Looking for a new used vehicle. Your thoughts...

[Josh B]

I'm not sure this will help much, for what it's worth

 

[dvdswan]

So if I am seeing it correct
Paint is FL or Toreador Red Metallic
Axle is D2 or 4.10 limited slip tow package
Trans is D or auto 5 speed

Vehicle Door Jamb Sticker Decoding Page (blueovaltech.com)

 

[dvdswan]

View attachment 102450

I'm not sure this will help much, for what it's worth

Sorry for the Sport Trac above.

 

[James Morse]

DSO usually is probably blank that's Dealer Special Order probably things like extended tailgate, 'roll' bars, whatever was offered that year that most likely get put on at the dealer. My best guess, others will know more.
I think EXT is your color code per above post and RC is your radio code, I think, which looks like it was swapped anyway. WB is 126" wheelbase.
SPR is your spring code good luck figuring out exactly what it is but probably doesn't matter unless you are swapping them and want to know which direction to go.
TP/PS is Tape / Paint Stripe code, blank is none. INT is your interior color I don't know what it signifies.
If you get it and get a shop manual it will tell you all the things.
Not sure if that helps at all but there are guys on here who can look up anything you're missing at this point. I know you already got a lot of it from other posts.
You could run Oasis on it that might give you more info. But I think you probably would base the decision to buy on what you see as overall condition and of course the price.

 

[dvdswan]

So minor update. Dealer called me on Saturday and said they were moving the truck and CEL came on. They took it back to the mechanic and told them he needed more time to diagnose the code/s. One was a transmission code and the other a coolant code. So today they will find out what the actual problems are. ...

 

[RobbieD]

DSO usually is probably blank that's Dealer Special Order probably things like extended tailgate, 'roll' bars, whatever was offered that year that most likely get put on at the dealer. My best guess, others will know more.

At least on the older trucks (1983 to 1994) "DSO" is "District Sales Office" which would be a code for the regional sales office that the order was processed through.

 

[James Morse]

older trucks (1983 to 1994)

For '97 the layout was whey they call DSO - #24 Special Order Code. RC #23 is Sales Region Code that's the one you're talking about. They are 2 different things. I don't see RC on his in the same place as mine, but it's a little hard to read some of it (need better sticker picture).
Nice to know the Sales Region Code but you have to look them up for the year under discussion as I believe there were changes over time. It doesn't tell you where it was sold though and some Regions are pretty big.
For my XLT I know where it was made, what region, and I also know where it was sold, about 25 miles from here. From the Carfax I found that it was originally registered in this town and although there were 2 owners (about 19 years and 5 years they held it), it still was always registered here. So that was kind of cool to know even though it's of limited actual value.
And of course the VIN tells you the plant where it was made.
To me the more info you have the better even though a lot of it doesn't help at all, but it might, when you go fix it.
Anyway yeah, totally, that's a diff gen you're talking about so it wouldn't be unexpected to have all kinds of different things; so we know that decode process is gen-dependent and maybe sometimes year dependent.

 

[RobbieD]

Not surprising that the data changes over the years on the safety compliance label, but it is fairly consistent on the older trucks.

Having the big Ford shop manual for the exact year in question will give the best decoding of all of the data.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Definitely torsion bar...

 

[Josh B]

I had a new used vehicle once

 

[don4331]

Torsion bar 1 is the stiffest = 2,900lb front GAWR; rear spring 2 is the "mid" range but I think they all give 3,200lb rear GAWR...

I'll have a Superlift front lift coming available in New Year (daughter wrote off the December calendar truck, I'm parting it up...) Shipping to Seattle would be expensive, but I might be able to get it to Vancouver, BC. Note: I have an Explorer Sport and 2 other 4x4 Ranger in fleet, so I'll be asking money for it, not giving it away (just setting expectations).

 

[dvdswan]

So, the truck finally came home. Wife said no more trucks. I think she's smoking something she shouldn't be. Still need to find a Gen 1 4WD Ranger.

Super stoked. There is a list of maintenance items that need to be done before I start to do things to it. Fluids, filters tensioners, t-stat housing, and lights. Did notice the body mounts are going too. After that it's going to be difficult to decide which truck to buy stuff for.

 

[Josh B]

Does it fold in the middle?

 

[dvdswan]

Does it fold in the middle?

like this...

It's not a Yota...