1983-1992 Ford RangerFirst-Generation Ranger (1983-1992)

Ford Ranger 1983-1992 year by year

How the first-generation Ranger replaced the Courier

The first-generation Ford Ranger arrived for 1983 as Ford's own compact pickup, replacing the Ford Courier, which had been a rebadged Mazda truck. Unlike the Courier, the 1983 Ranger was designed and built by Ford in North America. The Ranger quickly became the platform basis for other Ford light trucks: the Bronco II compact SUV launched for 1984 on a shortened Ranger chassis, and the Ford Explorer that replaced the Bronco II for 1991 was also Ranger-derived. The first-generation Ranger established the compact-truck formula Ford would carry through 2011.

Engines and diesels of the 1983-1992 Ford Ranger

The base engines of the early first-generation Ford Ranger were the 2.0 and 2.3 Lima four-cylinders, with the 2.0 a carbureted unit used in the lightest trucks and the 2.3 serving as the volume four-cylinder. The optional six for 1983 through 1985 was the 2.8 Cologne V6, a German-designed pushrod engine. For 1986 Ford replaced the 2.8 with the larger 2.9 Cologne V6, and the domestic 3.0 Vulcan V6 followed for 1991. The 4.0 Cologne OHV V6 arrived for 1990 as the top engine. Early first-generation Rangers also offered diesel options: a Mazda-sourced 2.2 diesel and a Mitsubishi-sourced 2.3 turbodiesel, both low-volume offerings phased out during the 1980s. Across the generation, fuel injection progressively replaced carburetors on the gasoline engines.

The Twin-I-Beam and Twin-Traction-Beam front suspension

The first-generation Ford Ranger used Ford's Twin-I-Beam independent front suspension on two-wheel-drive models, a layout that uses two long beams pivoting from the opposite frame rails. Four-wheel-drive Rangers used the related Twin-Traction-Beam (TTB) arrangement, which adds drive axles to the beams. The 4WD Ranger used a Dana 28 TTB front axle early in the generation, then a larger Dana 35 TTB after the 4.0 V6 arrived for 1990 to handle the added power. This Twin-I-Beam and TTB front-suspension family stayed with the Ranger through the 1993-1997 second generation before the 1998 redesign switched to a short-and-long-arm independent front.

Transmissions and trims

The first-generation Ford Ranger offered four-speed and five-speed manual transmissions and three-speed and four-speed automatics, with availability depending on the engine and model year. A four-speed manual was standard for the earliest 1983 and 1984 trucks, and the five-speed manual became standard for 1985. Trim levels through the generation included the base S and Ranger work trucks, the XL and XLT, the off-road-oriented STX, and a sporty Ranger GT offered from 1987 to 1989.

Frequently asked questions

What did the first-generation Ford Ranger replace?

The first-generation Ford Ranger, launched for 1983, replaced the Ford Courier, a rebadged Mazda compact pickup. The 1983 Ranger was Ford's own compact truck designed and built in North America.

What engines did the 1983-1992 Ford Ranger use?

The 1983-1992 Ford Ranger used the 2.0 and 2.3 Lima four-cylinders, the 2.8 Cologne V6 (1983-1985) replaced by the 2.9 Cologne V6 (from 1986), the 3.0 Vulcan V6 (from 1991), and the 4.0 Cologne OHV V6 (from 1990). Early trucks also offered Mazda-sourced and Mitsubishi-sourced diesels.

When did the Ford Ranger get the 4.0 V6?

The Ford Ranger gained the 4.0 Cologne OHV V6 for the 1990 model year as its top engine. At the same time the four-wheel-drive front axle grew from a Dana 28 to a larger Dana 35 Twin-Traction-Beam unit to handle the added power.

Does the first-generation Ford Ranger 4x4 have a solid front axle?

No. The first-generation Ford Ranger 4x4 used the Twin-Traction-Beam (TTB) independent front suspension, with a Dana 28 axle early and a Dana 35 from 1990, while two-wheel-drive trucks used the Twin-I-Beam layout. The Ranger did not use a short-and-long-arm independent front until the 1998 redesign.

What models share the first-generation Ranger platform?

The first-generation Ford Ranger platform underpinned the Bronco II compact SUV introduced for 1984 and the Ford Explorer that replaced the Bronco II for 1991. Both were derived from the Ranger chassis.

Sources

• Ford factory specification sheets and shop manuals for the 1983-1992 Ranger
• Wikipedia, Ford Ranger (Americas), first generation
• The Ranger Station, Ranger engine and 4x4 front-axle histories
• VIN and data-plate decoding for engine and axle identification