Ranger - Enduring Ownership

[GhostStrykre]

It will skip gears, with 10 to pick from, it makes sense. It is not noticeable. It does hold each gear a little longer so the lugging isn't as bad and is more willing to drop a gear or 2 when needed. I really noticed in cruise control, it holds the set speed better. It used to drop 3-5 MPH, just to not have to shift. The first day or 2 it does shift a little funny as it does the relearn but after that there is a noticeable improvement. My brother really struggled with spending that much to do his 2.3 Bronco but was thrilled with the difference. He won't spend money on HP gains as he feels that he will get used to it and not even notice in a couple of months. He has a point. The shifting made it worth it to him. You may get similar results from the other tunes but they seem primarily focused on HP.

my '19 ranger lugs badly around 25mph. it desperately wants to be in 7th or 8th gear and 1k RPMs. it's maddening. always gotta pop the tow mode on to stop that crap.

I believe, with the Ford tune, you only have 1 choice...91 octane.
With the Livernois tuner, you have multiple choices of tune

yeah. i do appreciate the simplicity of Ford's single approach, but livernois offers some flexibility in choices. i do also appreciate that if and when i need dealer tech work performed they're more likely to be familiar with the FPP tune.

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[dozxab]

I believe, with the Ford tune, you only have 1 choice...91 octane.
With the Livernois tuner, you have multiple choices of tune

Correct, Ford tune is 91 or higher.

 

[Stevedbvik1]

my '19 ranger lugs badly around 25mph. it desperately wants to be in 7th or 8th gear and 1k RPMs. it's maddening. always gotta pop the tow mode on to stop that crap.



yeah. i do appreciate the simplicity of Ford's single approach, but livernois offers some flexibility in choices. i do also appreciate that if and when i need dealer tech work performed they're more likely to be familiar with the FPP tune.

I drive mine in tow haul all the time. It’s part of my pre flight ritual. Turn off ASS and turn on tow haul. It’s free

 

[Titchadesh]

Some may recall, I've looked at a few other truck options out on the market here lately, and none of them really made me want to take the plunge. Instead, I could begin adding modifications to the Ranger to prolong my ownership of the vehicle. When it runs great, I love it. The vehicle is about 2 months from being paid off and that'll make me really like it

Problem is that I fear vehicular commitment. I could trade this thing tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or the next decade. I figure the best way to prolong my ownership of the vehicle is to take a bit of a phased approach to improving the vehicle. If each phase keeps growing my affinity for the truck and keeping me from looking elsewhere, I'll move on to the next. I figure it'll look something like this:

Phase 1 -- Driveability - Late summer/fall 2026
1a. Transmission fluid drain and fill with a new filter and that spiffy additive everyone raves about - lubeguard platinum
1b. Kind of part of 1a, actually, but this would be a good time to swap to the better aluminum pan. I'm undecided on standard vs deep pan.
1c. With the fluid addressed, it'll be time for a tuner. I'm undecided on Ford vs Livernois vs Revolution Auto... i don't give two craps about speed, just want good shifting. This truck is my daily driver AND the vehicle my wife and i tend to use for distance trips.

Phase 2 -- Suspension - Spring 2027
2a. Eibach suspension all around. I've read too much on this topic and am settled on this brand.
2b. Tremor leaf springs. Seems to be the best blend of on road comfort/manners without squeaks... kind of surprised that Icon has squeaky leafs.. OME might be too harsh/stiff for what i'm looking for.
2c. Tom Wood's One Piece Driveshaft -- i really wanted to do this in phase 1, but since I was planning a suspension change in phase 2, it seemed wise to wait.
2d. Some sumo springs/airbags?? I'll likely get a trailer to haul my motorcycles and make it a semi toy hauler while keeping the weight down.

Phase 3 -- Wheels/Tires - Fall 2027
3a. Not settled on any color or brand or whatever. I just want that nice near flush stance on the truck.
3b. I'll go Falken WP AT4s or Mickey Thompson Baja's for tires. With the small lift in phase 2, i'll likely push close to a 33 inch tire.
3c. Modded intrusion bar (if needed).

Phase 4 -- Final Form? - unknown time??
4a. Morimoto headlights. The stock halogens are probably some of the best halogens I've personally had on a vehicle, but still aren't great. If it rains the visiblity is les poopy.
4b. Katzskin leather seats. My dog is a GSP and has fur that has the appearance of a needle despite being incredibly soft. A nightmare to vacuum out of cloth seats.

if after all of that i'm still loving the truck and having a blast saving money by not having a car payment, i might do something particularly silly and mess with the utility in the bed for camping/hauling/etc.

That's my plan. I've been daydreaming about this for some time and it really intensified after my last pursuit of a full size truck fell through again (they're just more money than i want to spend -- even discounted). Figured this little journal could be fun.

I had a similar “come to Jesus” moment ~18 months ago on my 2019 when I hit the 70k mile mark. It has been paid off and there’s not a real need to upgrade to a new vehicle, especially with these prices/interest rates and so took a deep dive into improving reliability and driveability. I’ve done all of those tasks in your phase 1 and phase 2 (albeit with Icon suspension) and agree with the order and emphasis you have planned out. It will feel like a new truck, genuinely. I say go for it!

 

[Caliope]

I have the Livernoi tuner, and can attest that it cleans up the shift stratigies a lot. Why could Ford do this from the factory? Sport mode on shifter brings a whole 'nuther driving experience. I know you say you're not concerned with the "speed" aspect of the tune, but once again, you'll wonder why wasn't it tuned like this from the factory. Reg gas tow/haul tune is what I run mostly. You only thought your truck was "fun" to drive. Get it tuned and see how much fun it is now! I also got the 93tune, and the E-30 tune. My Draggy App says 0-60 is 5.8secs.
Oh yeah...My TremorI runs M/T Baja Boss 285-70R-17 on stock wheels with 3/8" spacers and no lift and BDS intrusion bars. I perfer the "No poke" look. Friends says it now has a Rapter vibe to it.
Before I bought my Tremor, I drove a few base and FX4 Rangers. The Tremor by far, rode the best. And, I couldn't pass on the Atomic Orange color when I saw it. Kinda like a pearl school bus yellow. I promise, when you walk out of the doors at Home depot, you can spot this thing across the parking lot for sure!

I felt and still feel the same way about the Saber on my '19 Ranger. I sometimes think about a 6G Ranger, but I don't want to give up the Saber. In '22 when I decided that I wanted to trade my '15 Escape for a Bronco Sport, I ordered it in Cyber Orange because the paint chip looked pretty close to the Saber. However, they are not even close. Where the Saber tends towards copper, the Cyber Orange, which is a tri-coat color, is more of a school bus yellow, but I like it. I think the Atomic Orange is a little more orange than the Cyber Orange, but I haven't actually seen Atomic Orange to compare.

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