What did you do to your Ranger today?

[Colo_Ranger]

I put the bulbs I had my subaru headlights into my foglights.

They are lasfit leds.

They are waaaayyyyyy brighter than the stock halogen bulbs.

Now I really want to get new headlights.... But I've got sliders and a drawer system to get first.... ? The old saying - lockers before lights and all that....

Ooooh, what drawer system? What sliders? You're a tease.

I took advantage and washed the truck yesterday. ?

I asked if they were going to open the community pool this week. My neighbors don't get my sense of humor though... ?

Those people sound like no fun.

Sponsored

 

[Jhbryaniv]

Ooooh, what drawer system? What sliders? You're a tease.




Those people sound like no fun.

Well, since you asked so nicely.

?

The new decked system and whatever sliders are available when I finally get the money together to buy them. ? Who was it that ended up getting a custom set made locally?

I'm sad that there are so few companies that make them. Talking with RCI, I said I imagined the Bronco and ranger would be similar enough to modify Bronco sliders to the ranger - just change the bracket geometry. Apparently our ranger and the Bronco aren't compatible. I do wonder though if the new ranger and Bronco will be closer and make the aftermarket parts world better for new ranger owners... Doesn't mean squat for us, but at least it light be good for someone... ?

Of course, I also want to get a front and rear bumper - probably tubular style, I don't love how heavy and big most of the aftermarket bumpers are.... I'm not trying to build a mad max machine... Yet. ?

If I find a bulldozer for sale at a reasonable price though.... Don't think I won't learn how to weld... ?

 

[LawnMM]

Diverter upgraded ? Got to use my new Milwaukee ratchet ? that plastic doesn't like being rethreaded

 

[Colo_Ranger]

Well, since you asked so nicely.

?

The new decked system

I looked into these. They look really good. They asked what it would take for me to upgrade (a little survey on their site) and I told them a trade in program. I never heard back.

and whatever sliders are available when I finally get the money together to buy them. ? Who was it that ended up getting a custom set made locally?

Jon got a set from a local welder. They were $750 all in, but I think the tube diameter was too small and looked funny on his truck. If you go that route, ask for a larger diameter tube. I am going to use the same place to weld my sliders on. One of the mounting points does not work with the LRA tank, so I have to ditch the bolts and go welded.

I'm sad that there are so few companies that make them. Talking with RCI, I said I imagined the Bronco and ranger would be similar enough to modify Bronco sliders to the ranger - just change the bracket geometry. Apparently our ranger and the Bronco aren't compatible. I do wonder though if the new ranger and Bronco will be closer and make the aftermarket parts world better for new ranger owners... Doesn't mean squat for us, but at least it light be good for someone... ?

This has been a complaint of mine all along. I love my Ranger but, if I was to go back in time and start over, I would have gotten a Wrangler. So many options and, because there are so many options, cost is driven down. There are two companies coming out with front bumpers soon (Relentless fab is making a hybrid bumper and 589Fab is making a dope looking modular bumper) and TJM released theirs recently. Its almost like there is a good market for these Rangers and companies are realizing they've waited to long and they need to break into the market.

Of course, I also want to get a front and rear bumper - probably tubular style, I don't love how heavy and big most of the aftermarket bumpers are.... I'm not trying to build a mad max machine... Yet. ?

Give up and build a Mad Max Machine. You will be happier in the long run. I know I am.

If I find a bulldozer for sale at a reasonable price though....

Halvsies?

Don't think I won't learn how to weld... ?

If I could go back in time, I would have gone to trade school and learned to be a welder. I want to learn now, but I am too old to start a career in welding and be someone's bitch, so I will stick to welding for fun.

 

[KJRR]

If I could go back in time, I would have gone to trade school and learned to be a welder. I want to learn now, but I am too old to start a career in welding and be someone's bitch, so I will stick to welding for fun.

Pick up a cheap harbor freight welder, helmet and gloves and give it a go. Oh, and a grinder too.
I've done a few small welding tasks for myself, family and friends. Nothing structural or bodywork yet but I'll get there. I'll probably take a class at the local career center when I retire, just to get better.
Did a motor mount braket for a neighbor a month ago. Don't have a before picture, basically someone cut a slit in the bracket to fit a different motor. Here's the pic after cleanup. Nothing a grinder didn't fix.

 

[Colo_Ranger]

That's actually what I plan to do. I want to take classes at the community college, just to get the basics down. My reward will be building my swing out tire carrier.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

I looked into these. They look really good. They asked what it would take for me to upgrade (a little survey on their site) and I told them a trade in program. I never heard back.



Jon got a set from a local welder. They were $750 all in, but I think the tube diameter was too small and looked funny on his truck. If you go that route, ask for a larger diameter tube. I am going to use the same place to weld my sliders on. One of the mounting points does not work with the LRA tank, so I have to ditch the bolts and go welded.



This has been a complaint of mine all along. I love my Ranger but, if I was to go back in time and start over, I would have gotten a Wrangler. So many options and, because there are so many options, cost is driven down. There are two companies coming out with front bumpers soon (Relentless fab is making a hybrid bumper and 589Fab is making a dope looking modular bumper) and TJM released theirs recently. Its almost like there is a good market for these Rangers and companies are realizing they've waited to long and they need to break into the market.



Give up and build a Mad Max Machine. You will be happier in the long run. I know I am.



Halvsies?



If I could go back in time, I would have gone to trade school and learned to be a welder. I want to learn now, but I am too old to start a career in welding and be someone's bitch, so I will stick to welding for fun.

I am a people person, people like me.

I don't understand why companies don't do more "upgrade" options. Like the phone companies. It would need to be more in depth, and they may not be able to buy all units back - but say they bought 100 units back to see how they wore out in real world testing. You fill out a questionnaire with what you used it for, how often it was dirty, wet, abused etc and they would select from a pool and provide a percentage off a new unit if you gave your old one back...

740 isn't bad, heck even 1k wouldn't be bad if they were done within a month. ? I'll reach out to him on insta - he got a new rig right? He is always posting new rigs/rides I get confused. ?

I think it's a fail on Ford and aftermarket product manufacturers. If they made the frame geometry similar enough, the cross over in parts would increase. From fords stand point - imagine if they only had to have 75% of the parts on a vehicle be unique vs 95%. The cost savings long term would be amazing. But I also think that aftermarket product manufacturers also didn't take the ranger as a real competitor until the Bronco, and than they were like Ohh wait, Ford does offroading.

To be honest, my next vehicle ideally would be a jeep. Older probably an xj, that has enough aftermarket support that there are choices for things like sliders, bumpers, lifts, etc. And, they can be had for a few grand and you build it the way you want (solid axles anyone). This would be my mad max mobile... The truck will get sliders, probably new suspension - shocks, springs, control arms etc, bumpers and that's about it... ? ? ? Unless I get a really good job that is. ?

You are so right about a job in the trades. I joke that I became the wrong type of engineer, I should have become a civil engineer because every village, city, county, state and federal government department hires them like they are going out of style. ? Where an ocean engineer, or in the gf's case (she has a great job that affords me to take this long in my job search) a finance person is much less in demand.

As for halvsies, I don't share, get your own bulldozer and find your own town to flatten... Errr I mean, yeah sure we can go halvsies I would enjoy that.... ? ? ?

On YouTube Donald from softroadingthewest bought a cheap welder form harbor freight and built himself a swing out and some other stuff for his frontier. I mean, it can't be that hard, I've met some welders I'm surprised they can get dressed in the morning...

 

[Colo_Ranger]

740 isn't bad, heck even 1k wouldn't be bad if they were done within a month. ? I'll reach out to him on insta - he got a new rig right? He is always posting new rigs/rides I get confused. ?

He traded the Ranger for a JDM Land Cruiser 80 Series. It is dope. He got a Golf to DD, then totaled that. Now he has a Tahoe to daily. His Golf was cool but shortly after he got it he got a girlfriend with kids. The Golf was too small for 2 adults, 2 crotch goblins (I can say that, I have one now), and a dog.

On YouTube Donald from softroadingthewest bought a cheap welder form harbor freight and built himself a swing out and some other stuff for his frontier. I mean, it can't be that hard, I've met some welders I'm surprised they can get dressed in the morning...

They say "You're either a welder or a grinder". Welding isn't that hard, but making it look good is. I say that having taken a 1 hour class years ago. I can get penetration (heh heh heh) and it will be strong, but it looks like garbage.

 

[Jhbryaniv]

He traded the Ranger for a JDM Land Cruiser 80 Series. It is dope. He got a Golf to DD, then totaled that. Now he has a Tahoe to daily. His Golf was cool but shortly after he got it he got a girlfriend with kids. The Golf was too small for 2 adults, 2 crotch goblins (I can say that, I have one now), and a dog.



They say "You're either a welder or a grinder". Welding isn't that hard, but making it look good is. I say that having taken a 1 hour class years ago. I can get penetration (heh heh heh) and it will be strong, but it looks like garbage.

AHH I was wondering where that golf went. ? Makes sense now... Also, makes sense to upgrade size from a zoom zoom car to a family hauler even if she is just a girlfriend. ?

I haz a grinder. ?

Insert inappropriate you have a crotch goblin and penetration joke here.

 

[Buckbull]

r

Pick up a cheap harbor freight welder, helmet and gloves and give it a go. Oh, and a grinder too.
I've done a few small welding tasks for myself, family and friends. Nothing structural or bodywork yet but I'll get there. I'll probably take a class at the local career center when I retire, just to get better.
Did a motor mount braket for a neighbor a month ago. Don't have a before picture, basically someone cut a slit in the bracket to fit a different motor. Here's the pic after cleanup. Nothing a grinder didn't fix.

I'd be interested in hearing about how the cheap welder performs. I assume 120v? I'd like to get one myself. I've watched a ton of reviews. Project farm youtube channel reviewed all the cheap welders and 2 higher ends one did well. I have an old lincoln welder at my hunting property but its 220. I'd like something a little more portable than that.

 

[Buckbull]

I had about 1 hour of light left and the temps today got into the high forties so installed my dongar wire harness and installed my dash cam. Installed sill protectors as well.

 

[KJRR]

r

I'd be interested in hearing about how the cheap welder performs. I assume 120v? I'd like to get one myself. I've watched a ton of reviews. Project farm youtube channel reviewed all the cheap welders and 2 higher ends one did well. I have an old lincoln welder at my hunting property but its 220. I'd like something a little more portable than that.

It is 120v. https://www.harborfreight.com/welding/welders/flux-125-welder-57798.html
That bracket was the heaviest metal I've welded. I did hit both sides since I didn't get penetration all the way through. May be my inexperience. (Insert inappropriate joke here )
I've welded a header panel for a convertible frame, pivot bracket for the convertible frame to body (thick to thin metal and has held for over 5 years), metal mesh to a chair frame, a nut to a metal plate for portable target and a couple other small things needing a tack weld that i can't recall at the moment.
Sorry, no pictures to post and the car is in storage right now.
The toughest was the header as the metal was thin and I kept blowing holes on the lowest setting. I finally did get it patched up though.
Fixed all the ugliness with a little grinding and paint though it's less grinding each time I do it.
I have practiced on old brake rotors and can lay down a bead with penetration.
From what I've read, if you get some decent flux core wire, welds come out cleaner with less splatter. I'll find out when the original roll is done.
I went with a cheap welder since I'm doing hobby type welding and nothing serious. If I decide to do something more, I'll get some training and a proper welder for the job not to mention a 220 line in the next garage.

 

[Colo_Ranger]

I have a HAM radio and a GMRS in my truck and I hate the way the cables are run. I pulled the phone tray and drilled a couple holes. Its not the best because the adapters I got only worked for one of the lines. I also have the @DirkM phone tray, so its covered anyways.

The cables now run out against the dash and up out of the way. I have a 67 Designs dash tray on the way and a JeepUniq mic mount for the Icom 2730 handset (which uses a hook style mount and not the typical button style). I will update when I get those items in.

 

[Doc]

I have a HAM radio and a GMRS in my truck and I hate the way the cables are run. I pulled the phone tray and drilled a couple holes. Its not the best because the adapters I got only worked for one of the lines. I also have the @DirkM phone tray, so its covered anyways.

The cables now run out against the dash and up out of the way. I have a 67 Designs dash tray on the way and a JeepUniq mic mount for the Icom 2730 handset (which uses a hook style mount and not the typical button style). I will update when I get those items in.

Yup…It’s a PIA …
Regards,


Doc… N4BX

 

[Colo_Ranger]

Yup…It’s a PIA …
Regards,


Doc… N4BX

I'm ready for the HAM to be implanted in my head so there are no wires.

Colo_Ranger - KF0LTF

Sponsored