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

[scotts90ranger]

When I flushed the heater core on my '97 a couple weeks ago it was COMPLETELY WORTH IT! It so worked, the temp gauge now moves within like 4 miles of driving and I have heat in the 40F range, more heat output than I've ever had so far... now I need to drain the coolant and fill it with water and the coolant flush and run for a few days then flush the heater core both directions then refill with coolant, I see the end of the tunnel finally, might be able to save the heater core...

 

[SenorNoob]

...
My truck trips are limited to the gas station and local stores. I have nothing to travel any real distance in. When the snow starts flying, I have nothing currently capable of driving safely in it. Even if/when I get the green Ranger done, I’m still not going to be able to afford to go anywhere. A vacation would be nice when I get it fixed, but it’s not happening. I couldn’t even make the WV trip TRS just had. The sad truth is I’m not going anywhere in the next 6 months most likely. I’m spending money I don’t have just trying to keep going.

That sucks man. If I knew how to help I would. Would a week of extra hands help enough to matter?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That sucks man. If I knew how to help I would. Would a week of extra hands help enough to matter?

It definitely sucks. I’ve seriously been considering the scorched earth nuclear option… scrap everything and sell all my tools. It’s bad.

A week of extra hands could help immensely, but what I’m in the most desperate need of is someone else who can weld and fabricate. Someone capable of more than basic maintenance would be a help though, where I don’t have to stand there and give them instructions on how to do stuff. My buddy Paul has volunteered to come help but unfortunately anything beyond basic maintenance is not his wheelhouse so his help is pretty limited. If I can get through this, I need to spend some time this winter trying to teach him a few things.

 

[Rick W]

I think you are also failing to understand the current situation… let me lay it out for you…

00 Blue Ranger: wrecked years ago but I still own it. Entire front clip is gone.

88 Bronco II Eddie Bauer: in pieces still. Literally.

89 Bronco II Choptop: I’m driving it but I really shouldn’t. Top speed is 55 mph, the vibration gets too bad over that. It’s also destroying my front tires that are somewhere around $300 each. It’s also 1 wheel drive with an open rear and 4x4 not functional.

95 F-150: should have been removed from road service 2 years ago. Front axle is making noise, tires are shot, drivers door doesn’t work. Vibrations get bad over 50 mph.

00 green Ranger: my nightmare trying to get fixed again currently

94 F-350: what I was supposed to be working on, entire front end is currently blown apart

92 red Ranger: wrecked (not my fault), frame is bent and front clip toast.

My truck trips are limited to the gas station and local stores. I have nothing to travel any real distance in. When the snow starts flying, I have nothing currently capable of driving safely in it. Even if/when I get the green Ranger done, I’m still not going to be able to afford to go anywhere. A vacation would be nice when I get it fixed, but it’s not happening. I couldn’t even make the WV trip TRS just had. The sad truth is I’m not going anywhere in the next 6 months most likely. I’m spending money I don’t have just trying to keep going.

I’ve been there, six or seven vehicles and almost nothing to drive. Was it Johnny Cash who sang the song about the Cadillac that was put together from stolen parts from the factory over 15 years, so none of the fenders match or lights matched to whatever.

Maybe you could try that with your menagerie. Use the front door from this, and the axle from that, and the door from the other. I’m telling you, a little rust oleum, and nobody would notice…

 

[superj]

Added 500 more miles to the truck between yesterday afternoon and today.

 

[scotts90ranger]

LBF, I have a '97 mountaineer for parts, I'd offer brackets since everything is just fine on that but I don't think it would help much... if it would I'll see what I can do...

 

[Diego2]

Nothing because my axel boot is not sealed properly and leaking grease everywhere

We need some positive news. What did you do to your Ranger t

 

[holyford86]

Finished fitting and welding in the other rocker panel in my replacement cab then started carving the passenger floor pan out to get it ready for replacement. I found that, much like the driver side, it's going to take some extra patches beyond the replacement pan, I'll continue messing with that tomorrow.

 

[SenorNoob]

Changed wheel bearings. Added sealant to the exhaust. And started to swap the transmission mount...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’ve been there, six or seven vehicles and almost nothing to drive. Was it Johnny Cash who sang the song about the Cadillac that was put together from stolen parts from the factory over 15 years, so none of the fenders match or lights matched to whatever.

Maybe you could try that with your menagerie. Use the front door from this, and the axle from that, and the door from the other. I’m telling you, a little rust oleum, and nobody would notice…

That was indeed the great Johnny Cash that did that song.

It’s less a matter of parts and more a matter of there is one of me, my garage is huge with a really high ceiling that sometimes rains or snows on me and a very rough floor (gravel driveway), and I can’t move as fast as I used to (still fighting health issues). A proper garage with a lift and another person that could weld/fabricate would be a massive game changer, I could fix my entire fleet in short order like that.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

LBF, I have a '97 mountaineer for parts, I'd offer brackets since everything is just fine on that but I don't think it would help much... if it would I'll see what I can do...

I appreciate that, but I don’t think there’s anything there that will really help. I still have my Explorer donor, the body was shot on it but the rest of it was reasonably solid…

Hmm…

I’m going to have to take another look at things now that you mention that, maybe I can harvest a section of frame to simplify my welding task…

I put a video on my FB, maybe later today I can get it pushed out on my YouTube channel and some other platforms. It explains the damage to my green Ranger better than I can explain and better than the pictures I took show…