My 2000 Ranger

[4pointslow]

Door locking by itself

I had a weird problem ever since I owned this Ranger. If you were to try to open the drivers side door from the outside door handle, the lock would sometimes move down just enough to stop the door from opening. If you tried again it would move down even more. It was like the outside door handle was attached to the door lock somehow. If you hit the unlock button on the key fob you had one shot to get the door open, if you tried to open it 2 times in a row it would pull down on the door lock again. Same with using the key. So if you were going in and out of the vehicle you would eventually get locked out.

The first time it happened I had to run in the house to get the spare key, after that I always put the window down whenever I was working on it.

Yesterday I removed the door panel and took a look at it. I found a cable from the inner door handle to the latch mechanism that was misrouted. I had to remove the latch to drop it down enough to move the lock rod to the other side of the cable. While I was in there I noticed a window track that was dropping down out of place too. I bent the track a little to hopefully keep it in place.

 

[CDW6212R]

Good job finding and fixing that, those several rods are a fun puzzle when it's all out.


BTW, that rear window guide used to be low cost, about $20 tops. You already know that it's really easy to R&R.

The rest of the window channel is one big wrap around piece. Watch that one for any rust growing inside behind the rubber, I had that happen on a 91 door way back when.

 

[4pointslow]

Windshield

CDW6212R,
You had to mention rust! lol.

I have had a water leak on the passenger side of my ranger for quite a while now. Earlier this week I removed allot of trim, sun visors, and the headliner to check for water intrusion. Turns out the windshield needed resealing on the passenger side of course.

I had three stone chips from all my highway driving so I elected to have the windshield replaced. I went to Ajax Auto Glass again (5th windshield in 5 different vehicles), they did a great job and even showed me all the RUST behind the old windshield. It was rusty looking across the whole top of the windshield and down the passenger side as well. They cleaned it up and treated it with sealers and whatnot, then installed the new windshield. They did it while I waited, didn't take that long (a couple hours tops), and all for $155.00 plus tax.

 

[4pointslow]

Drivers side window problem (2012)

Back in 2012 I had a problem with the drivers side power window. It made a weird noise and you could manually pull the window down about and inch.
Turns out the window regulator was stripped at the end of the teeth.
I used vise grips to hold the window up while drilling out the 4 rivets to change the regulator. Pretty easy to install if you have a large rivet gun that can handle 1/4 rivets. (Harbor freight lol)

 

[CDW6212R]

I love the 1/4" rivet gun, ... but I wish it had a case rather than the cheap box that is falling apart.

 

[4pointslow]

Rivet Gun

I know what you mean, especially with all those rivets falling out all over the place. lol.
I finally just threw out the cardboard box and put the rivet gun in my tool box which is already overflowing. The rivets will be going into some trays hanging off the wall when I get time.

 

[4pointslow]

Rain

Today it rained, perfect day to check on my rangers new windshield.
The tape they put around the windshield is still there, they said to leave it on for three days and no car wash for a week. I wasn't planning on washing it this year anyway. lol.

I was happy to find that there was no water leaking in around the windshield.
Not so happy with what I saw in the back. At least the worst leak is fixed.
Having the head liner still out made it possible to see the leak in the rear of the vehicle, glad I decided to leave it out till I was sure it would stay dry.
Anyone know where to get that rear window seal stuff?

 

[CDW6212R]

3M is the standard brand and NAPA will have it, but other places should too.

I've used Ultra Black RTV a few times on the quarter glass before for leaks. My 91 Lincoln with black window trim needed it along the top edge, and my 99 Explorer with a 93 rear body has it too. The water usually comes in at the top edge of the window. I will R&R those windows some day and fix it right with new sealant.

It's a pain to remove all of the trim to get to those windows, but just slow to carefully push them out(after the little nuts are removed). The rest is easy, the sealant etc, with a caulk gun.

As you already heard from the windshield guy, the surface where the sealant goes needs to be very very clean. I had one let go there in my old 93 Explorer, the body shop guy put it in without cleaning it well. It eventually let go along the left side, the whole windshield could be moved slightly up and down(pivoting off of the left side). Amazingly it only had a slight leak.

 

[4pointslow]

How to turn 1 touch down into 3 touch down

Back in 2012 after I installed a window regulator on the drivers side, my one touch down took three times to go all the way down. The regulator assembly came from Advanced Auto. It even came with the power window motor. Did not come with a spring like the old one had, I was leery about that.

The spring helps move the window back up but makes it harder to put the window down. With the new aftermarket regulator without the spring, one touch down was not happy. I ordered a regulator off eBay with the spring and this week (2-3 years later) I finally installed it and all is well now. I have my one touch down back!

 

[4pointslow]

3m

3M is the standard brand and NAPA will have it, but other places should too.

The old stuff looks like it was a "strip" of caulk, Is the 3m stuff in a tube that would go into a calk gun?

 

[CDW6212R]

The old stuff looks like it was a "strip" of caulk, Is the 3m stuff in a tube that would go into a calk gun?

Yes, I got it in 1999 the first time for my 93 Limited rebuild. I've read of others using it many times since then. It isn't magic stuff though, I did have to seal that top edge above the glass on one side a few years back. But, ... that also was done by the same body shop "friend" who did the windshield, so it too was likely not cleaned well enough.

That stuff should never leak if the surfaces are really clean. It comes out of a caulk gun in a bead you size by the hole cut in the tip. About 3/8" thick is good, much more and some may end up oozing out somewhere when the window is tightened in place. There is a large surface area under the window to seal, not as narrow as the windshield has.

 

[4pointslow]

3m

I saw 3M's stuff titled window weld at Advance Auto parts today. I picked it up and saw the price was something like over 25.00 for a tube of it. I put it back down, I wasn't expecting it to cost that much. I guess it is still cheaper than paying someone else to do it. Maybe I will go back Monday to get it.

 

[CDW6212R]

I think it was about $20 in 2000 when I bought the 2-3 tubes of it. I found out later that it's good for everything but the windshield.

 

[4pointslow]

Rear window

I resealed the rear window today, sorry no pictures because it was a messy job and I could not even think of touching my camera.

I read some posts on ranger rear windows and decided to use 3M rope stuff still called window weld(22.00). It was 3/8 inch. 5/16 may have been a better size match for the original but Advance Auto only had 3/8. I wanted to get it done today because rain is on its way again this week and I wanted some time for it to set in.

That stuff was real fun trying to clean up, I think it was butyl. I used carb cleaner to get it off the window and a plastic scraper to get it off the truck body. It came off the truck body fairly easy, but not the window. I had to work around the window a couple times spraying and scraping and wiping.

The window sticks out about an 1/8 inch due to the thicker seal. Tomorrow when it gets nice and sunny out and every thing gets heated up, I will run the truck with the heat on to get it even more pliable. Then I will work at tightening it up more and pushing in on the window to try to get it to sit flush with the back of the truck like it was before. Later this week it is supposed to rain so I can check for more leaks before I put the headliner and interior trim back on.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i was going to say i have used butyl, but stretched it so it wasnt as thick. i also used urethane on the explorers rear side windows years ago when i had it blown apart for painting. there is up sides and down sides to both. butyl wont last as long as urethane (normally) but if you ever have to replace the window for whatever reason down the line it will come out fairly easy. urethane will stick like **** on an indian blanket, but if you ever have to pull the window out again, nothing short of a chainsaw is going to remove it

 

[4pointslow]

Ranger

Welcome back Tim, hope you are feeling better!
I was going to use the tube stuff (urethane?) but then thought, what if it doesn't seal up right and I have to take it apart again? I saw the original rope that "cut" the corners and thought well they used rope before so I should use it again but just make sure It is placed on the corners correctly.

I never had a vehicle that had so many water leaks, so far I found cracks in the calking on the cowl, windshield, rear window, and I believe the brake light on the roof is leaking but not sure yet. Time will tell.

 

[4pointslow]

Ranger

Well the third brake light had been leaking too.
I ordered a seal off eBay that is extra thick but never used it. I sealed it up with RTV before the seal arrived so the seal is sitting in my house waiting for a light bulb to go out in the third brake light.

I had a dash light out so I replaced the dash lights with LED's.

I noticed the serpentine belt was cracked pretty bad so I replaced it.
It was from PepBoys and was a Dayco number 5060880
Mileage 178,120

 

[amberanger]

Shifter tube bushings

Only problem is very heavy to lift and put in park,,I will pull the tube, clean and lube it and replace the bushings.

Will advise if this lightens the stoke into park.

 

[Mike65]

Well the third brake light had been leaking too.
I noticed the serpentine belt was cracked pretty bad so I replaced it.
It was from PepBoys and was a Dayco number 5060880
Mileage 178,120

My 2000 Ranger has 121K on the 4.0 & I have to do the tensioner & the belt on mine to. I am also on FRF & it seems that the 3rd brake light leaking is a common problem. Here is a pic of my 2000 Ranger with a 01-03 f/e conversion.

 

[4pointslow]

tight shifter

Only problem is very heavy to lift and put in park,,I will pull the tube, clean and lube it and replace the bushings.

Will advise if this lightens the stoke into park.

If the tube doesn't do the trick, then try the manual lever position sensor on the transmission selector shaft. You can unbolt it to see if the shifter lever moves easier.