1992-1996 5th Gen Ford Bronco Buyer's Guide

1992-1995 Ford Bronco Buyer's Guide and Common Problems!

The exterior design of the 5th generation Bronco can be summed up in one word: handsome. It’s a good-looking truck, through and through. Some may even say it has a timeless design. The front end is borrowed from the then redesigned 1992 F150 pickup truck and really makes a fine statement on the Bronco. The combination of the 9 hole grille, headlights, and rounded front bumper work together to create a cohesive front-end look. The profile of the vehicle features a body line that runs from the front of the vehicle, through the door under the door handle, and ends just above the rear tail light. The integrated look of the removable fiberglass top adds character, while the front doors offer vent windows that allow fresh air to enter the cabin. The B-pillar gives way to the large windows built into the fiberglass topper. The rear end has a simplistic, yet clean design with an integrated power window in the tailgate and a Ford emblem to the right of the left tail light. The overall look is truck-like and attractive, yet the Bronco never looks overbearing.

The 5th generation Bronco had an available XLT NITE package for the 1992 model year only. This package consisted of a Raven Black exterior, black exterior trim including the bumpers, bodyside graphics with the “NITE” nomenclature, swing-away spare tire carrier with “NITE” logo on the tire cover, and forged deep-dish wheels.

For the 1995-1996 model years, the XLT Sport package gave the exterior a monochrome finish. Available in White, Red, or black the Sport featured a color-keyed grille, headlight surrounds, cab steps, and black aero mirrors.

In the early to middle 90s, trucks hadn’t yet made the push towards extreme luxury, but Ford did what they could to keep drivers and passengers happy. Designers incorporated a decent amount of creature comforts into the cabin. All models but the base Custom or XL came with cloth front buckets seat with power lumbar adjustments. XLT and Eddie Bauer featured a color-keyed two-piece headliner, a full set of instrument gauges along with a tachometer, speed control, and a tilt steering wheel.

1994 models saw the addition of a new steering wheel along with a driver’s side airbag.

The Bronco was equipped as standard with Automatic Locking Hubs. Manual Locking Hubs and the 4x4 Electron Touch Drive were optional.
Electronic Touch allowed the driver to shift on the fly from 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive high at normal road speeds. The lock the automatic hubs, you would stop the vehicle and shift into 4-wheel drive high. The hubs were then automatically locked as soon as you started driving forward.

The automatic hubs work similarly with either the manual shift transfer case or the Touch Drive push-button transfer case. When the transfer case is shifted into 4WD, the front driveshaft starts spinning, which then turns the front axles and engages the front hubs.

With the manual locking hubs, you would need to get out of the vehicle and turn the front selector knobs a quarter of a turn to lock the hubs into a 4-wheel drive and then push the button to engage 4-wheel-drive or pull the lever inside the cabin to a 4-wheel drive setting.

The bronco is a full-size body frame 4x4 utility truck. It features a twin traction beam front axle, 4 wheel Anti Lock disc brakes (the 1992 model had rear-wheel anti-lock only), heavy-duty gas shock absorbers, a front stabilizer bar, and a 32-gallon gas tank. The rear sported an 8.8 axle first introduced for the 1983 model year and the front used a Dana 44 TTB unit first used in 1980. 

Common Problems:

TIF/PIP Modules

Water intrusion from the rear tailgate

HVAC System:
If you’re only getting air coming out of the defrost vents, it may be a vacuum problem. The HVAC system is designed to provide defrost when no vacuum is present at three air door vacuum motors. A leak in the vacuum control circuit will send all airflow to the defroster outlets.

Twin-traction beam front end:
Weak point: beam pivot bushings especially if you have a leaky oil pan. The oil can break down the bushings quickening, causing accelerated wear. An upgrade to poly bushings is available.

Worn tie-rod ends that are past their prime and cause a wondering front end and sloppy steering response. Worn tie rods also make it hard to properly align the front end.

Rust:
Rear fender lips, front fender right below the badge (if they are still there), rear tailgate, rain gutters, and B Pillar. The core support can rust badly between the frame rails and around the body mounts.