What did YOU do today?

[85_Ranger4x4]

It works well for oak decks on trailers as a preservative, from what I understand.

Growing up we always used it on the wood floor of dads manure spreader.

 

[Blmpkn]

Yet another reason I like some form of camper (even if it's a tent on wheels) over tent camping. More often than not, my camping trips have turned into that. It's going to rain, and there will be a puddle in the tent or right outside the door to track in. Doesn't seem matter if the forcast is calling for clear and sunny skies, if you find and pitch your tent on the high ground, or if you use the best ground tarp known to man, it's going to happen.







Location doesn't mean much to a fiction writer. Their story set their story in central Florida and only a block or two from Mt Rushmore. Creative license can make for some geographically stupid scenarios. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Steven King based his stories in Maine and used creative licensing to relocate Castle Rock there. It also wouldn't surpside me if he actually thinks that Castle Rock Michigan is actually in Maine, I've never put much stock in his work or the "creative genius" behind it.

Eh. I have a somewhat unfavorable opinion of the man himself but... Nobody becomes the best selling horror author of all time without putting out quality work. One of the all time best selling authors period I believe... And that's saying something. Horror is pretty much the least respected genre of most forms of media.. to the general public, critics, AND the 'academies'.. definitely gets treated like the red headed step child of entertainment.

 

[sgtsandman]

Eh. I have a somewhat unfavorable opinion of the man himself but... Nobody becomes the best selling horror author of all time without putting out quality work. One of the all time best selling authors period I believe... And that's saying something. Horror is pretty much the least respected genre of most forms of media.. to the general public, critics, AND the 'academies'.. definitely gets traded like the red headed step child of entertainment.

Supposedly, all his work is based upon dreams/nightmares that he has had. If true, it makes one wonder about the man.

 

[Blmpkn]

Supposedly, all his work is based upon dreams/nightmares that he has had. If true, it makes one wonder about the man.

Man.. I wish my nightmares were novel/movie worthy

 

[pacstud]

With my current Ranger on the ropes, I started shopping for the first time in a loooong time. Wow, the market is crazy. Anything with tires is $2,000.

I found a 2000 xlt with only 111000, 3.0 2x4 automatic. I can't see rust in the pictures. Guy wants $7,000.

I looked at some dakotas/s10s but I'd rather find another ranger.

 

[sgtsandman]

With my current Ranger on the ropes, I started shopping for the first time in a loooong time. Wow, the market is crazy. Anything with tires is $2,000.

I found a 2000 xlt with only 111000, 3.0 2x4 automatic. I can't see rust in the pictures. Guy wants $7,000.

I looked at some dakotas/s10s but I'd rather find another ranger.

You should have seen the vehicle market after Covid. The prices now are tame in comparison. New vehicles were difficult to get and used vehicle prices went through the roof.

 

[pacstud]

You should have seen the vehicle market after Covid. The prices now are tame in comparison. New vehicles were difficult to get and used vehicle prices went theough the roof.

I remember hearing about it. I don't what's worse, Facebook Marketplace "I know what I got, no lowballs" or used car lots. It's pretty eesh. So my hope is to just lean on my old girl and be patient. Wait for a unicorn.

Saw a 1998 3.0 2x4 auto xlt with 195k miles for $3,000, sold in a day!

 

[sgtsandman]

I remember hearing about it. I don't what's worse, Facebook Marketplace "I know what I got, no lowballs" or used car lots. It's pretty eesh. So my hope is to just lean on my old girl and be patient. Wait for a unicorn.

Saw a 1998 3.0 2x4 auto xlt with 195k miles for $3,000, sold in a day!

Deals are out there. You just have to search for them. The Covid era really blew what is expected to be a realistic asking price right out of the water. But there are some who live in the real world still.

 

[pacstud]

Deals are out there. You just have to search for them. The Covid era really blew what is expected to be a realistic asking price right out of the water. But there are some who live in the real world still.

Truth.

So total tangent (sorry if there's a thread for this question) but

What is up with 5R55E? As I look through the market I am reading about the post-2001 transmissions. I know they can be "maintained" with high miles, but are these transmissions that bad?

I really just want to stay with a manual but so hard to find. My wife wants an automatic but she may just have to continue to live with me disappointing her

 

[sgtsandman]

Truth.

So total tangent (sorry if there's a thread for this question) but

What is up with 5R55E? As I look through the market I am reading about the post-2001 transmissions. I know they can be "maintained" with high miles, but are these transmissions that bad?

I really just want to stay with a manual but so hard to find. My wife wants an automatic but she may just have to continue to live with me disappointing her

With the older Rangers, my experience is with the M5OD manual transmission. My impression of the 5R55E is they aren't that bad. Like any transmission, they need to be maintained. Most people run them until they have a problem, with no maintenance, and then complain about them breaking. So, all I can do is wish you luck on that one.

 

[JoshT]

Truth.

So total tangent (sorry if there's a thread for this question) but

What is up with 5R55E? As I look through the market I am reading about the post-2001 transmissions. I know they can be "maintained" with high miles, but are these transmissions that bad?

I really just want to stay with a manual but so hard to find. My wife wants an automatic but she may just have to continue to live with me disappointing her

All automatics are bad if not properly maintained and cared for. Mechanically the 5R55E is the same transmission as the 4R55E that was used in the Rangers since the mid 90s, a stronger variant of the 4/5R44E used with the smaller engines, and an evolution of the A4LD. The 5R55E is arguably the strongest and most reliable of the 1983-2011 ranger automatic transmissions.

Keep in mind people are more likely to post complaining about the bad than the good. They certainly aren't going to say that it failed because they went 150k miles and towed heavy without looking at the fluid.

Even a manual transmission has wear and tear with miles. Generally that manifests with worn out clutches, slave cylinders, and maybe shift fork bushings. Except for the latter those things are external to the transmission. An automatic just moves those wear points internal with bands, frictions discs, etc. Since it is internal all of the residue from that wear mixes with the fluid, then get deposited and causes wear in other parts of the transmission. Keep the fluid level and condition good, keep the temps down, don't tow overloaded (and in overdrive) and the things can last a long time. If you're going to be towing regularly, maybe install a trans temp gauge to monitor temperatures, and an aux transmission fluid cooler (or bigger one) to keep them lower.

Of course since it's the wife asking, all automatic suck and are terrible. You MUST have a manual if you want any reliability and longevity.

 

["Risky Bizness"]

Put a new pump on my pressure washer

 

[sgtsandman]

I made a new wire harness with plugs for the cap on the 2019 so it has a working third brake light and dome lights. The windows got cleaned, especially the portions between the cab and the cap on both trucks. Both caps have opening front windows. I'm just usually too lazy to climb up in the bed in order to clean them. Other than that, the trailer got disconnected from the 2011. Weather permitting, I'll get the racks off of the trailer tomorrow and start thinking about making another shelving unit for the shed so that a good portion of the over landing gear has a home instead of taking up horizontal space where ever it is available, burying other stuff under it in the process.

 

[sgtsandman]

Put a new pump on my pressure washer

Those are rarely cheap. Hopefully, the job itself wasn't too bad.

 

[pacstud]

All automatics are bad if not properly maintained and cared for. Mechanically the 5R55E is the same transmission as the 4R55E that was used in the Rangers since the mid 90s, a stronger variant of the 4/5R44E used with the smaller engines, and an evolution of the A4LD. The 5R55E is arguably the strongest and most reliable of the 1983-2011 ranger automatic transmissions.

Keep in mind people are more likely to post complaining about the bad than the good. They certainly aren't going to say that it failed because they went 150k miles and towed heavy without looking at the fluid.

Even a manual transmission has wear and tear with miles. Generally that manifests with worn out clutches, slave cylinders, and maybe shift fork bushings. Except for the latter those things are external to the transmission. An automatic just moves those wear points internal with bands, frictions discs, etc. Since it is internal all of the residue from that wear mixes with the fluid, then get deposited and causes wear in other parts of the transmission. Keep the fluid level and condition good, keep the temps down, don't tow overloaded (and in overdrive) and the things can last a long time. If you're going to be towing regularly, maybe install a trans temp gauge to monitor temperatures, and an aux transmission fluid cooler (or bigger one) to keep them lower.

Of course since it's the wife asking, all automatic suck and are terrible. You MUST have a manual if you want any reliability and longevity.

Thanks for the info. I don't do any heavy lifting. I drive like an old man. Well, just turned 50 so I guess I just drive. It's finding a used one in my price range that won't need a rebuilld/replace. I trust me, I don't trust the doofus before me. So I look for a unicorn. You know, old guy who garaged it and just went back and forth into town? I really like any 3rd gen Ranger. I really don't want to branch out to other makes if possible.