11000 mile 1996 Ranger

"Slant6" (slant-6)
05/22/2016 at 14:15 • Filed to: None

I think my university has forgotten about this guy.

11,000 miles

Weren’t these tires recalled?

I’d bet they’re original. 20 year old tires. Good thing state owned vehicles don’t need to pass inspection.

Even with all the rust I think I’ll bid on it if it ever goes to surplus.

DISCUSSION (27)

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 14:26

Holy hell is that a shock in the last photo?

Slant6 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
05/22/2016 at 14:33

Yeah. Touched it and it flaked off. The frame seems alright though. If I bought it it would only really need tires shocks and oil.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 14:43

Which means that App bought this truck when I was in high school. I'm 37.

Slant6 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
05/22/2016 at 14:45

550 miles a year since then.

ranwhenparked > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 14:52

Low mileage, but it’s led a hard life. Probably spends most of its time sitting parked, and when moved, only putters around the campus at low speeds for short trips, never getting up to operating temperature.

jkm7680 > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 14:52

Yes those were recalled, haha

Blondude > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 15:10

http://www.nhtsa.gov/PR/FirestoneRe…

Only the 235s were recalled. Looks like those are 215s.

Sovereign, Purveyor of Coupes > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 16:18

I love those steelies.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection
05/22/2016 at 16:30

I wasn't even born when they built this thing.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:15

All rangers 1993-1997 came with firestone wilderness AT tires on em. But those are 14s, it was the 15s that were recalled. Also my spare when I bought my truck was a Wilderness AT. Its currently hanging in my garage, in all its dry rotted glory

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:16

Those upper shock shrouds on the factory shocks are plastic. Im not surprised it flaked off

Slant6 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:18

But why would plastic rust? And I’m pretty sure no shocks are plastic.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Blondude
05/22/2016 at 17:18

Rangers of that era had 225/70/14s for the rwd models and 225/75/14s for The 4x4s. And it was only the 235/70/15s and the 235/75/15s that were recalled

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:21

The shock itself is metal but the shroud on the upper portion of it is plastic. It probably got caked in mud and dry rotted. If you have your original shocks on your ranger, stick your hand on the top half and the bottom half, the top should flex and the bottom wont

Blondude > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:25

Looking at the sidewall of this one I definitely see P215/75R15 though.

Slant6 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:26

Kinja'd!!!

Quite certain it’s all metal. Magnet and everything.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:28

Well when did they start doing that? Anyway the 1993-1997 rangers shocks had plastic upper shrouds

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Blondude
05/22/2016 at 17:29

I had no idea rangers of that gen came with an option for 15s

Slant6 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:31

I’ll need an SR20.

Doesn’t sound like a thing, plastic shock shrouds. And the 1996 one was quite obviously metal. Thin metal, yes which is why it crumbled.

Blondude > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:33

That’s assuming those wheels are stock, which I don’t think they are.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:39

Heres my old shocks:

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Blondude
05/22/2016 at 17:41

They are definetly ranger wheels, but they may not be off that gen. Its not uncommon for fleet vehicles to swap shoes

Slant6 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:43

That’s curious. You’d think on a truck of all vehicles they wouldn’t use plastic for a vital suspension component.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:44

Its just a dust cover, its not load bearing or anything, why shouldnt they use plastic?

Slant6 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:46

Well if it breaks it exposes the piston.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
05/22/2016 at 17:47

Mine were 22 years and 110,000 miles old, and they stayed intact. I think in 99% of cases there is nothing to worry about

Slant6 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s
05/22/2016 at 17:51

Well yours is also a 2wd, so it’s not as heavy duty as a 4x4. I once had a branch bend the shock shroud on my Tacoma. Plastic would have cracked.