Installed Bakflip MX4, AMP Research Bed Extender HD Max, and DeeZee Tailgate Damper

Nutty 5.0

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First many thanks to everyone on here sharing their opinions on the tonneaus. I haven’t had one since my 02 F150 I bought new and there’s so many new options these days. It’s difficult to sift through every possible brand. I was at SEMA 2018 and was blown away how many of these are out there. It filled up an entire building of two floors and maybe more.

Our criteria is based on the wife’s needs more than mine as she’s the primary driver of it. Initially I was planning on a soft rolling but after she saw the options, she wanted a hard trifold with the ability to remove it if needed. Well there goes many of the cheaper options being a hard fold. :crying: She wants to keep the back seat area free of stuff so that means using the bed for groceries, laptop bag, and horse stuff. With that she wanted a bed extender as we had it in our 2010 F150. We used it a lot! My criteria was making the wife happy lol. If I use it, it will be to haul a pinball machine on occasion and I can wrap it/plan around weather for the most part. I was at 13 machines and have had at least that many more that have come and gone. Down to 4 keepers and most pinball related stuff is working on them for other people. Many of the younger folks here may not remember them. I’m 45 and most younger haven’t seen them. They are making a comeback and new ones are being made.

To get BAK on track, theBakflip MX4 got the nod from the wife so I shopped around for the best price. Thanks to others on here, I went with one from Tonneau Factory Outlet for $829.99 shipped. That was the best price I could find. I paid on Tuesday and had it on Friday drop shipped from BAK Industries. The box was kinda beat up but all looked fine inside. The only zonk from me is that both prop rod clips were broken. What a crappy design. They shouldn’t install them for shipping and maybe that wouldn’t happen. Or make them stronger/better. I called the customer service number Friday night right before they closed at 7pm EST. They get kudos for that. They’re sending me both new clips. I may ask my friend to try making something with his 3D printer as I don’t see them holding up well in normal use anyway.

Not much for bed extenders it be than both styles of AMP Research extenders. And another thanks to members here that confirmed the HD Max version https://www.amp-research.com/amp-research-74842-01a-bedxtender-hd-max works with the MX4. I can confirm it does. I got it on Amazon for $252.18 shipped with Prime. AMP Research 74842-01A BedXTender HD Max for 2019 Ford Ranger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QQDV9J2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ky0gEbD9HZVNX It came Saturday ordering Thursday afternoon. Funny thing is it came while I was installing the MX4. It is well packed, easy to install, and looks nice matching the spray in liner and cover being a matte black. The wife liked that. (She’s an interior design graduate.)

I ordered an Extang MaxSeal for the tailgate area after everyone else said it’s almost mandatory to keep from leaking due to the Rangers design. I went to Amazon for this for convenience for $20. Extang 1140 MaxSeal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CN5QG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_aS0gEb70CZ5C9

Lastly, we got the Ford accessory tailgate damper because we are weak and feeble lol! Actually I got one for my 2010 F150 before these were a factory “thing”. We liked it not slamming and having the man step with camera and stripper pole I liked the idea of it closing slow. It still worked great the day we sold the truck this July. We got it from Varsity Ford with yet again thanks to forum members for $39.90. https://www.varsityfordparts.com/oem-parts/ford-damper-assembly-vkb3z99406a10a

Few pics of parts. Install info to follow.
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Nutty 5.0

Nutty 5.0

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The tailgate damper was my first part to install. As everyone said, it’s simple install. I have the tools needed so didn’t need to check that I had them. Chalk that up to having and working on Fords for many years, the larger 30+ torx drivers are in my toolbox.

Chose not to paint them. Maybe down the road but not likely.
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Nutty 5.0

Nutty 5.0

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I was expecting some headaches installing the Bakflip after reading on here. I did research and still had issues and I’m not foreign to major projects. The biggest problem is line other said the instructions suck. They have all of these separate instructions and makes it confusing. They need to have one dedicated 19+ Ranger instruction set. My largest complaint was the bulkhead rail: two sets of instructions that are different regarding the well nuts and the washer that goes behind or in front.

The passenger side well nut was fine with the washer in front. The oval hole on driver side was the issue. I tried both ways and ruined the well nut as it kept pulling through. I made a run to HD and they do sell these. I’d recommend that you pick some up in case you have a similar issue.
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They had two 10-32 sizes so got two of both. I used the 1 1/16”. Finally used a 3rd washer (they only give 2) for behind the bulkhead. Put a rag between the cab and bed. Thank me now! My fat fingers kept dropping the washer. :curse: Using the washer on both sides of the driver side made the difference for the well nut to bite. I only used hand tools; no cordless screwdrivers.

Brackets were easy to install but I do have metric taps on hand and you’ll need the M8 x 1.25 if you have a spray in liner for the forward brackets. Rearward ones just needed a little tapping of a rubber dead blow to clear the tight tolerance of the u notch from the spray in liner.
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Rails and cover: they came with single shims installed 4 per side. I had a hard time getting the forward ones to grab so used two shims in the end. When I laid the cover in place, the angle of the brackets that the plastic wing nuts needed to secure through was impossible to push through and thread the nuts with washers through alone. The instructions recommend 2 people for install and agree with this. I used an extra shim for the middle clamp. Squared up the cover and cinched down the 6 clamps with 9/16” ratcheting wrench while pushing down to keep the arch of the bed. This is another place a second person would have helped. My wife wasn’t home and the cat was busy.
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It looks great and fits awesome. I think I spent 3-4 hours including the HD ride. It shouldn’t be that hard if the instructions didn’t keep you second guessing. I didn’t use these two square pads and I thought I saw they were needed but couldn’t find the video. Saving in case someone here sheds some light. The instruction don’t call for them either. Which is another complaint. They had shims, rubber seal for bulkhead and felt for bulkhead. They should have marked these as I wasn’t sure which was installed where until I watched Noah installing from Stage 3. Once installed it makes sense but even the shims weren’t really shims; more like a cork sticker but they are effective.
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Nutty 5.0

Nutty 5.0

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The bed extender is a piece of cake. You need only a torx t-25. And a metric M6 x 1 tap if you have a spray in liner to mount the pivot brackets (4 holes and bolts). I went with recommend two washers behind each with brackets down all the way which was a perfect fit.
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I'm jealous of the pinball machines! I never got into video games but that use to be my favorite thing to do when I was young (many years ago lol). We had an arcade in the local mall which was about 4 miles away and a bunch of us would walk there and play pinball. My dad had a huge jug of quarters and he started to wonder where they were all disappearing to? :lipssealed:

You're Rangers looking good with the accessories. I love my bed extender and use it all the time and same with the tailgate damper (for us weaklings). ;)
 


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Nutty 5.0

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Here’s the instructions for the MX4. Maybe these will help someone out in the future. Note the bulkhead discrepancies (two different versions with differing locations for washers) and steps 10 & 11 of the main “instructions” are missing pictures. :facepalm:

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Few more pics.
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I'd have a real hard time deciding what to drive between those two. Hmmm do I want to drive fast or faster lol
 

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Just go to Lowe’s and pick up a cable clamp in the electrical aisle for the prop rod. 70 cents.
 
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Great looking truck and Shelby! I haven’t seen many with the red stripe option, must be pretty rare!
Thank you. Most don’t notice that. It’s one of 38 for 2012.
 

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I’m really liking how the MX4 actually has nice finished corners now.
 
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One of the new CLIPS broke installing. I know how to install but these are really brittle! They’re sending me out extras so kudos to them!
Well another pair came today overnighted. POS clips. They sent two and they both broke. I am going to highly recommend against Bakflip until the redesign. I’m not some idiot they knows not how to be careful.
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