i understand. Also, that weathertech cafe is awesome. I had to go back because the wrong part and I got a second coffee. ? free coffee is one helluva sales tactic. Might go in for free coffee and “browse” their selection tomorrow. ?
i like that color combo very sharp!!Finally joined recently - but have been reading since last year. Ordered my 22 Christmas week of 21 and it arrived April 20 2022.
Best truck i have ever owned - mostly because I got exactly what i wanted, not something off the lot.
Did not do anything today - but what i have done since last year
spent way too much money as everyone says - but i wanted it all
hood decalrollbarcustom decal on rollbar sidesbumper steptailgate and grille decalslight on the rollbar - not fully wired yetwhat is sitting in the shop awaiting install
switch prodash tray mounting plateputco freedom blade - going on the rollbar - not the tailgate
and now i am perusing posts to see what else i want to do - i guess it never ends
The best of both worlds.
Nice truck, did you add a damper? By the way, the light cover on your overhead garage door motor is open.Finally joined recently - but have been reading since last year. Ordered my 22 Christmas week of 21 and it arrived April 20 2022.
Best truck i have ever owned - mostly because I got exactly what i wanted, not something off the lot.
Did not do anything today - but what i have done since last year
spent way too much money as everyone says - but i wanted it all
hood decalrollbarcustom decal on rollbar sidesbumper steptailgate and grille decalslight on the rollbar - not fully wired yetwhat is sitting in the shop awaiting install
switch prodash tray mounting plateputco freedom blade - going on the rollbar - not the tailgate
and now i am perusing posts to see what else i want to do - i guess it never ends
You got yours already?Installed the new SUMA mirrors from the group purchase on here. Also installed my new Tremor wheels, just have to program TPMS
Dammit, man!I finally did it after a year of back and forth. My big motivation is that part of me secretly desires to be Mad Maxy like @DukeCanBuildit and part of me is for self-reliance. Even though I don't plan of ever 4-wheeling with my 2WD Soupie, I still like the possibility of pulling myself out of a jam with a come-along.
So I installed those Rough Country tow hook shackle dealios. First off, and I'll ask them about it on Monday, one two hook was nicely made and the other must have been welded by someone wiith a bad hangover. That one is total crap - poor welds and it took me 10 minutes with a dremel to fix the piss poor alignment to allow the shackle pin to go all the way through. "Powder coating" isn't of much use once it's ground away.
Anyway, enough moaning and I did plenty of cussing installing these things.
First off, I have an XL 2-WD so no tow hooks on the front and that lower valance isn't cut out.
Popping off the lower valence wasn't as hard as I thought (I'm a total newb with plastic fasteners). There are five 10 mm bolts on the bottom that are easy to reach.
- I ordered the hook/shackle things:
https://www.roughcountry.com/ford-tow-hook-shackle-conversion-kit-rs144c.html- The proper cut-out valance:
https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-valance-lb3z17626captm- The 4 OEM hook bolts:
https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-tow-hook-bolt-w720626s900- The 2 rubber air dams, left and right (hope @DukeCanBuildit gives me a hint at how he cut his to fit):
https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-ranger-hook-bezel-kb3z2101927b
https://parts.levittownfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-ranger-hook-bezel-kb3z2101926b
BUT ... there are two Torx25 screws on the top outside edges that I broke the anchor points off. It didn't matter because those were part of the old valance.
Then there are 5 plastic tabs. A plastic trim tool helped a little but just firmly pulling did the trick. There are also "hooked tabs" that slip into slots in the grill opening where the Putco grill and license plate bracket attach. If I were to do this again, I'd probably take that off with the valance as one unit. That darn hindsight! =)
Once off, I saw that the air dam needed to be trimmed for the Rough Country parts to mount. Standard OEM tow hooks would not need that to be done.
So off I went to Lowe's to get a Dremel and rotary cut bit (not sure what that's called, kind of like a milling bit). I thenmutilatedprecisely trimmed the air dam. =p
After getting ABS shavings all over myself, I continued working with a smile on my face (read: I was ready to throw my torque wrench at the next passing car!). =D
It wasn't bad bolting them into place and I thought I was home free ...
Well, like I said, me and plastic fasteners is a tougher puzzle that Indiana Jones ever faced! =p
I finally realized that you're supposed to reshape those metal clips and place them on the tab and not in the hole. Yes, I put them in the hole and they promptly got shot back behind the bumper. That was really relaxing, craning my hand behind the bumper trying to feel for those clips. And not just once, but probably 5 times! I'm a slow learner ...
Thank God for knee pads and a rubber mat, it was murder getting my fat @$$ up, down, and under the truck a zillion times. =(
Two hours later (!!!), it was done, including "fixing" the one crappy Rough Country tow hook/shackle thing.
old valance off and the indispensable knee pads & kneeling mat
when I was 15, I worked in a butcher shop and those skills show here!
just admire that precision, and be envious if you must =p
eesh, quite the weld glob, makes you want to grab a file
what craptacular QA at Rough Country, what a glob of a bead!
should have dry fitted the shackle, it would not go past this alignment sh!t show!
should have tried it first, but it wasn't ever gonna get through that!
finally, after 10 minutes of Dremel grinding ...
they should work for my mellow needs (probably never get used)
Soupie's nipple rings! More HP but less payload!
I'm happy with them, for what they are, I hope Rough Country sends me one replacement
five 10mm bolts, five plastic clips, and a bunch of "tabs" at the top
leftover parts - when I figured out that the clips needed to be placed on the tabs, it was too late, the valance was back on (I learned how the clips work on the part that stayed on the truck that I had partially pried off and that's where the two T25 screws go too). But it seems to be on there pretty solid ...
You're not kidding! I am not graceful at all in doing anything that requires me getting on the ground! Plus my expletives would need an adult rating! =p
That's the AzScorpion I know! It looks pretty fantabulous! =)Had insomnia last night so I thought why not get up at 4:00am and wash it. ?
It was really the only time I could do it anyways seeing it's still scorching hot here and easier to do now than later when the sun goes down and it's 110. Figured while I was at it I might as well hit it with more 303 Graphene Detailer too.?
Well, they're not well know for precise parts and there's a reason for their name...... Rough Country.?what craptacular QA at Rough Country, what a glob of a bead!
should have dry fitted the shackle, it would not go past this alignment sh!t show!
should have tried it first, but it wasn't ever gonna get through that!
finally, after 10 minutes of Dremel grinding ...
Yoda say's...Well, they're not well know for precise parts and there's a reason for their name...... Rough Country.?
Also, thank you for not showing the instal pics of you while in your Speedo! I need one day of rest so my eyes can heal. ??
Yes, mine were the basic with Blind Spot thingy. Huge improvement in view, but I didn’t really have a big problem previously. I haven’t had a chance to tow my trailer to see a difference. It took about 2 days to get used to the wider view. Overall I’m happy I did it, if there was no sale here I don’t think I would have gotten them as they are not a need to have. Overall if you have some money to spend it’s a solid purchase.
