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Subject: small-list-digest V3 #230
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small-list-digest Tuesday, September 7 1999 Volume 03 : Number 230



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Ford Truck Enthusiasts - Ranger, Explorer, Bronco 2 and Aerostar
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In this issue:

Re: FTE Small - re: rear shocks
FTE Small - re: Shocks
FTE Small - My annoying sig. line
Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line
Re: FTE Small - re: Shocks
Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line
Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line
Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line
FTE Small - ADMIN: Web site pictorial updates
FTE Small - oil leak and worn bushing
FTE Small - Re:Attn: Dwight Varnes
FTE Small - Aftermarket I-beams

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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 10:10:39 -0400
From: "Will Brown"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - re: rear shocks

Dwight Varnes wrote:

> Then you do NOT want a stiffer shock. I think that would only
> aggravate your wheel hop problem. It will be less compliant, and
> more unwilling to follow the dips and bulges in the road. But a
> blown-out shock will not control the wheel movement at all. However,
> if you are getting a lot of wheel hop on nearly new stock shocks,
> then I'm wondering if the shocks are really the problem.

All good points. From my personal experience, had marginal shocks
(albeit on a car) that were fine with stock rims. Put on some wheels
which were heavier, and the wheel hop on back roads was horrible -
the stock shocks couldn't keep the wheels from leaving the road due
to the momentum they (the wheels) would get when encountering bumps.
Put on new adjustable shocks, and on the lower settings, the shocks
approximated a good (new) stock shock, and the true wheel hop problem
was gone. Put the shocks on full stiff, and you do encounter the
other problem mentiond, where the car has so little suspension
compliance that it will skitter across the road on road undulations.
But that is not necessarily wheel hop - it's more like a "fixed
suspension" :-)

All that to say: if the shocks _are_ blown, and the truck _used_to_
handle acceptably when new, then I'd get new shocks with the same
level of damping that the new OEM units had, not softer nor stiffer.
I might also steer away from OEM towards something that hopefully
will last a little longer, however. If folks give advice on what
brand of shock to buy, ask them how long they've owned them. Many a
shock I would have heartily recommended when first installed were
total crap after a year, or even 3 months(!)

Another thought, though the "lack of damping when loaded"
comment would seem to invalidate what I'm about to say: Check the
tire pressures. If they somehow got jacked way up, the vehicle will
feel like crap.... ala wheel hop

\/\/
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 11:02:48 -0400
From: "Craig Rabin"
Subject: FTE Small - re: Shocks

> I am looking to replace the rear shocks on my 98 Ranger 2wd EXT cab
SNIP
>>However, if you are getting a lot of wheel hop on nearly new stock
shocks, then I'm wondering if the shocks are really the problem. When
does this occur? On what type of pavement?
SNIP

I get the wheel hop when empty and accelerating over bumps, or when going
around a tight bumpy curve, I can feel the truck skating around, floating
across the tops of the bumps. I know that a truck is a truck, and will give
a harsh ride compared to a car, but I would like to keep the tires in firmer
contact with the road. The truck has always done this, so it shouldn't be
the shock wear (19k miles),
and I have found that for winter, changing over to steel wheels with BFG
AT's gives an even harsher ride, until I put 400 lbs of sand in the back.
One other thought, I had dropped the tire pressure in the back to 32 empty
and 35 in the front. This helped to take some of the jiggles out of the
ride, but I still get the hop.


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Date: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 11:15:59 -0400
From: Dwight Varnes
Subject: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line

My statement doesn't apply to people who frequent this list, it's for
the poseurs with Lincoln Navigators and Range Rovers that never see
dirt. I will delete it from future posts to avoid confusion.
- --
"Nothing rusts faster than a Nissan, not even a Fiat."

Dwight Varnes, insurance appraiser and car nut
1970 124 Spider (restored, mostly)
1986 Audi Coupe GT (bigger engine STILL at machine shop)
1989 VW Jetta GLI 16v (the wife's ride, tired but loyal)
1984 Nissan 4x4 Pickup (SOLD, celebrate with me)
1965 Buick Skylark conv. (unrestored, for sale)
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 16:26:19 +0100
From: "Neil Brownlee"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line

Oy...and we'll have less of the Range Rover bashing too please....show me an
offroader that can match it....UNMODIFIED.

Neil

Explorer Owner
Land Rover Nut

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Dwight Varnes
To:
Sent: Monday, September 06, 1999 4:15 PM
Subject: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line


> My statement doesn't apply to people who frequent this list, it's for
> the poseurs with Lincoln Navigators and Range Rovers that never see
> dirt. I will delete it from future posts to avoid confusion.
> --
> "Nothing rusts faster than a Nissan, not even a Fiat."
>
> Dwight Varnes, insurance appraiser and car nut
> 1970 124 Spider (restored, mostly)
> 1986 Audi Coupe GT (bigger engine STILL at machine shop)
> 1989 VW Jetta GLI 16v (the wife's ride, tired but loyal)
> 1984 Nissan 4x4 Pickup (SOLD, celebrate with me)
> 1965 Buick Skylark conv. (unrestored, for sale)
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>


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Date: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 11:41:45 -0400
From: "David A. Cooley"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - re: Shocks

At 11:02 AM 9/6/99 -0400, you wrote:

>I get the wheel hop when empty and accelerating over bumps, or when going
>around a tight bumpy curve, I can feel the truck skating around, floating
>across the tops of the bumps. I know that a truck is a truck, and will give
>a harsh ride compared to a car, but I would like to keep the tires in firmer
>contact with the road. The truck has always done this, so it shouldn't be
>the shock wear (19k miles),
>and I have found that for winter, changing over to steel wheels with BFG
>AT's gives an even harsher ride, until I put 400 lbs of sand in the back.
>One other thought, I had dropped the tire pressure in the back to 32 empty
>and 35 in the front. This helped to take some of the jiggles out of the
>ride, but I still get the hop.


Double check the door sticker for proper air pressure in the tires... My 97
Explorer 4 door Eddie Bauer says to only run 26 PSI... tires may still be
too high. My 69 mustang had the rear hop until I dropped the tire pressure
down to 28 or so.

===========================================================
David Cooley N5XMT Internet: N5XMT bellsouth.net
Packet: N5XMT KQ4LO.#INT.NC.USA.NA T.A.P.R. Member #7068
Sponges grow in the ocean... Wonder how deep it would be if they didn't?!
===========================================================
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Date: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 11:43:42 -0400
From: "David A. Cooley"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line

At 04:26 PM 9/6/99 +0100, you wrote:
>Oy...and we'll have less of the Range Rover bashing too please....show me an
>offroader that can match it....UNMODIFIED.


match it... in price? Maybe 3 explorers, a suburban, a Mercedes M class
(what a joke those are!), or possibly the Lamborghini 4X4.

===========================================================
David Cooley N5XMT Internet: N5XMT bellsouth.net
Packet: N5XMT KQ4LO.#INT.NC.USA.NA T.A.P.R. Member #7068
Sponges grow in the ocean... Wonder how deep it would be if they didn't?!
===========================================================
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 16:51:30 +0100
From: "Neil Brownlee"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line

Price? Who said it had to be new? Check out the RR history....just because
the new ones cost a lot....the technology moves down the line slowly...check
Discovery Series II out. Anyway, the RR has been going for 25 years..and
still knocks spots of the competition, you can pick a decent one up here for
about 2000 ukp with a V8 and thrash it..pure fun. So..remember...if you want
to knock Range Rover...make sure you knock NEW Range Rover okay...and then
you are only knocking the owners, the vehicles are outstanding.

Neil



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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 12:49:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: papacat webtv.net
Subject: Re: FTE Small - My annoying sig. line

Granted, one of the best stock off-road rides around. However, most
(two or three thousand to one) never see more dirt then that in the
storm gutter at the side of the street.

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Date: Mon, 06 Sep 1999 14:11:18 -0400
From: Ken Payne
Subject: FTE Small - ADMIN: Web site pictorial updates

The following have been added to the web site pictorial:


1950 F1
1956 F100
1966 F100
1971 F100
1973 F350 Super Camper Special Ranger
1986 F350 Ambulance
1990 F150 XLT Lariat
1999 F150


Ken Payne
Admin, Ford Truck Enthusiasts
http://www.ford-trucks.com
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 14:40:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: Victor L Moran
Subject: FTE Small - oil leak and worn bushing

Hello,
My 87 aerostar has an oil leak in the real main seal.
This weekend I found that one of the bushings that holds up a beam
that supports the transmission is worn out and is allowing the tranny to
sag down on the right side of the car. Could this worn out bushing be
part of the reason that the oil is leakin? (Perhaps a stress is being put
on the engine-transmission joint and causing the leak?)
Does this make sense? I would like to try changing this bushing
first before I pay to have the transmission pulled out and the seal
replaced.
Also is this bushing something that can be changed by a DYI'er
without causing the leak to get worse?

Thanks.
Victor.


P.S. I would also like to hear peoples expierences on changing the power
steering pump on this van. thanks.

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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 16:39:56 -0700
From: "Keith Christensen"
Subject: FTE Small - Re:Attn: Dwight Varnes

> Date: Sun, 05 Sep 1999 09:36:34 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Ed Knight
> Subject: FTE Small - Attn: Dwight Varnes
>
> Dwight,
>
> I've seen your postings on here a few times and I have an issue with your
tag at the end:
>
> "Your SUV is neither sporty or utilitarian"
>
> First, sporty is a relative term. In SUV the Sport stands for the
vehicles ability to go into the outdoors in a variety of scenarios.
Outdoors exploration in misc. terrain is a different type of "Sport" than
you refer to.
>
> Secondly, the "U" in SUV stands for utility, not utilitarian. This means
an SUV has the ability to do a variety of jobs well. Hauling cargo, hauling
passengers, commuting, off-roading, etc.
>
> Lastly, yes, the sporty and utilitarian monikers apply to the vehicles
listed that you own. But, if leaky, creaky, skateboards that can carry two
people on a well paved road and not much else are what you are into, maybe
you're on the wrong board????
>
> My .02
>
> SUV's, Trucks, and Jeeps rule the world!

In defense of Dwight..
methinks he's doing it slightly tongue-in-cheek!

SUV came into being as a 'deflector' when the 'hardcore tree-huggers (read
extremists)' started making loud noises about '4-wheelers' being 'bad
things' . What happened was that folks who bought them THINK they bought
into being "respectable"..

I'm probably not in a good mood right now, having just returned from a
weekend of finding bureaucratic ( RARE I or II -don't know yet) screwups in
closing old FS roads in a non-impacted area.

In the process of checking out old haunts, I found that the 'buy an SUV'
crowd is flat stupid..

One group complete with mountain bikes and all the accoutrements managed to
to plant their 'holiday camp' on both sides of a well-travelled access
road. They came out and screamed at us for 'kicking up dust' (yeahh.. 15 MPH
an a wet day ?? )

After reaching the end /top of that one (add 8 miles past the clowns) , we
stopped and talked with a bunch of folks who came past the same "SUV
Roadblock" . They were hikers, bikers, and folks just out for a drive ..
there was a late model Buick Century driven by an elderly couple who have
made this same trip for the last 10 years as an anniversary gift to each
other. Their comments are 'unprintable' !

There were hikers and campers and bikers who heard the conversation .. no
love was credited to the clowns from any side!.

..............

What it amounts to is 'labels'

'They' (media/marketers) change the wording to make marketing points, and
WE take it in the shorts when the media changes the label. We have our own
problems.. the beercan thrower, the jackass that dives thru a mudpond just
to PO/splash a bunch of hikers, sign-shooters and more..

We'll never get rid of that! All we can do is to smooth out the
repercussions.

End of rambling..







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Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 00:16:11 -0400
From: daner
Subject: FTE Small - Aftermarket I-beams

Does anyone make aftermarket i-beams for Rangers?

I drag race my 5.0L Ext-a-cab and I would like to get the front end
lighter, so I can transfer some weight.

Daner
Daner Racing....

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