1996 Eddie Bauer

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Becks_Bronco
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

Just picked up a new to me 1996 Eddie Bauer with 167k on the clock. Paint is a bit rough, the passenger side fender and door look like someone side swiped something softish. The underside isn't perfectly rust free, but it's all surface rust that shouldn't be an issue. I was looking for a 5.8 with a relatively clean TAN interior, and a straight body.

Everything works except the overhead console, but I'm missing the tailgate window key. I guess I'll just have to order a blank and have a locksmith create a new one?

At the moment, these are the plans;

Desolate Motorsports Stage 1.5, with a Deaver Q80 low ride pack in the rear and Bilstein 5100's and some 33's. Clean up the interior a bit, maybe add Corbeau Sport Seats in Spice color to add some comfort and stability. The Eddie Bauer seats are a little blown out and wobbly, even if the pleather is in reasonably good shape. Going to drop it off for an interior deep clean and steam clean of the engine bay sometime this week.

I'll work on enjoying it camping etc, working on misc maintenance and getting everything back into good working condition. Once that's achieved, i'll start saving up for a coilover conversion and some beefy shocks out back. I'll be keeping this rig stock width, stock bodied as much as possible. Only thing i may change is the hood and front fenders to AutoFab stock glass.

Well, onto the pictures!

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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

So far I've ordered Desolate Motorsports's heavy duty steering, and blue boot ball joints. Going to see if that helps tighten up the loose wandering steering.

If that doesn't cut it, i'm going to upgrade to a red-head steering box and a new steering column. I want my girlfriend to be able to drive this truck comfortably on the highway.

The tailgate glass wiper seal is toast, so I've ordered that along with new tailgate latch striker bushings, since mine are completely missing.

All fluids will be changed to give me a good baseline as well. This won't be a daily driver, but i'd like to get it to be comfortable and reliable.
BajaBronco13
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Bronco Info: Bronco AKA The Silver Bullet
Location: Orange County, California

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by BajaBronco13 »

Nice bronco and looks like a good start for your build. If it matters, I just had my bronco at Beach Cities Painless Dent Removal and you'd be surprised what they can do to get out those dents without having to do body work.

Chris
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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

BajaBronco13 wrote:Nice bronco and looks like a good start for your build. If it matters, I just had my bronco at Beach Cities Painless Dent Removal and you'd be surprised what they can do to get out those dents without having to do body work.

Chris
Thanks man! I asked a buddy that does PDR, and i haven't heard back. I may swing it by for a quote.
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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

BajaBronco13 wrote:Nice bronco and looks like a good start for your build. If it matters, I just had my bronco at Beach Cities Painless Dent Removal and you'd be surprised what they can do to get out those dents without having to do body work.

Chris
Do you mind if I ask what you had done and how much it set you back?
BajaBronco13
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Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by BajaBronco13 »

I had small door dings, tailgate had one big dent and about 10 small ones, small dents in the fenders and it took them two days to get all of them out and it was $2k but I think it was worth every penny.
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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

BajaBronco13 wrote:I had small door dings, tailgate had one big dent and about 10 small ones, small dents in the fenders and it took them two days to get all of them out and it was $2k but I think it was worth every penny.
Sounds like a lot of work for them, but the price doesn't seem awful. I'll have to check them out, thanks man!
patrioticarms
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 29, 2018 7:30 pm
Bronco Info: 1994 bronco eddie bauer 5.8

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by patrioticarms »

Looks super clean
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THEJESUS
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed May 18, 2016 4:30 pm
Bronco Info: WHITE 1992 BRONCO XLT w/ 4" LIFT ON 35" TOYO OPEN COUNTRY'S

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by THEJESUS »

Ncie looking Rig! Can't wait to see what you do with it!
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough!
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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

THEJESUS wrote:Ncie looking Rig! Can't wait to see what you do with it!
Thanks! Just going for a clean comfortable camping cruiser that can hold its own in the fun stuff. I don’t think I have the driving skills to reall go crazy with travel etc.
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THEJESUS
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Bronco Info: WHITE 1992 BRONCO XLT w/ 4" LIFT ON 35" TOYO OPEN COUNTRY'S

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by THEJESUS »

Well you got the right truck for that! When I first got my Bronco I was shocked on how well it does off road, it will definitely holds its own. Best of luck with the build
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough!
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Becks_Bronco
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

Rolling up the tailgate glass this weekend, it started going cockeyed about 75% of the way up. had my gf push the switch while i gave it a little help staying straight, and when it got all the way to the top, i heard something fall off and clatter to the bottom INSIDE of the tailgate... awesome.

Not sure what it was, but i ordered the following parts from JBG so hopefully it'll all be good to go for another decade;
- Inner and outer tailgate seals
- Latch rod isolator clips (since i will probably break the existing ones removing stuff)
- New tailgate handle (mine is tweaked, may as well while i'm in there)
- Latch rod clips (i'll probably break these too)
- Window motor gear repair kit (insurance)
- Left and right window tracks.

I also ordered new tailgate latch striker pads, mine are inexplicably missing. Also the trim ring around the OD button on the column is also missing, so i ordered a replacement for that as well.

Also heard something rattling inside the passenger side door, so i'll probably pull the panel off to find out what that is.

I forgot what a joy it is to work on and own 90's American vehicles haha.

Oh, and the trim panel below the steering wheel seems to be cracked, so i will find out what's up there and either epoxy it, or try to find a replacement on ebay.
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Becks_Bronco
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

Also picked up a Dometic CFX 50 from a friend for a screaming deal. Cold beers, no ice. Going to mount it and it's slide on the passenger side in the rear. Should be enough room on the drivers side for most if not all my camping gear.

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Becks_Bronco
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Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

Going to attempt ball joints and all new HD steering to try and tighten up the steering slop.

Is there anything else I should go ahead and replace since everything will be apart?
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RyanDS650X
Posts: 1867
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:13 am
Bronco Info: Autofab '96 XLT 5.8
Location: Mesa, AZ
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1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by RyanDS650X »

Beam pivot bushings in poly.

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yikes
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Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:51 am
Bronco Info: 1996 with tires and stuff
Location: Yucaipa, CA

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by yikes »

I'm gonna miss that Tacoma. Just sayin.
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yikes
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Bronco Info: 1996 with tires and stuff
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Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by yikes »

Becks_Bronco wrote:Is there anything else I should go ahead and replace since everything will be apart?
Beams, radius arms, shocks, bumpers, cage, links, tires, wheels, engine, interior...just little stuff like that.
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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

yikes wrote:I'm gonna miss that Tacoma. Just sayin.
I will too, it was a fantastic little truck, but little is the key word there.
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Becks_Bronco
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:12 pm
Bronco Info: 96 Eddie Bauer, 5.8
Location: Antioch

Re: 1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by Becks_Bronco »

RyanDS650X wrote:Beam pivot bushings in poly.

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I’ll have to check them while it’s apart. I’m hoping they’re in good enough shape that I don’t have to replace them now.

The goal is to run the beams as is until I go to coil overs and do C&T at the same time, maybe a year or two from now
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RyanDS650X
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Bronco Info: Autofab '96 XLT 5.8
Location: Mesa, AZ
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1996 Eddie Bauer

Post by RyanDS650X »

You would be surprised how much steering slop comes from clapped out beam bushings... you'll have the ball joint press out anyway to do ball joints and the beam bushings might take an hour to do. Having the steering tie rods out of the way makes it much easier too. Anyway welcome back to the bronco world!

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