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the end?

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
'97's been dragging her rear bumper lately...looks like it's got a full load of firewood in back, but it don't.

I knew what it had to be, and verified it today...RR spring hanger is busted in two.

I could fix it, and I suppose I might, but the whole truck is just SO rough...to make it decent enough to be worth the effort would basically require a frame-off resto.

Not an appealing prospect without a garage.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
Should you decide to fix he hanger, Autozone and likely others are carrying the hangers now...It is a Dorman product. Typically under $20
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
That cheap, huh? I guess for that I could patch 'er together and keep running it 'til the next time.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
Rear hanger, 722-010 $19.99, front hanger, 722-011, $29.99. Those numbers would be good at any store that handles Dorman products. we actually started stocking those hangers almost a year ago, the rears are in stock, the front we have to order. We also carry the shackle as well. 722-001, $24.99
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Hmmm...

If I don't count my labor, I'd actually come out ahead replacing the one that's bad just so I could run out the half-tank of gas in the thing...



Seriously, though- like I told my friend at work right after we crawled under it today: if I needed it fixed, I could absolutely repair it; and if I didn't like it I could get by fine without it. Trouble is...I don't need it but I do like it.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
Had a guy come in to the store thinking he needed shocks to lift the back of the truck. I looked under it, and the spring was rubbing on the box...That was back before we started carrying the hangers and shackles. His hanger was half rusted through, but the shackle had given up. The funny thing about it was that he hadn't figured out what the problem was.... They had wondered about the banging from the back, and assumed it to be a shock.
 

racsan

4xford
i did the rear hangers/shackles about 2 years ago and the front ones just last year. pulling the bed makes it easier (bout have to for the fronts, unless you drop the fuel tank) i sprayed the new brackects with a areosol truck bedliner for rust prevention, altough on a 18 y/o truck i doubt they would fail again before the frame goes. used a torch to remove the rear rivits, air chiesel/punch for the fronts, id recomend the air chiesel/punch over the torch. and i did put in new spring bushings as well.
 

Truckin4life

Texas Chapter Leader
If it was me, i would fix it.

Its always nice to have a beater truck to do the dirty grunt work you dont wanna use your commuter truck for. Plus emergency back up is always nice.
 

O'Rattlecan

Redneck Prognosticator
26,687
797
Belton, MO
Just pull the bed on the ranger and replace the hangers and shackles all around. I did it on the old truck and it was actually pretty fun.

Ryan
 

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
34,919
1,124
outside your house
If it was me, i would fix it.

Its always nice to have a beater truck to do the dirty grunt work you dont wanna use your commuter truck for. Plus emergency back up is always nice.


That's where my head would be at as well. It really sucks when you have a load of something or you're going some place that you really don't want to get the 'good' truck involved in, but don't have anything else that can tackle the job. And if you're anything like me, having extra rigs around is never a bad thing, hell, I need 4 rigs to keep one on the road.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
You guys seem to be under the delusion that replacing a spring hanger (or four) would get me a halfway decent truck. It wouldn't- it would get me a worn-out, high-mileage rustbucket with four new spring hangers.

I may well fix it for the fun of the repair, but the reality is even if I replaced the spring hangers, it'd be a stretch to call it "roadworthy". I haven't taken it more than about 25 miles from home in over a year...
 

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
34,919
1,124
outside your house
^^^You seem to be under the delusion that most of us wouldn't consider that road worthy...hahahaha.
 

racsan

4xford
or at least use anti-seize on the new bolts holding the hangers on the frame, then when the truck is compltely unuseable, you'll have a set of 4 all ready for the next ranger! (yes im kidding, i know the front hangers are abit different between your '97 & the '09) <-but its still funny.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
What's even better, they are the same number for F150's, if I recall...
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
I'm still really torn on this...I really like the truck and I can fix this particular issue (and cheaper than I'd have guessed) if I want.

BUT...this truck is, basically, toast: steering box is about shot, suspension is tired (at best) on all four corners, drivetrain is high-miles and feeling tired. Most of the body panels are beginning to rust, the radiator support is shot, and the frame passed "rust" a while back and is now working on "rot". (I could go on...) Ford's are damned good trucks...but this one crossed into the "surprised it's still running" zone rather a lot of miles back, ya know?


Additionally, I've got a torn-up shoulder that won't love rusted suspension bolts, and I'm looking to pick up a bike this summer that'll probably eat up a lot of my free time (riding, not wrenching, I hope).
 

5.0Flareside

GingaNinja
14,463
384
La Vergne, TN
honestly.. i think you maybe should just let it go. if you dont think that you'll drive it much, and dont think its worth it cause the truck is so eaten up with rust, then i'd let it go....
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Truck is shot...but I do drive it. (Well, I did up until the hanger broke.)

In 2010, I put about 7,000 miles on it- and about 20,000 on the '09.
 

5.0Flareside

GingaNinja
14,463
384
La Vergne, TN
for the problems its going to have, might as well save your self the heartache. your gonna wanna keep fixing it, if you are on edge now, go ahead let it go that way it doesnt keep tugging on you to fix it, give it attention...

this is coming from me, who for over a year consistantly fixed junk on a 300k mile truck and finally gave up on it last week and sold it...
 

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