Highlander
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Frank
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2022
- Threads
- 11
- Messages
- 565
- Reaction score
- 2,575
- Location
- Nova Scotia, Canada
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Ford Ranger Shadow Black Lariat 501A TREMOR
- Occupation
- Private
- Vehicle Showcase
- 1
- Thread starter
- #1
Welcome to my 2021 Ranger and add-on review.
You can also check out my Showcase. For more photos, check out Look at my Ranger parked next to stuff.
Post #8, has all the instructions for all my add-on's. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
First a bit of background. This is my third truck. The first was a new 1999 Mazda B3000 regular cab 4x4. Or I suppose, a better looking third generation Ranger. The B3000 was lower priced than the Ranger at the time, and had a far better looking grille. I got a lot of great use out of it. Five years in, and I had a three inch body life put on. I ran 31" BFG M+S for a few years, before I added 33" M+S. I don't seem to have any photos running the 33"s. I had it until March 2011.
Taken the first week. First vehicle, first new vehicle, and first truck.
Five years later and three inches higher.
Twelve years later, it was time to move up. The Ford Ranger in 2011 was a dead truck, and what it was, wasn't getting great reviews. So the '99 Mazda, was traded in on a new Second Generation, 2011 Toyota Tacoma, TRD Off Road in March of 2011. Great truck for what it was. Big upgrade over the B3000. Lot's of off road goodies. Lots of things to like, and not to like. The switch combinations, and placement were not great. I'm only 5' 10", and this truck had horrible seating. But considering what was out there, it was what it was. I had an Icon spring pack added to the rear, and had Bilstein 6112's in the front. I had added the old school TOYOTA lettering to the tailgate, and a few other small things, as well as running 32" General Grabbers AT, and the new BFG KO2. Good for what it was, and if it wasn't for a winter mishap, I'll still be in it.
Second vehicle, second new vehicle, and second truck.
One of the only old school tailgates running around my neck of the woods. I also swapped out the TRD decals for the older style.
With the added TRD skid plate.
So with the Tacoma down, what was I going to get. After 11 years of the Tacoma, I didn't think I would want another. I had watched the Ranger release in 2019, and it was in the running. And looking around it was going to be the truck. I discovered the Tremor package, and I had to have it. All the mods I've done in the past, from factory. Great truck. I have nothing but good things to say about it. From seating to button/control placement, and ease of use. So what could I do to improve it, or "make it mine".
Third vehicle, third new vehicle, and third truck.
As part of my purchase I added the Ford Trailer Brake Controller Kit - Ford (VKB3Z-2C006-A). Once it came it, my dealer installed it.
I have no review of this yet.
Big shout-out to Benny of LevittownFordParts.com. Items I got from him were:
License Bracket - Ford (KB3Z-17A385-A), easy install, and helps to be seen.
Engine Cover - Ford (L1MZ-6A949-A), easy install, looks great, and does provide a small bit of noise damping.
Lumen TouchLink Bed Lighting Kit - (VKB3Z-13E754-A). A friend helped me install these. My truck came with the drop-in liner (KB3Z-9900038-AB). I thought about replacing it, but have grown to appreciate it for what it is. My B3000 had one, and it never gave me trouble. Here it's great, as all of the add-ons which would require drilling, just go into the liner. No cutting or drilling of the bed steel. The wiring was attached to the wiring already running to the engine bay, so it's a bit neater than the instructions.
Next is the Boxtamer; a product from Canada. It's cleaner looking than a 2"x10", lighter and will hold up to warping. It's not for everyone, but I like it, so I'm fine. I do recommend it.
The one issue I had, was the curve in the drop-in liner. I designed a shim, and had a co-worker make me one from a dense non-water absorbing hardwood. It was then coated in bed liner, to match the Boxtamer brackets. Anyone looking to do this, can reach out and I'm more than happy to provide the shim spec drawings.
The next add-on was a 12V power port from ebay seller Bilkoauto. Where I have a drop-in liner, his power port assembly caused an issue. It didn't fit. After some back and forth, we have a working, well made 12V assembly which is fitted to work for those with a drop-in. Great guy to work with. I can't recommend him enough.
Next was the tonneau. On my B3000, I had a local truck shops hard fiberglass strut model. When closed it covered the tailgate. Heavy, and if water got into the lock, you were locked out of your truck. On the Tacoma, I had a Extang Tri-Fold. Not a bad cover. You had to watch it in the winter, as the foam rubber side seals would freeze to the bed-rails. And unless you want to rip them apart, you left the cover down. But you could access the bed, by dropping the tailgate.
To be Continued...
You can also check out my Showcase. For more photos, check out Look at my Ranger parked next to stuff.
Post #8, has all the instructions for all my add-on's. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
First a bit of background. This is my third truck. The first was a new 1999 Mazda B3000 regular cab 4x4. Or I suppose, a better looking third generation Ranger. The B3000 was lower priced than the Ranger at the time, and had a far better looking grille. I got a lot of great use out of it. Five years in, and I had a three inch body life put on. I ran 31" BFG M+S for a few years, before I added 33" M+S. I don't seem to have any photos running the 33"s. I had it until March 2011.
Taken the first week. First vehicle, first new vehicle, and first truck.
Five years later and three inches higher.
Twelve years later, it was time to move up. The Ford Ranger in 2011 was a dead truck, and what it was, wasn't getting great reviews. So the '99 Mazda, was traded in on a new Second Generation, 2011 Toyota Tacoma, TRD Off Road in March of 2011. Great truck for what it was. Big upgrade over the B3000. Lot's of off road goodies. Lots of things to like, and not to like. The switch combinations, and placement were not great. I'm only 5' 10", and this truck had horrible seating. But considering what was out there, it was what it was. I had an Icon spring pack added to the rear, and had Bilstein 6112's in the front. I had added the old school TOYOTA lettering to the tailgate, and a few other small things, as well as running 32" General Grabbers AT, and the new BFG KO2. Good for what it was, and if it wasn't for a winter mishap, I'll still be in it.
Second vehicle, second new vehicle, and second truck.
One of the only old school tailgates running around my neck of the woods. I also swapped out the TRD decals for the older style.
With the added TRD skid plate.
So with the Tacoma down, what was I going to get. After 11 years of the Tacoma, I didn't think I would want another. I had watched the Ranger release in 2019, and it was in the running. And looking around it was going to be the truck. I discovered the Tremor package, and I had to have it. All the mods I've done in the past, from factory. Great truck. I have nothing but good things to say about it. From seating to button/control placement, and ease of use. So what could I do to improve it, or "make it mine".
Third vehicle, third new vehicle, and third truck.
As part of my purchase I added the Ford Trailer Brake Controller Kit - Ford (VKB3Z-2C006-A). Once it came it, my dealer installed it.
I have no review of this yet.
Big shout-out to Benny of LevittownFordParts.com. Items I got from him were:
License Bracket - Ford (KB3Z-17A385-A), easy install, and helps to be seen.
Engine Cover - Ford (L1MZ-6A949-A), easy install, looks great, and does provide a small bit of noise damping.
Lumen TouchLink Bed Lighting Kit - (VKB3Z-13E754-A). A friend helped me install these. My truck came with the drop-in liner (KB3Z-9900038-AB). I thought about replacing it, but have grown to appreciate it for what it is. My B3000 had one, and it never gave me trouble. Here it's great, as all of the add-ons which would require drilling, just go into the liner. No cutting or drilling of the bed steel. The wiring was attached to the wiring already running to the engine bay, so it's a bit neater than the instructions.
Next is the Boxtamer; a product from Canada. It's cleaner looking than a 2"x10", lighter and will hold up to warping. It's not for everyone, but I like it, so I'm fine. I do recommend it.
The one issue I had, was the curve in the drop-in liner. I designed a shim, and had a co-worker make me one from a dense non-water absorbing hardwood. It was then coated in bed liner, to match the Boxtamer brackets. Anyone looking to do this, can reach out and I'm more than happy to provide the shim spec drawings.
The next add-on was a 12V power port from ebay seller Bilkoauto. Where I have a drop-in liner, his power port assembly caused an issue. It didn't fit. After some back and forth, we have a working, well made 12V assembly which is fitted to work for those with a drop-in. Great guy to work with. I can't recommend him enough.
Next was the tonneau. On my B3000, I had a local truck shops hard fiberglass strut model. When closed it covered the tailgate. Heavy, and if water got into the lock, you were locked out of your truck. On the Tacoma, I had a Extang Tri-Fold. Not a bad cover. You had to watch it in the winter, as the foam rubber side seals would freeze to the bed-rails. And unless you want to rip them apart, you left the cover down. But you could access the bed, by dropping the tailgate.
To be Continued...
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