RANGER REHAB

[Jeff]

Since the weather has broke in Chicago finally, I wanted to start this thread.  Some of you already know this story, but I responded a Clist ad that had a Ranger for sale.  It was red (Burnt Orange as we now know).  It was a quite the drive to get this, and my wife did it since I was out of town.  When she got there, it turned out this guy had 2 Rangers!  Of course I had my wife get both.  The one pictured in the ad was red, the "other" was turned out to be yellow.  The yellow was in better condition and I've already redone this one.  The red one is rough to say the least.  The bowl has damage where it connects to the frame, chips throughout, and yes Brian, it DOES need a handle.  Also, over the last year, the plastic hub in the center of the wheel got dry rot and cracked, but as you will see...I DO have a plan for that as shown below.  I'll never find an original wheel, but I think the wheel pictured below will actually look pretty darn cool on it.  This project will be time consuming, but I will bump this thread from time to time as I get work done on it. 
Lastly...I put my red Smokey next to it to try and show the difference in color from a standard red, to this "burnt orange" color.  I don't think the pictures do justice, but this color is distinctly different in person.  Its also 2 toned.







The future wheel

[1911Ron]

I like the new wheel.  How tall are the Rangers, compared to a regular kettle?

[Jeff]

Ron...they are shorter, but the yellow is taller than the red due to the difference in design.  Here is a photo with both of them and a regular stand alone 22" kettle.  The viewing angle isn't perfect, but you can kind of get an idea.
The yellow has a better design in my opinion and is taller...and easier on your back if you're tall and actually using a grill like this!  LOL

[Jeff]

Here are a couple pics with the new wheel....I think it looks pretty darn good.  What do you all think?  I have seen an original picture of a red Ranger from Weber, and the wheel it had...had a red whitewall (on the inside of course).  This wheel has the red on the outside of the wheel.  I think it goes well.  Its kinda like putting some fancy wheels on a junkie car...it still looks like junk, but just "better junk"!  LOL

[MartyG]

Awesome - much better than the old wheel you had on there. Got a yellow one?

[Hogsy]

That looks great Jeff
What's the story with the ash catching and vents on the Rangers?

[Jeff]

That looks great Jeff
What's the story with the ash catching and vents on the Rangers?

Hogsy...as you can see...the yellow one just uses the twish on style pan like some of the late 60's/early 70's grill have.  The red one has this weird pan that mounts to the legs and frame of the kettle bowl.  A poor design in my opinion, but only slightly better than having the hot coals drop though directly onto the ground.

Marty...I wish I had a yellow wheel to look like that!

[Jeff]

Here is a little bit better picture to compare an older style red color from Weber vs the Burnt Orange on the Ranger.

[Hogsy]

So just 3 daisy wheels for vents?
They must be a PITA on the red ranger

[Jeff]

Yes Hogsy...the red Ranger, as well as the yellow one has 3 daisy style vents on the bottom.
And yeah...on the red one, they are real close to the ash tray/pan.  Once again, a poor design.  The funny thing is, the red Ranger was made AFTER the yellow one.  Weber "regressed" in their design, thats for sure.

[reillyranch]

Very very very nice. 

[javahog2002]

Jeff that ranger looks cool. Do they really call it burnt orange ?  I lived in Austin, TX for 15 years.  The UT definition of burnt orange is not even close to the ranger's color.  The new wheel looks cool.  I think the yellow ranger is much cooler than the "burnt orange" one.  I have a speckled smokey joe that sure would look good in your collection.  Hint hint. 

[Craig]

I love the red wheel on the burnt orange Ranger!    Definitely a good fit. Thats a nice 26"er you got there too!

[Duke]

Okay, now that so much has been said. I like the burnt orange ranger better than the yellow. There I said it. However I agree with Jeff that the yellow was definitly designed better and Weber should have stuck with it.

I really like the red wheel, but what the heck happened with the old one? I also had no idea that grill was in that much need of help. It always looked so good in the pictures. (BTW turn off your flash! they always look pink),

The red 26 looks like new and I can't wait to see more of it. The red ranger and red 26  need a little more perving, so please provide more pictures.

Your still the man Jeff! You and yer new derg!

Love Duke. 

[reillyranch]

I think new wheel looks closer to the orginal wheel that the Ranger  came with in the first place.  That white hubbed wheel must have been a replacement somewhere along the way.  This is a picture of the one I have, I think it is the orginal wheel.