First gen bumper lights??

[K-Slice]

I've seen alot of threads about light tabs for second gen Rangers ,which allow you to mount foglights withour drilling into your bumper.
Is there any way to do this on the first gen? Any cool tabs that can be made at home to avoid wreching your bumper with a drill?

 

[machine090767]

underneath the gen I bumper, on the main truck frame, there are pre drilled holes to mount lights to., now, you'll have to take a sawzall and cut out a section of the small plastic valence, just under the bumper. Cut it out in the exact shape of the light you are installing. (so it looks like a factory fog lamp)

 

[K-Slice]

I dunno, not really what I was thinking of. This thing sees mud and water so I dont think lights would last well down there. Is there a way to get them mounted in front of the grill without drilling into the chrome bumper?

 

[2.9XLT]

You can bolt them in the top bumper bolt holes, I did that with my Boschs for a while.

 

[K-Slice]

I see the lights on your cardomain, but I've never seen holes in mu bumper there... I'll have to go out and look when it gets light again.

 

[JoshT]

If you are asking about the BII listed in your sig it's because you have a second gen and not a first gen. The holes 2.9XLT has them mounted in is the upper mounting holes for his front bumper, the bumper on the second gen is mounted differently. Can't help you on what would work though.

FYI Around here we typically refer to the generations as follows:
First = 1983-1988
Second = 1989-1992
Third = 1993-1997

I can't remember the generations of 1998 to present, can't recall is they are all considered the same generation or if there's a split in there somewhere.

 

[K-Slice]

Hmm, I assumed that the 89-92 was just a face lift and not its own generation, since mechanichally the vehicles stayed the same..

 

[JoshT]

Hmm, I assumed that the 89-92 was just a face lift and not its own generation, since mechanichally the vehicles stayed the same..

Yes and no there.

While the majority of the sheet metal is the same there are quite a few differences. Among others are the updated engine/transmission selection, front suspension redesign, and interior makeover. IMO If you were to pull the sjeet metal off and compare everything else the 89-92 year range would share more in common with the 93-97 than the 83-88.

 

[K-Slice]

I think it's also because I'm very involved with my summer car, a Firebird. And while it's engine and cosmetic stuff changed it was still a third gen.

ANYWAY, Is there really no way to mount lights in front of the grill without drilling into my bumper?

 

[strvger]

make brackets that will mount to your bumper bolt holes. make them to put the lights where you want them. then mount the lights to the brackets.
other option is to get a brush bar and mount your lights to it. check my avatar.

 

[K-Slice]

I do like those grill guards, had one on my S10 with some yellow lights... Couldnt find one around here for a decent price though.

I've seen the thing about the brackets, but only for 96 and newer rangers. Is there nay info anywhere about how one might go about making brackets? or where exactly they bolt on the car?

 

[strvger]

get some 1/8" flat or angle stock, whichever you need. bend and/or cut them to give your lights the right angle for the road. drill two holes, one for the bumper mounting bolt, one for the light. remove your bumper bolts. place the brackets there and use longer bolts to bolt both the light tab and your bumper back to the frame. bolt your lights to the brackets. wire them up with fuses, relays, and switches and your good to go.
check craigs list and ebay for a brush guard. looks better. better front end protection. useful for recovery if needed. great place to mount lights.

 

[K-Slice]

I thought joshT told me earlier I didnt have the right bumper bolt placement since I have a second gen bumper. What bolts can the tabs mount to?

 

[JoshT]

THe first gen bumper has two mounting holes in the top part of the bumper, this is where 2.9XLT had them mounted on his truck. The second gen does not have bolt holes there. I'm assuming that strvger was mentioning the same location and using tabs rather than putting them straight through the bumper, but once again he has a first gen.

If I were going to mount lights on your style bumper I would try to put them in the two holes directly under the grille in the center of the bumper. To do so you'd have to go with smaller square lights rather than large round, but when dad had the same style BII that's where I thought they would look good. Don't know how to go about mounting them there though.

 

[strvger]

^^ aren't those carriage bolts on the front of the bumper? mine has them on the top as well as down on the lower center of the bumper. i thought he could use those holes and make brackets and use different mounting bolts there. what did i miss?