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Saving an 89 Bronco II


Squirrelly McNuts

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The Story​

So a buddy of mine has been telling me about this Ford Bronco he has had for over 5 years. It started with general questions about maintenance. After a while he started asking stranger questions about fixing stuff without spending money. I didn’t think too much about it, a lot of us are poor or cheep. After about a year I started to get concerned about the stuff he was asking and if he was driving this thing on the road. So I started asking questions. What I found out sadden me. He was not driving it on the road (thank god for all our safeties) but using it on his property to hall wood and pull stumps. Now this in and of itself did not bother me but the fact that it no longer had brakes and was using reverse to stop! It has an oil leak and would fill it with whatever used oil he had around or run it low. This is just some of the things he told me about. Once he know I had a fondness for Ford trucks he started taking joy in telling me about the abuse he would do to the Bronco. What he always said was “I don’t know how it is still running but it is running strong.”

After years of pleading I got him to agree to sell it to me for $500 (what he paid for it 5 years ago). I did not have it at the time but he said he would wait. I work hard but fell short for over a year. During that time he used and abused it. Finally something broke on it he would have to buy parts for and he parked it. Now he told me it was a tie rod. No big deal. It sat for another 6 months and one day he calls me and said “$200 and help me get my quad going and it is yours”. Due to life events I could not schedule a time for several months and one day I get a call and he said “just come get it.” Finely after 6 ½ years, maybe 7, I finely went to look at the Bronco and see if I can get it moving and safe to tow to my shop. What I found was not a Bronco but a 1989 Bronco II and not a broken tie rod but a broken radius arm or arm mount (it is hard to tell with 2 foot tall weeds surrounding it). So I did some favors for him and he is cleaning it out and cutting the grass around it so I can get it out. Looks like I have my work cut out for me.
So what is my goal? The body is shot. It will need new fenders Front and back, new doors, brakes, engine and transmission rebuild. Most would scrap it or part it out. But not me, I love Ford Trucks, especially the Ranger line. So I will do my best to save any I can with a good frame. So the plan, the plan is to make it my daily driver for about $2k or part it out if the frame is bad. There is not much I can do with a broken frame and shit body.

My priorities in order

Safety
-Brakes
-Seat belts
-Seat mounting
-Floor
-Tires
-Gages

Running/Driving
-Fix readies arm
-Fined/fix oil leak
-Replace all shocks and stabilizer
-A general going over

Road legal
-Lights
-Glass
-Exhaust

Usability
-Upholstery
-Rear hatch
-Doors

After all that is done I will worry about the exterior and performance. Though I will probably put a high flow exhaust on it sins I have to replace the whole thing any way. So if any of you have warnings, things I should look for that are commonly over looked or if you have any parts let me know. Also I will post pictures as soon as I have them.

Note: I am not looking to make this an off road rig. I may do some light off roading with it but nothing that will require a lift or way over-sized tires.
 


T Hilde

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Now is the perfect time to do the 4.0 swap and the dana 35/8.8 upgrade
 

Squirrelly McNuts

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Sorry T Hilde I don't like the 4.0 and while I would love to do a dana 35/8.8 upgrade that would not fin in my $2K budget.
 

Jecsd1

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Cool story. I think I missed it. Is it 2WD or 4WD?
 

JoshT

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Sorry T Hilde I don't like the 4.0 and while I would love to do a dana 35/8.8 upgrade that would not fin in my $2K budget.
What's wrong with the 4.0? From the way you describe the life of this truck you will need engine work if not an engine. It'll probably be cheaper to swap in a good 4.0L than fix/rebuild what ever is in there (guessing 2.9L). Not to mention that you are likely to need a transmission as well. Engine and trans swap cheaper and more cost effective than rebuilding both, leaving more money in your budget for other repairs.

From the history of this truck I would consider it to be a perfect candidate for part out until you have it in hand and opened up.
 

Squirrelly McNuts

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After so research I have reevaluated my dislike for the 4.0. My dislike was do to my past indirect experience with them. A friend had nothing but trouble with two of them and I have never liked them as a result. My research has shown that while they have there problems like anything they can be a fine engine and they can be cheep to buy.

However I still will not be doing a swap... at least not at first. The engine runs with only a miner oil leak in the oil pan. So for as long as both the engine and Transmission live they will stay. If however they die I will look hard at a swap. The other issue I see with a swap is with the added power of a bigger engine I will have to worry about other thing getting over stressed and failing before I get a chance to go thought the whole thing.
 

jhammel85

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Only thing that might be over stressed would be the transmission. I dont recall if you said if it was an auto or not but the 2.9 auto might not take a 4.0 well with the abuse that truck has seen. I've seen users here driving a 4.0 with a 2.9 A4LD without many problems.

I'm with you though, im in the same boat. If mine was to go south, I'd be swapping too but im happy if it's happy. I like the 2.9.
 

JoshT

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A friend had nothing but trouble with two of them and I have never liked them as a result.
Was this the same friend that had the BII? If so it's no wander he had problems with it. The major problem of the 4.0L OHV was the heads cracking, but that was a problem that it shared with the 2.8L and 2.9L. As long engine has been cared for that usually isn't an issue, and if they crack aftermarket castings will fix that problem for good.

The engine runs with only a miner oil leak in the oil pan. So for as long as both the engine and Transmission live they will stay.
I can respect that, get it running and road worthy before dumping money into work that isn't necessary at the moment. I should have taken that route with my 86 Ranger project. Instead it got blown out of proportion and taking way too long.

I wouldn't expect that it will last long once put on the road though. Running on random used oil or run low on oil isn't exactly a good recipe for a healthy engine. Being slammed into reverse for stopping since the brakes are non existent is even worse on everything in the drive train. Just saying that when they fail, it might be a better and cheaper option to go with a swap instead of a rebuild.

The other issue I see with a swap is with the added power of a bigger engine I will have to worry about other thing getting over stressed and failing before I get a chance to go thought the whole thing.
As Jhammel85 said the only thing that the 4.0L might be a stress issue for is the transmission. With the way this truck has been treated I suspect that the transmission will be an issue even with the 2.9L. I recommend that if you do an engine swap or have to replace the trans that you swap in something a little sturdier anyway. The 7.5" rear and D28 front can handle the 4.0L. They will become an issue if you want to try running large heavy tires, but that would be the case regardless of the motor used.
 

4x4junkie

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Many guys will find a crashed Explorer or Ranger for cheap and swap the drivetrain from it into their BII (engine, trans, t-case, axles). All of it is bolt-in for the most part (the Ex 8.8" rear axle will need the spring perches relocated and shock mounts added). This should eliminate worries about inadequacies further down the line from the bigger engine. The Ranger 4.0L ('90-'92) I understand is completely plug & play as far as the EFI wiring into a '89 (or '90) BII.

That said, I've been content with my 2.9L also. It's no torque monster, but with a downshift it has no trouble whatsoever keeping up with traffic on all but the very steepest grades.
I would also say evaluate the existing 2.9's condition first, even in spite of the abuse history. These engines are quite robust excepting for the aforementioned head cracking issue (which usually only shows itself if the engine is ever allowed to overheat).
 

Squirrelly McNuts

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JoshT - It was not the same person that I got the B2 from and it was not head related. As I recall (and it was some time ago) it was fuel management and over heating. But then he was not the best at up keep either.

I do intend to go over the hole thing very thoroughly before I try to put it on the road. I also believe while he did what he said he did, I think he made it sound worse then it is. He only owns 3 acres so he has never going far or fast. He also said that in the time that he has had it he has only put maybe 10 gales of gas in it and most of that seams to still be in it. So he has not put many miles on it. All and all I wont truly know till I get it home. I intend to jack it up and fined out what I need to get it rolling this weekend and with luck home.

Also can anyone verify what 4x4junkie said. Is a 4.0 out of a 90-92 Ranger plug and play?
 
Last edited:

jhammel85

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Yep. Its in our library too. Theres a good write up there and if you search, there are lots of threads where people have done it.
 

The Bandit

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Looks like its been someones plow truck at one point in time. I would look over the frame and suspension reallly really well in that case. Not only from taking a beating from the plow, but if there was ever any salt or calcium used, could be some serious rust.
 

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