ok guys i have a 1998 ranger and i tried the free vin decoder on here and it keeps telling me invalid......and i triple checked it 17 digits and all, regardless of that i just want to kno what model i have? styleside or flareside, or splash? how do i tell
the difference lol? i did other vin checks and they dont say which ethier, so mines a 98 supercab 2 door, 4,o motor and the bed across on the inside is ONLY 46 inches wide...........thats what started all this im looking for a USED tool
box for it and they are all to big, aso aNY HELP FINDING OUT WHAT i have is appreciated thnx bb vin# 1ftyr14x3wta36049 p.s i just found out it was because i wasnt using CAPS in the decoder, but it still didnt tell me which of the above thnx

 

The serial number has that info which is the last 6 digits in VIN, starts with A

So a Ford site VIN decoder "may" have that info, because it would have access to Ford serial numbers

Rangers only had 2 bed styles, straight side(style side), wheel wells inside the bed, and step side(flare side) wheel wells on outside of bed<<narrower bed, tailgate and bumper

You can get the 1998 Ford Ranger brochure here: Auto-Brochures.com|Ford Car & Truck PDF Sales Brochure/Catalog/Flyer/Info Aerostar Bronco Bronco II C-Max Contour Crown Victoria E-Series Econoline Edge Elite Escape Escort Excursion Expedition Explorer Explorer Sport F-150 F-250 F-350 F-450 Festiva

Looks like the Splash came with regular bed but step side was an option

Very hard to find canopies and tool boxes that fit the step side model

 

ok i didnt have any luck with the vin decoder sites or 2 ford dealers for free anyway? still dont know what i have lol im including 2 pix to see if that helps? and it is an XLT by the way dont kno if i included that info or not earlier thnx bb

 

Its a flareside, narrow bed

You should look at building a tool box yourself or if you want a metal box ask a local fabricator to make one to your specs

 

ok thnx ill look into that thnx again

 

https://www.vehiclehistory.com/vin-r...tailed-records





QUOTE=1998ranger!;2180664]ok guys i have a 1998 ranger and i tried the free vin decoder on here and it keeps telling me invalid......and i triple checked it 17 digits and all, regardless of that i just want to kno what model i have? styleside or flareside, or splash? how do i tell
the difference lol? i did other vin checks and they dont say which ethier, so mines a 98 supercab 2 door, 4,o motor and the bed across on the inside is ONLY 46 inches wide...........thats what started all this im looking for a USED tool
box for it and they are all to big, aso aNY HELP FINDING OUT WHAT i have is appreciated thnx bb vin# 1ftyr14x3wta36049 p.s i just found out it was because i wasnt using CAPS in the decoder, but it still didnt tell me which of the above thnx[/QUOTE]

 

ok thnx for that ill check em

 

On a 1998 Ranger, the easiest way to tell is by the bed shape, not the VIN decoder: a Styleside bed has smooth, straight outer sides with the wheel wells tucked inside and is about 50–51 inches wide between the wheel wells, while a Flareside (stepside) bed has visible rear fenders that flare out on the outside and a much narrower interior width (around 40–46 inches); since you measured 46 inches inside, that strongly points to a Flareside bed, which also explains why standard toolboxes feel too wide with lookup window sticker by vin here https://carfast.express/en/window_sticker , and the Splash is not a separate bed style at all but an appearance package that was typically based on a Styleside bed with flares, decals, and trim—so if your bed has the classic step and exposed rear fenders, you’ve got a Flareside, not a Styleside or a true Splash.