What did you do WITH your Ranger today?

[LaBalbe]

Very timely given the state of your existing front tires. You should have an alignment after you get them put on.

That's already on the work order, because I noticed the other day that he pulls to the right in the straightaways.

New summer tires are in the spring budget.

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[LaBalbe]

With winter coming on, it's just a matter of time before it does that here in North Texas. Glad I switched to ATs.

ATs are fine for warmer winters, but up here we have to switch out between summer and winter tires.

Basically (and this is admittedly very simplified), the problem is that when it gets too cold (i.e. under 7C or 46F), the rubber in regular tires (what we call "summer tires") "shrinks" too much (we all know about "shrinkage" in the cold) and you don't have enough tire to get decent traction on the road. Winter tires are made of a much softer rubber, so when it gets cold and the rubber hardens up, it "shrinks" to have the same amount of surface contact with the road as a regular tire would in summer. If we were to use those in summer, though, the rubber would be so soft and brittle that the tires would disintegrate in no time.

In some areas, where ice is an issue, you might go the extra step to have studded winter tires. Not only do they have the softer rubber, but they've also got little nails embedded into the rubber for extra traction on the ice, but you if you use these too much on non-icy roads, you'll destroy the pavement. In the past several years, I've also seen them studded with walnut shells as a more eco-friendly version. The walnut shells are hard enough to do the same traction job as the metal nails, but as the rubber wears down and they're eventually "released" from the tire's grip, the shells are biodegradable whereas the nails are not.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

ATs are fine for warmer winters, but up here we have to switch out between summer and winter tires.

Basically (and this is admittedly very simplified), the problem is that when it gets too cold (i.e. under 7C or 46F), the rubber in regular tires (what we call "summer tires") "shrinks" too much (we all know about "shrinkage" in the cold) and you don't have enough tire to get decent traction on the road. Winter tires are made of a much softer rubber, so when it gets cold and the rubber hardens up, it "shrinks" to have the same amount of surface contact with the road as a regular tire would in summer. If we were to use those in summer, though, the rubber would be so soft and brittle that the tires would disintegrate in no time.

In some areas, where ice is an issue, you might go the extra step to have studded winter tires. Not only do they have the softer rubber, but they've also got little nails embedded into the rubber for extra traction on the ice, but you if you use these too much on non-icy roads, you'll destroy the pavement. In the past several years, I've also seen them studded with walnut shells as a more eco-friendly version. The walnut shells are hard enough to do the same traction job as the metal nails, but as the rubber wears down and they're eventually "released" from the tire's grip, the shells are biodegradable whereas the nails are not.

I worked part time at the local Gulf service station in high school and dreaded having to stud winter tires. They were inserted using a special tool that looked a bit like a drill. It was connected to a compressor hose, which made things easier, but they had to be inserted one at a time. With about 100 or more studs per tire, it was a real pain. All while running out to the pump to fill gas tanks when cars arrived.

Ding, ding.

 

[AzScorpion]

I worked part time at the local Gulf service station in high school and dreaded having to stud winter tires. They were inserted using a special tool that looked a bit like a drill. It was connected to a compressor hose, which made things easier, but they had to be inserted one at a time. With about 100 or more studs per tire, it was a real pain. All while running out to the pump to fill gas tanks when cars arrived.

Ding, ding.

Probably still easier than studding a snowmobile track. You had to sit on the ground and hold the template and drill through the track then press the studs through and secure them. IIRC there were 126 and some wanted more for the ice and of course no one thought of doing this while it was nice and warm out so we did these while sitting on a cold concrete floor in freezing weather. lol

 

[woodworker]

Went over the mountain into NC to fly fish with my brother. Couldn’t buy a bite in the river I’ve not fished before, but scenery was worth the trip.

That was worth the trip

 

[bsr956]

Went over the mountain into NC to fly fish with my brother. Couldn’t buy a bite in the river I’ve not fished before, but scenery was worth the trip.

What route did you take? I hope to be up your way in couple of months.

 

[underwhelmed]

What route did you take? I hope to be up your way in couple of months.

I just took Foothills Parkway (picked it up just east of Maryville at 321 intersection) to 129 (The Tail of the Dragon) through Robbinsville over to 19 South to the Nantahalla River Gorge. North on 19 will take you into Bryson City.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Put it to work today.

Towed the (heavy) Bronco up to father-in-laws garage to do the engine swap.

Total weight a bit over 7K lbs.

This was not the carefree and effortless jaunt like when I towed my Jeep on this same trailer. You definitely knew the Bronco was back there.

The Ranger handled it with no drama.

I had to round up a set of factory size wheels and tires before the Bronco would fit on the car hauler

Wheels/tires that were on it vs the factory size.

 

[TxOTRRanger]

Put it to work today.

Towed the (heavy) Bronco up to father-in-laws garage to do the engine swap.

Total weight a bit over 7K lbs.

This was not the carefree and effortless jaunt like when I towed my Jeep on this same trailer. You definitely knew the Bronco was back there.

The Ranger handled it with no drama.

I had to round up a set of factory size wheels and tires before the Bronco would fit on the car hauler

Wheels/tires that were on it vs the factory size.

Dennis @Dr. Zaius, just out of curiosity. What year model is your Bronco and what engine does it have?

 

[Dr. Zaius]

Dennis @Dr. Zaius, just out of curiosity. What year model is your Bronco and what engine does it have?

It's a 1990 and has the 351W engine.

It is getting this warmed up 351 engine swapped in, except for the carburetor. The carrb is just for the engine stand and run in. I have the Edelbrock EFI intake for it.

 

[Friday yet?]

I worked part time at the local Gulf service station in high school and dreaded having to stud winter tires. They were inserted using a special tool that looked a bit like a drill. It was connected to a compressor hose, which made things easier, but they had to be inserted one at a time. With about 100 or more studs per tire, it was a real pain. All while running out to the pump to fill gas tanks when cars arrived.

Ding, ding.

I absolutely heard that ding ding!!! Seems like only yesterday…..

 

[Friday yet?]

Drove it! Only about 225 miles today. But I’ve got 400+ to do tomorrow!

Been a good work week. And driving the Ranger quite a few miles has only made it better. By the time I pull into the garage tomorrow afternoon I’ll have added about 1400 miles to the odometer since rolling out Monday morning.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I love this truck. And love driving it. Even after all this time I continue to find it to be an extremely comfortable road trip vehicle.

Ranger for the win!

 

[LaBalbe]

Got the truck (mostly) ready for winter. Swapped tires, new front brakes, new windshield wipers (that was over the weekend) and changed oil, transmission and brake fluid. In a couple of weeks I'm going to have an alignment done. I had planned to have that done this time, but then they discovered that the ball joints were worn out and would have to be replaced before doing the alignment, so that all got pushed back to after next payday.

 

[bsr956]

I just took Foothills Parkway (picked it up just east of Maryville at 321 intersection) to 129 (The Tail of the Dragon) through Robbinsville over to 19 South to the Nantahalla River Gorge. North on 19 will take you into Bryson City.

Thanks! My parents grew up in Robbinsville so I'm somewhat familiar with the area. Sure is beautiful area.

 

[KNI]

Went to farm and drove around the field in order to take government mandated soil samples of the farmland.

After two months of rain everything was mud mud mud.

On an access road I even needed to turn the locker on in order to go up the hill as left side of the road was ice (from the water running from the fields frozing over nights) and the right side was gravel. Without locker I'd be stuck there for whoever knows how long.

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