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"Pickers" Specials


Josh B

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Pickers places in NE TX has a 50% off sale through Labor Day, So I went today and did some scavenging. Got an armrest (my truck didn't have one when I bought it in 2006, and the one I found then cost me $75) for a price I can't tell , haha, it's not worn as much as mine is now, but I've been told they break(by my trucks former owner), so figured at half price it was a good idea to have a spare. Got a Jack handle for $2.50(in case I lose mine on side of the road), two spare alternators(along with the bolts for both) for about 30 bucks apiece(after getting home and looking a bit closer one wasn't as tight as the other, but I s'pect they'll both work, might save me the $60 it takes to get one rebuilt, unless I can locate the parts to do them myself if necessary) , picked up a Ford emblem off the ground, I don't think they even charged me for it(darn I hope this won't get them folks in trouble with their bosses, they're some great folks), and I found another radio that works but that swap was warranted (the one I got the other day at full price, I think about 25 bucks, only worked on AM) and I surely appreciate the fact it doesn't try to compete with Dirtman's friends foglights in my face after the sun goes down, haha)
I am trying hard to keep this from sounding like a "plug", but that place is really cool, specially when it's on half off sale

Ok, now, the "plug", when you have to replace your Ranger radio, go to the parts store (or possibly wmart stereo section, probly half price) and get the "tool" for removing it! I was on the second and probably last one that works on my 93, no, the bezels connected differently, I got a newer one, but the bezels would not interchange, one used the old ZIF connectors, the newer one I'm not sure how it connected, but the bezels wouldn't swap, and it's what I have now(I almost tore my second and last chance up getting it out, before going to the parts place and getting the tool, almost $10 and ten miles drive, then after getting back out there with the set, I found a single tool on the ground, pictured in the middle), just didn't realize the radio was so dirty until looking at the photo, but it sure plays well, on both AM and FM.
Anyhow if you're around NE TX and want to do some part shopping before Labor Day that would be a good place to look

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Dirtman

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It's up there.
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It's down there.
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I poop in the furnace.
Did you get chased by any junk yard bees? No junkyard trip is complete without getting attacked by junkyard bees.
 

Josh B

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No I didn't Dirtman, but I did see something flying in or around a car next to me while tinkering with the radio that looked rather intimidating, about the size of a large hornet but thankfully didn't get a second look at it
 

91stranger

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Is this like a pick-n-pull junk yard or flea market or something? Did you buy the alternators as is or were they "tested" or "they don't know if they are good and it's your risk if you buy them". They look pretty rough and if you bought them as is then I wouldn't call that a good deal since you might have just bought a piece of scrap that's only worth $4-5 in scrap. I just looked on ebay and you can get a NEW alternator for $60-65 and they have a 1 yr warranty. Just wanted to let you know so you don't go dumping money down the drain. No one likes buying parts that don't work.
 

Dirtman

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It's up there.
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It's down there.
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Junkyard motorcraft alternator > New chinese alternator
 

Ranger850

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My local "pik-n-pull" is having a 1/2 off sale to, starting today for Tool Kit Rewards Members, Fri,Sat,Sun for every one else. Too bad theres a hurricane coming for Labor Day Weekend.
 

91stranger

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Junkyard motorcraft alternator > New chinese alternator
I'd rather have a working alternator with a warranty than an American made alternator that may or may not work and no warranty. The one on Ebay doesn't say if it was made in China or not. I've bought a couple of the "cheapest alternators on ebay" and haven't had an issue with any of them. American made products aren't what they used to be either since we everything is being made cheaper and lighter. Have you seen the American work force these days? Ever been to a car factory and seen some of the clowns working there??
 

Josh B

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Hello 91stranger, Yes, it's like a pick an pull place, not sure exactly how much as I've never been to one of those, and only got onto this one a little over a month ago. The parts are not tested there, and I actually thought later(typical ADHD) that when I went to get that radio tool I could have had the first one tested @ autozone, but by then I had them both and it was much later. I do appreciate a good spare, in the last 15 or so years since a serious work injury that near put me out of commission, and moving back to a little family farm far in the country, sometimes barely existing, I've had starters cause me two weeks downtime, while I waited for the UPS driver to figure out a country address(seems they seldom ever simply call, but that's a whole nother subject) and I waited for an (as Dirtman correctly surmised) inferior made and redesigned/re-engineered made in China starter(I suppose that's a whole other story in itself also) that cost me twice that and are not in most cases near as flywheel friendly, I'd choose the original Motorcraft any day :)

The warranty is something that at first set me back as this place does automatically add one into the price, which adds appx. 25% and adds a 360 day warranty. I don't how they arrived at these numbers but I'm ok with it now. I was juggling the whole thing around in my head yesterday and figured that actually says they expect a less than 25% failure/return in the next 360 days, which is actually fairly decent I suppose.

When I first went to their website a pop-up(which I almost always automatically close very quickly) offered 50% off the first purchase. At that time I was in the midst of wrestling a transmission out from under a B-series and it had become quite a struggle, almost to the point of me just throwing it in there and considering another route, but I sent my email address to them and received the discount which got me a transmission and starter for, I may have already filed the receipt but recall the price on the tranny alone was $68(add 25% or near that warranty) and it's still a deal to me.
They also charge cores, and I'm not sure the time limit on those but presume possibly as much as 360 days, and they told me yesterday it didn't require an exact core, but anything that resembles one.
They do recycling/scrap metal there as well, and the entry doors are only 25 feet or so part, that's also another story in itself ;)

I've really come to like the place myself, and only recently was even able to search out these places, I'm just passing on something that to me has been very beneficial, and wanted to share that info with yall. It isn't at all a plug as such, only passing on what I've found to be a very decent place/deal.

Another drawback is the distance you have walk carrying your tools and such. They provide two wheel axle wheelbarrows which are a chore just in themselves, but I've also found ways to better deal with that. My first day out there I saw a guy with big plastic containers on his own dolly, going row to row looking at all the cars/trucks, and talked to him a bit, he was scavenging easy parts to pick up for selling online. The next day I brought my own dolly too, which greatly eased the struggle for me. I've actually met quite a few good people out there just looking for parts of their own
 
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91stranger

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That's good to know. Not much help to me in Ohio but we got a pretty good pick-n-pull called Milliron. They sell everything dirt cheap and have 30 day warranties lol. That's where I get most of my tires anymore. Get 9/32 tires for 25-30 a piece. Just got to watch for them online which is nice because they post pictures of the actual tires they have for sale and not just a google image.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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I'd rather have a working alternator with a warranty than an American made alternator that may or may not work and no warranty. The one on Ebay doesn't say if it was made in China or not. I've bought a couple of the "cheapest alternators on ebay" and haven't had an issue with any of them. American made products aren't what they used to be either since we everything is being made cheaper and lighter. Have you seen the American work force these days? Ever been to a car factory and seen some of the clowns working there??
That aside sitting in the elements with the hoods open is not the best way to store an alternator.

When I converted my Ranger to the Explorer belt drive I grabbed one because it was there and I needed the pulley.

Turned out it was a $30 core that as only worth $10 as a core. Best looking rebuilt who knows where alternator was a paperweight with a part that spun.

I go new with a lifetime warranty anymore.
 

Josh B

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I'll take them by somewhere and get them tested :)
 

Josh B

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So, Friday I went back and did some more "shopping". A third brake-dome light(actually two of them, both off 99s. some pedal pads, clutch, brake, emergency brake, a few little odds and ends, cost me $33, not bad I figured, a third brake light was worth that as i tried to take mine apart several years ago and couldn't get the lens cover off to clean it. Haha, I went to remove one of these and the whole lens assembly came off(like mine should have done but didn't). Single headlight lenses cost me $99 apiece recently(course they were new) but the 1999 lenses look good enough to me :)

Anyways, that sale's all over now, so on to the reason for my visit.
I carried one of the alternators with me Friday to have it tested somewhere and took it into a national chain store that afternoon, while stopping to get gaskets and such I'd ordered to do my next transmission swap. The gaskets had came in as i had requested, but the guy didn't seem to know how to use the testing machine. After poking around through the drawers full of attachment cables for a longgg ten minutes or so, finally got it seemed to be hooked up, and ran the test. Three FAILs came up on the screen. When he unhooked it, said, "that seemed kind of loose", but continued disconnecting everything and said "sorrrry'.
I suppose he would been happy to sell me a new one, but i told him it was warranted, and drove several blocks to the next national chain store location.
I'm purposely not naming names with this as i well know stores can change from shift to shift and town to town.
This one identified and hooked it up in about a minute, ran the test and got PASS, PASS, PASS, I think that's good enough for me to trust it as a standby.
Best part, that was the one that showed signs of a worn bushing, the other one is 5 years newer and seems much tighter.
I sure wish they still carried rebuild kits :/
 

Josh B

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So the one Motorcraft alternator from the wrecking yard left that some wouldn't want, I finally got tested today. The first one passed soon as someone was on the machine who knew how to use it
The second one I took a couple days later, another store rep, who obviously didn't know, after about ten minutes I said I've got to go, running late, and took it to another store, where I met the same results. Today I was in another town which has more options(3 of which are in the same neighborhood). The first two places, both sister stores to the first two, same story, and in both after watching them fumble around awhile said i'm in a hurry, gotta go. (actually the second one, the guy simply said our connector for that model is defective and we haven't got the replacement yet, but he did reccomend the next store down the road, so I headed on to there.
This store had a different machine than the first two, not as many guards on it, he put it in place, hooked it up, and held it there with his hand, secured agin the guard it had, ran the test, and it all passed. I asked him not to do that as he handed it back, could loose a finger, he said "I have ten, can afford to lose a couple", i said no, you can't :)
Anyway, they both tested, and I believe rightly so. I would prefer them if I had to rebuild it, or have it rebuilt ( my last rebuild cost under $60 and it's still going strong 4 years on.

And, in other news, in all the meantimes I also did some searching for kits, and found a few things you wouldn't first expect. I think about 5 years ago my starter went out and i ordered one online, times were tight and I just needed it cheap. They had no core charge as these were new(knockoffs from China i later realized) and lasted about two years, had a gear on it that was not at all flywheel friendly, but it went on there and worked for the time.
I searched and found the rebuild kits for starters are no longer available in USA(or at least no sign of them then, but that you could still order them online from autozone in Mexico,
Well, I'll have to find that one again later

The alternator I saw on the screen as I the guy today was looking up the number it used was $129.00(probably also has a core charge), but some kits I found here are PerformanceInc or some such, are $99 for a rebuild kit, but this bit of added bonus, these kits take the same alternator from a 95 amp to a 170 amp, in case you might find that of any interest. The numbers for their Rangers are here http://starteralternatorrebuildkits.com/ford-ranger-4-0/ but that's just the ones to a 4.0, if you look around there awhile you'll find other makes, models, and engine sizes (I've never used them, just found it in my searches) :)

P.S. another thing about Performance Inc, I searched there for a while and Could Not find a phone number or anything more than those pages
The most information I ever found on them was a whois search https://www.whois.com/whois/starteralternatorrebuildkits.com They're in Ohio, or at least their email? address is
 
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black_demon69

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Junkyard motorcraft alternator > New chinese alternator
Or $20 for alternator rebuild kit from Amazon (made w/Chineseium of course)
 

Josh B

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do they include the regulator and such? Can you also get a starter kit there?
 

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