POSFORD 1991 Ranger Trail and Mud Build

[posford]

The boy loved his ride to the fair Friday night in the truck. He rode home with mom and I took the truck alone incase any bullshit. Passenger tail/brake was dead. Tore into it Saturday dead ground, backup circuit had ground. Traced it to a epoxy junction in the wiring, cut it and heat shrink butt connector to replace it, back in business.

Front end wanders like a motherfucker. Had the boy rock the steering wheel Friday night, and a buddy came over Saturday and we repeated the exercise. Every steering joint has some amount of play, all combined it gets excessive. I think the track bar heims are at the end of their life too,

I'm driving it 40 minutes to a private wheeling property on Saturday, going to do my shakedown up there, then probably moth ball it til spring. The ride home should be fun

 

[posford]

Impromptu shakedown, pulled a truck out of the woods at my dad's, he wouldn't put a tractor out there so I backed out, hooked it with a strap, and did a couple spirited clutch drops. Runs great at 4500rpm chewing through swamp mud. Got the truck where the tractor would easily reach and let him finish pulling it out. I never seem to take action pics while I'm doing stupid shit.

Back home, leaving the mud to harden on and make my life hell later. Trucks loaded with tools and gear for wheeling tomorrow. I hope I can turn a mud truck into a rock crawler

 

[posford]

Bumping this back up as I'm starting to game plan of improvements to make over the next few months.

I have another thread about a propane kit I picked up cheap Propane bros, is this a good deal? I haven't made any further progress with this, but it's still on the list.

I'm planning to go from 3" body lift to 1" I should probably buy actual spacers not the hockey pucks I still have kicking around from the last time 12 years ago My biggest hurdle will be making the top cover of the T19 fit. In a perfect world I'd like to be able to pull the whole top cover without dropping the trans, which means cutting out quite a bit of floor. Going to put the new welder to good use here. The heater box will need to come out as well, not sure if I'll be able to modify it to work, which sucks. Core support will be more massaging to fit the radiator, which I think will be a positive in the end and could simplify some of what I have going on.

Got looking at parts to convert the front end to internal locking hubs, the externals I have are on borrowed time and are a general PITA. The knuckles and spindles are from a '75 K20, I guess I didn't realize the spindle size was the same on '77+ K20s, I have a Napa PN for a wheel hub, rotor, studs, and bearings, all assembled, $139 per side, which doesn't seem like a bad deal. Still would need locking hubs, leaning toward Yukons just so I don't have to revisit it. It already has the JBG lifetime chromoly shafts with Spicer 760x joints. Thinking if its on propane it'll be fine with the 39.5x15s, really should drop to a 38x12.5 or a 37.

Other front suspension related stuff: I dug through my email, I bought 3 sets of springs for this. Originally it was '77 Bronco JBG 5.5" superflex springs, which I thought were too soft with the V8, I swapped those for '77 Bronco JBG 3.5" standard rate springs, which the front driveshaft yoke would contact the exhaust under full stuff, so what's in it is '77 Bronco JBG 5.5" standard rate springs. I think I'm going to put the superflex springs back in, I've got stiffer shocks on the front than I used to, maybe that'll help and still flex?

I'd like to revisit the radius arms. I can't pull up any orders for the wedge bushings, they're either 4 or 7 degree poly bushings. The lower coil seat is at an awful angle and is shimmed to correct that. IDGAF about extended arms with heim joints, I read about dudes cutting the arm close to the axle, bending them to correct caster, then weld the back up solid. I guy at work might have a pair of cut up arms meant to be extended with 2x2 tube though, and it would be nice to gain some clearance for the tire too. Don't have a way to bend 2x2 tube though so it would have to be all cut and plated. Would also move the axle forward a little at that time, and rebuild the trans crossmember. Basically redoing a lot of beginner fab work that got the truck to where it is now.

Just need to kick the wife's car out of the garage and get the cab where it needs to be to start this process

 

[posford]

It's been unseasonably warm here so pulled the truck around front to start on it. Was going to just prep for pilling the body lift, but things went quicker than I expected

First the heater box had to come out. 1 bolt came out, the other ones snapped off. The carnage you see is from when the motor was swapped in. A friend "helped" by clearancing the heat box with a ply bar. all needs to be modified anyways if it has any hope of going back in.

I didn't realize the firewall was so fucked behind it. Not a lot I can do at this point, the cab is clearly on borrowed time

Had to removed the radiator, as its lower mount is on the frame. Pulled the trans tunnel cover and realized, fuck it, let's start pulling blocks. Found 4 of the hockey pucks from 10 years ago for mock up

Everything clears! Shifter tower self clearanced on the way down, went in with a cutoff wheel and made some room for now. Transfer case clears by a hair, it's up pretty damn high. Exhaust had me worried but it's fine. Pinched the fuel line, had to jack it back up and fix that.

Cabs new height, will do bed later.

With the cab lowered, now it fits inside the garage without airing down the tires. While I had the radiator out I pulled thenpower steering pump and fixed an oil leak where the gauge and fuel pump safety switch are plumbed. Test fired for a minute, no leak, mo bettah.

Started getting the radiator fit, said fuck it and cut what's left the of rotted core support. Gutted the inner piece of it, got it all set up to weld back in for the hood hinge and to give a little supper the the radiator support.

 

[posford]

Not a ton accomplished yesterday, in the morning before doing lunch at the inlaws I got the gutted core support piece welded back in. Cutting that out made the entire fromt flimsy as hell, since it's not really bolted down on the mounts, I cut the lower section out years ago.

Considering getting some flat bar when I get the steel to do the floor, and make a simple brace to pull it all back together and add some strength. The top bar went from being boxed sheet metal to just a L shaped piece of angle. The brace would add some support to the hood latch. I hate hood pins

Pulled the shifter apart, cut the floor more. Still won't be able to pill the top cover but that's not the end of the world. While I had the shifter out it was time to address the slop within the shifter itself. Last year I replaced the anti rotation pin but using what I had, it was too soft, and the slow has been wallowed for a long time. I looked up a new shift lever, $80 thru Novak although that price seems suspiciously cheap like the site hasn't been updated. I was nervous to try welding it up, but gave it a shot. I should have taken more than just a before pic, but I'll grab and after pic tonight. Below is what I started with. Turned the heat up on the mig and put 2 spot weld on, one on each side. Took a flap disc and smoothed the outside so the weld wasn't raised. A hard wheel is just under .250 thick, roughed the slot back out with that, finished the width with a cutoff wheel and a lot of checking the fit. The backside of the pin was still intact enough. I found the perfect .250x.625 hardened dowel pin in my toolbox at work, so I'll pop that in tonight. Also not pictured was heating and bending of the shifter to clear the dash.

 

[posford]

Google is failing me, I could have sworn I've seen what I'm looking for in the past.

I have a radiator with plastic tanks, so plastic filler neck. Where this thing is buried in the core support on a V8 swapped Ranger, the cap is recessed far enough to make it a pain to work with. Hoping to find something that twists on like a radiator cap but moves the actual cap higher. This would also make it so the cap is the highest point in the system, and I could eliminate the inline filler neck on the upper radiator hose.

Other option is buy a full aluminum radiator and cut the neck off and have it extended. I found a radiator for $140 on Amazon, but not sure of the quality?

Typing that out leads me to the aluminum rad being the better plan, but I'm trying to be cheap

 

[Provience]

Amazon.com

Weird link, one of these? Radiator neck extension

 

[posford]

Amazon.com

Weird link, one of these? Radiator neck extension

Thats an adapter, I think thats "male" fittings on both sides?

 

[Provience]

Thats an adapter, I think thats "male" fittings on both sides?

Well, that's lame

 

[posford]

Well, that's lame

Very. I'm considering buying a steel filler neck and punching a hole in a radiator cap, welding it up and sending it

 

[Snowracer]

how about Stant #12552

 

[posford]

how about Stant #12552

Looked like the same problem, double male. After staring at everything and doing some fitting, I'm going to leave it alone for now. I can buy a aluminum radiator down the road and modify it if needed, but right now I have an inline filler neck (Dorman part for a Dodge Dakota) with a 12lb cap, and a 20lb cap on the radiator since it's lower.

Spent some time on it last night, got the radiator support better supported from the mount, that stiffened up the hood latch area enough that I'm not concerned. Couldn't fit bracing on the radiator support without getting exotic. If it's a problem I'll address it later on. Upper radiator hose cut down and refitted, radiator loosely fitted (still need to finalize body mounts.

Spent a bunch of time bending and fitting the shifter. One of those induction heaters would be awesome for this, I was stuck using a mapp gas torch and long piece of pipe I think I have it where I want it, unfortunately the shifter has been bent and straightened enough it looks like a noodle. I could cut it and make a new stick, but that's not a priority.

Pics of the welded and refitted shifter ball. Dowel is tight in that, still have slop in the shifter, calipers measure the hole in the shift tower ~.260 so .010 of slop. I need to double check my reamer pile, but I doubt I have anything close without being way oversize. Considering wedging a piece of shim stock in, with the screw on cap I know it can't back out, but I'd hate for it to fall in the trans. Anyways, pics

Also snapped a pic of the clearance between the firewall and passenger head. I need to cut down the heater box to the flange, test fit, then make up a sheet metal filler piece that clears the head. Another lower priority job, but heat/defrost would be nice

 

[posford]

Have I ever mentioned I'm terrible about taking decent pictures? Cut out the 2 front rubber cab mounts, they were original. Apparently I didn't feel like changing those ones, when I did the poly mounts at the back of that cab. Quick zip of the Sawzall and they were out and new were in. I've spent a ton of time fussing with the body mounts because the truck has sat fucked up for a long time, I've just assumed the frame was bent, nows the time to make it right.

Upon further inspecting, the cab wasn't sitting on the body mounts, must be hitting something. The something was the exhaust. Thanks to a well placed rot hole I just cut little more. Little cut and fold the the pinch weld was needed too. The floor is pretty fucked on this side, but a floor pan is only $39 so I have one of those coming. I'll pull the passenger seat out, weld up the flap I formed over the exhaust so it has clearance, use that to form the new floor pan, and get that put in.

Waiting on my boss to plasma cut some 1/4" thick 3" washers for the body mounts and ill get that finished. Then I can move onto the bed.

 

[posford]

Thrashed and pounded all weekend between other household projects, didn't get anything picture worthy.

Pulled the lift out of the bed and got it ready to be bolted down. The bolts were seized into the front 2 body lift blocks, had to cut the blocks out with the sawzall. Gotta enlist the boy to run the impact to get it bolted back down, he's been sick so I don't have my shadow following me around. Finally get to see the final stance and I think its I would guess I'm at 6-8" total lift and 39s

Made shims to level the body out, embarrassingly enough that absorbed most of Saturdays free time but I fought with junk drills and constant resharpening. Got the core support leveled out and tightened down all the cab mounts.

Sunday slid the radiator back in for the last time, and snaked the electric fan down in, which fought every step of the way. Put hoses on, add antifreeze, and its pouring back out I split a tube in the radiator putting the fan in apparently, no fixing it.

So guess who ordered the aluminum radiator after all $125 through ebay, we shall see how bad it is. Once it comes in I'll fab an extension for the filler neck and see who I can get to weld it up locally. Figured I'll turn an extension on the lathe that will fit like a sleeve, instead of finding a piece of tube that has to be butt welded. Also ordered a thinner fan from summit. The one I have is a no name from 10 years ago thats 3.5" thick, I found a Be Cool Qualifier on summit, 16" diameter only 2" thick. Should have plenty of clearance on the pulleys with that.

Also rethinking how the lower radiator mount is on the frame, and not the core support, I dont want frame flex to twist up the new radiator, I can see the old one took some hell. Now that I'm not worried about hurting the old radiator I can use it for mock up and (hopefully) just drop in the new one. Radiator should be in Friday-Monday.

Been working on the floor in between everything else, pass floor is prepped for POR-15 prep Gotta roll it outside to hose it down the degreaser and acid etch, just so I can hose it out. Floor pan came in today, so I can start fitting that anytime. Worked on a template for the trans tunnel, but stalled without shifter boots. Ordered a couple off Amazon last night that should work, might have to make a bezel for the trans shift boot. Made a mount for an old Ranger center console that wasn't meant for a single cab truck, and cut out the cupholder to fit a bigger drop in cupholder I had kicking around, stupid shit like that to keep motivation going.

Still waiting on the guy at work to bring in the radius arm parts, but its not like I'm ready for them quite yet.

Couple pics of how it sits now, no more mile of frame hanging down

 

[Levigarrett76]

Man i love it

 

[posford]

Dumb question, but I'm compelled to ask anyways. Every radiator I've seen for this application has these flaps of aluminum on top and bottom. The engine side I see useful for attaching a shroud, I just stick an electric fan using the trans cooler zip ties. Is there a reason I shouldn't trim at least the front one (grill side not engine side) for clearance? Maybe the U shaped extrusion adds rigidity to the core? I don't see a need to trim down the engine side, but I was thinking about being able to tuck the radiator higher without that upper front piece.

 

[Provience]

Those are just mounting tabs, trim away. You'll know if you hit core tubes

 

[Levigarrett76]

They hurt ALOT to lean on also, vote get rid

 

[arse_sidewards]

The zip tie mounts wear out the core tubes if you put "I actually drive this shit on the street" amount of operating hours on them.

For something that gets trailered they're fine.

 

[posford]

The zip tie mounts wear out the core tubes if you put "I actually drive this shit on the street" amount of operating hours on them.

For something that gets trailered they're fine.

I've run it like that for the 8ish years of being motor swapped on that radiator. The zip tie isn't what killed it. I should look at making some mounting straps I suppose

 

[posford]

Yesterday the new radiator and fan came in. New fan is pimp as hell for $68. Came with a bunch of mounting parts including straps so I can build a better mount than the zip ties. Radiator looks decent, one tank is massive and I wasn't sure it was going to fit, the core seems thin, but it's 2" just like the old one. I didn't grab a pic of it apparently.

Using the old one as mock up, a took some precision guess work, and got out the precision cutting tool, the sawzall. I cut the hell out of the core support. It's not as clean as I wish it were, but it'll clean up. Considering making some kind of trim/cover piece. Or I might just get a roll of door edge trim and cover the cut

Radiator now sits very high, and the clearance cut allows the radiator to drop in without much fanfare, still has the factory hood latch. Plenty of room between the motor and rad. Fuckin wiring harness is always in the way and a major PITA. Second picture shows how high the filler neck will be, no need for customization

I've got a piece of flat steel cut and marked, got to finish bending and drilling it, going to be the new lower mount. Ends go between the core support mount and the core support, with a 2-1/2" drop down to under the radiator, to the other side. Fucked up with the hole saw last night, so I've brought it to work, I'll slot the holes in a mill and slot the core support mounting holes too, so it has a little adjustability. Thinking making a brace that goes up the front and ties into the hood latch mount, for additional bracing. My original plan to brace the radiator support didn't pan out.

 

[posford]

New radiator support is built and painted, will install that and the radiator after work hopefully. I started test fitting it and realized how much of a bitch it is to line everything up for the core support bolt, it'll go into place, so I pulled it and painted it.

Started looking at how the fan will mount to the radiator. It has little rubber bumpers so it doesn't sit directly on the radiator.

The big score is that my coworker brought in the radius arms yesterday. They were cut to add in tire clearance, not sure why ones longer than the other, but not concerned. Came with the brackets and joints. What's the name for this style? Just Johnny joint, right? Another guy at work argued that Johnny joint is another name for a heim joint.

 

[posford]

Another weekend, more shit accomplished.

Finally finished with the radiator install. Had to trim the top lip for hood clearance, bottom lip for mount clearance. Fan install went smooth, plenty of clearance to the motor now. Had to trim the top lip of the grille for the mounting bolts. Lower radiator hose needed minor adjustment to fit, upper radiator hose is a coathanger abortion that I will revisit later. What I really need is a aluminum 135 degree J bend in 1-1/2" with some decent leg length, and I'd keep the 2 rubber elbows, I filled the coolant, fired it up, it got hot (240⁰), and radiator wasn't warm, so I shut it down and the upper hose collapsed. It must have puked a huge air bubble, so I restarted it, coolant flowed so the radiator got hot, engine temp dropped around 180⁰. Shut it down, let it cool, added a bit more coolant, now it seems to be okay. Think I'll need to burp it more. I need to work on organizing the plug wires, I know.

Rolled it outside to degrease and etch the floor for POR 15, which sucked. Turned into a frozen mess after rinsing it. Wife had the baby down for a nap, so I couldn't start it and move it back into the garage until she woke up 4 hours later it was back in the garage and I was able to use the torpedo heater to thaw the cab and prep it for POR.

Worked on dub things, pulled out the propane stuff from another thread and started inspecting it closer. Needs a different mount to work on my engine and the regulator is only good for 100hp, so I don't think I'm going to be using it.

Sunday I laid on the 2nd coat of POR after finalizing the trans tunnel cover and it's mounting. Shot the tunnel cover in paint, was out of gloss black so it's color matched

Dug out some thin steel and cobbled a heater box together with tin snips and pop rivets. Sealed up the inside, zip screwed it to the plastic heater box, and hit it with paint. Doesn't look awful from a distance if you look the other direction Apparently I was doing a Michael J Fox impression taking this pic

Waiting on the POR to harden up and the inlaws to leave on Sunday I decided to make some mounts for the bug visor I picked up last fall. Some will probably hate it, but I love the old school look I gotta pull the winch off the bumper soon, mock it up and see how much modifying it needs now.

On the list for this week is weld up the header leak, see if I can't fix some exhaust routing, get the floorpan finish fitted and pop riveted into place, install trans tunnel cover, and work on bolting down the bed.

 

[posford]

Was able to get the crack in the passenger header welded up last night. Fixed one, found another. The 2nd one took a little fucking around with a mirror to get it, but I think I got it.

The cause of the crack was the exhaust hangers had broken and it was unsupported for awhile, mostly sitting and a little yard driving, but enough apparently.

I 'fixed' the exhaust at one point, cobbled a couple a 12" glasspacks I had on, no small welder at that time so I had to make do. Everything is tight enough coming around the passenger side of the drivetrain that adding the mufflers in spread the pipes just enough to make the driver side exhaust rub the transfer case. I pulled off the cobbled mufflers last night and the exhaust fits better around the transfer case, just need to make some new hangers.

Spend a bunch of time online looking at mufflers and who had what cheap. I wound up ordering a pair of 24" long glasspacks, mainly for packaging reasons, and a couple of flared couplings. NAPA has a 10' stick of 2-1/2" for $40. I need to go dig out my dads Chyyyynah bandsaw, same as the one HF sells, but he bought it 20 years ago at a Cummins Tool sale that came to town. Ordered a new blade as the current one jumps off. HF publishes the manual for theirs, downloaded that, going to try to go through and adjust everything as close to spec as I can for an chinese bandsaw.

Yes, that means I'm going to miter cut and weld together the exhaust Will it be pretty? No. But I'm tired of it being dumped under the bed and being generally loud as fuck.

 

[Provience]

Shit exhaust welds? Fully support

 

[Levigarrett76]

Thats how I do my exhaust

 

[posford]

Shit exhaust welds? Fully support

You know how badly I wanted to harass you over being a cheap fuck about certain things on the F350? I'm glad I kept my mouth shut

I went to dad's to steal his bandsaw to "refurb" that and went and picked through the shed of parts. I thought I had a piece of 3" out there I was going to do something dumb with, and found an 8' stick of 2-1/2" exhaust that I don't remember buying also found a handy little s bend that might come in handy.

Brought it home and laid it with the cutoff tail pipes with the 12" glasspacks. Now I'm thinking I won't need to miter cut anything and can just use those 2 bends to get the drivers side pipe over, and the s bend and a piece of the new pipe. Cheap fuck I am

New longer mufflers should be here Thursday, fuckin bandsaw blade hasn't shipped yet. I'm hoping to fix up the legs on the bandsaw tomorrow after work and maybe start adjusting it with the shit blade on it.

 

[Burns]

Love it. In for updates

 

[posford]

Love it. In for updates

Thanks man, just picking away at it.

Sounds like my summit order showed up. Them fuckers are good. Ordered the bandsaw blade the same day through amazon and the fucker still hasn't shipped

Wife asked how much this little refresh has cost last night and I scoffed. Then I sat and looked it all up $800 including the radius arms. This morning she mentioned our tax return had cleared, I said "you mean mud truck stimulus check?" She wasn't as amused as I was. I'm likely going to sell the propane setup anyways, gotta find someone with a Zook or 4cyl truck.

I'd like to buy one of the chinese Motorcraft 2150 carbs to try out, only $90. I'd like to replace the dual band radio antenna that I fuckered getting it into the garage, but thats lower priority. I have some bumper fab to do, but I think I can scrounge what I need. The only bigger dollar want I have (at the moment) is roll over protection.

I had a thread last year about roll cages and harnesses, I really don't want to cram a cage into this, I don't think it warrants it. I'd like to do a hoop behind the cab, cross braced (X brace?) and a couple kickers going back, either ending at the rear axle, or tot he back of the bed. I'd like it to be bolt in, so I can still pull the bed, but I'm not sure if that would be a waste of effort. Would have supports under the bed, not relying on the bed floor to take all the force. I don't have a bender, so it means finding someone I want to work with on it, at least for the main hoop, possibly for the rear kicker bars too. Don't know yet, still thinking about that one.

 

[Levigarrett76]

I'd like to buy one of the chinese Motorcraft 2150 carbs to try out, only $90. I'd like to replace the dual band radio antenna that I fuckered getting it into the garage, but thats lower priority. I have some bumper fab to do, but I think I can scrounge what I need. The only bigger dollar want I have (at the moment) is roll over protection.

I had great luck with one on a jeep 258, much better than the past trying rebuilt 2150's on 302 and 351m and 400's