97 Ford Ranger Step Side, 2.3 liter; should I sell, scrap or keep & put in new engine/trans?

[nadsab]

WOW thanks guys for that info!

 

[James Morse]

Seems like my '97 paint is lasting more than 15 years (26 years old). Hand glazing / waxing will improve it yet a bit more.
Can't wait to get the oem size 31" (or 265's) on it (has 235's now), it'll look better and gain a bit of clearance. Took off ugly rusted ball hitch since this pic.
Truck is totally stock, everything works, has power everything and buckets, interior is like new. No rear doors, kind of a bummer, tool box makes up for it somewhat, but I just tell myself, one less thing to break, and couldn't get them anyway that year. The only thing not original, besides tires, is it had pinstripes, but I'm tempted to leave them off, you have to wash/wax around or over them, seems like it's probably not worth it. Truck is sure footed, tons of power. Newer truck would have not much over it - lockers, and more tow capacity, so might upgrade someday, but I could sink a ton into this truck in upgrades (or fixes) before I'd even approach the price of a new (2019 up) gen truck. Already have had more fun in this truck than any vehicle I ever owned regardless of cost. Most pressing thing right now is check diff's/xfr case levels, and hook up higher vent tubes for them, I'm in water a lot when 4x4. And the tires. I need to do those things, just have been enjoying having a vehicle you can get in, it starts, drives nice, looks decent, and has no broken stuff on it. I'm just thinking I want to be looking for things that could stop me out in the woods where it's a whole different situation than being broke down in town. So it's possible there could be something I missed but even if that's true and I had to sink some money/work into it, it's worth it as my feeling is they put these together right. Possibility that some replacement parts could be hard to find is a potential minus.

 

[Lefty]

Seems like my '97 paint is lasting more than 15 years (26 years old). Hand glazing / waxing will improve it yet a bit more.
Can't wait to get the oem size 31" (or 265's) on it (has 235's now), it'll look better and gain a bit of clearance. Took off ugly rusted ball hitch since this pic.
Truck is totally stock, everything works, has power everything and buckets, interior is like new. No rear doors, kind of a bummer, tool box makes up for it somewhat, but I just tell myself, one less thing to break, and couldn't get them anyway that year. The only thing not original, besides tires, is it had pinstripes, but I'm tempted to leave them off, you have to wash/wax around or over them, seems like it's probably not worth it. Truck is sure footed, tons of power. Newer truck would have not much over it - lockers, and more tow capacity, so might upgrade someday, but I could sink a ton into this truck in upgrades (or fixes) before I'd even approach the price of a new (2019 up) gen truck. Already have had more fun in this truck than any vehicle I ever owned regardless of cost. Most pressing thing right now is check diff's/xfr case levels, and hook up higher vent tubes for them, I'm in water a lot when 4x4. And the tires. I need to do those things, just have been enjoying having a vehicle you can get in, it starts, drives nice, looks decent, and has no broken stuff on it. I'm just thinking I want to be looking for things that could stop me out in the woods where it's a whole different situation than being broke down in town. So it's possible there could be something I missed but even if that's true and I had to sink some money/work into it, it's worth it as my feeling is they put these together right. Possibility that some replacement parts could be hard to find is a potential minus.
View attachment 89884

A wonderful truck! And, yes, it is quite possible for the finish to stay looking good well beyond 11 years, especially if you keep it waxed it and put it in the garage.

A short walk through the U-Pull yard tells a different story. Most of those Rangers were worked hard, maybe never garaged, washed, or waxed. The interiors are filthy, stained with food, and smell bad too. I recall going there to find a new headliner. Many had cigarette holes, many even scuffed and scratched from people's feet.

I got the distinct impression that their former owners simply used them, worked them to death, and never cared. There are, of course, plenty of older sedans and SUVs that have been treated the very same way. I remember driving mine in to the dealers to have it repaired. The guys in the shop said it was so clean. I laughed, but they explained most people don't take care of their cars at all.

Work trucks, especially competitively priced trucks like Rangers, are, no doubt, treated worse: utterly disposable at best.

That's not always the case. I drove a Ranger when I worked security for a very large saw mill. There were plenty of dirt and gravel roads on their lot, but at the end of our shifts we would all pressure wash it down, checked the fluids, and gas it up for the next guy.

 

[James Morse]

Yes I totally agree there are so many really trashed out ones it is a little bit sad to see them like that.
Checking the fluids is the easiest basic thing you can do, if none are leaking/losing fluids it rules out some issues.
Fred McMurtry always did a walk-around of his car before he started it. Reasoning: a tire could be low/flat, then you are changing it on the road instead of in your driveway.
It's not a bad idea. Even though it seems that today you see a lot fewer cars with flats than back then.
One guy in town (wasn't Fred) would go to all the gas stations and without buying any gas, take the nozzle off and try to get a few drops of gas out of it (sometimes you get a little). He was known as a cheapskate. Eventually the gas stations told him, you have to stop this.
Checking stuff just reminded me of that.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The repair costs for an older vehicle, or any vehicle really, should not be based on what the vehicles value is at the time of the repairs

Its what it will cost you per month to drive it after the repairs
If you invest $4,000 in repairs that will be $111/month for 3 years(36months), to drive it, if it last longer than 3 years then its back to being free, paid off
Not many driveable used cars around for $111/month, lol
So if you like the Ranger and its worth it to you keeping it around for $111/month then do the repairs

Never buy a vehicle as an investment.

 

[nadsab]

On the steering - he checked what he said are two plates on the front end left beam frame that hold the steering gear box which should really be replaced - the steering gear box that is - the gear can only be tightened so much and there was a lot of play in the steering the last time I drove it so the gears he/I think are quite worn. He said that if the plates that are parallel and attached to the frame and that hold the gearbox are rusted out it's a lost cause scrap it because of safety issues - it's not even worth welding or repairing that area because if the steering box breaks off it's a disaster. He said that area looks good because the power starring pump was leaking and that area on the frame is really greasy so hopefully that that area of the frame was protected from rust. He'll have to clean that area off good though to know for sure though.

Anyone have any thoughts/experience/opinions on the steering situation I posted a few days ago above?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Anyone have any thoughts/experience/opinions on the steering situation I posted a few days ago above?

Doesnt the steering box bolt right to the frame?

Either way id check the u joint/rag joint on the steering shaft before i put a box on

 

[nadsab]

Doesnt the steering box bolt right to the frame?

Yes...which is why I asked the question...the two parallel plates I mentioned above are part of the frame. I'm glad you brought up the steering U-joint though. I suppose that could be the problem for the sloppy or loose steering.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Yes...which is why I asked the question...the two parallel plates I mentioned above are part of the frame. I'm glad you brought up the steering U-joint though. I suppose that could be the problem for the sloppy or loose steering.

Yeah, a cooked shaft joint can cause massive slop.

I dont think id worry to much about the steering box mounts. The only vehicles ive ever heard having any issue in that area are square body chevys

 

[nadsab]

Yeah, a cooked shaft joint can cause massive slop.

I dont think id worry to much about the steering box mounts. The only vehicles ive ever heard having any issue in that area are square body chevys

So from what I understand if the U-joint is bad the entire steering shaft needs to be replaced is that correct?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

So from what I understand if the U-joint is bad the entire steering shaft needs to be replaced is that correct?

Im not sure. I thought you could change the joint

 

[nadsab]

Im not sure. I thought you could change the joint

I just read that on some web site - maybe I got the wrong info.

 

[Lefty]

Never buy a vehicle as an investment.

Indeed quite right!

New cars and trucks depreciate fast. We never get the money back. It costs so much more to insure them too.

You will never get your money back fixing up an aging Ford Ranger either. The difference is that you will never lose half as much, that your truck will hold more of its value if taken care of, that you are not paying sky high interest rates.

No doubt we joined The Ranger Station because we love to drive, use our own hands, and take some pride in our work, It's personal!

Why then begrudge every dollar spent? Why not shop carefully for special deals, especially with all the salvage out there? Why not have fun? Upgrade paint, wheels, tires, mechanicals, and drive customized, personalized new old stock?

Done right (and rust free) that Ranger will last indefinitely. You will never have to buy new again. The truck you are driving right now may not be the newest or the best, but if you never have need to sell it, then it will become a very good investment.

 

[nadsab]

OK question about the bolt holes in the bed. The front two bolts and bolt holes just in back of the cab are gone - and so are the bed supports for those two bolts it appears - so new bolt brackets would need to be fabricated/welded on. The four bolt holes in the rear look OK though - needs new bolts though. Also the supports welded to the underside of the bed are pretty rusted out. Is it advisable to weld a plate over the two rusted out holes, and cut new holes in the plate, and blast and weld new supports onto the underside of the bed? Or should the bed be scrapped, and we start shopping around for a bed in a salvage yard?

It's the step side or flare version bed - narrower - so it might be harder to find that bed in a salvage yard...

If I am going to do this I'd really like to have the bed removed - it's so much easier to get things done on the chassis with the bed off...then maybe my ace mechanic/fabricator neighbor and I could do something with preventing more rust on the main beams of the frame...my neighbor claims the main beams look OK structurally so far from what he has seen...that might change though once he gets into the job...

I've got an engine lift so it would not be hard for one person to lift the bed off - I could build a rack out of 2x4's to hold the bed off the ground...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

OK question about the bolt holes in the bed. The front two bolts and bolt holes just in back of the cab are gone - and so are the bed supports for those two bolts it appears - so new bolt brackets would need to be fabricated/welded on. The four bolt holes in the rear look OK though - needs new bolts though. Also the supports welded to the underside of the bed are pretty rusted out. Is it advisable to weld a plate over the two rusted out holes, and cut new holes in the plate, and blast and weld new supports onto the underside of the bed? Or should the bed be scrapped, and we start shopping around for a bed in a salvage yard?

It's the step side or flare version bed - narrower - so it might be harder to find that bed in a salvage yard...

If I am going to do this I'd really like to have the bed removed - it's so much easier to get things done on the chassis with the bed off...then maybe my ace mechanic/fabricator neighbor and I could do something with preventing more rust on the main beams of the frame...my neighbor claims the main beams look OK structurally so far from what he has seen...that might change though once he gets into the job...

I've got an engine lift so it would not be hard for one person to lift the bed off - I could build a rack out of 2x4's to hold the bed off the ground...

You can buy a bed floor and i believe crossmembers from LMC truck.

Or you could weld patch panels and drill them out like you said and fab up crossmembers.

Personally, id look for a junkyard bed. If youre not partial to the stepside a dime a dozen shortbox will interchange.