Advice on a 96 xlt Bronco
 

Hello everyone I'm new to the forum, I have always loved Broncos but I don't know much about them. I recently was given the opportunity to purchase a 1996 XLT with the 5.8L motor for 2,000 I need some help on determining if I should purchase The truck based on The condition and price. The truck has 250,000 miles runs has a flowmaster exhaust system aftermarket fog lights and grill. The rear window won't roll down with the button and the low range button doesn't seem to work.Interior is a little rough. I cant tell if it has the tow package but everything else on the truck even underneath looks fine. I was told the last time it was on the road was in 2008 and they kept it running every now and then. They will let me make payments on it due to my income. If I can get some help on this that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

if the body is rust free it's probably a fair deal. it has the 5.8 which is better. tune up stuff and some work and it might turn out real nice. there is still a fair amount of stuff to be had from the junk yards.

My only thought is if you are low on income or cash, there may be a more economical choice for you if you look for something else.

You'll be lucky if you get 13-15mpg in a FSB.... can you afford the gas?
With the high miles and the fact it sounds like it hasn't been driven in a while will probably translate into needing to put some cash into anticipated repairs.

To replace old tires in themselves will cost you about $800- $1000.
250k miles will probably need ball joints, tie rods etc... etc...

Do you have the time and the money that it will probably take to get this rig to a point of reliability?

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Ill be looking at the bronco again today, ill make sure to grab a flashlight and check for rust. What I failed to mention in the post is the truck will be my 2nd vehicle. My main vehicle is a ford fusion. I would work on the bronco every now and then like on the weekends and stuff. What im also really curious about is the tow package, i have read that some have it and some dont. since ill be looking at the bronco today is there anything I should look for to know that it has the package? If there is anything else I should look for and check today please feel free to let me know. Thank you everyone!

Just going off of my memory, my 95 has it, the tow package has larger radiator, oil cooler (coolant hose running to oil filter area), double front shocks and sway bars, the optional larger tires and heavier springs (as denoted on the B pillar sticker).

I think they also included the rv type 7 prong trailer wiring plug @ behind rear bumper along with the extra relays under the hood for this wiring.

There may be more. Maybe someone with additional info will chime in.

This is all helpful information I'll make sure to check for it. Hopefully it has it, thank you again. In the event that it doesn't can it be added? When I'm able to get it in a good running order I will be using it to help me move this year so I'll be pulling a small trailer behind it.

Just a thought about towing with a Bronco. It sucks.

The thing that makes the Bronco the sports car of full size utility vehicles is its short wheel base. Not as short as a CJ, but much shorter than an equally powered F-Series.

So, just keep in mind that towing too much weight or too long a trailer and you may experience that frightening tail-wagging-the-dog undamped harmonic oscillation where the trailer swings the Bronco rear suspension sideways which reacts by pushing back against the trailer which reacts by pushing back on the Bronco rear suspension until you either jack knife or slow down or stop.

And yes this sucky towing applied both to my 1993 which I ordered with the factory tow package and it also applies to my current 1995 Bronco which I bought used with the factory tow package.

One of the good things about looking at a '95 or '96 is that the E4OD transmission should be a little stronger than the '93 and earlier years. And the '96 will have OBDII and sequential fuel injection while my '95 is OBDI and multiport fuel injection. (I have no idea about the functional differences, if any, between OBDI vs II, or SFI vs MPI but I am intrigued by what the differences are.)

And oh yeah, the mpg suck too.

Edit:

Here's the VIN Decoder. Put in the VIN and check the equipment.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/vindecoder.php

My 1995 EB 5.8L has these following specs (although not denominated as "towing package"):

3.55 rear axle ratio
95 amp alternator
105" wheelbase
3800# twin-traction beam front axle
3800# rear axle
2450# capacity front/3770# capacity rear springs
HD gas shock absorbers (it has two shock absorbers per front wheel)
Front stabilizer bar
Pwr steering
32.0 gallon fuel tank w/skid plate

Chrome rear-step bumper (4000# trailer tow rating)

Since it does have the Ford oem 7-pin trailer receptacle, and it otherwise looks like the 1993 EB 5.8L Bronco which I specifically ordered with the factory trailer towing package, I think it is safe to assume that these spec constitute the oem tow package.

One more thing, the factory oem tow package did not include a receiver hitch, rather just a beefed up rear bumper. So I had U-Haul install a Class 4 frame mounted receiver hitch on both vehicles and I suggest that you do that rather than use the bumper which is limited to 4,000 pounds.

Here is a great thread about the tow capacity of a 1996 Bronco:

http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/...-5-8-351w.html

YRMV.