Plow bracket for an explorer fit a 03 sport trac? Front of the frame different?

[Curtis]

So Dad has a plow on his 96 and will probably be looking for something newer by next winter.

My question is....do you think the frames are different on a 03 sport trac?
He wants to go as new as he can but doesn't want to really buy a new bracket for the truck. So if the front of the frame on the sport trac was the same the bracket on the 96 could just bolt up.

If he sticks with the regular explorer he can go as new as 01 but if a sport trac was the same frame on the front, he could get as new as 03 cause the sport tracs didn't change to the 3rd gen platform till 04...

 

[brianjwilson]

The sport trac was the same from 01-05, don't know where the 04 idea came from.
Hard to say if it works because I have no idea what the mounts look like. The front of the frame looks the same to me (comparing from memory of my 97 explorer and 98 ranger), but the bumper covers are different. So it's hard to say if the brackets will line up with the actual bumper. How about some pictures or links or something?

 

[Curtis]

The sport trac was the same from 01-05, don't know where the 04 idea came from.
Hard to say if it works because I have no idea what the mounts look like. The front of the frame looks the same to me (comparing from memory of my 97 explorer and 98 ranger), but the bumper covers are different. So it's hard to say if the brackets will line up with the actual bumper. How about some pictures or links or something?

mmmm 05.. thats even better cause he could go as new as 04 sport trac assuming the frame is the same on the front.

You may be right about the bumper covers...I know Dad had to remove the lower plastic portion of his 96 bumper....Ill have to check that out...

Tks!