What to fix

[truckphone]

Hello, great forum here! I've got a couple problems and I figured this is the place to have them figured out.

I recently picked up a nice little 93 Ranger that I thought was going to be my new daily driver. I paid a little more than I should cause I was in a hurry, what with the heads leaking on my 95 mustang.

Well the rear end practically fell out when I backed it up a pile of dirt and I figured out that these trucks have some issues with the rear leaf mounts.

So now I have two questions; the first is there anything that I need to do while everything is apart? I'm going to change the fuel pump and blast/paint whatever is left of the frame pieces short of removing the main rails. New shocks, new 4" lift springs/block removal and a new brake line. Anything else?

The second question is, Do I need gas tank straps? The truck came with a substantial skid plate and the original straps were long rotted away. It was sitting nice and tight with the skid plate alone so ???

I haven't even touched the front end yet and I've got at least a grand into what I thought was going to be a buy and drive. Oh well, don't care, cheaper and better (when I'm done ) than a new truck and I will have what I want. Thanks Al.

 

[cocoasranger]

You might want to check the leaf spring eyes (which wrap around the spring bushings) for cracks. When I got my Ranger both sides were broke in the front so I replaced them with Explorer springs.

 

[kevinsranger]

you should get new tank straps, or make something, i would be afraid the tank will slide towards the center of the truck and the drive shaft start rubbing a hole in it.

 

[truckphone]

You might want to check the leaf spring eyes (which wrap around the spring bushings) for cracks. When I got my Ranger both sides were broke in the front so I replaced them with Explorer springs.

One of the leaves was broke and they were real flat. I'm going to go with superlift 4" lift springs and get rid of the lift blocks. Hopefully that should give me about 2" inch lift.

 

[truckphone]

you should get new tank straps, or make something, i would be afraid the tank will slide towards the center of the truck and the drive shaft start rubbing a hole in it.

Its a factory skid plate that bolts around the entire tank. Not sure if it could go sideways, maybe out the back?

I might make one strap just in case, not for support but for lateral stability.

 

[mattpresley]

Nice truck but I have a curiousity as to what you paid. I have a question, not insulting your truck because I notice it on every trs truck. Why am I the only guy without a rusted frame? I see trucks on here with 2000+ trucks with brown frames and rust holes(your has none I can see). How the hell did I get lucky enough to have a 100% rust free 11 year old truck

 

[zukirider21]

my 89 is has a total of maybe 3 square inches of rust on the body, and the frame is only light surface rust with the exception of one crossmember. not bad for $400 haha

 

[mattpresley]

my 89 is has a total of maybe 3 square inches of rust on the body, and the frame is only light surface rust with the exception of one crossmember. Not bad for $400 haha

nice buy!!!

 

[babytruck]

mine has almost no rust, its a 2000 and still has most of the factory underlining on it, but its only got 83k.

 

[88gt]

might have something to do with the fact of where you are located...

 

[Bronco_Chuck]

Nice truck but I have a curiousity as to what you paid. I have a question, not insulting your truck because I notice it on every trs truck. Why am I the only guy without a rusted frame? I see trucks on here with 2000+ trucks with brown frames and rust holes(your has none I can see). How the hell did I get lucky enough to have a 100% rust free 11 year old truck

the reason you dont have rust is because your in AZ. the majority of rust issues is due to the salt on the roads because of ice. and because AZ along with CO and NM and im sure some other states dont use salt on the roads you dont see the same rusting problems.

 

[Nor'East Coaster]

I think it comes down to salt/no salt on the roads. Just bought a '91 SuperCab, truck came to Newfoundland (heavy, heavy salting) from Alberta (none) this past summer - absolutely no chassis rust. While I was looking, saw lots of late 90's, early 2000's, with spring hangers, tail ends of chassis, cross members, cab and box mounts badly rusted - basically went ten years older because there was no significant deterioration on the body or chassis.

Gonna do some mechanical sorting out, then marinade the truck in RustCheck, gravel-guard it to the door handles and install a set of mud flaps the size of small blankets...want to keep it rolling until it hits classic status at 25 years...

 

[truckphone]

might have something to do with the fact of where you are located...

People that live in the dry, warm parts of the country have no idea how lucky they are. 99% of the good older cars and trucks around here are from the south where the warm temps. keep the salt away.

I think there is something fishy about the metal Ford used in the spring mounts though. The spring shop I got my new mounts from said he puts a set on almost every Ranger he works on.

I made sure they weren't factory hangers either. No point in putting on the same crap when I plan on keeping this guy a while...