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

[JoshT]

Started the live axle conversion portion of the V8 swap. Have had the parts to convert my 99 to live axle for over a year, but never got around to it. Since my V8 swap is going to be AWD, I figured I better finally get around to installing them. Also thought that with the engine out and the axles out it would be a good time to replace my 200k mile V6 mounts for a fresh set of V8 mounts, since I'n noticed that the passenger side was accessable through a hole in the frame over the axle.

Got started about 5pm, took a break for supper around 6:30, and continued until 9pm. Got all of the locking hub components removed. Reinstalled the passenger side axle before remembering that I wanted to replace the mount too. Got that mount swapped out. Moved over to the driver side to continue and discovered that I've definitely for to drop differential to change the mount. Well, shit... that was it for the night.

Why did I decide to replace the mounts instead of just modifying the plate? Engine out and axlews removed, it's the best time to drop the differential and change the mount. I'll get it swapped and front suspension back together sometime tomorrow.

While digging in I discovered that I'm going to have to do a suspension rebuild in the near future, the boots practically gone on all 4 ball joints. Don't know that they are loose yet, but to me that means it's time to replace them. Not too big of an issue as I was going to be changing it up in the near future anyway, but I'm trying to get a set of custom upper control arms arranged for my plans.

I was hoping to get started slotting the engine in tomorrow, but if all goes well I'll be happy to have the mounts swapped and front suspension back together.

 

[ben_2_go]

Swirved and slid, but despite my efforts, tagged some impatient twit in her soccer mom suv who couldn't wait and turned in front of me. I creamed the left rear corner of her disposable POS. My beater with a heater broke a parking light, pealed the fender flare half off and punched a hole on the corner of the fenders. She insisted on calling the cops. She tried saying I ran the light. Two other witnesses stayed at the seen and reported I had a green light. Cops wrote her up at fault. Is it any wonder I'm jaded and hate people in general. Glad at least two honest people forfeited their time staying and witnessing the truth.

Dash cams are a good thing now days with idiots and liars.

 

[tw205]

Dash cams are a good thing now days with idiots and liars.

I have one around here somewhere. I reckon it's time I dig it out and put it in the truck.

 

[JoshT]

Another day of working on the ranger down and it went easier than expected. Got started about 10 am this morning and made an easy day of it.

Took about an hour to drop the driver side of the differential, swap out the mount, and get the differntial back in place. Honestly a bunch of that time was finding the right socket and rachet combo to snake between the axle and the mount. Glad I went ahead and did it. If the engine were in palce I think the differential would have had to come out completely.

Stopped for a taco lunch.

After lunch I reassembled the front suspension and brakes with live axle components (unit bearings and axle shafts) in place of the locking hub components. Honestly that did take longer than expected, but I wasn't working super hard on it. That was all back together around 3:30, because when dad fired up the turkey fryer around 4 and I'd already moved on to other prep work. The next two hours I was kind of distracted by smelling the turkey fry. Did get the heat shields reinstalled on the HVAC plenum, wrapped up a few connectors that won't be needed (PVH actuator & transfer case) with self sealing silicon tape, and got the transmission staged to drop the motor in place tomorrow. Knocked off the work, got cleaned up and started chasing a bunch of little things for the rest of the build.

The turkey was worth the wait.

Another weekend or two like this and it might be a running driving V8 swap. If we can get the engine in and married to the transmission tomorrow, we should be able to knock out a lot of small stuff during the week. Unfortunately next Saturday is already booked to help with an Eagle Scout ceremony. Kind of wish my old scoutmaster would loose my number, but he doesn't use it often so I'll keep helping when he does. Might be the last one for the troup anyway, so be good to go and see everybody there from my time in.

 

[Rick W]

Another day of working on the ranger down and it went easier than expected. Got started about 10 am this morning and made an easy day of it.

Took about an hour to drop the driver side of the differential, swap out the mount, and get the differntial back in place. Honestly a bunch of that time was finding the right socket and rachet combo to snake between the axle and the mount. Glad I went ahead and did it. If the engine were in palce I think the differential would have had to come out completely.

Stopped for a taco lunch.

After lunch I reassembled the front suspension and brakes with live axle components (unit bearings and axle shafts) in place of the locking hub components. Honestly that did take longer than expected, but I wasn't working super hard on it. That was all back together around 3:30, because when dad fired up the turkey fryer around 4 and I'd already moved on to other prep work. The next two hours I was kind of distracted by smelling the turkey fry. Did get the heat shields reinstalled on the HVAC plenum, wrapped up a few connectors that won't be needed (PVH actuator & transfer case) with self sealing silicon tape, and got the transmission staged to drop the motor in place tomorrow. Knocked off the work, got cleaned up and started chasing a bunch of little things for the rest of the build.

The turkey was worth the wait.

Another weekend or two like this and it might be a running driving V8 swap. If we can get the engine in and married to the transmission tomorrow, we should be able to knock out a lot of small stuff during the week. Unfortunately next Saturday is already booked to help with an Eagle Scout ceremony. Kind of wish my old scoutmaster would loose my number, but he doesn't use it often so I'll keep helping when he does. Might be the last one for the troup anyway, so be good to go and see everybody there from my time in.

Stick with it. Many years ago, but scouting was one of the best things I’ve ever done, learned a lot, learned community, learned civic pride, and learned how to help others.

 

[JoshT]

Stick with it. Many years ago, but scouting was one of the best things I’ve ever done, learned a lot, learned community, learned civic pride, and learned how to help others.

I appreciate what it was and did for me and most of the other scouts that I met there. Very close bonds with the other Eagles from the troup even though we don;t see each other often at all. We all agree, scouting isn't what it used to be, not even what it was when I was in the program 20 years ago. As the saying goes... Get woke, Go broke. The program went woke, it's going broke in ways other than money (maybe that too). Don't want to get into the politics, but they did and it messed things up.

Doesn't matter. At this rate I'm not going to have kids of my own, so no reason to be involved there. This troop has been dying for years. there were only 6 or 7 active scouts last time I was very involved (10-15 years ago), and has been slowly dwindling since. This is literally the last scout in the troop and he had to get a time extension to complete the project. Scoutmaster and assistant did a recruitment drive at the end of last year and only had two interested, but neither of them ever actually showed up. For their sake, if really interested, I hope that they went to a larger troop. The scoutmaster needs to retire anyway, he has to be in his late 70s and his wife has dimentia. My mother actually spends a lot of time watching her when he needs to do other things. Since he won't consider putting her in a care facility (which I do understand) he needs to let the scouting go, at least in that role, and the troop fold.

 

[Rick W]

I appreciate what it was and did for me and most of the other scouts that I met there. Very close bonds with the other Eagles from the troup even though we don;t see each other often at all. We all agree, scouting isn't what it used to be, not even what it was when I was in the program 20 years ago. As the saying goes... Get woke, Go broke. The program went woke, it's going broke in ways other than money (maybe that too). Don't want to get into the politics, but they did and it messed things up.

Doesn't matter. At this rate I'm not going to have kids of my own, so no reason to be involved there. This troop has been dying for years. there were only 6 or 7 active scouts last time I was very involved (10-15 years ago), and has been slowly dwindling since. This is literally the last scout in the troop and he had to get a time extension to complete the project. Scoutmaster and assistant did a recruitment drive at the end of last year and only had two interested, but neither of them ever actually showed up. For their sake, if really interested, I hope that they went to a larger troop. The scoutmaster needs to retire anyway, he has to be in his late 70s and his wife has dimentia. My mother actually spends a lot of time watching her when he needs to do other things. Since he won't consider putting her in a care facility (which I do understand) he needs to let the scouting go, at least in that role, and the troop fold.

So sorry to hear all that, and unfortunately, it doesn’t surprise me.

Times are certainly different from when you were a kid, and 50 or 80 years before that when I was a kid. But we can’t get discouraged. If anything, we need to get more motivated. Good men are hard to find these days, they don’t grow on trees. That is why we need the good men to shape future good men, our youth, even if they’re not our blood. In the long run, they are all our blood, good blood, our future

And that is definitely me talking, not Mr. Jack. (but never underestimate his ability to speak up later in the night.)

 

[JoshT]

Times are certainly different from when you were a kid, and 50 or 80 years before that when I was a kid. But we can’t get discouraged. If anything, we need to get more motivated. Good men are hard to find these days, they don’t grow on trees. That is why we need the good men to shape future good men, our youth, even if they’re not our blood. In the long run, they are all our blood, good blood, our future

I'd probably get involved in some of the newer faith based programs if asked, but Scouting would have to do a hard and fast 180 to bring me back in. Lots of reasons for it in my mind, but don't want to get into the politics as I said previously.

 

[tw205]

Did some repair work to the front light, fender and bumper from hitting that impatient driver Friday night. Pushed the bumper back about 3" causing a tire rub on left turns. Cut off 3", no more rub. The shattered light assembly was a bit more work. The fiberglass was not repairable so I took some thin steel and made a cover plate to serve my purpose. New lense is in the mail. Should be road ready Tuesday.

 

[Rick W]

I'd probably get involved in some of the newer faith based programs if asked, but Scouting would have to do a hard and fast 180 to bring me back in. Lots of reasons for it in my mind, but don't want to get into the politics as I said previously.

A couple more thoughts*. Not bragging. I used to be part owner in an engineering company (300 professionals, 400 technicians, 250-300 Rangers & S10s), and most of my career I started as a supervisor and worked all the way up to one of the top guys.

In a leadership position like that, with a captive audience, it was easy to effect a little change. I wouldn’t want to try it in the woke world today, but I truly believe one of my greatest accomplishments, seriously – not ego, was working with the young folks, and some not so young folks, to help them get their thinking, and their careers on track, and occasionally some of their personal life. OMG, have the trial lawyers changed that in a woke world!

* But someone has to do it if we are to save Judeo/Christian civilization, actually save the world.

In this seemingly impossible situation, when superheroes with the abilities of gods could not perfect the change, I was inspired by a mere mortal who inspired one of the godlike creatures:

In Dawn of Justice, Batman advised the Flash to “save one.” That is the philosophy. I embrace today. I engage the young kids when they come by to see my junk pile, and ditto when I go to chamber and professional meetings and such.

I will admit one thing, one sin. One of the primary reasons I sold my interests in the engineering company, and then I got a real estate brokers license: no F’n employees!!!! A terrible thought on the Lord’s day, but fact

Save one. All of you!!!

(and I’ll give you a ride in the Road Ranger)

 

[scotts90ranger]

Investigated the spindle bearing issue on the '90 and sure enough it's completely pooched, shaft seal had been leaking and that bearing hasn't behaved right for years apparently... not sure if the shaft is salvageable or not yet but I have a spare or two... need to order seals and bearing...

oh and on the wifes car apparently it has a nail in the tire, looked the other day and they all looked fine now one was flat, and she called and the ABS light is on so either there's a wheel bearing issue, sensor issue or the mouse got hungry... oh and the front alignment is bad or the tie rod ends are worn out, front tires are worn out on the outsides only...

 

[Curious Hound]

Investigated the spindle bearing issue on the '90 and sure enough it's completely pooched, shaft seal had been leaking and that bearing hasn't behaved right for years apparently... not sure if the shaft is salvageable or not yet but I have a spare or two... need to order seals and bearing...

oh and on the wifes car apparently it has a nail in the tire, looked the other day and they all looked fine now one was flat, and she called and the ABS light is on so either there's a wheel bearing issue, sensor issue or the mouse got hungry... oh and the front alignment is bad or the tie rod ends are worn out, front tires are worn out on the outsides only...

Soft tire causing enough differential speed to throw the ABS code? See if it resets after you fix the tire.

 

[scotts90ranger]

She had turned around on the way to the store since it was steering funny with an almost flat rear tire, the ABS light started flashing once I aired all 4 tires up... I'll rotate the tires when she gets home and I'll look into it...

 

[drewh108]

Installed a Double Din stereo system. Nice to be able to stream music via bluetooth finally!

Eventually I'll add the included back up camera and mount the microphone. It's been snowing here.

Will be testing out Apple Carplay on the way to work tomorrow.

 

[Rick W]

Installed a Double Din stereo system. Nice to be able to stream music via bluetooth finally!

Eventually I'll add the included back up camera and mount the microphone. It's been snowing here.

Will be testing out Apple Carplay on the way to work tomorrow.

All sounds good, but I’m puzzled. What are you going to say through the microphone to the people you see in the rearview screen, only when it’s snowing?