The Ranger XLT @ Holley Ford Fest 2024 in Bowling Green KY After Missing HRPT 2019 and Power Tour 2021

[popeyes71]

Better to have a well over prepped surface than have to the job twice or for that matter 3 or 4 times. Good looking FE! I'm looking forward to seeing her all together!

[DuckRyder]

These are the FelPro I ended up using:



The cork end seals actually have adhesive backing and seem to work well. I’m well aware of the reputation of the old PermaTourqes on FE’s so heres hoping they do well.

I believe my surface prep was very good, though I didn’t know brake cleaner messes with the right stuff, I believe it was dry. I think the issue was getting the manifold straight down. With my back and neck this is an issue leaning over the fender even with Mrs DuckRyder helping and a light manifold.

Anyway, seems to be working so far.

[DuckRyder]

Picked up some disk spindles and calipers from a fellow member here.



Spent some time with simple green and figured out my chinese tool store blast cabinet wasn’t up to the task.



They are at the machine shop getting some glass beading and new king pin bushings.

Still need some dust shields.

[DuckRyder]

Some parts rolling in!

[popeyes71]

Getting close to do the swap!

[DuckRyder]

Getting close to do the swap!

Hopefully. I believe I have everything except the dust shields - I’ll run it without them for a while till I can find some.





Big shout out to Scott @ Scotts Auto Machine in Fayetteville GA for once again doing a great job and putting up with my fussiness.

Now I have to pull the old stuff, paint the beams and radius rods along with all the new stuff and put it back together.

Probably be a few weeks minimum...

Then we be on to the 9”.

[DuckRyder]

Well, so what we need here (in addition to money and time) is a plan...

Step one for which the parts have been acquired is

1) Fix brakes while converting to disc from a 73/74 F100.
Needs:
Spindles (got them)
Calipers (got them)
King pins and bushings (got them)
Pads (got them)
Caliper kits (got them)
Brakes hoses (got them)
Drag link, tie rod ends, adjuster sleeve (got them)
Radius rod and I beam bushings - poly (got them)
Paint (got it)
Adjustable proportioning valve (got it)

2) Rebuild 9”, paint reinstall
Needs:
Eaton Detroit Truetrac (got it)
CalTracs
Bearings
Rear spring bushings - poly
Paint

3) Fix bed cross member and cab cross member.
Needs:
Patch panels for cab cross member (got them)
Patches for bed cross member (will probably have to make them)
Welder
Paint

4) Interior/AC
Needs:
Daunting... everything...

5) More street oriented wheels and tires
?

[Manny]

Short list 10-15 minutes tops! Quite a list actually but seems you have a plan going together. That's very critical. If you need some help on the 9 inch let me know built a heap of them and set a bunch up. If you need the chuck set or the axle bearings pressed on more than happy to help.

[DuckRyder]

I’ll be lucky if I can get it done in 10 - 15 months - life gets in the way as they say...

And, I might just take you up on the offer about the 9” ... I hope to be in that department by christmas

[Manny]

I’ll be lucky if I can get it done in 10 - 15 months - life gets in the way as they say...

And, I might just take you up on the offer about the 9” ... I hope to be in that department by christmas

No problem i understand the schedule. Where I am at right now. As for the 9 bring the chunk and axle we will make it like a new unit. Bronco graveyard sells good rebuild kits.

[hdman90]

I’ll be lucky if I can get it done in 10 - 15 months - life gets in the way as they say...

And, I might just take you up on the offer about the 9” ... I hope to be in that department by christmas

Mr.Ryder,
I'm only 25... With a wife and a 2 year old... And being a family man, the Bumps usually get put on the backburner. And it stinks, but hopefully you're able to some serious work in the next 10 months!

[hfdco4]

You have our support with this addiction. We just aren't the group that helps you quit! Take Manny up on the offer of help, you have a good guy near you to help! Power Tour 2019 watch out for one bad F100!

[DuckRyder]

Yep...

And so it begins - Slowly.

It is a crying shame that all I can manage to get done in a complete SAT is jack it up, take the front wheels off and shoot a pressure washer in the general direction.

If I could bring myself to just knock the king pins out and throw the spindles on without painting and making everything pretty I’d probably be done by now.

As it was I spent most of the day digging the pressure washer out from under the stairs...

I blame my father for this. This is the man that said and I quote, “I was going to ride it again in a minute” when asked why the Amals on his Triumph were unsalvageable and the bugs ate pits in the fork legs from being put up something like 1/3 of a century ago without so much as a hint of water.

So that is my answer as to why I had to fiddle with the carb on the pressure washer, the hose o rings were rotten and the pump was sticky. I was going to use it again in a minute when I shoved it under the stairs (2005 ish)... I also had to go buy a garden hose because those neat collapsing hoses are poorly suited to pressure washers...







I expect that tomorrow I will fervently regret POR15ing the bolts and nuts for the I-Beams...

[DuckRyder]

Well some progress.

I had always thought the kingpins and the rest of the front end was in pretty good shape. Turns out that wasn’t the case. It had nylon king pin bushings in it and the left side grease cap was either cross threaded or the threads were boogered up (note use of highly technical term). So a good portion of my day was spend dealing with that. While the right side came out with some minor tapping the left side was well and truly stuck and required quite a bit wailing on with a 5 lb sledge.

This is the sort of thing that endears me to my neighbors. I bet they will ALL come out to help me move...



So I have everything lose except the radius arm nuts and the spring to I beam to radius rod bolts (I’m sort of dreading that one)



Wish me luck...

[DuckRyder]

Well, my goal at the beginning of the weekend was at least have everything painted and ready to go back on...

As usual I had to revise my goals. I did manage to get everything off and I feel like it is clean enough, but I will have to inspect it once it drys and see if it needs another round of wire brushing and pressure washing before paint.

I’m trying to decide what color to paint the shocks and calipers, it is between blue and black right now.

I have not run across but a couple of things that would be good to have, those being bump stops and shock bushings, though the stuff I have is usable. I believe I have everything else.





I’m just blowing the dirt off the drum spindles... disk spindles going on...

I hope I can figure out which I beam is which...