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  #16  
Old 05-31-2013, 03:32 PM
dfpgnm dfpgnm is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

Yeah, you'll probably have to pull the skid plate.
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  #17  
Old 06-01-2013, 06:22 AM
Andy D Andy D is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

I used some universal gas tank strap and some 5/16 threaded rod, nuts and washers. for a quick and dirty repair. I hung the rod from a bed support and ran the strap from there to the frame rail. As for the skid plate, something fell off and rolled to the side as I drove through Lexington toward 128 on the ride home. It was the back end support for the skid plate. My strap supports what is left of the skid plate. The gas tank never budged. It is molded to the frame rails and supported kinda by the filler neck I smell gas from the tank area , so eventually, my curiosity will take a look see. I'm guessing a vent hose
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  #18  
Old 06-01-2013, 07:13 AM
Spidey2011 Spidey2011 is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

Quote:
Originally Posted by crowneagle View Post
Try the pics again. They look bigger this time when you click on them. As you can see from the pics, the rear gas tank strap and cross member are either broken or almost broken.
That frame looks BAD. Get that taken care of ASAP. Major safety hazard right thar.
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  #19  
Old 06-01-2013, 07:36 AM
dfpgnm dfpgnm is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

Is the 89 a box or channel frame? That looks like the rear cab mount? There's serious rust on two faces of that frame. If you hit the right bump, it could fold. I would be very very reluctant to drive that beyond the end of my driveway.
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  #20  
Old 06-02-2013, 04:03 AM
crowneagle crowneagle is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

I took a wider angle shot this morning. After looking at it, it is right at the rear cab mount. I think the only reason it hasn't folded is that the rear cab mount is a fairly large plate that has six rivets. The plate appears to carry some of the stresses around the rusted area. Believe me, I know I'm playing with fire. That's why I've been riding my bike mostly. It is two years older than my truck, but unlike my truck, the bike is in mint condition. I really don't want to poke around too much until the fuel tank strap comes in. Another issue is that I'm trying to decide on is the rear cross member design. The welder said he probably has some 1.5" square tubing laying around to fabricate the rear cross member with but I want the rear cross member to be as stiff as possible; especially since all the other cross members are rusting as well. 1.5" would only allow for one bolt on each side and I don't know if that would stiffen the frame enough. The OEM cross member flattens on the side that has the exhaust so that it doesn't come in contact with the tail pipe. The problem with the original design is that it created a weak spot on that cross member. I want my new cross member to be very strong to prevent the frame from twisting in the twisties. Ford cared about every once of weight. I don't care if a new cross member weighs a few pounds more than the original one. I'm thinking of channel iron or two angle irons welded or bolted back to back. If I'm going to do this project, I want it so that it will last for a few years.
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  #21  
Old 06-02-2013, 08:40 AM
crowneagle crowneagle is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

I just 1.5 hours under the truck to do some further cleaning of the area. I thought I had cleaned it up pretty well last time but a lot more junk just came out. . An old brake line, acorns, chunks of rust. It's now very clean and the end result is i DON'T HAVE NO EFFIN IDEA WHY i STARTED THIS PROJECT. The brake line, fuel lines and wiring harness run inside that channel. I don't know how the welder is going to weld that without getting all crazy and pulling the bed off. There just doesn't appear to be a way to move everything out of the way. I have no idea how I'm going to change the gas tank strap either since one side of the strap has little to no room to work with between the gas tank and frame. The thing that sucks is that I've already soaked $400 into parts and labor. Now, I'm getting close to cutting my losses and just replace this vehicle. I think age is starting catch up with me. I've haven't miscalculated this bad for a long time.
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  #22  
Old 06-02-2013, 08:52 AM
dfpgnm dfpgnm is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

It was never going to be an easy quick job.

It can be done. It's just going to take time with the truck off the road.
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  #23  
Old 06-02-2013, 09:16 AM
crowneagle crowneagle is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

You are so right. There just isn't any way to do this correctly without pulling the bed off and taking the truck off the road; which I might just do. I might as well start checking craig's list out for another vehicle. There's always reasons behind bad planning. I bought a lake property last year and it took much of my financial resources to buy it and get in half way decent shape. I've got three years before I can access my retirement account and didn't really want to tap into that and pay penalties, etc. Oh well!
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  #24  
Old 06-02-2013, 11:14 AM
Alex Dulude Alex Dulude is offline
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Duct tape and super is all I got for ya
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  #25  
Old 06-02-2013, 11:33 AM
cowboybilly9mile cowboybilly9mile is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

Like I said earlier, field truck (aka, nursing home). Health care proxy has been null and void for awhile now guardianship needs to be implemented. You'll find a new to you vehicle that you'll love as much as the old one.
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  #26  
Old 06-02-2013, 02:07 PM
Andy D Andy D is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

The Rat presented a very similar challenge to me. Actually it is kinda punky in the same area also. I concentrated on the most immediate troubles on the LF cab support .. In fixing that area, I disrupted brake lines and fuel lines. The brake lines are new as a result. I drilled out the rivets holding stuff together add a 30" piece of angle shaped to fit inside the kick of the frame and is mostly secured by the existing bolts and the bolts replacing the rivets I drilled out. When the LR support, the area in your last pics gets worse, I will take the bed off to fix it.
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  #27  
Old 06-03-2013, 03:18 AM
crowneagle crowneagle is offline
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Default Re: My Ranger has cancer

Late yesterday, I spent some more time on it and tried removing the broken end to the gas tank strap. There is no way to remove it without taking the bed off and probably removing the gas tank as well. Anyways, I started looking for another vehicle yesterday. I haven't decided whether to sell this thing for parts/yard truck or just take it off the road, and start working on it in my spare time. I might even bring it back to the welder and tell him to give me a price for an expanded project which include taking the bed off and making sure it is fixed thoroughly with new cross member, installation of new gas tank straps and repairing the frame. Half the battle was just realizing that it was never going to be an easy fix.
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