Guess I'll Start My 2020 FRL Thread

[Chuck Lau]

Today I ordered an Under Cover Elite LX Tonneau Hard Cover, Of course it will be color matched to my Oxford White Truck, I will be doing the install. I will need to remove the Tool Box, but, I don't think I'll miss it.

I bought one exactly like yours, However mine is Black to match & Compliment the Trim. Really Like it.

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[2020FRL]

I need these! I have a boat that I launch using my Ranger and I need something like this to protect my seats from my wet legs/shorts from walking up and down the boat ramp!

Pretty sure they make them to perfectly fit the Ranger ... I had this left over from the Cherokee ... fits well enough to sit under my puppies car seat ... ?

 

[2020FRL]

I bought one exactly like yours, However mine is Black to match & Compliment the Trim. Really Like it.

Nice ... glad you like yours ... makes me feel better about my purchase ... I had the same thoughts with the black, but, I plan to make side curtains and a rear door area over the tail gate to use the shell open as a truck bed tent ... I plan to do some exploring of this country if we ever get over covid ... so when just traveling to an area, I'll pull into a camp ground with rest rooms and showers, and spend the night. I think the white to match the truck will reflect heat better.

I have a friend that owns an awning company that will make the panels for me. I plan on insect netting and side curtains. I've been watching tent demos and gettin good ideas ... LOL ... another option would be to just put a bed tent on, then open the tonneau and sleep under it. That option would be easier, probably cheaper ... but not as challenging. ?

I'll decide which route to take when I have the tonneau. Did you install yours yourself? I plan too ... looking like it's easy. How long did it take to get to you after ordering? One last question, any leakage into the bed during rain?

 

[Chuck Lau]

Nice ... glad you like yours ... makes me feel better about my purchase ... I had the same thoughts with the black, but, I plan to make side curtains and a rear door area over the tail gate to use the shell open as a truck bed tent ... I plan to do some exploring of this country if we ever get over covid ... so when just traveling to an area, I'll pull into a camp ground with rest rooms and showers, and spend the night. I think the white to match the truck will reflect heat better.

I have a friend that owns an awning company that will make the panels for me. I plan on insect netting and side curtains. I've been watching tent demos and gettin good ideas ... LOL ... another option would be to just put a bed tent on, then open the tonneau and sleep under it. That option would be easier, probably cheaper ... but not as challenging. ?

I'll decide which route to take when I have the tonneau. Did you install yours yourself? I plan too ... looking like it's easy. How long did it take to get to you after ordering? One last question, any leakage into the bed during rain?

That Tent Idea with Mosquito Netting sounds like a Great Camping solution...I just use mine for light items, fishing, gas cans etc. But your Idea is intriguing...Took about a week to get from Truck Hero & Install is easy with Instructions provided. Except if you have a Bed Liner...With a Bed liner it is a tougher install because you have to cut thru in different places...When you unpack it check for damage as I did have one scratch ( Not Happy ) Thankfully it was small & near the rear of the top. No Leakage on this Product unless you go thru a Laser No Touch Car wash...Horizontal water at high pressure will make it through but all in all a very good quality product...I believe you will be very satisfied...Who is doing your Painting? That probably will be the main concern....Perfect paint match...Hopefully it will come out A-1.

 

[2020FRL]

That Tent Idea with Mosquito Netting sounds like a Great Camping solution...I just use mine for light items, fishing, gas cans etc. But your Idea is intriguing...Took about a week to get from Truck Hero & Install is easy with Instructions provided. Except if you have a Bed Liner...With a Bed liner it is a tougher install because you have to cut thru in different places...When you unpack it check for damage as I did have one scratch ( Not Happy ) Thankfully it was small & near the rear of the top. No Leakage on this Product unless you go thru a Laser No Touch Car wash...Horizontal water at high pressure will make it through but all in all a very good quality product...I believe you will be very satisfied...Who is doing your Painting? That probably will be the main concern....Perfect paint match...Hopefully it will come out A-1.

I purchased the tonneau from Real Truck.com ... my impression is is painted by User Covered and shipped from there. I will open the packing and inspect before I sign for it.

 

[Chuck Lau]

I purchased the tonneau from Real Truck.com ... my impression is is painted by User Covered and shipped from there. I will open the packing and inspect before I sign for it.

I'am almost 100% positive the Top is a Vendor direct to You...Real Truck is Just the Ordering Dealer...It will come from Truck Hero...Good Luck & Enjoy...Let me know How you like it.

 

[2020FRL]

I'am almost 100% positive the Top is a Vendor direct to You...Real Truck is Just the Ordering Dealer...It will come from Truck Hero...Good Luck & Enjoy...Let me know How you like it.

Will Do

 

[2020FRL]

Alrighty then .... the Pro Clip mount I purchased from a member here (Thanks to him ... payment made Friday, received Monday) came yesterday but I did not get to the mailbox until this morning.

I wasn't sure I was gonna use a Mag Safe Charger or maybe do an Apple Lightning connector to the USB ports under the heater controls and Apple Play (My first vehicle with Apple Play). I plugged a lightning connector into the usb, then into the iPhone 12. max pro. Almost instantly the Sync screen informed me that I needed to turn on Siri to use Apple Play.

I may be old school, maybe even ancient, but, Siri scares me. I don't care what anyone says, Siri sticks her nose into my business just like Alexa (don't use that at all). Having said that, I did turn it on, and the only new apps in Apple Play I could use were text (I don't text much and never while driving), Music App and Maps. I can already use the music app via the bluetooth connection and the Ranger has built in Nav, so I turned Siri off again. As a side note, I have taken great pains to "eliminate" Siri on my phone. Last count, I think it was 42 places I needed to turn it off. Most of those need to be re disabled every time Apple does an update.

I don't do "Social Media" unless you put Ranger5g in that category. I don't use any apps that "Run Home to Momma". For example Banking, Vehicle tracking, etc., I use FileMaker Go for all apps, it doesn't auto sync. I created my own apps to do what I need. Access to data on my phone is severely limited, I use maybe 0.3 gb a month, mainly my calendar and photo syncing. I always use private windows when doing anything online (might get slack on Ranger5G ... LOL). Maybe I'm fooling myself about being careful, but makes me feel better.

So as my dad used to say, "You're taking the long way around the block to get home", so bottom line. I'm sticking with the Mag Safe Charger. I simple attach the phone by holding it to the magnet, no wire to plug in. The audible app connects nicely to play my Audible Books, pretty much all I need.

I didn't receive a tool to "separate" the dash panels (Maybe they didn't include them when this was originally purchased) but it wasn't a big deal. I have a set of Harbor Freight nylon "body" tools and they worked perfectly.

I played around with right side, left side or middle. Opted for the driver's side. I used the double sided Gorilla tape to affix the Mag Safe Charger to the Pro Clip mount.

It's gonna work perfectly, especially for the Smart Phone driven brake controller. I removed the Belkin vent mount, so as it gets warmer, I'll have enough cooling.

I routed the cord behind the left vent, and will be running the cord under the heater controls and back up to the 12V plug in (the USB ports under the heater controls didn't like the Mag Charger, guessing data only???). Anyway, needed to take Mom to her doc appointment, so will finish the wire routing at a later date. Might hold off for a bit, I'm hoping Appale makes a Mag Safe Charger in black, if not, I might talke it down again and paint the parts of the cord that show with flat back Krylon pain for plastic, the white showing is annoying. Probably leave the actual magnet white and silver, just to make it easier to "see" when putting the phone there. Might also piggy back off the 12V connection inside the dash. Time will tell. Being retired, I like to tinker until I get things perfect.

 

[2020FRL]

On a different note ... thinking of using something like this on trips. I'm not talking about getting into the wild, I'm talking about spending a night in a KOA or similar "park" with restrooms and showers. just to sleep while dragging my TK1 trailer with my Harley Tri Glide to areas I'd like to explore. Anyway, I think this would work over the Under Cover Hard Tonneau ... won't know for sure until it gets here.

Less than $200 and 6 pounds, really easy set up.

 

[2020FRL]

Almost Forgot .... did manage to get the USN decal mounted.

 

[2020FRL]

I have been doing some research on what wheels and tires I want to go with. I really like the OEM 18" wheels. I don't like the Hankook tires. When I bought my truck, the dealer offered to put new OEM take off's on the truck, or, take $600 off the deal we made. I opted for the $600 off.

I've been looking at going to a 17" wheel and tire. 265/65 17's ... basically the same size tire as the 18" OEM's. Big difference, 1/2" more sidewall. I found a set of the take offs in Vegas, but that would be a two day trip there, roughly 1100 Miles. I would need to swap out my tpms first, $50. Plus the $500 for the take offs. Calculating fuel, hotel room and food, roughly $300, not to mention the 1100 miles added to the truck. Sao total cost $850, plus 1100 miles on the truck. Wouldn't mind the drive, I'm retired and my puppy loves to ride. The plus would be when the tires wore out, I could go to a 265/70 17" and fill the wheel well a bit.

Before I jumped on the deal, I called my buddy, he's a manager at a Big O to discuss my plan. He was busy, but, said come on down at noon, we can go to lunch and discuss it. I should mention,, he has a 2019 Ranger with 265/65 17" on it, and I think the ride is significantly better than mine. I met him for lunch (turned out to be the roach coach that shows up, but it was good and I bought.

He said my plan was basically sound. He asked what my plan was for the 18" rims. I told him I thought I'd put a more agressive tire on them and swap them in winter. Of course that would be like $240 for the tpms sensors. Then of course swapping twice a year.

He had a plan. He recommended I put 265/65/18' on my truck in the Micheline Energy Saver. He said, they 1/2" more sidewall and they are one of the best riding tires on the market. I was worried they would rub. He told me if I take them and they rub, come back, he'd put my old ones back on, no charge. He explained that the 265/65/18 is basically the exact size tire as the 265/70/17 but with only a 1/2" sidewall increase instead of the 1".

He then told me he had a set of take offs from one of the BLM trucks (apparently they have a deal with BLM to put off road tires on their trucks) with about 138 miles on them he'd sell me for $400 out the door. Same deal, take the tires, put them through their paces for two days, they rub or I don't like them, come back.

I thought there was no down side, so I bit on them. When they were installing them, he brought me one of my fronts and showed me they were wearing way more one the inside. He suspects the PO did not ever align the truck or rotate the tires. He recommended I have it aligned. I said do it.

About an hour later, he brought the truck to the front and handed me a bill for $400. I said, what about the alignment? He told me since I bought him lunch, he threw it in for free. Good to have friends.

I took the truck for a ride. Some around town, out on I70, and ever to the Rabbit Valley camp ground. Short trail ride, Wouldn't call it rock climbing, but, probably the most "off road" kind of stuff I'll do. Good news, I love the tires, no rubbing .... ?

As a bonus, they fill the wheel wells pretty well and look good on the truck. Now I need to clean them well, lots of tire shop marks and dust/dirt

from the trail ride.

 

[TBR17]

I bought one exactly like yours, However mine is Black to match & Compliment the Trim. Really Like it.

That is a great looking truck! Great color, cab configuration, and stance. Nicely done!!!

 

[2020FRL]

Got the tires cleaner. Just need to get rid of the tire shop "crayon" marks. Any ideas what with take it off?

Really like the way the tires help to fill the wells, and ya know, I like the rake ... reminds me of the 70's ... LOL.

 

[Chuck Lau]

Got the tires cleaner. Just need to get rid of the tire shop "crayon" marks. Any ideas what with take it off?

Really like the way the tires help to fill the wells, and ya know, I like the rake ... reminds me of the 70's ... LOL.

Brake Cleaner will remove crayon marks

 

[2020FRL]

Brake Cleaner will remove crayon marks

Thanks ... I'll try that

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