Hmm... I had a 4.0 from a '94 Explorer in my '88 Ranger. I know it wasn't a straight bolt in connection, but I never thought of what you said AllanD. I don't remember there being a connection by the steering gear. Although I never really looked for it, so I may have just missed it. But now that engine is going in my '87 and I have the same quandry. I'll have to check to see if there is a connection by the steering gear. If not, I'll go with my old solution till I can find something a little less 'rigged' shall we say.
On an '88 there is no connection there.
On most '89s there is.
The change in fuel line layout was done along with the switch from dual fuel pumps (LP tank pump and inline HP pumps) to a single pump mounted in the tank and relocation of the fuel filter from right up against the engine crossmember to above the radius arm bracket (to where the HP pump
was on the '86-88's)
I had "fun" doing my conversiuon to the 4.0 because I insisted on using the stainless steel lines from the fuel filter up to that double connection by the steering box.
Why? Because I was doing my 4.0 installation with Borla headers
and I thought it'd be easier to use stainless steel rigid fuel lines
than to protect the earlier style plastic lines from the heat of the
hot exhaust headers.
AD