Welcome to the Offroad Forum!

Pathung

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What's a truck forum without an Offroad/Wheeling section, right? So here we are, to address the needs of beginner to advanced members who plan to take their Rangers offroad.

Topics in this forum is up to us all, and may include:

Builds
Offroad mods - how to's/videos, recommendations
Offroad Suspension, wheels and tires
Armor - skid plates, rock sliders, differential covers, offroad bumpers
Accessories - lighting, winches, off-grid communications, GPS/navigation
Offroading technique and safety
Recommended offroad trails/sites/venues for rock crawling, trail blasting, overlanding
Trip notes, photo threads
Overlanding
Vendor group-buys

To name just a few.

Why don't we start by each posting a self-introduction? I'll start:

I'd been offroading for about three years, in my trusty 2005 Nissan Frontier, but just last week bought an XLT CC FX4 Sport Pkg. - it's completely stock for now, but I'm looking to begin modding it fairly soon.
Sponsored

 
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t4thfavor

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Hello All,

I only do enough 4 Wheeling to get to my fishing spots, and get through the bad back roads where I live. My prior rigs include many Rangers (4), my best (prior to this Ranger) was a 93 STX on 35" BFG MT's and a 302 from a Police Interceptor, and most recently a Jeep Liberty Diesel (Don't laugh, they are actually quite capable and compact).

My normal spots include my own dirt road (feels like rock crawling much of the year), and a few logging roads in Michigan's Upper Peninsula to get to fishing spots.

I don't really plan on going wild with this Ranger as 1. It fits my current needs as is, and 2. It needs to tow my camper, and not break (yay warranty).

I do enjoy trail rides on ATV's and trucks as long as they don't get too "physical"
 

chuck stein

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Hmmm, not really sure what this section should be. Offroad for Ranger, or just offroad in general?
Anyways, since I am looking to buy a new Ranger and probably looking for mild lift with BFG T/A KO2 tires, I'll probably do the ICON front kit and a set of Alcan leaf packs with some new shocks for the rear. I will then add some weld-on rock sliders. My Tacoma had similar setup and was great.
 

Rockweiler

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I did a little bit when I had my lifted ā€˜01 Expedition (needed BIG trails! lol) and then a bit more with my Jeep
10FA3426-9836-47D7-B98D-2D871F8FE596.jpeg

4.5ā€ lift, 37ā€ BFG KM2, and Yeah! That thing had a Hemi!! Trails in my neck of the woods are mostly old logging roads: somewhat rocky, sometimes sandy but mostly muddy.

Will be going much milder with the new Ranger. You can see what Iā€™m planning and itā€™s progress in the build section under The Weekend Warrior.

Canā€™t wait to see what other guys will be up to with their rigs. Exciting!
 


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Pathung

Pathung

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Hmmm, not really sure what this section should be. Offroad for Ranger, or just offroad in general?
Anyways, since I am looking to buy a new Ranger and probably looking for mild lift with BFG T/A KO2 tires, I'll probably do the ICON front kit and a set of Alcan leaf packs with some new shocks for the rear. I will then add some weld-on rock sliders. My Tacoma had similar setup and was great.
Well, I envisioned this forum to eventually fill with topics pertaining to Rangers offroading, but since few of us have taken possession of our new Rangers, we can just chat about our experiences for now, and maybe discuss what we need to do to make our Rangers offroad-worthy.

For your entertainment, some photos:

OVERLANDING IN DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
1lACX0A.jpg


NEARLY STUCK IN A BOG AT HOLLISTER SVRA, CA
RKD90K0.jpg


WITH OTHER NISSANS AT MOAB - popular tires were 33~35-in Duratracs, KO2s A/Ts, and various M/Ts. We all had CBs, while some had Hams.
47P2sHs.jpg
 

Deleted member 773

Hollister Hills.. good memories racing in the hare scrambles and 6hr race, they were on the upper ranch and used sections of the 4x4 courses for an extra punch in the guts. I sold the dirt bikes after a series of incidents, currently rallying the hell out of my fiesta, which while is a great time, looking forward to the ranger, bought this tent for the ranger last year at Sema, tried it out in the super duty! Iā€™m planning on building tubular (we also bought a sweet tube bender at Sema) bolt on rock sliders and maybe bumpers.. waiting a bit to see what other suspension kits come out before lifting and putting bigger tires on. I went with a super crew xlt with fx4 and the 302a package, due to arrive mid to end April
90B21A92-F446-48F1-85ED-E2E01DBA1C63.jpeg
39F6B848-8FD4-4DB5-8195-584550267097.jpeg
E40AE3BC-1D3E-4F93-B4DE-E35E937FD954.jpeg
 
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Pathung

Pathung

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@BurgerBlaster, that's a pretty neat tent - who wants to carry 150 lbs. on the truck at all times... unless you have a forklift to take it off when not being used - I don't.

I like the Fiesta, with FWD and studded snow tires, you'd go anywhere in the snow, and back.

I'm likewise waiting on vendors to offer more products, and am convinced that a year on, the Ranger would be as well supported by parts vendors as the Tacoma. I don't need a crazy lift, but just about 3 inches to handle decent rock crawling; what's more important to me, though, is being able to go fast on washboard dirt roads - this I did in Death Valley and my Medium-Duty OMEs were terrific, with my M/Ts aired down to about 18 psi., I was doing about 35 mph on Saline Valley Rd. for miles with no issues.

Although the FX4 is equipped with skid plates, I don't know how thick they are... can some lucky owner measure this for us poor souls who don't yet own a Ranger? There doesn't appear to be a supplier for rock sliders yet, which have saved my rockers numerous times on rocks and steps. I purchased my Nissan sliders from a company named White Knuckle Offroad, and have sent them a note to consider tooling up a set for the Ranger - I haven't heard back yet; they make excellent sliders, and I wouldn't mind buying from them again.

Another company to consider and wait for is ARB (4WheelParts imports their products from Australia); it already makes sturdy winch bumpers for the current-generation Ranger elsewhere in the world; all it takes is for a U.S. shop to import them stateside and we're set. See photo.

LKn8NYG.jpg
 

Deleted member 773

The giant rooftop tent on a small Subaru with the suspension riding on the bump stops may be one of my favorite sights ever! Saline Valley has the worst washboard on the planet.. we did a dual sport loop out there a couple years ago.

Has anyone used the Nitto Ridge Grappler in a stock or slightly bigger than stock sizes on a medium size truck? How much do mpgs change? Curious about off-road performance and traction in snow too. I have them on my f-350 work truck, which is great, however they are pretty loud at that size and weight.
 

SchoolZoneSpeeder

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What's a truck forum without an Offroad/Wheeling section, right? So here we are, to address the needs of beginner to advanced members who plan to take their Rangers offroad.

Topics in this forum is up to us all, and may include:

Builds
Offroad mods - how to's/videos, recommendations
Offroad Suspension, wheels and tires
Armor - skid plates, rock sliders, differential covers, offroad bumpers
Accessories - lighting, winches, off-grid communications, GPS/navigation
Offroading technique and safety
Recommended offroad trails/sites/venues for rock crawling, trail blasting, overlanding
Trip notes, photo threads
Overlanding
Vendor group-buys

To name just a few.

Why don't we start by each posting a self-introduction? I'll start:

I've been offroading for about three years, in my trusty 2005 Nissan Frontier (soon to be replaced by a 2019 Ranger FX4). It has a 2.5-inch lift from an OME suspension, with full armor, on 33" M/T tires. Places that I've wheeled at include Moab, UT, and California's Lost Coast; I also do weekend jaunts to Hollister SVRA. Let's start with that.

Following is photo of my rig.

View attachment 4571
Nice! My dad has an 09 Frontier Pro4X and I love it!
 

Andy

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Anyone here live in or close to Colorado? Would be great to set up an off road meet sometime.
 
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Pathung

Pathung

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@Pathung i just measured the skid plate on my FX4. Itā€™s 13 gauge steel. 3/32 inch, 2.30 MM.
@LightningBlue Thanks for that information. I looked up the thickness on my old set of plates, and it's twice as thick, at 3/16" - there's a sizable gouge on the radiator skid, and many more on the other plates, none were dented, just "marred". We'll see how the half-as-thick Ranger plates fare when they're actually bash against rocks on the trail. Here's a link to the set of skids that I used on my Nissan: http://www.heftyfabworks.com/store/...Full-Skid-Package/p/2069023/category=13441629

I like @Andy 's post, looking for fellow offroaders in his area; if you haven't wheeled with a group of like-minded people and trucks, you're really missing out! It takes just one guy/gal per region to put a group together, for no end to the fun. Once we build a following nationwide, we can attempt to put a Moab trip together.

I'd also like to invite San Francisco Bay Area 5G (or earlier) Ranger/Explorer owners for an offroad meet - we can wheel at Hollister Hills SVRA as a group. Even if you have a 4x2, you're welcomed to join, as the park offers fun green trails, as well as blue and black-diamond trails for the more adventurous. For blue and black trails, armor and a lift are recommended.
 

LightningBlue

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@LightningBlue Thanks for that information. I looked up the thickness on my old set of plates, and it's twice as thick, at 3/16" - there's a sizable gouge on the radiator skid, and many more on the other plates, none were dented, just "marred". We'll see how the half-as-thick Ranger plates fare when they're actually bash against rocks on the trail. Here's a link to the set of skids that I used on my Nissan: http://www.heftyfabworks.com/store/...Full-Skid-Package/p/2069023/category=13441629

I like @Andy 's post, looking for fellow offroaders in his area; if you haven't wheeled with a group of like-minded people and trucks, you're really missing out! It takes just one guy/gal per region to put a group together, for no end to the fun. Once we build a following nationwide, we can attempt to put a Moab trip together.

I'd also like to invite San Francisco Bay Area 5G (or earlier) Ranger/Explorer owners for an offroad meet - we can wheel at Hollister Hills SVRA as a group. Even if you have a 4x2, you're welcomed to join, as the park offers fun green trails, as well as blue and black-diamond trails for the more adventurous. For blue and black trails, armor and a lift are recommended.
Yeah I wish it was a tad with thicker, but considering it come's at a reasonable price from the factory I can't complain. That does sound like fun, quite a drive for me though unfortunately. Who knows, if you guys set something up I may make the trip.
 
 



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