What did you do to your Ranger today?

[HotRod]

255/70/17 toyo at3’s
Icon alloys six speed

Good choice...I have been considering the 255/70/17 also...Looks really good, almost as tall but lighter than 265/70/17... im thinking they would not effect mpg on account of being the same width as the stock 255/65/17...what have you observed as far as mpg is concerned? Any clearance or fitment issues?

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[sbreech]

Fired up FORScan and set my headlights to Bambi mode, enabled TM for when my switch gets here, and changed the flash screen to Raptor.

 

[Edsel]

Started my Medicare journey Monday...It's been an adventure for sure!

LOL. I finally did the Raptor grille upgrade along with demon lights (see post above with video) and thought that maybe a 67 YO should 1) not be driving a truck like this and 2) not installing a vanity mod. To add insult to injury, the two Youtube vids that I used to do it both featured 20 somethings who did a great job in explaining how-to. There were no instructions in either kit!

It was exhausting mainly because they don't make trucks like they used to Torx nuts, plastic fasteners, the weirdest electrical connectors imaginable, oh, and METRIC for god's sake--I thought this was a Ford, not a Porsche. The exhausting part was all the trips to my shop to fetch the dizzying variety of tools needed to get the job done.

 

[sbreech]

I loved the write-up, Edsel! I watched the videos on the grill install 3 times before I did it. I would change one step on the installation, though, and that putting the lower shield in BEFORE the grill goes on. It only needed to come off to remove the bottom latches. After the factory grill is out, immediately put the lower shield in (instead of fishing it down from the top later) put the 4 shield screws in, then insert the grill and finish the job. It saves a lot of headache!

 

[Glocker]

Yay! I have a roof top tent. Problem is, it's in the back of my work F150, for now.

 

[MagneticXL]

Installed Husky Liners, Weatherbeaters, Front and rear.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

LOL. I finally did the Raptor grille upgrade along with demon lights (see post above with video) and thought that maybe a 67 YO should 1) not be driving a truck like this and 2) not installing a vanity mod. To add insult to injury, the two Youtube vids that I used to do it both featured 20 somethings who did a great job in explaining how-to. There were no instructions in either kit!

It was exhausting mainly because they don't make trucks like they used to Torx nuts, plastic fasteners, the weirdest electrical connectors imaginable, oh, and METRIC for god's sake--I thought this was a Ford, not a Porsche. The exhausting part was all the trips to my shop to fetch the dizzying variety of tools needed to get the job done.

Hi Edsel,

Been a while that you have touched a wrench, eh? Ford Truck went metric for the 1978 model year trucks, but it took a while for carry over motors like the 302 which has SAE Fine thread fasteners for exterior attachment items like Engine mounts as well as internal fasteners.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[TVRangerSTX]

Hi Folks,

I had to show off my Ranger today to my Medicare Lady. She wades through the minefield of Part D Prescription Drug Plans. Our plan is raising prices and she found a better, more coverage plan that will save us about $50 a month... She is interested in a Ranger for her husband and I will likely give them an X Plan to facilitate a Ford buy. I have 4 to give away but so far no takers... Get 4 new ones next year, so hopefully I will be able to help her. For you non old farts....good luck when you turn 65...you are in for a real treat with gov't health care....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Hey Phil,
Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. But this year they are blasting the tv with ads for "Free" Advantage plans instead of Supplementals. There must be some catch to get you, I'm guessing high deductibles and out-ot-pockets and co-pays, otherwise how can they offer $0 premiums. I'm old enough to know there is no free lunch! Think I'm sticking with my supplemental, I basically pay nothing in addition to my supp. premium, which is not bad (plus the Part B, of course). There is the D Rx plan needed, but that's not too painful.
Cheers,
Trevor

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Hey Phil,
Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. But this year they are blasting the tv with ads for "Free" Advantage plans instead of Supplementals. There must be some catch to get you, I'm guessing high deductibles and out-ot-pockets and co-pays, otherwise how can they offer $0 premiums. I'm old enough to know there is no free lunch! Think I'm sticking with my supplemental, I basically pay nothing in addition to my supp. premium, which is not bad (plus the Part B, of course). There is the D Rx plan needed, but that's not too painful.
Cheers,
Trevor

Hi Trevor, We have Supplement Plan F, the Full Monte plan. Wife is about $315 and I am around $275 per month. OUR Rx Plan D is Humana and we are switching to BCBS Essential and will save about $50 per month ($25 each). We could go zero cost Advantage, but these plans require referrals from the PCP and if PCP says no...then no go to a specialist. Plan F allows us to schedule with any specialist anytime, no referral and no co-pay. Since I am high risk for Multiple Myeloma, we need to protect for that possible diagnosis...PCP says I am never going to get it but blood tests says High Risk....Sigh....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[gfitzge2]

Hi Trevor, We have Supplement Plan F, the Full Monte plan. Wife is about $315 and I am around $275 per month. OUR Rx Plan D is Humana and we are switching to BCBS Essential and will save about $50 per month ($25 each). We could go zero cost Advantage, but these plans require referrals from the PCP and if PCP says no...then no go to a specialist. Plan F allows us to schedule with any specialist anytime, no referral and no co-pay. Since I am high risk for Multiple Myeloma, we need to protect for that possible diagnosis...PCP says I am never going to get it but blood tests says High Risk....Sigh....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Absolutely not easy to deal with. A minefield is a good description. I had some experience helping my mother deal with hers. She had a supplement plan with branch of Humana. In her last few years dealing with cancer, I can tell you that they literally paid several million in medical bills.

I have a Medicare PPO with Aetna, It is one of my options through my UAW/Ford retirement. I consider myself extremely fortunate. One thing I like about them is that they are very big on preventive care. They encourage and pay for physicals and wellness checks. Recently they sent my wife and I each one of these little care packages. Not a financial windfall but at least they are trying to help us with good preventive habits.

 

[Swingpure]

LOL. I finally did the Raptor grille upgrade along with demon lights (see post above with video) and thought that maybe a 67 YO should 1) not be driving a truck like this and 2) not installing a vanity mod. To add insult to injury, the two Youtube vids that I used to do it both featured 20 somethings who did a great job in explaining how-to. There were no instructions in either kit!

It was exhausting mainly because they don't make trucks like they used to Torx nuts, plastic fasteners, the weirdest electrical connectors imaginable, oh, and METRIC for god's sake--I thought this was a Ford, not a Porsche. The exhausting part was all the trips to my shop to fetch the dizzying variety of tools needed to get the job done.

Lol

The mods look really great.

I turn 65 in a few days and also question whether a vanity mod is something I should be doing, especially on a fixed income, but they are certainly tempting..

 

[TVRangerSTX]

Hi Trevor, We have Supplement Plan F, the Full Monte plan. Wife is about $315 and I am around $275 per month. OUR Rx Plan D is Humana and we are switching to BCBS Essential and will save about $50 per month ($25 each). We could go zero cost Advantage, but these plans require referrals from the PCP and if PCP says no...then no go to a specialist. Plan F allows us to schedule with any specialist anytime, no referral and no co-pay. Since I am high risk for Multiple Myeloma, we need to protect for that possible diagnosis...PCP says I am never going to get it but blood tests says High Risk....Sigh....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Haha Phil, I likewise have plan F, they called it the Cadillac Plan when got it...booo, I prefer calling it the Lincoln Plan. It's great. I dumped Humana D Rx for this year when they jacked the rates, but my buddy wasn't so quick and they've been soaking him all year! Since I retired in December, I miss going Dearborn, consulting at AK Steel, formerly Ford, formerly Rouge, now bought by Cleveland Cliffs, iron ore company. "Chicks on Dix", funny name for a bar/strip club! Won't admit to ever being in there but did love the Ford Garage on Michigan Ave...Ain't it grand, but sure beats the alternative ?

 

[Cape Cruiser]

Absolutely not easy to deal with. A minefield is a good description. I had some experience helping my mother deal with hers. She had a supplement plan with branch of Humana. In her last few years dealing with cancer, I can tell you that they literally paid several million in medical bills.

I have a Medicare PPO with Aetna, It is one of my options through my UAW/Ford retirement. I consider myself extremely fortunate. One thing I like about them is that they are very big on preventive care. They encourage and pay for physicals and wellness checks. Recently they sent my wife and I each one of these little care packages. Not a financial windfall but at least they are trying to help us with good preventive habits.

Greg, my wife and I just got 2 of those kits also. Lots of good stuff.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Haha Phil, I likewise have plan F, they called it the Cadillac Plan when got it...booo, I prefer calling it the Lincoln Plan. It's great. I dumped Humana D Rx for this year when they jacked the rates, but my buddy wasn't so quick and they've been soaking him all year! Since I retired in December, I miss going Dearborn, consulting at AK Steel, formerly Ford, formerly Rouge, now bought by Cleveland Cliffs, iron ore company. "Chicks on Dix", funny name for a bar/strip club! Won't admit to ever being in there but did love the Ford Garage on Michigan Ave...Ain't it grand, but sure beats the alternative ?

Hi Trevor,

We had a strip joint on Michigan Ave in Dearborn called the Silver Cricket...we called the Dearborn Ballet. Place I went to a lot was Millers Bar...wonderful place that was a step back in time to the 1950. Decor etc. Served a Ground Round with fries on a waxed paper with no plate right at the bar. Sadly the whole Michigan Ave in Dearborn is a desolate drive with dilapidated store fronts. Milles's has few Ford employees as they eat at their cube while in and on line meeting...there is no lunch break anymore. Sad, Sad, Sad.

Wife and I first met at the Dearborn for our first date (2nd Marriage). We went back last year and it just was not the same...We were celebrating 15 years of our first date...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[FoD]

Hi Trevor, We have Supplement Plan F, the Full Monte plan. Wife is about $315 and I am around $275 per month. OUR Rx Plan D is Humana and we are switching to BCBS Essential and will save about $50 per month ($25 each). We could go zero cost Advantage, but these plans require referrals from the PCP and if PCP says no...then no go to a specialist. Plan F allows us to schedule with any specialist anytime, no referral and no co-pay. Since I am high risk for Multiple Myeloma, we need to protect for that possible diagnosis...PCP says I am never going to get it but blood tests says High Risk....Sigh....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Hi Phil.

My supplemental is BCBS, about $300 something, don't remember exactly.

Over the course of the last 5 years, I've taken care of monoclonal b cell lymphocytosis which was likely caused by multiple skin cancers ( melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and the worst, squamous cell carcinoma and a metastisized squamous cell tumor. Surgery, to remove all lymph nodes in left side of neck, radiation for the surgical areas of cancer removal and numerous ongoing office visits and you can imagine costs. I am past my first year since end of treatment and back to annual visits with blood oncologist and radiation oncologist. See my primary every 3 months and life is swell.

Point of all this was to say that the BCBS as supplemental has saved the bacon (so to speak) and that monthly premium is a mere pitance when things get big and ugly.

I think you and the Mrs. will be happy with it.

Regards.

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