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- Joined
- Jul 12, 2015
- Messages
- 342
- City
- USA
- Vehicle Year
- 1987
- Engine
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
Driving around a letter or two short of a full FORD on your tailgate trim? Ever tried to find them thinking you could order said missing letters individually? Frustrated to realize something that should be easy is just a bit more complicated? If so, then this little DIY could be of some help. I've seen a couple threads on here but nothing that truly helped me bring closure to the lack of an 'O' on the ass end of my ride. No matter what I did under the hood, my street cred dipped while I piloted my made in Louisville 'F RD'.
Let's start with nomenclature. Some people call them tailgate letters. Ford calls it "Brushed Aluminum Tailgate Applique" as referenced in option #15 of the sales ad from 1987.
The next step is to better understand how option #15 is actually attached to your Ranger's backside. Looking at the bed side of the tailgate, you will see 12 screws...two rows of 6 down the length of the applique. There are also 4 smaller ones for the corners on the outside of the tailgate. Removed and looking at the tailgate side of the trim reveals the following...
Really?? Option #15 just exceeded what I'd consider design common sense. Optional trim with 6 big ass brackets to screw onto a perfectly functioning tailgate...all in the name of style. But wait, it gets better. Take a look at how said brackets actually attach to the tailgate.
Those brackets fit nicely in the 12 holes drilled right through the tailgate. If you look in the lower left corner you can see one of the original washers to cushion the attachment and keep water out so your tailgate doesn't rust from the inside out.
Back to the tailgate side of the applique you can see a series of additional holes and attachments on the left side. Those are, you guessed it, the letters F O R D. The fourth and fifth marks over are where I reattached the letter O...one I salvaged from the junkyard along with the entire applique. It's in its new home with a healthy dose of epoxy.
So to recap, in order to properly return option #15 back to factory standards you must remove 16 screws to reveal 12 holes drilled straight through the tailgate, reattach replacement letter (that has no after market sellers that I could find), replace all worn out rust preventing washers, and reassemble. Smile at your efforts, flex your street cred, and scratch your head at the engineering thought behind option #15. Which one costs more? The applique or the tailgate? Did the tailgate really need to sacrifice so much in the name of style? This particular option may be more fun than tough.
If successful you can go from this:
to this:
Now how wrong would that tonneau cover look on a F RD?
Let's start with nomenclature. Some people call them tailgate letters. Ford calls it "Brushed Aluminum Tailgate Applique" as referenced in option #15 of the sales ad from 1987.
The next step is to better understand how option #15 is actually attached to your Ranger's backside. Looking at the bed side of the tailgate, you will see 12 screws...two rows of 6 down the length of the applique. There are also 4 smaller ones for the corners on the outside of the tailgate. Removed and looking at the tailgate side of the trim reveals the following...
Really?? Option #15 just exceeded what I'd consider design common sense. Optional trim with 6 big ass brackets to screw onto a perfectly functioning tailgate...all in the name of style. But wait, it gets better. Take a look at how said brackets actually attach to the tailgate.
Those brackets fit nicely in the 12 holes drilled right through the tailgate. If you look in the lower left corner you can see one of the original washers to cushion the attachment and keep water out so your tailgate doesn't rust from the inside out.
Back to the tailgate side of the applique you can see a series of additional holes and attachments on the left side. Those are, you guessed it, the letters F O R D. The fourth and fifth marks over are where I reattached the letter O...one I salvaged from the junkyard along with the entire applique. It's in its new home with a healthy dose of epoxy.
So to recap, in order to properly return option #15 back to factory standards you must remove 16 screws to reveal 12 holes drilled straight through the tailgate, reattach replacement letter (that has no after market sellers that I could find), replace all worn out rust preventing washers, and reassemble. Smile at your efforts, flex your street cred, and scratch your head at the engineering thought behind option #15. Which one costs more? The applique or the tailgate? Did the tailgate really need to sacrifice so much in the name of style? This particular option may be more fun than tough.
If successful you can go from this:
to this:
Now how wrong would that tonneau cover look on a F RD?
Last edited:
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