What did YOU do today?

[scotts90ranger]

Tonight did some more farm fabrication, brother wanted somethin to shear off the top of the dirt to get rid of vind weed and thistles that are evading every dirt working implement... so we rooted through the random stuff sitting around and found a 6' grader blade that was worn down to like 3" on one end and 6" on the other but still had a new edge left (they apparently never flipped it? but took it off when they got a new one?), then found a 3 point frame that didn't work for what he first tried it for but would work for the plan, found a random ripper tooth that was about 30" long ~5/8" or 3/4" thick by 2.5" bar, cut that in half, welded each half to the sides of the frame then welded the blade at about a 10 degree angle for down pressure... had the old stick welder fired up and cooking metal pretty good. The intention is to use it on already worked dirt so it doesn't need to be super strong so we didn't go too overkill, he'll probably try it tomorrow...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Tonight did some more farm fabrication, brother wanted somethin to shear off the top of the dirt to get rid of vind weed and thistles that are evading every dirt working implement... so we rooted through the random stuff sitting around and found a 6' grader blade that was worn down to like 3" on one end and 6" on the other but still had a new edge left (they apparently never flipped it? but took it off when they got a new one?), then found a 3 point frame that didn't work for what he first tried it for but would work for the plan, found a random ripper tooth that was about 30" long ~5/8" or 3/4" thick by 2.5" bar, cut that in half, welded each half to the sides of the frame then welded the blade at about a 10 degree angle for down pressure... had the old stick welder fired up and cooking metal pretty good. The intention is to use it on already worked dirt so it doesn't need to be super strong so we didn't go too overkill, he'll probably try it tomorrow...

Pics please.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Here ya go, conveniently my brother sent a pic a few minutes ago... he had that green and yellow frame and as you can see we left the foot on the ripper shank in place... Apparently it worked good other than those two pipes on the back aren't strong enough... they were already there so that'll happen... you get what you can get in a ~2 hour window start to finish

 

[superj]

i started swapping in the super good deal leather heated seats for the 05 mazda6. the local junkyard had a 50% off deal on seats and i have hated the tan seats in the car so when i saw a black interior, i grabbed them. the only issue is they are leather, but i can live with it for now until black cloth show up.


they actually are decent looking seats too. i will update pics when i get service on the phone

 

[superj]

And i got the passenger front seat. Total cost was 39 dollars. I need to get the wiring harness to the seat heater switches and the switches and my wife will be happy about heated seats.

The driver's seat was to rough to get

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Well I bought the 95 5.0 mustang yesterday, towed it straight to the detailers.funny thing is im gonna pay him almost as much as I payed for the car lol. I'll post pics once it's all clean she ain't perfect but 500$ and it runs

 

[tw205]

Yesterday drove to Wisconsin to buy a couple axles. Dana 35 and 8.8. Long way from south central Michigan but I did it for the gears. Add said Yukon 5.13. I haven’t found a Yukon stamp but they are 5.13s. Today I started disassembling them. I found D35 has been cut and turned. It was on a GIANT Ranger. Don’t know what I’m gonna do with them so I guess they will just go into the spare parts room.

The 8.8 checks out but it got some abuse. Ring and pinion seems ok but it’s got two chipped gears on the spiders. It’s from a Grand Marquis. It’s got brackets welded (poorly) all over from the lift it was on. I may just rob the ring and pinion and start with a ranger or explorer housing. IDK

I paid $300 for the whole lot. And a 16 hour round trip.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Yesterday drove to Wisconsin to buy a couple axles. Dana 35 and 8.8. Long way from south central Michigan but I did it for the gears. Add said Yukon 5.13. I haven’t found a Yukon stamp but they are 5.13s. Today I started disassembling them. I found D35 has been cut and turned. It was on a GIANT Ranger. Don’t know what I’m gonna do with them so I guess they will just go into the spare parts room. View attachment 97926View attachment 97927
The 8.8 checks out but it got some abuse. Ring and pinion seems ok but it’s got two chipped gears on the spiders. It’s from a Grand Marquis. It’s got brackets welded (poorly) all over from the lift it was on. I may just rob the ring and pinion and start with a ranger or explorer housing. IDK
View attachment 97928
I paid $300 for the whole lot. And a 16 hour round trip.

Those will be some nice gears to have around, a ranger on 35s is quite a sight

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yesterday I got the intake manifold mounted to the 5.0L, test fit the headers and decided the rear portion of the drivers side should stay on for install as it looked tight then rolled the engine over in front of the Explorer to lift it so I could put the rear main in as well as oil galley plugs and rear cam plug and put it over it's home...

Today I ran the F350 and camper over to the Harvest Fest grounds (where the tractor pull I deal with is), the speedo worked again! Used cruise control when there weren't idiots slowing me down, it was nice! then helped out there for a bit, then went to Home Depot and got the 1/2 NPT to 1/4 NPT bushing I needed to get the Harbor Freight water separator filter regulator I picked up yesterday plumbed in. After I got that all plumbed (every time I sprayed anything with air on the 5L rebuild it was a water mist, annoying, 25% off convinced me...) I switched to dropping the engine in, so far I've had to loosen that header I installed since it was hitting the brake booster but it's getting closer, about to head back out and see if I can at least get the engine and transmission mated as that's a big part of the equation...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Got the engine and transmission mated with 5 of 6 bellhousing bolts (conveniently can't find the 6th and it's behind a trans tunnel weld seam so whatever, not sure I'm that worried... Got the torque converter nuts on and tight, HAD the engine mounts tight but decided to get the passenger side OBX header installed which pretty much makes you loosen the motor mount nuts and lift the engine on that side, I tried prying it in place and smashed my pinky fingernail so that's fun... conveniently the bolts aren't lining up on the head either so I called it a night before I get too cranky... oh and I broke the heater valve too so I get to go to town tomorrow to get a new one... But the engine is in and such so it's looking good for tomorrow, I'm seriously running out of parts so that's a good thing... still have to install the crank pulley, water pump, both accessory brackets, AC pump, alternator, power steering pump, wiring harness, install pigtails for a couple injectors (they got tested for tension when pulling the engine...), install upper intake, radiator and fill coolant...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, yesterday I was by myself wrenching in the Green Ranger. Got a few things moved along and got my leaf springs finalized. They seem to be a tad stiff and only about +/- 3” of travel each way, but that’s probably fine for a street truck. I’m certainly feeling ok about it. Still got a lot more to do. Have some possibilities worked out on front shocks, have to check my measurements and make a call today. Revised my list to only include what has to be done for inspection or the trip. Still a lot of grinding and welding to go. And a bunch of stuff to bolt back up. But we’re gaining.

@sgtsandman already messaged and said he’s about to get headed over. Paul said he can come today at some point and may or may not have another helper coming today. Thomas got delayed, he broke a couple bolts yesterday wrenching on his stuff, but hopes to be here for tomorrow. So there’s my updates…

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

Well today I help a friend install his 12k Badlands Apex winch in his apartment parking lot. Had to remove an old warn winch that had rusted cable and bolts were a mother to get loose. After that picked up a spare to mount on my 5th rim. Hopefully I can get it on tomorrow. Now to draw up a tire carrier for the receiver. I have a few different parts laying around to cut up and see what I can do before LBL.

 

[BroncLander]

I took my oldest daughter out for lunch, we got pitas and went to the park and sat in the shade, ate, tossed a stick for our dog, and just had a carefree afternoon. Perfect Sunday.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Working on the sploder again, got cranky with the passenger side header as it still wasn't cooperating so I zip tied a crow bar to a prybar so I could pry up and back at the same time, employed some tie wire to tie that mess to the caliper bracket so I could attempt to get the one bolt that NEEDED to be first to install but it still wasn't cooperating, realized I don't have crows foot wrenches which became very obvious were going to be necessary for this side so went to town. Went to Harbor Freight and grabbed those with the 25% off coupon then picked up the heater valve I needed. Shortly after I got that header hooked up and done the power went out and stayed out for like 6 hours... the flashlights work less good around dusk than at full daylight...

So far I think everything on the bottom side of the sploder is done other than fuel filter. I got the accessory brackets on and realized it really does need all 8 fuel injector connectors I got, they're all missing their lock tabs now... Pretty much down to wiring, AC compressor, upper intake manifold, water pump, EGR tube and radiator...

 

[Curious Hound]

Now to draw up a tire carrier for the receiver. I have a few different parts laying around to cut up and see what I can do before LBL.

I’ve got one I don’t need any more. 5x4.5 lug pattern. But that could be changed pretty easy. Pictures somewhere in my build thread.