….

I am making a little console/CB mount, about the size of my CB radio, to mount between the visors. The face of the little console will have the switches for all my lights and beacon and whatever. I’ve done this before using aluminum diamond plate. The 1/8 inch diamond plate is very easy to work with, but when you drill it for the switches, the ā€œdiamondsā€ can make it hard for the switches to lay flat.

Short while ago I bought Sweet Pea a new gas grill, and I had to scrap the old one. It was one of the stainless steel ones with the cabinet underneath. Before I dumped it, I took off the stainless steel doors and the stainless lid for the shed of miracles.

My brainstorm is to use a piece of that stainless to fold up my little console.

i’m wondering if anybody has used that sheet metal from a gas grille before, and what the issues with it might be before I waste a lot of time.

Here’s the console in The Missing Linc. Purely functional, low on pretty. I’d like the one in The Road Ranger to look a little more professional.

View attachment 100491

The sheet metal from a side shelf should be easy enough to work with. Just standard grade steel. From the main body of a steel grill, your guess is as good as mine. It depends on the piece and what the heat did to the steel.
 
Stainless steel is rough to work with. I hate it. Use good cutting oil on drills and saw blades. Don’t run the speed up too high. You’ll burn up blades and drills quickly if you’re not careful.

I hate machining stainless.






















I hate it.
 
Stainless steel is rough to work with. I hate it. Use good cutting oil on drills and saw blades. Don’t run the speed up too high. You’ll burn up blades and drills quickly if you’re not careful.

I hate machining stainless.


I hate it.


Don't forget it'll poison you. You need a respirator to weld it. Lot more work to properly weld, and when your done you need to passivate it or it will loose it's stainless properties. Same thing can happen some times when bending it.

Can't cut it with a torch, need abrasives or plasma.
Not as strong as steel.


Trash.
 
Thank you, thank you thank you.

I planned on cutting it with a cut off wheel, and there won’t be any welding. I have one of those little harbor freight metal benders, but I think my template may be too wide. In the past, I have clamped a piece of sheet metal to the edge of my work table, sandwiched between two pieces of steel, clamping it very tight. Then I slowly work it with a rubber mallet. It works like a charm with the aluminum diamond plate, and I’ve done it on some thin steel sheet before, but that was ages ago, and I can’t remember how they came out.
 
Worked on the '00 Explorer some yesterday, changed one of the coils since the connector was breaking off then jacked it up to try to find out what is making the crunchy noises when I turn in 4x2, not sure if it's the front diff or the passenger side CV shaft which none of the options make sense... Then I added some more electrical tape to the sway bar bushing that was missing... again thought about pulling it and adding heater hose or something but didn't... :)
 
Worked on the '00 Explorer some yesterday, changed one of the coils since the connector was breaking off then jacked it up to try to find out what is making the crunchy noises when I turn in 4x2, not sure if it's the front diff or the passenger side CV shaft which none of the options make sense... Then I added some more electrical tape to the sway bar bushing that was missing... again thought about pulling it and adding heater hose or something but didn't... :)

you don’t necessarily have to pull it all the way off. You can take a piece of heater hose and slit it, and slide it in if you have any wiggle room. Also, don’t forget good old garden hose. You want a combination that fills the whole gap and gives a little bit, but won’t wear out quickly. You could layer a heater hose with a garden hose with who knows what hose (maybe even a thin wall PVC irrigation pipe). If you layer it, use my favorite E 6000 stuff, the stuff is indestructible. It will hold it together. One last thought, the reason I like the garden hose, is the nylon cording inside of it.

Hope it helps
 
Mostly worked on the 97 semi this weekend, but Harbor Freight has 30% off all items under $20 if you’re a member. Yesterday I got a set of pry bars I’ve wanted forever. Today I got a $19 18-inch receiver tube for 15 bucks. I think I’m going to get another one tomorrow. With all this craziness I’ve been doing with the semi, my stock was completely depleted and I haven’t been able to find anything online. But 15 bucks for an 18 inch brand new one? Can’t turn it down.
 

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