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Rustinkerer said:
That's why I left the northeast, knowing I'd probably be driving 20+ year old beaters! -Adam
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I've driven quite a few vans... hmm, 69' Ford, 76' Chevy, 2 different Dodge Caravans that I really liked from the 90's and the 93' Chevy I just practically gave away. (but it's out of my driveway!) I also had a little Plymouth Colt thing back in the 90's I forget what yr it was... I'm on my 3rd and 4th Rangers now...

Carl.
 
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hammer mechanic said:
So I had to pull the bed off of my 94 Mazda B2300(aka Ford Ranger) to fix a fuel line leak, and guess what shape the spring hangers were in.
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You just found them? That's rotten.
I ordered mine on ebay all 4 less than $125.00 shipped
I haven't replaced them yet.

Carl.
 
Yeah, I have heard something klunking around in the back for a while, but was in denial. Only one hanger is broken, but the others are not far behind. The leaking fuel line is pretty common also, had a 96 Ranger that sprung a leak in the same place, just out of the fuel pump.
 
I'll be changing mine soon. Although I've put a lot of miles on mine with the rear hangers both broke. The real scarey is the front ones on mine are sooo rusted...

Carl.
 
hammer mechanic said:
Ditto, won't be driving this anymore til I get it fixed.
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Well I'm not out 4 wheelin' in mine, but I've been kickin' it down the highway. Since I'm the one gonna be fixin' mine it's gonna have to wait til I got time...

Carl.
 
started on the spring hangers. forgot to take a picture but here we are part way in cutting and grinding out the old hangers
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right rear...
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left rear gotta bust out the two rivets from the back still, there where the grinding shines...
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rusty gold? ah no...

Carl.

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got the frame all ready for the rears and one spring, then I find the bolt on the right side spring is rusted into the sleeve thru the bushing... after 3 hours of beating , drilling and impact wrenching and it still won't budge. So I came back home (I'm doing all this 20 miles away in my sister's garage where there is everything any mechanic needs...) went to parts store and got new bushings for both sides. Gonna hit it again in the morning. Smoke wrench the old rubber out, and slip in the new...

Carl.



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rear hangers and shackles and bushings done.
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sits and rides much better...
5f756ef20c3e494dfc922a6a9a6b4a64.jpg


Carl.

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LukeTheJoker said:
Nice work Carl!

Luke.
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Thanks. I'm really not much of a mechanic, but I can cut and grind. I should've took a picture of the rig I botched together to get the bushings pressed in to the springs. Imagine, threaded rod double nutted on one end, then a big grade 8 washer up against the spring eye, then slide the bushing on then another big washer and a nut. Then I just put the impact wrench on it. I saw a tool like that in my brother in law's tool box, but it was too big to go thru the bushing. So I figured I can fab that up, and it worked fine.

Carl.

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Falstaff said:
A bit safer too
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Ah yes, I've still got to do the front spring hangers on the rear springs. I'm not even looking forward to it, there's a lot a stuff in the way. I have to drop the plastic gas tank, so besides the straps there's 4 bolts at the filler. I'd pull the bed off but I need three more guys and all I have is my two sons... the bed is pretty raggedy, so if I do that I either replace it or build a flat bed...


Carl.

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2 sons some rafters in a garage and some rope... sounds like a bed lift to me... just start with the rear on jack stands... tie it up un bolt the bed and set it down..
Drive away...
Replace front mounts... hit reverse gear and get bed back on.

Drop the tail gate first... they tend to weight like 20% of the bed :bigsmile:
 
I have been thinking of driving out from under it...
Oh man fabbing something for the fuel filler neck grr...
I need to source some sq steel tubing and some t rail at the scrappers. I think cedar while soft would still be cool and light for the bed, maybe some 5/4 cedar deck planking... a funky bumper with tail lights in it would be fun too. Something modern from the other scrap yard.
How hard would it be to cut holes in my existing bumper?

Carl.
 
Very easy.. your pick up has no filler or foam crash insert behind it.. drill out your corners and use a cut off wheel or even a jig saw.
 
If you do a wood bed, you don't want to go to light. You'd lose traction easy.

Cutting holes in the bumper is easy with proper tools. Without proper tools, it can be done. Ease depends on the shape of the hole.
 
Filler neck can get pre fabbed utility body door and pockets... flip it 90* and mount it to the flat bed floor. Most just scavange the filler frame from the quarter pannel and relocate it to where it hangs under the flatbed
 

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