First, let me say that if you’re getting your expertise from me, you may be in deep trouble.
I have a 97 ranger XLT, stick, 2 Wheel Dr., and it did not come with a tach. I read somewhere, I would have thought it was on TRS because that’s my go to, that the instrument clusters that fit in your year model truck are all “plug-in play.“ If you take your old cluster out, and the cluster from the scrapyard fits in and plugs in, it should work properly independent of the engine size or type of transmission. Again, I would really research that and not necessarily believe me, but having played with cars for more than 50 years, that actually makes a lot of sense.
With every respect
@scotts90ranger, I believe he was speaking about putting in a universal aftermarket tach. I bought a couple of them on eBay a few years ago, one for my 87 four-wheel-drive 2.9 stick, and one for The Road Ranger (97 4,0 XLT stick 2WD), without thinking about where I would place them. These are pretty small trucks with pretty compact and cluttered instruments and gizmos around the steering column, and I just never put them in, I never figured out a place where they were visually accessible without being visibly objectionable. I don’t wanna get one of those replacement a column covers that will hold one, and there really is not any other good place that’s right in front of you, in my humble opinion.
So my plan too, is to find an instrument cluster that fits that has the tach. I have scanned eBay off and on, but the folks selling them on eBay are way too proud of them. I know if one shows up at my local Pull-a-part, I can get it for a few bucks.
BTW, there are three Pull-a-part locations in Atlanta. If you walk in off the street, it’s two dollars to get in. It’s not deducted off your purchases. I am a VIP, but I don’t remember what I had to do or pay to get that, but I’m pretty cheap so it couldn’t have been much. The VIP gives you other benefits, so if you scrounge a lot, it’s worth it. You also build points that gets you something or other, but you have to remember to show your card when you’re checking out.
You can also rent golf carts at our locations, $5.00 first hour, and I’ll tell you that’s the best five dollars I’ve ever spent in my life. A couple times I’ve used them for a couple hours, and with the VIP card, you get your deposit back except the five dollars. I don’t know if that’s actual policy, but that’s what they do when I go.
I think if you google “change 97 Ranger tach instrument cluster” for about 10 minutes, you could find what I was looking at a little while ago.
keep us posted how it works out.