livetoride21
Adventurer
Hehe nope, think a little more outside the box but you're on the right track.
In the next couple of days, I'll post some more information! But keep thinking.
Project "Danger Ranger"
- Thread starter livetoride21
- Start date
Hehe nope, think a little more outside the box but you're on the right track.
In the next couple of days, I'll post some more information! But keep thinking.
XJSuperman
OhIOWAn
Im thinking power generation of some sort. But I haven't worked it all out yet on how practical or how you will do it.
underdrive
jackwagon
Kinda doubt it, where would he run this thing? Rangers are pretty cluttered underneath so not much available space, and if he's about to build a matching trailer that would be way easier with a normal rear axle than the whole CVs mess...
XJSuperman
OhIOWAn
Exactly, which is why I stated that I hadnt figured it out yet. Too many things that say it wont work, but he's been creative so far, so Im throwing it out there and giving his creativity the benefit of the doubt.
livetoride21
Adventurer
Haha! XJSuperman, thanks for your faith in my creativity, I have more of that coming! But for now, I'll spill the beans.
32vsnake almost hit the nail on it's head. I will not be installing a limited slip up front, but will be doing something very similar.
I've been thinking for a while how to get a budget selectable locker up front, and came up with a solution which will work for many different vehicles.
Many 4x4 trucks come with what's called a central axle disconnect, which essentially breaks one side axle shaft in half.
The differential I purchased is from a 1995-1996 ford explorer, has the CAD system, and will bolt right into place in my ford ranger.
The plan is to weld the differential spider gears, to fully lock the differential carrier. With the Central axle disconnect system, I can uncouple one side axle shaft so that turning will not be an issue, and road manners in 2wd will stay the same.
Road manners will vary a small amount when in 4x4 (3x4) as the one side that's engaged will no longer be able to differentiate, but I'm prepared to make that sacrifice for the added traction off road.
I still haven't decided yet exactly how I want to actuate the shift fork, the stock system relies on engine vacuum and a multitude of switches. I can tweak that to only need two check valves and two one way vacuum solenoids. (can't seem to find a 2 way vacuum solenoid for an automotive application)
The second option is to get together some sort of electric solenoid actuation method, and the third option is to modify the shift fork to work with a push pull locking cable like many jeep guys do.
I like the reliability of the cable system, but it seems very dated. I like the idea of actually having a switch on the dash for 4 lock and using OEM parts.
stay tuned!
livetoride21
Adventurer
Well decided to do some work on the truck today. Nothing major, but got my wheel spacers installed.
Love the look, very subtle, but still definitely changes her personality.
Ride is also a little less harsh, and feels to hug the road better cornering. overall very happy, and can't wait to be able to put my summer tires back on. I'll re-torque them in a few days.
Before;
After;
Love the look, very subtle, but still definitely changes her personality.
Ride is also a little less harsh, and feels to hug the road better cornering. overall very happy, and can't wait to be able to put my summer tires back on. I'll re-torque them in a few days.
Before;
After;
underdrive
jackwagon
That's a neat trick with the CAD. I have somewhat of a love-hate relationship with them thinngs tho, I like the idea of them but the execution always tends to be somewhat dicey in older vehicles, and thus operation can get unreliable. I kinda like your idea tho, if you wanna do it as simple as possible all you need to do is run a pair of vacuum lines inside the cab to a manual switch on the dasha. IF you'd rather avoid that, and go electric switch instead, for a dirt-cheap and pretty much stone-cold reliable vacuum solenoid you can look into something OEM, for example we're using an EVR solenoid out of a late '80s to early '90s Ford vehicle to control our truck's vacuum-powered recirculating air door independently of the HVAC main unit.
Just a heads-up, your driveshaft will be spinning all the time after this conversion, so make sure all is good with it. We're actually fighting a CAD-deleted S10 right now, it's coupling mechanism got chewed up so in the interest of family vehicle reliability the whole works got replaced with the Bravada shaft and axle tube but now that the drivehaft is turning all the time I think there's some harmonic vibrations from it at 30-50 mph. Thing is stupid design tho, front end of the shaft is your typical U-joint but the transfer case end has a CV joint with a slip-yoke that slides onto the front output shaft of the t-case - the amount of play in that setup is fairly ridiculous, guess it's time to start looking into what other t-cases we can rob for a more conventional U-joint style front output to do away with the CV disasster...
Just a heads-up, your driveshaft will be spinning all the time after this conversion, so make sure all is good with it. We're actually fighting a CAD-deleted S10 right now, it's coupling mechanism got chewed up so in the interest of family vehicle reliability the whole works got replaced with the Bravada shaft and axle tube but now that the drivehaft is turning all the time I think there's some harmonic vibrations from it at 30-50 mph. Thing is stupid design tho, front end of the shaft is your typical U-joint but the transfer case end has a CV joint with a slip-yoke that slides onto the front output shaft of the t-case - the amount of play in that setup is fairly ridiculous, guess it's time to start looking into what other t-cases we can rob for a more conventional U-joint style front output to do away with the CV disasster...
livetoride21
Adventurer
Yeah that's pretty much what I was thinking for using the stock method of disconnect. Get an EGR solenoid, with a check valve, and add a spring return inside the CAD unit. that way it only takes one 1 way valve.
Also, the current setup on my ranger is live axle, so no issues with the driveshaft always spinning. (rangers never came with the CAD system, only vaccuum locking hubs from 98-99)
underdrive
jackwagon
EGR solenoid may burn up, it's a pulse-width-modulated solenoid and so it constantly cycles, giving it steady 12V for prolonged periods of time may be too much for it to handle. The EVR (emissions air pump) solenoid is an on-off solenoid, and it cares not how long you leave it on. It is also self-venting, when you kill power to it and let it snap shut it will vent the vacuum built up on the "load" side of it. So in your case you hook up the supply port to the engine manifold and the "load" port to the CAD - when you engage the e-switch on the dash the solenoid powers up and supplies vacuum to the CAD, and when you kill the power the solenoid seals engine vacuum off and vents the CAD line allowing the mechanism to return to its previous state.
IF you go manual you want a self-venting mechanical switch, like what road tractors use for the 5th wheel slide lock and the rear suspension dump. Them switches are of course made for air pressure, but they may work for vacuum too, unfortunately I can't find my box of spares right now or I'd check that theory for you.
Either way I'd highly suggest you drop in a vacuum reserve canister with a check valve between the engine and the switch, this way the CAD will stay engaged even if you're standing on the throtle and thus making little vacuum.
IF you go manual you want a self-venting mechanical switch, like what road tractors use for the 5th wheel slide lock and the rear suspension dump. Them switches are of course made for air pressure, but they may work for vacuum too, unfortunately I can't find my box of spares right now or I'd check that theory for you.
Either way I'd highly suggest you drop in a vacuum reserve canister with a check valve between the engine and the switch, this way the CAD will stay engaged even if you're standing on the throtle and thus making little vacuum.
livetoride21
Adventurer
Thank you for all the know-how underdrive!
If that's the case than an EVR solenoid should be the ticket with a return spring added to my CAD vacuum diaphram. (currently there is no return spring, it cycles the vacuum to the other side to return it) , can you point me in the right direction of an EVR solenoid?
The other option I was thinking about was a 5 way 2 position valve for pneumatics like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-8-DC-12V-...344364?hash=item418262252c:g:ft4AAOSw-nZTmlmK
It is actually meant for pressure, but I see no reason it wouldn't work for vacuum as well. With this it will cycle and bleed off as needed with the flick of a switch.
livetoride21
Adventurer
The other thought I had was to use a door lock actuator with a momentary switch. No reason it shouldn't work but I'm wondering about the reliability.
underdrive
jackwagon
OK, so I had a brain-fart - the EVR is actually the solenoid that controls the vacuum EGR servo. It's not the thing I was suggesting, so disregard the EVR name from now on. What you want is the solenoid for the air pump, or smog pump, or secondary air injection - basically this here thing:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Standard-VS...rd-Escape-05-05-2-3L-Focus-2-0L-/131524881564
There are like a thousand Ford vehicles with them, I got the feeling any one of them will do what you need. The one we used in our truck came from a retired early-90s Crown Victoria taxi cab IIRC, looks pretty much the same as the one in the above ebay listing, just connector shape is different.
However I question the need to mess with something like that - if the factory CAD is set up with a pull-pull dual-port diaphragm just keep that system and use a 3-way valve to control it. Heck if the factory used an electric 3-way valve for the job I think you should use it as well, just obviously control with the manual switch on the dash instead of whatever sensors the factory setup runs to do that...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Standard-VS...rd-Escape-05-05-2-3L-Focus-2-0L-/131524881564
There are like a thousand Ford vehicles with them, I got the feeling any one of them will do what you need. The one we used in our truck came from a retired early-90s Crown Victoria taxi cab IIRC, looks pretty much the same as the one in the above ebay listing, just connector shape is different.
However I question the need to mess with something like that - if the factory CAD is set up with a pull-pull dual-port diaphragm just keep that system and use a 3-way valve to control it. Heck if the factory used an electric 3-way valve for the job I think you should use it as well, just obviously control with the manual switch on the dash instead of whatever sensors the factory setup runs to do that...
livetoride21
Adventurer
Unfortunately I'm not entirely sure how the factory system worked as the ford ranger never came with this system so I can't lay it all out to diagnose. And finding a diagram for a ford CAD system is next to impossible. From looking through the parts catalogue, however, the only solenoid for 4wd actuation I see, is a 1 way valve. So I have-to assume there are two of them with check valves, controlled by an electrical contact in the transfercase when in 4wd.
I'm not leaning towards the cable-pull route however. It will cost be around 50$ and have 0 reliability issues.
underdrive
jackwagon
Oh, the "posi-lock" setup the S10 crowd uses? Yeah that would work fine, just get a good cable.
livetoride21
Adventurer
yep, homebrew posi-lock, the same as many jeep, dodge, and chevy guys fashion. It's what I originally had planned to do. But I was thinking I could do something cleaner and more 21st century haha.
But the more I think about it, the more I don't want to sacrifice reliability for flash.
I already found a suitable cable and will take some pics once I receive it.