1986 Bronco II — Fuel injection, rear-wheel drive and a diesel broaden the line

This page covers the U.S.-market Bronco II, not the same-year full-size Bronco. Available specialist histories identify 1986 as the line's largest early mechanical expansion: a 140-hp fuel-injected V6, newly available 4x2 models, shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive and an optional 2.3-liter turbodiesel. Published production splits are retained with attribution because the table does not document its original factory source.

Why it matters

1986 changed Bronco II from a four-wheel-drive-only, carbureted compact SUV into a broader range spanning 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains, gasoline injection and diesel power.

What this page covers

Market: United States; Ford Bronco II peer family, distinct from the 1986 full-size Bronco.

Body styles: Three-door compact body-on-frame wagon in 4x2 or 4x4 form

What changed for this year

Rear-wheel drive arrives: Specialist histories identify 1986 as the first Bronco II year with 4x2 availability alongside 4x4. Published body codes include 21E for 4x2 and 21I or 211 for 4x4, but a factory code book remains desirable. [1] [2]
Shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive: Year-by-year histories place shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive availability in the 1986 update. Exact trim and transfer-case combinations require factory ordering literature. [1] [2]

Models and trims

Base through XLT: Base, XL, XLS and XLT continued in the available secondary trim chronology, with Eddie Bauer positioned as a premium XLT treatment. Exact drivetrain and diesel availability by trim remains incompletely documented. [1] [3]

Engines and transmissions

2.9-liter fuel-injected V6: The electronically fuel-injected 2.9-liter Cologne V6 replaced the carbureted 2.8-liter. Specialist references report 140 hp and 170 lb-ft. [1] [2] [4]
Optional 2.3-liter turbodiesel: A Mitsubishi-sourced 2.3-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder was offered for 1986-1987. The current research does not establish a reliable factory output figure or complete transmission pairing, so neither is guessed. [1] [2]

Capability and specifications

Published 4x4 production: 119,564: Bronco II Corral reports 119,564 four-wheel-drive units for 1986. [5]
Published 4x2 production: 25: The same table reports only 25 rear-wheel-drive units, yielding 119,589 total. The strikingly small first-year 4x2 figure is preserved, but remains provisional because the page gives no original Ford-record citation. [5]

Colors and interiors

Complete palette not established: The reviewed evidence does not provide a factory-complete 1986 paint, upholstery and trim-code matrix. Verify a surviving truck against its certification label and period ordering literature. [1] [3]

Options and packages

A broader configuration problem: Gasoline or diesel power, 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrains, shift-on-the-fly hardware and multiple trims created more possible combinations than prior years. The page does not claim unsupported pairings. [1] [2] [3]

Safety and recalls

Later rollover investigation provides context: Bronco II became the subject of major rollover criticism and a federal investigation later in the decade. Those events matter to ownership, but are not mislabeled as a 1986 equipment change or recall. [2] [6]
Inspect modified drivetrains carefully: Confirm the engine, transfer case, axles and emissions equipment against VIN and labels; diesel swaps and later 2.9-liter repairs can obscure original configuration. [1] [4]

Owner and buyer notes

Identify 4x2 and 4x4 correctly: Use VIN, certification and axle/transfer-case evidence rather than exterior stance or badges. The rare published 4x2 count makes accurate identity especially important. [1] [5]
Do not substitute full-size data: The 1986 full-size Bronco had a different chassis and engine range. Parts, production totals and specifications are not interchangeable with Bronco II. [1] [2]

Stories from this year

Twenty-five rear-drive trucks, according to one table: The published 25-unit 4x2 figure makes 1986 appear extraordinarily scarce in rear-wheel-drive form. Without the table's underlying factory record, the number is worth preserving as an attributed lead rather than declaring it definitive. [5]
Diesel became a two-year footnote: The optional 2.3-liter turbodiesel lasted only through 1987. Its limited run makes original documentation important and argues against filling missing output or availability details from unrelated Ranger applications. [1] [2]

Sources and footnotes

Bracketed references beside a fact lead to the document that supports it.

Bronco II Corral model history Specialist model history
Ford Bronco II overview Secondary chronology with cited references
MotoGallery Bronco II trim histories Specialist trim history
The Ranger Station 2.9-liter V6 technical history Specialist technical reference
Bronco II Corral production numbers Enthusiast production table; sourcing method unstated
Washington Post archive on Bronco II handling criticism Contemporary news archive

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