'97 graphics/decals

[James Morse]

STX was the only model that had a 4x4 decal. They had a long bicolor asymetric strip the full length of the truck. So there is a right and a left. There was a factory delete option for the decal.

If you look online lots of times you see just tailgate decal or just right sides etc rarely a complete set. I was at one point thinking of using just the 4x4 part of it which I think is, I think, symmetric so you could use 2 rights and throw away the rest of it.

Splash had different decals maybe some had 4x4 but I haven't seen it.

XLT -never- had decals. So the OEM look for 4x4 XLT is no decal ever.

Any 4x4 decal used on Rangers later than '97 is different than the '97 STX decal (the 4x4 part).

If anyone knows different than this let me know.

I do not know if any Ranger pre-97 had 4x4 decals.

 

[97RangerXLT]

STX was the only model that had a 4x4 decal. They had a long bicolor asymetric strip the full length of the truck. So there is a right and a left. There was a factory delete option for the decal.

If you look online lots of times you see just tailgate decal or just right sides etc rarely a complete set. I was at one point thinking of using just the 4x4 part of it which I think is, I think, symmetric so you could use 2 rights and throw away the rest of it.

Splash had different decals maybe some had 4x4 but I haven't seen it.

XLT -never- had decals. So the OEM look for 4x4 XLT is no decal ever.

Any 4x4 decal used on Rangers later than '97 is different than the '97 STX decal (the 4x4 part).

If anyone knows different than this let me know.

I do not know if any Ranger pre-97 had 4x4 decals.

my XLT came with the bicolor STX stripe that runs along the body crease at the top of the fenders and bedside, but not the 4x4 decal. it has held up surprisingly well over the last 25 years. Not sure if I would try and replace it if/when I get the truck repainted. may just try to duplicate it with pinstriping

AJ

 

[James Morse]

Wow that is so cool. So it's just a solid bicolor stripe with the 4x4 ommited?

You might find them for sale but kind of hit/miss.

What you could do is like photo them then you could reproduce them in adhesive vinyl which is fairly tenacious but you can peel it off without hurting the paint. I imagine the factory adhesive was yet more sticky.
That's really neat to hear about that. Plus I know I wouldn't be going outside of oem to do it (without the 4x4 part - like yours). Do you have pic of your truck?

 

[97RangerXLT]

Do you have pic of your truck?

It is almost a twin of your truck. Mine has 196k on it

 

[James Morse]

Oh yes I think you posted one pic before. Did you get it new? It looks like factory or DIO stripe. Looks sharp. Much different than STX which is a wide stripe.
If you told me already sorry but what size tires are you running and brand/tread they look good.
I have stubby black antenna but that might have been added by somebody.
Also I have tilt out rear windows but I'm not a big fan of them cosmetically they don't add it looks better without them.
Thanks, great pics!

 

[97RangerXLT]

Oh yes I think you posted one pic before. Did you get it new? It looks like factory or DIO stripe. Looks sharp. Much different than STX which is a wide stripe.
If you told me already sorry but what size tires are you running and brand/tread they look good.
I have stubby black antenna but that might have been added by somebody.
Also I have tilt out rear windows but I'm not a big fan of them cosmetically they don't add it looks better without them.
Thanks, great pics!

I am the second owner. (since 2005) My parents bought it new in early 97. The main reason was that Mom was a rural mail carrier in a smalll hick town in IL and the Carriers had to use their own vehicles, so in the winter that nice crowned courntry blacktop was a bit of a pain... and Mom ended up in a field or ditch a few times because of it, so Dad got the Ranger for the bad weather days with the 4wd. Mom retired in 1999, I think the Ranger went on the mail route twice lol. in 2005 Dad retired and decided he didn't need 3 vehicles. so here I am almost 18 years later. it had 106k on it when I got it, and it now has 196k. 90k in 17.5 years not too bad.

so yes, that is the factory stripe. I have not really upgraded it any except for replacing the auto hubs with the Warn Jeep style hubs which I got off of another member here several years ago.

AJ

 

[97RangerXLT]

The tires are 31" it was a factory option, but rare enough that every time I get tires for it I have to point the tire guys to the door sticker because they said 97 rangers didn't come with that size of tire lol. it also came with Billstien shocks from the factory, which I replaced 2 years ago. the originals still had some dampening left in them even as they were nearly rusting off of the truck.

AJ

 

[James Morse]

Interesting. Yeah you could show them the brochure, it's clearly in there 265/75R15 optional which is a 31" tire or darn close to it.
Billstiens probably were part of the handling package (springs, shocks, rear sway). Probably I have those shocks unless replaced since.
I want those same hubs.