97 cruise control buttons

[97RangerXLT]

i don't think any ford i ever had had backlighting on the steering wheel buttons. even the 2014, 2015, and 2018 ford escapes. even my 2017 titan and the wife's 2018 mazda3 don't have it so i am pretty sure the older trucks don't have it

I've been confused on that ever since getting my '99. The buttons have never lit up for me (before or after replacement), but there seem to be conflicting reports on whether they do for other Rangers of similar age.

Update, just to put this to bed YES they have backlighting my right button it is clearly visiblly lit, left has black tape over it so naturally you can't see it.
97 had some things you didn't get on later XLT for instance skid plates you had to get a diff model or get B4 4x4 to get those. Afaik.
Off topic - skids might have been an option on later xLT, pretty sure they were standard in 97 for this model.

Yep, the 97 has backlighting. or at least they do on the XLT trim level. the rightside pod on my truck still lights up, the left side does not....

AJ

 

[97RangerXLT]

skids might have been an option on later xLT, pretty sure they were standard in 97 for this model.

My 97 only had a skid plate for the gas tank, nothing else. I am curious, does yours have a front skid plate or a Skid plate elsewhere?

AJ

 

[James Morse]

Yeah under the Dana 35
then the big one under the tank
I think some FX and maybe B4 had a third skid plate I forget where

both sides lights still work you can see the right side in this pic I think there are 2 led in them so that's what I'm trying to replace
it has been suggested if all guts work which seems to be the situation, maybe I can get the $20 buttons that fit the steering wheel and swap out the guts of them
that might not be a bad idea now seller is on vacation I'm gonna get the $20 ones and see if I can take them apart. Or use them absent backlights and keep looking for the others.

 

[James Morse]

05 FX Level 2 had 3 skid plates, just says front, mid, aft. Maybe the aft was differential, I'd imagine?
Edit: or else it was skid plate in very front then front diff then gas tank.

 

[sgtsandman]

The only OEM skid plates I’ve seen for Rangers is the front that protects the bottom of the radiator and the engine oil pan, the mid/transfer case, and the fuel tank (aft).

I’ve seen aftermarket skid plates to protect the lower, front portion of the differential on the rear axle. But that is it.

I haven’t seen full coverage plates like what is offered aftermarket for the 2019+. They might have been offered in the past but lack of demand caused them to go away.

The front axle design of the 1997 and earlier Rangers kind of limit a concept like that.

So, you would be looking for front, transfer case, and fuel tank skid plates.

 

[James Morse]

Yeah I edited that I dunno where the third one is located in those that have it (just talking oem).

On mine in the front there are large crossmembers by the rad, the rad is up quite high compared to them. don't see how anything could hit it. Same with oil pan. You'd have to run over something inches higher than the low points and those low points are front diff, and crossmembers. You would have to somehow make it over a high rock then the truck would have to settle down to hit the stuff... I suppose it could happen, but doesn't seem highly likely. You'd know better than me about that since my 4x4 experience is a big fat zero.

Yes front skid plate is xfr case. I didn't realize the drive goes thru the trans, then to transfer case, then there is a driveshaft for the front that takes the drive back up to the front... if I have that right. Seems bizarre, but then, I guess how else would one do it.

Pretty sure these are oem, I don't think anything at all was changed on this truck.

Then you have the gas tank of course. so that's 2, for mine.
Unless you count shields around the exhaust (muffler I guess) - besides the cats protectors there is another one. But that's not skid plate per se just a protector.
Cats protectors probably to prevent grass fires.

2008 Mazda B4000 SE added skid plate for front suspension. That's probably the third one I was thinking about. FX Level 2 had 3 plates, forget the year, but it's in the TRS writeup on them, that there are 3, just doesn't say where.
Yes my suspension totally diff than 08 I realize that.

As you say, those are the two, transfer case, and gas tank. Which is more than I would have got on a later XLT, unless they were offered as an option or special order or something.
In other words mine is the same in that respect as most FX's of later years. In 97 they just didn't make a big deal about it, as I see it, they just put them on because if you have a 4x4 truck you would like to have them.

Anyway, to me it was a pleasant surprise to have them on there. Personally I think there are a bunch of nice things about '97, but then, I have one so I'm biased.
So far I love it. Can't predict if/what else will go bad of course and difficulty getting some parts is a downside.

 

[sgtsandman]

1998 and up, they swapped to the torsion bar independent suspension. So the lay out is a bit different up front.

The skid plates I’ve seen for the older Rangers only bolted to the frame. They may not have covered the bottom of the radiator but I think they did. They do protect the steering gear and make a “ramp” so obstacles clear the suspension.

So, even if they don’t protect the radiator, they still serve a purpose.

I did have a brain fart on the oil pan. All the Rangers have the oil pan behind the suspension cross member. So, the skid plate wouldn’t cover that.

 

[James Morse]

Right, on bolting to the frame, as to mine, of course tank plate doesn't go all the way across.

Still haven't located cruise controls at any reasonable price (the backlit ones).
Just mentioning it since that was the original thread.

 

[97RangerXLT]

The first cross memember on the front is designed to protect the steering linkage, but that is on all Rangers I think. I don't have the Xfer case skid plate, if you happen to crawl under it some time could you get a picture of it? I may have to go junkyard hunting some time.

As for the Radiator skid, if that is available for 97 and older I would love to see a pic of that too.

AJ

 

[James Morse]

Yeah you know I would have thought that but I think on the pass side the steering isn't so protected. Most of it is though and that's a pretty thick brace.
It's the one that's kind of V-shaped and if you have rad leak or open the stopcock that is where all the fluid drips off is at the lowest point.

Took this pic this AM don't know why I didn't put it up
Hope that helps if you need more pics let me know.

 

[superj]

Sp a 4x4 would have the skid plates? My son went to pull a part today and there is a black extended cab 4x4

 

[97RangerXLT]

Sp a 4x4 would have the skid plates? My son went to pull a part today and there is a black extended cab 4x4

Not sure if it h as all of them. my 97 did not come with the skid plate on the trasnfer case. it did come with one for the fuel tank. I am the second owner, my parents bought it new in 97 so it definitely did not come with that particular skid plate, as my parents would not have had any reason to crawl under and remove it.

AJ

 

[James Morse]

I have no info what was stock on various models on '97.
For later models if you look at the brochures I think they tell you, for instance if you look at the writeup on FX's.
I also don't know if skid(s) were offered as an option or perhaps special order in '97.
In fact is I know nothing except mine has them. I don't think that's encoded in the door jamb sticker - if I even had one.
Chances are in 97 they would have been on the STX and maybe Splash but who knows.
Why 97RangerXLT's has one and not the other I have no idea. I'd guess, if you can find one that fits, it should be a bolt-on.
I don't even know what tires mine came with. The speedo reads high enough that going to 31", it will likely still read high. So maybe it came with 31", who knows.
Getting the door jamb sticker is one of the things I need to do, was hoping dealer would do it but looks like once they get their money, you are trash to them. Not unexpected.