What did you receive in the mail today for your Ranger?

[Chris M]

I have a small garage, 13x21, and did RaceDeck (made in America!!!) for right at $1000. Only needed a handful of threshhold pieces.

I've been really happy with them and even walk barefoot on them.

We used a viny plank cutter which made it easy on my shoulders, although I think an M12 circular saw with the right blade could be good too.

Love your pics and job well done! =)

wanted to do Space Invaders alien but felt I should be a grown up for that money =D

the cutter we used ...

If you dropped a screw, how would you ever find it?
?

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[AzScorpion]

If you dropped a screw, how would you ever find it?
?

Only one way.....A magnet wand.

 

[Colo_Ranger]

If you dropped a screw, how would you ever find it?
?

Only one way.....A magnet wand.

You beat me to it. Magnets are the greatest thing ever.

 

[AzScorpion]

You beat me to it. Magnets are the greatest thing ever.

They are! We use to use them on the job sites for picking up all the nails that the framers and roofers would leave behind. After getting my share of flat tires I went out and bought one and would go over the driveway/parking areas before we started a new job.

 

[subquark]

Tell me more about this? Is it like a vinyl but for the garage? Do you need to level first? My garage floor has settled slightly since it was poured (prior to our purchase) pretty minor but with flooring you never know how that affects things ??‍

Had some custom size American Flag auto stickers made for the Ranger for behind the fender vents ? put those on today

It's made of "high impact copolymer" and I used a vinyl plank guillotine to easily cut it.

Our garage had a big frost upheave in the center from side-to-side, probably at least an inch tall and half an inch wide.

I used an air chisel to knock down the tallest bit and epoxy to fill the crack. BUT .. it certainly wasn't level. The tiles flex a little and I can't tell where that spot is now.

It sounds like your floor is much better than ours. =)

 

[subquark]

Is that stuff perforated? What happens if you have an oil, paint or antifreeze spill if if is? Even dump mud on tires would be trouble. Looks like it would have to be removed for total cleanup. Guess you guys only use garages for parking.

The one I used is perforated, I figured winter slush would make a mess of it and wanted it to drain off so the floor would stay cleaner and less slippery. It has accomplished that very well.

It's not Soupie's garage, so none of those things apply. It's for my wife's car.

I have done metal grinding over it without issues, but I personally wouldn't weld or torch cut over it.

I have used the floor jack on it but not a bottle jack or jack stands. They make aluminum jacking plates you can snap in place of a tile.

I have spilled oil, alcohol, and sealcoat on it. All came up pretty easily.

It was an economical and easy way to make a spalled and cracked garage floor look better. Also spares us tracking in that cement dust.

I like it, but it's not like a perfectly level concrete shop floor for welding things like trailers on. =)

by the way, Soupie has only been in the garage a few times. Once to see if it fit, once to put in the brake controller, once for the tailgate lock. And only has spent one night in it. =D

 

[subquark]

If you dropped a screw, how would you ever find it?
?

I've never used a small enough screw that would fall through the slots, same for washers. In fact, it keeps them from rolling away. =)

I do use both the Ego leaf blower as well as my 3/8" fed air gun to blow dust out from under it. My floor is spalling, so a decent amount of cement dust shows up.

RaceDeck has a nifty online tile layout tool and lots of colors. You can even mix in their solid (non-perforated) tiles into your design. I thought of doing that for the borders but decided that the winter slush would need all the airflow it could get.

 

[Big Blue]

Tell me more about this? Is it like a vinyl but for the garage? Do you need to level first? My garage floor has settled slightly since it was poured (prior to our purchase) pretty minor but with flooring you never know how that affects things

I think @subquark answered most of your questions. But I'll ad my recent impressions. The tiles are 12 inches square and snap together easily with a rubber hammer. They form a free floating floor much like the modern wood floors do no glue involved and you can remove and replace individual tiles. The ones I used were called "Garage Flow". They have smaller perforations than the ones @subquark used, but still have the channels for routing the water and air. I too use a leaf blower to chase the leaves and dirt out. I would imagine compressed air or even a pressure washer could even work. The tiles pretty much can be mixed and matched to do what ever design you want. Check out their website They have lots of pictures. Racedeck.com, they have several patterns and colors on sale right now.

 

[LawnMM]

Thanks boys I'll take a looksie

 

[TJC]

They are not here yet but will be shortly. Ordered a Vevor Universal Radiator kit specifically for the 2020 Ranger and 2023 CX-5. New tools for the next generation of autos I now own.

And the VDIAGTOOL V200 Pro Electrical toolkit. It will easily trace open circuits, but lacks tracing shorted circuits. But for 1/3rd the price of those other kits that do, it was a good purchase.

It will detect a short, but not locate it. I will be ordering 3rd party probe extensions for this kit.

 

[Fordup]

7 inch wireless backup camera for the trailer and tractor . Strong magnets on the camera with a couple hundred feet range.

 

[subquark]

Not sure I'd feel safe with that much slop in those pivot points. You are no long putting the pin in a true shear load. You are also putting it in a bending load with four points of stress.

Thanks to your post, I swapped out those pins. The bending load is what convinced me and it was pretty inexpensive for a couple of larger pins.

first one at top, new one below

it's a pretty big difference

old one in crane jack

new one, sure fills it better!

just a hitch pin here, in place of a bolt

 

[rich_c]

Do emails count?

If so, I got responses to my product availability question from Decked and BuiltRight.

I asked Decked about their toolbox being available for the Ranger — midsize versions are being discussed but no ETA on development or availability. I asked BuiltRight Industries about the bulkhead accessory panel that goes across the back of the bed — may be available sometime in 2025.

 

[subquark]

I wasn't going to post this, but there's so much peer pressure to buy, Buy, BUY! on this forum. =D

I got 4 Strapinno 1" retractable ratchet straps in June of '22. They get used regularly, maybe 20-30 times since then, and one finally froze up. It won't ratchet anymore. I haven't opened it up, maybe some Blue Creeper oil will fix it. They have been decent but, as in many new imported things, they just aren't built for longevity. =(

I'm casually looking at true 2" marine stainless steel ratchets (non-retractable). The retractables are great for many uses, but for higher loads, like branches, you have to toss over the end of the strap which has an s-hook. It is rubber coated but since acorns make dents, I'm sure that would too. A regular ratchet strap would have just a webbing end for a more merciful toss over.

In the meanwhile, and now that I have the little receiver crane thing, I thought getting some higher working load straps might be a good idea.

The 1" straps have a 500# working load, the new 2" retractables have an 800# working load (and 1,500 vs. 2,400 breaking strength). These new ones supposedly have a lifetime warranty, but I won't hold my breath (I do keep these in a SwingCase under a tonneau, so they're mostly out of the weather).

And they came with a pair of 2" soft loops - I do like me some soft loops and have a pair of US-made 1" ones on each tie down. These 2" ones are short but could be handy for use hoisting up stuff with that crane.

I sold out and got it from Amazon, I should have ordered it direct from them.
PowerTye 2 inch x 10 Foot Retractable Heavy-Duty Ratchet Tie-Downs $59.95

comes with a bag that I won't use (maybe for something else)

feel nice and sturdy plus stubby soft loops

the loops are US made but I can't find that on the ratchets. The site is all "US made" but the wording is careful on the ratchets and I suspect they're made overseas

compared to the 1"

A follow up on the new straps - they continue to work great. One reason is that they're too big to cram into my packed SwingCases, so I hooked them onto the SwingCase hinges. They use up a bit of hard-to-use space, they're easy to reach, and they get used more often.

Time will tell if they hold up to the weather. The tonneau cover does a decent job but some water does get in.

If these don't last, it'll be a good excuse reason to get those stainless steel ones I've been eyeing! =D

 

[gfitzge2]

It's made of "high impact copolymer" and I used a vinyl plank guillotine to easily cut it.

Our garage had a big frost upheave in the center from side-to-side, probably at least an inch tall and half an inch wide.

I used an air chisel to knock down the tallest bit and epoxy to fill the crack. BUT .. it certainly wasn't level. The tiles flex a little and I can't tell where that spot is now.

It sounds like your floor is much better than ours. =)

That describes almost exactly my situation. Because of the settling and cracks epoxy coatings were not an option, not to mention many years of oil and other stains in the concrete. I used Race deck brand tiles and just like you I have to look really hard to see the unevenness. I am very satisfied with them after about 5 years.

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