Author Archives: Joseph Raymond

Our Ford Ranger’s muffler was ready to go to the great metal pile in the sky.  Actually it looked like it was getting ready to swim to the bottom of the ocean since it had evolved gills in the sides.

I decided to replace the muffler as well as convert the truck’s exhaust to a side exit.

For the muffler I chose a compact Jones Turbo Tube (model ATT12S-3) that was only $23 from SummitRacing.com.  It was the best fit for the custom exhaust I was planning, not glass packed and made in the USA – perfect!

I installed a new exhaust gasket, bolt/spring kit and tailpipe piece along with parts of the existing tailpipe to make my new exhaust.  I welded it together with my 50amp 110v buzz box running 1/16″ 7014 rod, despite everyone telling me I couldn’t weld exhaust with a stick welder.  Maybe it’s easier for some with a MIG, but I don’t have one, so I use what I do have.

See the pictures below which chronicle the adventure.

Here is the old muffler, removed and sitting in the bed of the truck, waiting to go to the metal bin at the dump. Notice the rusty “gills”.

Here is the newly welded exhaust, ready to be mounted to the truck.

Here is the Ranger with it’s new side exit exhaust. The Jones Turbo Tube sounds great and was easy to work with. No complaints.

Last fall my electronic transfer case decided not to allow me into 4-Low.  Normally this isn’t an issue, but I was needing to pull some trees around after felling them and didn’t want to burn out my clutch.  I’ve always hated the electronically activated portion of my 4wd system, so I decided to get rid of it.  I installed The Shiftster.  A neat little device that takes the place of the electronic shift motor.  It is designed and built right here in the USA which is great and only cost me $60, a new shift motor was 2-3 times that.  I then disconnected the 4wd controller and made an access panel in my floor so I didn’t have to crawl under the truck during inclimate weather to put the truck into 4wd.

This is a picture of the Shiftster the day I installed it. You can kind of see the make-shift access panel I had above it.

My first attempt at an access panel was quick and dirty.  I cut the hole in my floor, then used that piece as the “door”.  I siliconed on some rubber fuel line around the hole to “seal” it while closed – it leaked horribly.  It stayed closed via 2 eyelets that 2 rods slid into and then a homemade latch using a hitchpin.  I had to physically remove the panel to gain access and put the truck into 4wd.  It took just under a minute to open the panel, take it in or out of 4wd and remount the panel.  Not bad, but pretty bothersome.

Now that better weather is here and I can weld outside again, I’ve fabricated a better solution.

This is a picture of the new access panel closed.

Using 1/8″ thick 1×1 angle iron I made a “frame” for the door, this gave me a flat surface to work with. The hole measures 4″ x 4″. I used a scrap piece of Lexan (polycarbonate sheet) that I picked up from Portland Glass in Farmington for the new door. Then I used a hinge to attatch it, vinyl door seal to seal it and two harddrive magnets to pull the door down and give a positive seal. Works great and now I can check what mode the truck is in just by looking down (dash lights don’t work for 4wd since I disconnected the controller).

This is the new access panel opened up.

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