anyone know about 87 broncos?

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As for the Bronco, what comes to mind is rust. Like previously mentioned. I would look at cab/body mounts, leaf springs shackles/ perches, rad support where the body mounts are. You usually can tell a rad support issue because the bumper to body gap is uneven from left to right. Auto trans issues, it probably has 1 rebuild on it. transfer case and rear issues, usually bearings going bad, output shaft and pinion bearings, stuff like that. With a vehicle that old, unless its a low mileage vehicle, expect to rebuild or replace components. I think the rust is the biggest issue, component replacement is straightforward, bodywork is an art.
 
talked to the guy selling it this morning, he didnt know much about the history of the truck (said he had only had it for about 2 years)
im heading over there around 5 to go look at it
 
There is ZERO chance I'd buy anything old enough to have a carburetor, other than some toy/ hot rod/ classic. My 86/87 Rangers were both port injection........batch/ bank fired, not sequential, but they both worked WELL Of course you could always convert it I guess..........
 
i just found out the truck has two VINs (still working on the details)
the kid told me it got a new VIN in 2012 and it has a green title, which means it is not a salvage title, i think

thoughts?
 
Had a couple of F150's of these years (brick noses.)

Borg transfer case is a ***** if not well maintained. The '89 liked to jump out and was a ***** to shift back in. The '87 was the opposite: shifted in fine, had to reef on the shifter hard to get it out. Couldn't tell you about the '88, it was a 2x.

As was previously mentioned, the core support on these trucks suck. But the design is as such that a rotted one at the mounts to the frame won't throw off the sheet metal. Actually look at the mounting areas.

Plan on shackles eventually. They rotted in the rain.

Not a big fan of the ttb front suspension. Center u-joints and pivot bushings are pretty common failures.

Almost bet it has an 8.8. Strong rear in these trucks. Upper rear shock mounts have a habit of rotting out to the extent you can buy new ones from Dorman.

Check the frame behind the radius arm mounts. They like to rot there.
 
An 87 will have fuel injection unless someone monkeyed with it.
I've fixed more than my fair share of Bronco/F series frame rails, mostly on the passenger side just ahead of the radius arm mount, they all like to crack or rot in the same spot.
 
daliant said:
An 87 will have fuel injection unless someone monkeyed with it.
I've fixed more than my fair share of Bronco/F series frame rails, mostly on the passenger side just ahead of the radius arm mount, they all like to crack or rot in the same spot.
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well, i guess someone monkeyed with it
the 351 turned out to be rebuild last winter
aluminum heads, eddy RPM airgap intake, 174/286 cam and 600 CFM eddy carb

a little rust here and there, but nothing big, so i bought

and...being a true ford, it sprung an oil leak on the way home

looks like it is iether coming from the distributor or the intake china wall
my money would be on the intake so that will come off for a reseal

anyone have any experience with these? i cant imagine it is any different then an LA engine, right?
 
diymirage said:
well, i guess someone monkeyed with it
the 351 turned out to be rebuild last winter
aluminum heads, eddy RPM airgap intake, 174/286 cam and 600 CFM eddy carb

a little rust here and there, but nothing big, so i bought

and...being a true ford, it sprung an oil leak on the way home

looks like it is iether coming from the distributor or the intake china wall
my money would be on the intake so that will come off for a reseal

anyone have any experience with these? i cant imagine it is any different then an LA engine, right?
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It's not very different and you should be able to work on it just fine. Also, the '87 351w engine was still carbureted...FI came in '88. Only the in-line 6 cyl got FI in '87.
 
i just hope it is indeed the china wall leaking, and not the timing cover...that would be a whole nother can of worms

i wonder if there is an easy way to find out
 
diymirage said:
i just hope it is indeed the china wall leaking, and not the timing cover...that would be a whole nother can of worms

i wonder if there is an easy way to find out
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If it's been recently apart as you say then the timing cover is no big deal. If it's never been off expect a broken bolt or two.

But, just like everything else, it's not that big of deal to get to.
 
And, while you're on the interwebs, sign up at ford-trucks.com for Windsor and Bronco specific info.
 
ramenth said:
If it's been recently apart as you say then the timing cover is no big deal. If it's never been off expect a broken bolt or two.

But, just like everything else, it's not that big of deal to get to.
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what would bother me most is getting the balancer and all that back on IF i had to do the timing cover
i wasnt very happy to see the stamped metal valve covers though, those and the lack of a PCV system might be the main cause of my oil leak (finger crossed)
then i went online to see what a set of cast aluminum valve covers runs
holy cow, those ford things are so cheap, i can get a set of valve cover WITH matching air filter lid for less then the gaskets would cost me on my mopar

oh, and i did wonder if there is a ford equivalent of FABO, i found something called "broncozone" but that place is pretty slow compared to us
 
Oh, and I did find these when I popped a valve cover off

20170602_101458.jpg
 
Those are pretty high quality rockers! Made in the USA in Florida.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Those are pretty high quality rockers! Made in the USA in Florida.
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i was pretty excited to see them

i was NOT exited to see the way they had the breathers hooked up
(ill snap a picture tomorrow)
on the driverside bank, the had a breather with the proper grommet (i actually pulled that one off to add oil)

i decided to pull the breather of the passenger side and install the PCV there
when i pulled the breather out, the first thing i noticed, was this thing looked brand new, like it never had had any oil or anything blow through it
when i inspected the grommet a little closer, i found out why...the grommet was a blank, it didnt have a hole

i got the PCV hooked up properly now (though the one breather still goes to the atmosphere, not the air filter)
and it looks (not sure yet, but definitely hopeful) like the oil leak stopped
 
diymirage said:
i was pretty excited to see them

i was NOT exited to see the way they had the breathers hooked up
(ill snap a picture tomorrow)
on the driverside bank, the had a breather with the proper grommet (i actually pulled that one off to add oil)

i decided to pull the breather of the passenger side and install the PCV there
when i pulled the breather out, the first thing i noticed, was this thing looked brand new, like it never had had any oil or anything blow through it
when i inspected the grommet a little closer, i found out why...the grommet was a blank, it didnt have a hole

i got the PCV hooked up properly now (though the one breather still goes to the atmosphere, not the air filter)
and it looks (not sure yet, but definitely hopeful) like the oil leak stopped
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So what you're saying is that they didn't have any ventilation on the engine except one cheap push in filter?

Yeah, that would cause an oil leak.
 
ramenth said:
So what you're saying is that they didn't have any ventilation on the engine except one cheap push in filter?

Yeah, that would cause an oil leak.
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Correct, one bank was vented properly, the other was effectively plugged up

(Funny thing is, I stopped at advanced auto parts to get the PCV valve, and the only grommet I could find was a Mr. Gasket 6376 which has the exact combination in it as was installed on the engine)

20170603_090939.jpg


20170603_090929.jpg



now, if i could just figure out how to get the in dash oil pressure gauge to work, i should be all set
 
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diymirage said:
Correct, one bank was vented properly, the other was effectively plugged up

(Funny thing is, I stopped at advanced auto parts to get the PCV valve, and the only grommet I could find was a Mr. Gasket 6376 which has the exact combination in it as was installed on the engine)

View attachment 1715053534

View attachment 1715053535


now, if i could just figure out how to get the in dash oil pressure gauge to work, i should be all set
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Good luck with that.
Just install an aftermarket and be done with it.

The '87, '88, and '89 all had gauge issue.
 
ramenth said:
Good luck with that.
Just install an aftermarket and be done with it.

The '87, '88, and '89 all had gauge issue.
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that is where i am now
i installed a cheap mechanical gauge and snagged it under the windshield trim with some vacuum hose, simply because i didnt like driving around with an oil leak and no gauge

im iether going to have to get the stocker working or install a proper electrical one

i wonder if there is a way to test the sending unit on the stocker
 
diymirage said:
that is where i am now
i installed a cheap mechanical gauge and snagged it under the windshield trim with some vacuum hose, simply because i didnt like driving around with an oil leak and no gauge

im iether going to have to get the stocker working or install a proper electrical one

i wonder if there is a way to test the sending unit on the stocker
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Sending unit is probably good. Check over at ford-trucks and see if anyone has an actual fix. I've never found one.

My volt meter and temp gauge was dead and the oil gauge never read right on the '89.

The '88 was dead across the board.

The '87 the oil gauge was dead. The temp worked only if it got high on temp and the volt meter worked when it wanted to.

They do make a two gauge A-pillar pod for them. Check the internet.
 
My wife has a 95. We have owned it about 4 years. It's been a solid rig. Check the operation of the rear glass. If the rear glass won't go all the way down, you can't open the tailgate.

IMG_0071.JPG
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
My wife has a 95. We have owned it about 4 years. It's been a solid rig. Check the operation of the rear glass. If the rear glass won't go all the way down, you can't open the tailgate.

View attachment 1715053573
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The rear glass seems iffy
It looks like the buttons only work when pressed very hard, a little sideways

The mechanism is bone dry too, but I didn't have any grease handy when I last looked at it

Going down goes fine...up a little less
 
diymirage said:
Oh, and I did find these when I popped a valve cover off

View attachment 1715053287
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My 85 lifted full size bronco with 33's turns on a dime. Should help with positioning a plow in tight spaces. I'm still amazed to this day how tight the turning ratio is. Never seen anything like it. Came factory with a holly on it. Said made for Motorcraft by holley. Like a 6150 or something like that. Mines a 9" drop out rear with bad bearings in diff I think and a bad fuel pump.
 
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