87 XLT - Factory Optioned Restoration

[1qaz]

Thank you Closetcanibal and deathbypsi!

Spring has sprung in the St Louis region! Washed, claybarred the body, dressed up the wheels and tires, cleaned up and treated the tonneau cover, and black trim on the bumpers, and polished the stainless steel and chrome. Still need to polish and wax but couldn't pass up the sunset and lighting. And I'm procrastinating all the bigger jobs still left ahead.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Looks sharp

 

[1qaz]

Looks sharp

Thank you!

Started on the rear axle changing the differential fluid, cleaning and painting the cover, and cleaned it up a bit to bide some time before I pull the bed and strip it down. Also, removed, cleaned, and painted the spare tire carrier. It has a full spare (original steel wheel from factory with a janky wrong sized tire from PO) but will eventually replace it with matching wheel and tire.

Before: Rear axle and differential

Identification tag:

Naked 7.5" ass end:

Cleaned up cover (inside):

Fresh blood: Cost = $68

After: Cleaned up rear axle, differential, and spare tire carrier

Differential now sorted. Rear axle refresh started...will finish when I pull the bed, drop the leaf springs and drive shaft.

Total cost: $73 (gear oil and $5 RTV)

Still sourcing the transmission remanufacture. Will likely change the fluid in it before sending it off as it could be a few months. Bought Mercon V but know there is a debate as to what to put in a Toyo Kogyo 5-speed manual transmission...80W-90W gear oil or ATF. After talking with the techs at the Ford dealership I'm going with the Mercon V. Worst case, I jack it up and send it off to have it remanufactured.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Nice truck.

 

[1qaz]

Nice truck.

Thanks, Jim! Means a lot coming from you. Also, keeping you and yours in our prayers.

Continuing to tackle some of the smaller details and next up was the wipers. Twenty-nine years have not been kind to the wiper arms. Easy fix with a quick coat of paint and a set of new wipers for good measure. Yeah, right. Enter the seized on wiper arm...times two!! Really??!! Two days later they finally came off...details below...never needed the paint.

Wiper: Before (and under siege)



Tools defeated: Hands, hammer, torch, paint can opener, wiper puller, several YouTube videos and forum posts

Tool that finally worked...notice scars from previous efforts:



UNSEIZED:



Back to factory specs: of course they are Ford NOS...





Wipers now sorted. Cost = $50 for wiper arms + $18 for wiper blades

Total: $68 and two days of my life

Also, ended the debate on what to put in the Toyo Kogyo 5-speed...Mercon V. What came out was clearly ATF. I don't know if it was factory original though.

Fresh transmission fluid:



Cost: $19.50

Up next: Who the f**k knows...I'm still reeling from the seized wiper arms.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Where did you find NOS wiper arms? I have one that is kinda loose and both look aged like yours did. I also fought with the stupid little lever thing but gave up after a brief struggle since I didn't have anything to replace it if I did break it. I don't drive much in bad weather but it would be nice to have tighter arms so the one doesn't rest on the windshield trim.

Kind of a odd question but do you know what the battery hold down looked like from the factory? For as long as I have had it (and probably quite some time before) my truck has only had a tarp strap, it would be nice to have that looking better.

 

[1qaz]

Where did you find NOS wiper arms?

I found these on eBay but the Green Company also has them. They were listed under Bronco II wiper arms. Here's the part number -- E6TZ-17526-A. The A on the end matters...I also got one that ended in D and it was too small to fit my wiper motor.

do you know what the battery hold down looked like from the factory?

The closest thing I have found is from LMC Truck (currently page 119, upper right). I've checked every vehicle I've looked at in the junk yards and they are always gone.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fr/full.aspx?Page=119

If you ever find the Ford version, please let me know.

 

[buck119fa]

nice looking truck, great job restoring it!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Cool, thanks.

The closest thing I have found is from LMC Truck (currently page 125, upper right). I've checked every vehicle I've looked at in the junk yards and they are always gone.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fr/full.aspx?Page=125

If you ever find the Ford version, please let me know.

Darn, I was hoping it wouldn't be that elaborate...

 

[turbo91xlt]

My '88 GT has the original one still. I'll take a picture and post it the next time I'm home. It looks just like the one that LMC has listed.

 

[Mike Tonon]

I had a TK5 in my 87 Ranger and it took 80w90 gear oil and the 7.5 3.45 ratio axel took that, as well. Might be fine to use ATF in the TK5, but that's a lot thinner. Personally, I would have kept the original two-tone painted steel rims, just because no one does that and I think they're sharp and those aluminum rims you put on weren't used until the 1988 model year (if I remember correctly). Originally, your truck would have had a slightly different stereo than what you put in, like this one - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-AM-FM-Cassette-Stereo-Thunderbird-Mustang-Tbird-Model-E6DF-19B132-AA-/301944809842?fits=Make:Ford&hash=item464d502972:g:NbUAAOSw1DtXFYsX&vxp=mtr. Cleanest/nicest 87 Ranger I've seen in years, though.

 

[bronco2fan]

Really nice job. Shows what time and dedication can accomplish. Making me get of my butt and do more to mine lol.

 

[1qaz]

nice looking truck, great job restoring it!

Thank you! I'm having a blast.

My '88 GT has the original one still. I'll take a picture and post it the next time I'm home. It looks just like the one that LMC has listed.

That would be awesome! I'm interested to see how everything bolts in.

I had a TK5 in my 87 Ranger and it took 80w90 gear oil and the 7.5 3.45 ratio axel took that, as well. Might be fine to use ATF in the TK5, but that's a lot thinner. Personally, I would have kept the original two-tone painted steel rims, just because no one does that and I think they're sharp and those aluminum rims you put on weren't used until the 1988 model year (if I remember correctly). Originally, your truck would have had a slightly different stereo than what you put in, like this one - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-AM-FM-Cassette-Stereo-Thunderbird-Mustang-Tbird-Model-E6DF-19B132-AA-/301944809842?fits=Make:Ford&hash=item464d502972:g:NbUAAOSw1DtXFYsX&vxp=mtr. Cleanest/nicest 87 Ranger I've seen in years, though.

Thanks! This is exactly why I enjoy this forum so much. I purchased the radio in the link you provided. Close to what I had from the junkyard but with the addition of the 'Fade'...could be why my rear speakers aren't working. Also, all the factory stickers on the back are a huge bonus! Thanks, again! As for the steel wheels, I just can't acquire a taste for them. You are absolutely correct the aluminum wheels I chose came out in '88...knowing that classifies you as one of the 'purists' I mentioned in the post about the wheels above. My best justification of putting them on this truck is they were available from Ford in 1987 as the '88 model year rolled out. I know it's a stretch but it my excuse to ditch the steel wheels. As for the Mercon V and Rear Axle Lubricant, I had a great conversation with a couple Ford techs at the local dealership. I looked at both sides of the debate and concluded there's no right or wrong...mostly personal preference. My TK-5 definitely had ATF in it and it was fairly clean which was encouraging...appears the PO changed it at least once.

Really nice job. Shows what time and dedication can accomplish. Making me get of my butt and do more to mine lol.

Thanks! Your BII looks great!

 

[ford4thot]

Haha you got the middle finger thing going too!

Beautiful truck, subbed

 

[Mike Tonon]

My TK5 was hard to shift when cold, in the winter. Maybe I should have used Mercon. Yea, the stereo you had might have been used in a lower model Ranger, with only two dash speakers. Also, what I did on my 87 Ranger, is I put washers behind the mounting screws of the stereo, climate control and gauge cluster so the it came up to the dash bezel, leaving no gap. I also put a rubber grommet similar to this - http://www.ronlexrubber.com/uploadpic/20111181243571.jpg around the trip odometer button and foam rubber weather stripping and tape around the lense openings to stop dust from getting in. If you do that, just remember to keep it far back enough so that it's not visible when the dash is back together. I also modified the placement of the idiot lights lense, because it was crooked on mine.