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

[ben_2_go]

I picked up the C5500 Topkick today. Just in time for the Stranger to crap it's 4r44e transmission for the third time. Only 260,000 miles and none of those miles have been hard or abusive. Maybe I should have treated it more like a $2 hooker than my daily rider.

 

[sgtsandman]

Replaced the right tail light. So the 2011 is pretty much back to normal.

In other news, it looks like it's getting about time to replace the rear parking brake cables. When the temperature drops below freezing, the pedal doesn't return all the way to the disengaged position without help. She's starting to show her age and needs some attention.

 

[Rick W]

I picked up the C5500 Topkick today. Just in time for the Stranger to crap it's 4r44e transmission for the third time. Only 260,000 miles and none of those miles have been hard or abusive. Maybe I should have treated it more like a $2 hooker than my daily rider.

hey, if she’s only two dollars, you can ride her all day long!

 

[JoshT]

Today was back on the parts ranger, but I did drive the '99 over there to work on it.

I pulled the rear axle and leaf spring assembly. The exhaust was saved in hopes that I can use parts of it with the V8 swap, looks like an aftermarket 2.5" dual system that someone welded in instead of bolting in. The hitch was removed so dad can use it to make a hitch for pulling trailer behind his tractor. Don't need it now, but also snatched out the driveshaft for future use.

After doing all that I figured out I won't be able to use the axle like I intended. I thought it was a 3.73 and I was going to pair it with the Explorer front diff in my V8 swap. Turns out it was a 3.55. Still needed to come out since I wanted the leaf springs to replace the Explorer leafs that are currently in the '99. I'll still be keepting the axle, I might be able to put it to use in the '85 Ranger. The axle tag says that has a 4.11 (doesn't match door) and I don't think that will be a good match for its engine and tire size.

Only things left are to pull airbags, load it on a trailer, and pull the front wheels. Tail lights look decent so they might get saved for dad's Ranger just in case, I'd like that style light (red & clear, no amber) on mine but different bed styles. I think my BIL said that he wants the trans cooler, radiator, and/or condenser. He might be able to use the trans cooler on his truck, but I don't know what he's going to do with the other two since he has nothing they will fit. I don't need them so he's welcome to them if he wants to remove them.

In other news, it looks like it's getting about time to replace the rear parking brake cables. When the temperature drops below freezing, the pedal doesn't return all the way to the disengaged position without help. She's starting to show her age and needs some attention.

Good luck with that. This was a southern truck and I had to cut the intermediate cable to get them disconnected. Once that was done the connector where they split came right on off with a pair of vice grips and a hammer.

For a northern truck, you might want to start spraying it with the penetrant now.

 

[Rick W]

Today was back on the parts ranger, but I did drive the '99 over there to work on it.

I pulled the rear axle and leaf spring assembly. The exhaust was saved in hopes that I can use parts of it with the V8 swap, looks like an aftermarket 2.5" dual system that someone welded in instead of bolting in. The hitch was removed so dad can use it to make a hitch for pulling trailer behind his tractor. Don't need it now, but also snatched out the driveshaft for future use.

After doing all that I figured out I won't be able to use the axle like I intended. I thought it was a 3.73 and I was going to pair it with the Explorer front diff in my V8 swap. Turns out it was a 3.55. Still needed to come out since I wanted the leaf springs to replace the Explorer leafs that are currently in the '99. I'll still be keepting the axle, I might be able to put it to use in the '85 Ranger. The axle tag says that has a 4.11 (doesn't match door) and I don't think that will be a good match for its engine and tire size.

Only things left are to pull airbags, load it on a trailer, and pull the front wheels. Tail lights look decent so they might get saved for dad's Ranger just in case, I'd like that style light (red & clear, no amber) on mine but different bed styles. I think my BIL said that he wants the trans cooler, radiator, and/or condenser. He might be able to use the trans cooler on his truck, but I don't know what he's going to do with the other two since he has nothing they will fit. I don't need them so he's welcome to them if he wants to remove them.



Good luck with that. This was a southern truck and I had to cut the intermediate cable to get them disconnected. Once that was done the connector where they split came right on off with a pair of vice grips and a hammer.

For a northern truck, you might want to start spraying it with the penetrant now.

For a northern truck, you might want to start spraying it with the penetrant now.

“Spray,” maybe. “SOAK” is my vote…

 

[sgtsandman]

Today was back on the parts ranger, but I did drive the '99 over there to work on it.

I pulled the rear axle and leaf spring assembly. The exhaust was saved in hopes that I can use parts of it with the V8 swap, looks like an aftermarket 2.5" dual system that someone welded in instead of bolting in. The hitch was removed so dad can use it to make a hitch for pulling trailer behind his tractor. Don't need it now, but also snatched out the driveshaft for future use.

After doing all that I figured out I won't be able to use the axle like I intended. I thought it was a 3.73 and I was going to pair it with the Explorer front diff in my V8 swap. Turns out it was a 3.55. Still needed to come out since I wanted the leaf springs to replace the Explorer leafs that are currently in the '99. I'll still be keepting the axle, I might be able to put it to use in the '85 Ranger. The axle tag says that has a 4.11 (doesn't match door) and I don't think that will be a good match for its engine and tire size.

Only things left are to pull airbags, load it on a trailer, and pull the front wheels. Tail lights look decent so they might get saved for dad's Ranger just in case, I'd like that style light (red & clear, no amber) on mine but different bed styles. I think my BIL said that he wants the trans cooler, radiator, and/or condenser. He might be able to use the trans cooler on his truck, but I don't know what he's going to do with the other two since he has nothing they will fit. I don't need them so he's welcome to them if he wants to remove them.



Good luck with that. This was a southern truck and I had to cut the intermediate cable to get them disconnected. Once that was done the connector where they split came right on off with a pair of vice grips and a hammer.

For a northern truck, you might want to start spraying it with the penetrant now.

The 1998 wasn't so bad when I did the work on it but it had drums as opposed to the disc/drum system the 2011 has. I might need to at least partially slide the axle shafts out on this one the get enough access. The hubs in the way of everything with that parking brake design.

 

[JoshT]

Had a little bit of daylight left after work so was back on the parts Ranger today. Got the air bags pulled. Got a few other odds and ends pulled. Still had daylight left...

I'd decided quite a while back that I wanted to save the interior plastics to redye for a color change on my truck. I'd grown tired of the light gray stock interior, though it is currently getting a second wind. I'd already pulled most of the plastics as well as the cluster and radio months ago. Had started to pull the dash then decided that it was too much work and I'd dye mine in place when the time came. Well having some daylight left and nothing left to loose, I finished pulling the steering column, disconnected the wiring harness, and proceeded to sratr removing the dash. When I finished for the day it was ready to come out except for one harness commection I missed for the safety restraint system control module, the box under the cup holderson the trans tunnel. Next time I'll get that loose, pull all my parts out and be ready to scrap the rest. If all goes well it'll be gone Saturday and get a few bucks back in my pocket to pay for miscellaneous swap parts.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Drove it to pick up my kid from daycare which he really likes last night.

So he walks out, sees it sitting among all the mom mobiles and proclaims "you drove the ranger!"

And then he spins around and punches me right in the crotch in excitement.

Perfect way to end a crappy week.

 

[1984RESTOMOD]

Finally got around to mocking up front cab mounts I had waterjetted

 

[Curious Hound]

View attachment 105936finally got around to mocking up front cab mounts I had waterjetted

That looks real nice.

 

[1984RESTOMOD]

That looks real nice.

Thanks - Still have my 3D models if anybody needs some. Will probably make a slight revision and lengthen the gusset and add a collar around the radius if so. Can fab them or send the unbent pieces of watterjetted sheet metal

 

[Rick W]

View attachment 105936finally got around to mocking up front cab mounts I had waterjetted

Question, never a criticism, how is the eye attached to the flange? Are those rivets? They look a little light, and the bolts look like they might be a little light. But that assumes somebody with my fat ass would be driving a thing…

 

[1984RESTOMOD]

Question, never a criticism, how is the eye attached to the flange? Are those rivets? They look a little light, and the bolts look like they might be a little light. But that assumes somebody with my fat ass would be driving a thing…

Just mocked up w magnets. Still have to weld them together. Metric class 10.9 bolts - 1/2 diameter

 

[Saddle Tramp]

Found some leaks. Valve cover gaskets, oil pan, and the crankshaft main seal. So, I had those done and with it, flushed the cooling system, spark plugs, wires, EGR valve sensor, and an oil change.

And they found a crack in the A/C line so that was repaired too.

 

[JoshT]

Drove it. We've had so much rain over the last two days, that I wasn't sure the roads would be passable in my car. Might not be in the truck either, but I've got a better chance of recovering with it. Roads were passible, but it's still raining.

We got a couple hour break from the rain about the time I got off work. That was nice. On Saturday a new pick-n-pull yard open up the road from work. Since rain was stopped I took the opportunity to browse and atempt to find a needed part for my upcoming swap project. The website showed a few Rangers and Explorers of the right vintage. They did not disappoint. Including their were 6-8 of the 99-03 vintage. A few of the 93-97 Rangers and B series. Even a 89-92 Ranger with another sitting in the prep yard that really looked too nice to be there, hopefully that means good parts for an even nicer one to stay on the road.

The main thing I was after was the C184 connector in the engine bay to modify a start/charge harness. Explorer has a same style connector for that location, unfortunately the genders are reversed and the harness is shorter. Female connector on Explorer start/charge harness, and Female connector on Ranger body harness, and about 8" between where they are located in the engine bay. (Ok maybe 6, but we all exaggerate a little right?) Same sex relationships may be accepted and common now, but that doesn't mean that the same flies in electrical. Either the Explorer harness needs to transition and add a few wires, or I need to make a therapist adapter harness to help the two work together. I'm going for the latter, but more on that will come in a potential build thread or seek out lil_Blue_Ford's build thread and youtube videos. @lil

Fortunately all potential donor candidates for the connector had unmolested harness in the engine bay. Unfortunately the way that they had them sitting I needed a stool to reach the connector and there weren't any available. After striking out on a connector I could reach I finally found one thatr had been in a front end colission, the fender was peeled back and the connector I was after had dropped down into the wheel wheel. Got the compressor and pressure switch ends too just in case.

After that I started browsing the yard and seeing what I might want to come back for. I'd really only brought pliers and dikes to get the connectors, and a screw driver hoping to find an edge grill honeycomb, so couldn't do much. I found a V8 Explorer or Mountaineer that I did not see in the vehicle listing. I wasn't looking for a V8 but good to know the parts are there if I need something during the swap. I'm going to clean up my spare GT-40 intake to install with the swap. A very important piece got misplaced somewhere over the years. This one happened to have that piece, I happened to have the right tool, and the hardware was kind enough to turn loose without fuss.

I'll be heading back in the near future to get some more pieces I think. One of the Explorers/Mountys had a nice set of cloth bucket seats with power adjust and lumbar that were the right color for my truck's interior. One of the Rangers had a nice set of black "leather" jump seats. Since my eventual goal is to color change my interior to black I'm going to grab them before they get ruined. Unfortunately the front seats in that one weren't so nice. Looked like it had been pieced together from a few trucks and got a cheap respray.

Hopefully tomorrow the rain will be gone, I can get my air compressor wired, and start back prepping parts for the swap.