kishy's 1985 Ranger

[DerekTheGreat]

Strange leakage problem. "Black death." LoL, that's what I've always called it.

What's that brillo pad looking thing just below your soldering iron?? Also, I'm looking to acquire a "solder sucker" but couldn't find one on the webz. Would you happen to know of one you'd endorse? I bought two types of copper solder tape or whatever it is that absorbs solder from stuff. It seems to work well but you need lots of it, that I wasn't aware of until I tried it.

[kishy]

Strange leakage problem. "Black death." LoL, that's what I've always called it.

What's that brillo pad looking thing just below your soldering iron?? Also, I'm looking to acquire a "solder sucker" but couldn't find one on the webz. Would you happen to know of one you'd endorse? I bought two types of copper solder tape or whatever it is that absorbs solder from stuff. It seems to work well but you need lots of it, that I wasn't aware of until I tried it.

I don't know what I'd call that thing...it's copper, was given to me by the friend who gave me the iron. Used for cleaning the tip. Works well.

The iron/station is a Solomon SL-20... https://www.pro-soldering.com/solder...ion/SL-20.html
I've been super pleased with it.

Solder suckers, I do prefer over the braids 100%. I have two, both are inexpensive generic items and work well. I would honestly suggest to just buy the cheapest one of the conventional design you can find. I don't know that there's a "made in USA" option for this sort of product. Example https://www.ebay.com/itm/174311828308

[gadget73]

"chore boy" is the usual name for that gizmo in grocery stores. Used for scrubbing pots but they work nicely on soldering irons too. Can also use a damp sponge, but the metal thing works nicely when you don't happen to have water handy.

You won't like the price of my suggestion, but I've been fairly happy with my Hakko FR-301.

[kishy]

The voltage leak is from the ECM. It is outputting 8V on the Brake On/Off line, which I always believed was just an input to the computer rather than an output, but now I am unsure. It's a 93 EEC-IV computer.

There is no harness or switch defect causing the voltage to enter the circuit. This appears to be by design, I just don't understand why.

There are posts elsewhere on the internet of people finding similar voltage on the brake light circuit in similar age Fords. The answer some turn to is load resistors or using an incandescent bulb in the CHMSL (which I don't have). I need to dig in a bit more into the theory of how the brake light circuit interacts with the ECM and should then be able to find a solution. I have the 93 EVTM so hopefully it can tell me its secrets.

[gadget73]

I think the BOO circuit works by looking for a path to ground when the brake pedal is up. Basically it uses the filaments to drag down that line and it senses current across a resistor inside to determine brake on or off. You'd have to simulate a load in order to make that work, either resistors or probably one standard bulb would get it done. LED conversions cause that same issue with cruise control. Not so much with the lamps coming on, but it doesn't see that path to ground so it interprets that as the brake pedal being pressed.

[kishy]

I think the BOO circuit works by looking for a path to ground when the brake pedal is up. Basically it uses the filaments to drag down that line and it senses current across a resistor inside to determine brake on or off. You'd have to simulate a load in order to make that work, either resistors or probably one standard bulb would get it done. LED conversions cause that same issue with cruise control. Not so much with the lamps coming on, but it doesn't see that path to ground so it interprets that as the brake pedal being pressed.

That is the impression I was getting of how it worked, and it seems absolutely stupid. Not a fan of that.

If there were a dual-circuit brake light switch which happens to physically fit the Ranger, I'd prefer to put the lights on one half and the computer BOO circuit on the other, much like how I'm also on the hunt for a dual circuit clutch pedal switch.

The clutch pedal switch is somewhat easier as it was designed to be dual circuit but they only populated one, therefore the two-circuit version is out there somewhere. The brake light switch is a little trickier, maybe.

[gadget73]

not gonna disagree its stupid. No idea why they had it look for absence of ground vs presence of power but maybe there was a reason for it.

[kishy]

...dual-circuit brake light switch...
...dual circuit clutch pedal switch...

Brake light switch, in order to electrically separate the ECM/cruise control from the tail lights.
Clutch pedal switch, in order to electrically separate the start circuit from the ECM. (RE: the truck has a swapped in newer engine and computer has expectations that don't jive with the way the truck was originally designed)

I was placing a RockAuto order and decided to browse brake light switches for various Fords. 2000 F-750 came up with a Wells 1S5407, replacement for Ford F87Z13480AA. 5 electrical contacts. Mounting eyeballs out similarly. 10 bucks and shipped from same location - went for it.

Did not realize that the pigtail for it was horrendously expensive, but I'll get a junkyard one eventually. The switch is used on many newer Fords, not just the obscure bigger trucks.





This looks like a winner, electrically. Just need to test mount and get a pigtail.



As for the clutch switch:

I have one spare junkyard harvested switch; this switch is not available new. The switch design changed a couple years after my truck and it is unclear how retrofittable the newer switch is. The switch in the truck is a multi-circuit switch that only has one set of contacts populated.

I've tinkered with the spare switch and verified it is easy and possible to take the contacts out and move them around. The plan will be, take both switches apart, use the parts from one to make the other dual-circuit, and that'll do it.

[kishy]

Due to the pandemic and border concerns, I have been unable to make progress on the above.

Yesterday, had a chat with TecNickal...discussed the to-do list for the Ranger. Figured it was about a weekend worth of work: axle pivot bushings, radius arm mounts, radius arm bushings, ball joints if sloppy, inner tie rod ends, repack bearings, alignment. All parts were already on-hand.

Today, Thanksgiving, decided to give it a go.
Found ball joints have no slop. They will stay. Ball joints on this year are not adjustable, so replacement does not affect alignment in the future. This truck gets adjusted by bending the I-beams.
Removed radius arm mounts (one has a rust hole, which is prompting their replacement with new nicely painted examples).
Found radius arm bushings are actually in decent shape, but will replace anyway as it's a big job to get at them again later.
Removed entire I-beam assemblies to replace axle pivot bushings. The bushings were not identical, one had been replaced, it is not clear which though. Both were in not-terrible condition.
Installed new Energy Suspension poly bushings.
Reinstalled I-beam assemblies at the axle pivot bushings, coil springs, and shocks.
Radius arms are just chilling there, disconnected.















(look how CLEAN the engine and trans are!)















When I return to the project I will install the new radius arm mounts, install the bushings (not poly) and attach the arms to the mounts, which will get the truck back in a condition where it can sit on its own wheels and roll around. The rest of the to-do list will follow as well.

[kishy]

Continuation of the front end work:
Installed radius arm mounts and bushings.
Reused hardware where available. The new radius arm mounts came with grade 10.9 hardware (normal bolts and nuts), and the original hardware was fine, plus had some unique captive nuts which I wanted to reuse anyway. The 10.9 hardware will be a nice thing to have for future projects.

Inner tie rod ends are up next.

[packman]

Nice!

I wish just one of my Rangers was as solid as yours. I miss driving those trucks.

[kishy]

LOL...solid! There's a lot less metal than there once was.

Replaced the inner tie rod ends. Passenger side (which is also the drag link) wasn't that sloppy (no play, but not tight anymore), driver side also somehow wasn't despite being the factory original kind stuffed with rubber. The outers were new 5 years ago and are still good.

Spent some time cleaning threads and also anti-seized everything liberally. The alignment guy is going to be messy but never have an easier job...at least for adjusting the toe.







Had to remove the super destroyed rusty brake shields...I don't think new ones are available. Maybe NOS Ford items if I had a part number, but that would be it, and it's also probably not that important. Their main function ends up being just keeping grease off the rotors from the tie rod ends which can be mitigated in other ways.

Repacked the front wheel bearings. I really wish a swap was available for these (like with the Panthers) to do away with this arrangement, but all twin-I-beam Rangers used this setup so it has to stay.

[Arquemann]

Had to remove the super destroyed rusty brake shields...I don't think new ones are available - and it's also probably not that important.

Oh you all on the continent of relative freedom. Here, rusty (with holes) brake shields are a fail in the yearly inspection. When I had to replace both front shields in my Volvo V40, it got a bit interesting. Since what was left of the brake shield and the bolts had seamlessly "integrated" themselves into the knuckle. Eventually tack welded the bastardised new shields to what was left of the originals.

[DerekTheGreat]

I'm surprised you don't oil the thing! Our trucks had the rocker & cab corner delete performed courtesy of salt exposure but thanks to Krown and Fluid Film, nothing has gotten any worse.

[kishy]

Oh you all on the continent of relative freedom. Here, rusty (with holes) brake shields are a fail in the yearly inspection. When I had to replace both front shields in my Volvo V40, it got a bit interesting. Since what was left of the brake shield and the bolts had seamlessly "integrated" themselves into the knuckle. Eventually tack welded the bastardised new shields to what was left of the originals.

I am reasonably certain that they are required, but we only do safety inspections in Ontario when a new owner first attempts to get plates for the vehicle. I am also pretty sure that I've had vehicles "safetied" (legitimately) which did not have them intact. The box Panther ones are kind of stupid...flexible plastic (or some fiber plastic-like thing) that likes to lean in and rub the rotor, eventually melting.

I'm surprised you don't oil the thing! Our trucks had the rocker & cab corner delete performed courtesy of salt exposure but thanks to Krown and Fluid Film, nothing has gotten any worse.

I do oil the trouble spots on this, but the structural integrity of the cab is long gone and was before I owned it, so I don't go crazy with it.