Rotted Suspension Mount!! what now??
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Freshman User
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Rotted Suspension Mount!! what now??
So i have a 94 ranger which now has a 4 inch drop on the back leafs. not because i modded it but because the mount has rotted off the frame and the leafs are now resting on the bottom of the box. How much will i damage if i keep driving for say the friday saturday? and how much will it cost to repair? ballpark? i was going to get rid of the old bird towards the end of the summer once i had some scratch saved up for a honda sorry guys. as i thought something like this would happen, is it worth it to even repair? or if something as heavy duty as the suspension mount has gone off the frame whats next you know? i have a feeling that slowly but surly everything might all just fall off. the rust underneath is very bad. not through the floor but if i didnt oil this winter i would have. any help is greatly appreciated because i have to give word on it asap and all the body shops are closed early. thanks all.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
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i wouldnt drive it at all its dangerous. second to fix it id like to see photos.. is it something thats riveted to the frame you can pop off one in a junkyard and have it bolted to the frame with grade eight bolts and nuts.. ive done that with cab mounts and other things on my full size trucks
if the chassis itself is rotted out if the rest is good it can be plated or you can get a good chassis and swap over everything more work than prolly the truck is worth but hey
see if you can get us some pics
if the chassis itself is rotted out if the rest is good it can be plated or you can get a good chassis and swap over everything more work than prolly the truck is worth but hey
see if you can get us some pics
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Mid-Mitten
I replaced my '94's left side rear leaf mount last year (found it before it failed) - I recall it costing around $175 total (??), at the local Ford dealer. They drilled out the original rivets, and installed the new bracket with bolts.
IMO, the leaf brackets are a rather poor design, as they are an up-facing "cup" shape, that tends to catch dirt and debris... once the debris gets wet, it's just a matter of time before they rot away. The majority of the rest of the bottom structure on my Ranger is still in pretty good shape, tho (i.e. - worth keeping/fixing).
Bob
IMO, the leaf brackets are a rather poor design, as they are an up-facing "cup" shape, that tends to catch dirt and debris... once the debris gets wet, it's just a matter of time before they rot away. The majority of the rest of the bottom structure on my Ranger is still in pretty good shape, tho (i.e. - worth keeping/fixing).
Bob
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i agree with the above. You can use a drill with a grinding wheel and grind down the rivets then use a hammer chisel and punch to pop em out. Meanwhile also spray the crap outta the bolt and nut on the spring with liquid wrench or PB Blasterand get that so it soaks in and maybe youll be able to break the bolt loose ( you may have to cut that off too). Go to a junkyard and bust or have em torch oneof the spring mounts off another truck and replace yours with grade 8 bolts and nuts and make sure you put washers and lock washers on each bolt.. If you wanna be fancy you can paint up the whole thing .
As to the rust on your chassis... that is nothing.. i have trucks that are used to haul broken cement and all kinds of garbage off of job sites. the chassis on some of them make yours look brand new. there are no holes if you wanna get all into it you can use a wire brush on a drill and scuff it up and paint the chassis with por 15 and it will be fine
As to the rust on your chassis... that is nothing.. i have trucks that are used to haul broken cement and all kinds of garbage off of job sites. the chassis on some of them make yours look brand new. there are no holes if you wanna get all into it you can use a wire brush on a drill and scuff it up and paint the chassis with por 15 and it will be fine
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Freshman User
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hah well i got er home. im not paying for a tow so i'll drive er 10 clicks over to the local shop. just cuz i dont have the tools or patience to do it myself. throw on the 4 ways and giver slow should be alright.
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Freshman User
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haha i dont know my 94's been a money pit. no offence or nothing to the ford enthusiasts and the ranger fans but i cant wait to switch over to my honda. only because hondas are tanks and go forever. well... usualy. haha :P
Posting Guru
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From: Higginsville, MO
My nephew's 93 supercab 4x4 did the same thing on the drivers side last year. His not so smart 17 year old brain came up with the bright idea to shove a 2x4 in there somehow to raise it up enuff to drive it after it ruined his brand new 31x10.50s. He finally went to the junk yard and found another bracket and cut the old one off and bolted a new one on then ran a good bead of weld around the edge.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2003
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had to do them on my 89 F150. It is a design that catches the road dirt and salt.
They are quite cheap from the dealer, if you can find a local mom and pop shop that will let you supply your own part. It was under $40 for the mount and the new nut and bolt for the leaf spring. Then some bolts from the Home Depot. Grade 5's are ok too, thats what trailer hitches use, and they have more weight per bolt that that leaf spring mount.
They are quite cheap from the dealer, if you can find a local mom and pop shop that will let you supply your own part. It was under $40 for the mount and the new nut and bolt for the leaf spring. Then some bolts from the Home Depot. Grade 5's are ok too, thats what trailer hitches use, and they have more weight per bolt that that leaf spring mount.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Liberty, MO
I bent the crap out of my drivers side as well some time back. I replaced it for $15 total. I used a $10 boneyard bracket that I cleaned up and repainted with a can of black paint I had laying around, grade 8 bolts that also I had sitting here at home, and a brand new leaf bolt from Ford for $5. The shop that qouted me for my own curiosity was trying to get $400 from me with a used part themselves!!! I ground off the heads of the rivets and the leaf bolt and knocked them all out with a good sized punch and a small sledge hammer. Didnt take long at all! Something that might help you would be taking either the bed off or just the bed side (if you have a stepside like I do). Not required nor would it make much of a difference unless you can't lift it very high for the work.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Mid-Mitten
Originally Posted by RangerPilot
And this is why I love living down south, away from the salt. This is all we get for rust:
10 years ago!!
Arghh... you lucky SOB('s)!!
(At least our summers are generally nicer...
)