fuel gauge on my 02 ranger only works part of the time what's wrong help please thank you?

 

Either grounding or the internal sending unit is going bad.
Might be easier to pull the bed rather than dropping the tank.

If you take things apart, check all the wiring for corrosion, making sure all connections are clean and solid.

 

Can you be more descriptive about the gauge.
Does it not register full tank after adding fuel?
Does it move up or down while driving?
Are the movements of the needle fast or very slow?
Does it only act up with 1/2 tank, or 1/4 tank, or 3/4 tank?
Does it work fine for a few days then act up?

Probably wouldn't be the float in the tank, they just sink and that's that, shows empty all the time.
Fast movement of needle would most likely be an intermittent ground issue.
Fuel gauge uses a Pulsed 5volts so that power supply could be failing.

My guess would be the gauge and the anti-slosh circuit behind it.
Ford added a circuit board on the Fuel Gauge so the needle doesn't go up and down every time you go around a corner and the fuel sloshes back and forth in the tank, they call this..........the anti-slosh circuit.

Not sure what the '02 used for that