The FORD Lounge

[salans7]

grumpin wrote

I recently switched insurance carriers. So did my son.

USAA, and I’m impressed with the savings!

Also, my son just bought a 2023 Mazda CX 30. Nice car. Surprised that it was just under $25K.

Nice!

Congrats to your son on his new car! I've been eyeing the most recent gen Explorers, specifically the ST. Just can't justify a 4 door pickup and I like the way the Explorer looks. We'll have to see.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, congrat's.  Both on the savings awa the Mazda.

[salans7]

My neighbor took on a job doing the clutch/slave cylinder on a 1997 Ranger. He wasn't going to accept the job but asked me if I'd be willing to help him and I agreed, so he took it on. Luckily for him I did, because Rangers/M5OD's have specific steps that need to be taken when doing this job and he was not familiar with those steps and was grateful I agreed to help.

I happen to have owned three Rangers and have torn into many more at the junkyards, so I'm fairly well versed when it comes to these little trucks, especially with clutch replacements since I'm now on my 5th or 6th slave cylinder on my personal truck.

I must say, it feels good to be doing this on a truck that isn't mine for once. There's much less stress going on with this one.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, less stress on you as well as your neighbor.  Your experience surely helped immensely.  But to have had 5 or 6 slave cylinders fail?!?!

EDIT: That Ranger and the Mazda pickup my SiL had in Nicaragua probably had the same slave cylinder, as his also went out several times.

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, less stress on you as well as your neighbor.  Your experience surely helped immensely.  But to have had 5 or 6 slave cylinders fail?!?!

EDIT: That Ranger and the Mazda pickup my SiL had in Nicaragua probably had the same slave cylinder, as his also went out several times.

I swapped my truck to a manual in 2014, so those failures have all occurred within an eight-year time frame. On some the seal failed, causing me to lose fluid. On others the throw-out bearing started to chatter. The rest just kept getting air in the system.  

There's only a few companies that seem to be making slave cylinders for the Ranger, and I have yet to find one with a quality product. It would not be so bad if the slave cylinder was external, but all Rangers are internal slave, so you have to pull the transmission every time.

[BigBrother-84]

Geee...

It's 27ºF right now.
Supposed to drop to -24ºF tonight.
That a drop...

[Gary Lewis]

That IS a DROP!  Are you going to start BigBrother when it is that cold?

[BigBrother-84]

Gary Lewis wrote

Are you going to start BigBrother when it is that cold?

Absolutely not!  He's going to stay quiet at least until next Sunday, supposed to climb to 27ºF then.

[JimJam300]

Been thinking about what kind of pickup truck I'm going to need when I buy an acreage and need to do farm stuff. On Monday I used my 2001 Dodge half ton for hauling a load of dirt, filled the 6.5ft bed about halfway, the amount of squat was depressing. Used truck prices are going down, might be time soon to pounce on a 3/4 ton pickup with a gasoline engine. The Dodge was always supposed to be a temporary beater as it was the cheapest decent pickup I could find during covid times.

[Gary Lewis]

You might think about a 1 ton as they appear to have lower prices than 3/4 ton, at least according to Hagerty.  And if you got a late 85 or an 86 with 4wd it should have the D60 front axle and a better ride than the ones with TTB's.

[JimJam300]

Gary Lewis wrote

You might think about a 1 ton as they appear to have lower prices than 3/4 ton, at least according to Hagerty.  And if you got a late 85 or an 86 with 4wd it should have the D60 front axle and a better ride than the ones with TTB's.

Yeah that would make sense, as 3/4 ton pickups with a diesel engine are in high demand as the cool new grocery getters these days. And I was thinking of something quite a bit newer with a lot more power. My old work truck was a F150 6.2L and I wouldn't mind having that engine in a stronger truck, or something comparable from Chevy or Dodge. It got 17mpg highway, which I know wouldn't be the same in a F250 or 350, but optioned as it was, it was as heavy as an F150 can get.

[BigBrother-84]

Our decision to restore Big Brother was partially (mainly?)  motivated by the price of decent recent used trucks.

Don't know for US, but here (QC Canada) in early 2019, F250HD 4x4 in decent shape, mileage between 100,000km-150,000km, let's say not older than 2014-2015, were priced between 55000$-85000$ CAD.

We spent less money to make Big Bro like new, he's strong enough for our farm job.

Compared with a more recent used truck, the only downside about Big Bro is the fuel consumption, but he doesn't do lot of mileage per year.

Can't call it an "investment" but I think (hope?) that he's not losing value as time goes on, which would not have be the case for a more recent used truck.

And let's admit it's fun that this head turner is a conversation starter with perfect strangers who suddenly need to have a friendly talk with us about this machine.

And finally, well... we love him!

[Gary Lewis]

Jeff - Here's the Hagerty valuation on Big Bro:

[BigBrother-84]

Gary,
Maybe if I sell him today I'll not refund all my "investment"...
...Not urgent, can wait few decades.

[JimJam300]

BigBrother-84 wrote

Our decision to restore Big Brother was partially (mainly?)  motivated by
the price of decent recent used trucks.

That was why I got this here Dodge. $3500 and 266k miles, pretty beat up but was government owned. Great deal for 2021. It's perfectly adequate for my current 3 mile commute and occasional hauling as a suburbanite renter. At the end of the day though, it is absolutely a piece of crap and I have no clue when the transmission will turn into a metal milkshake.

It would be neat to replace it with a much cooler, older truck, but with plans to have kids very soon I can't take on another project. Another government truck with crank windows would be perfect.

[salans7]

This photo was posted on a few truck groups recently. I remember it was made years ago, but not sure who since they just grabbed photos from the internet. Every time it pops back up, it's a reminder that I don't own that 1980 F150 anymore.

 

I still have the original picture too. Anybody notice the difference? Either I or whoever created that photo collage copied the clear lens to the other side.

[Gary Lewis]

I'll bet that hurts, Shaun.  Bummer!

But I hadn't noticed the difference, although it is obvious now.  

[Ray Cecil]

I have clear lenses on my 86, they just look better to me. I think we need a 78-79 next.

[salans7]

Gary Lewis wrote

I'll bet that hurts, Shaun.  Bummer!

But I hadn't noticed the difference, although it is obvious now.

I still remember when you mentioned the different/incorrect mirrors the first time you saw that photo all those years ago, lol.

Ray, I prefer the clear lenses as well. Have them on my F350 as well even though it isn't a 1980.

[BigBrother-84]

Well, there are better days than others...

This weekend, had a major hydraulic oil leak on my Kubota B21.  The propeller shaft seal died.

Went to the Web, bought workshop manual...  Not sure, but I think that the tractor has to be split in two in order to reach the clutch cover (and this 15$ seal).

Not a job I can do.   Tractor is at the garage today, we'll see.

If you are curious...
https://youtu.be/Qr1zJ88LfrY