Sponsored

What did you do to your Ranger today?

veedubtuner

Well-Known Member
First Name
Morgan
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Threads
80
Messages
1,264
Reaction score
5,528
Location
Tulsa, OK
Vehicle(s)
2004 VW R32/2023 CG XLT Scab FX4 Ranger
Occupation
VW Parts
Vehicle Showcase
1
Technically this was Sat lol. I installed the Putco grill I got earlier in the week. Not as simple as it should have been though? . 1. I'm very OCD. The grill is held in place with double sided sticky tape 2 screws from the front license plate bracket, so I wanted to try and use the exact screws. But, with all the car crap I do, I figured I'd have at least 2 screws that would work...nope. So I went to my local True Value as they always have a large selection of hardware...nope, no luck there. So, on my way to try Home Depot, I stopped at the Ford dealer since it was on the way. They didn't have them either and they were $60 each ?. Yes...6 0...sixty! Parts guy showed me what they looked like so I went home, grabbed a couple tools and went to the salvage yard. $2 entry fee later, grabbed 6 bolts, the 2 I ended up using I actually found on the ground lol. Guys at the yard didn't even charge me for them ?.

So I get home, clean the bolts and slap a couple coats of paint on them, then start to take the front apart while the paint dried, pretty simple. Install not so much. I used Stage3 Motorsports youtube video for reference.




I don't know if there is a difference between a 19 (theirs) and a 23 (mine) or, if the front park sensors were the issue (theirs had PS, mine doesn't) but the grill was not fitting properly due to the lower tabs on the body, which I assume is some sort of support for the grill? The part of the Putco grill where the double sided tape is was to thick and would hit the tabs (just the outer ones) so I busted out the cut off wheel lol.

TRIM.jpg


I trimmed the 2 outer tabs down, gave them a quick paint job to prevent any rust and then finished up everything. Kinda a TL;DR type deal for this thread lol, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that this might be an issue if they go with Putco. Maybe I somehow got a wrong one for my year of truck since I got it on Amazon, but I made it work, no biggie. Still I dig it and it looks great!

thumbnail_20240803_125619.jpg
 
Last edited:

Chris M

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jun 11, 2020
Threads
21
Messages
4,505
Reaction score
19,836
Location
Surprise, AZ
Vehicle(s)
2021 Ranger XLT Sport 4X4
Occupation
Security Supervisor
Technically this was Sat lol. I installed the Putco grill I got earlier in the week. Not as simple as it should have been though? . 1. I'm very OCD. The grill is held in place with double sided sticky tape 2 screws from the front license plate bracket, so I wanted to try and use the exact screws. But, with all the car crap I do, I figured I'd have at least 2 screws that would work...nope. So I went to my local True Value as they always have a large selection of hardware...nope, no luck there. So, on my way to try Home Depot, I stopped at the Ford dealer since it was on the way. They didn't have them either and they were $60 each ?. Yes...6 0...sixty! Parts guy showed me what they looked like so I went home, grabbed aa couple tools and went to the salvage yard. $2 entry fee later, grabbed 6 bolts, the 2 I ended up using I actually found on the ground lol. Guys at the yard didn't even charge me for them ?.

So I get home, clean the bolts and slap a couple coats of paint on them, then start to take the front apart while the paint dried, pretty simple. Install not so much. I used Stage3 Motorsports youtube video for reference.




I don't know if there is a difference between a 19 (theirs) and a 23 (mine) or, if the front park sensors were the issue (theirs had PS, mine doesn't) but the grill was not fitting properly due to the lower tabs on the body, which I assume is some sort of support for the grill? The part of the Putco grill where the double sided tape is was to thick and would hit the tabs (just the outer ones) so I busted out the cut off wheel lol.

TRIM.webp


I trimmed the 2 outer tabs down, gave them a quick paint job to prevent any rust and then finished up everything. Kinda a TL;DR type deal for this thread lol, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that this might be an issue if they go with Putco. Maybe I somehow got a wrong one for my year of truck since I got it on Amazon, but I made it work, no biggie. Still I dig it and it looks great!

thumbnail_20240803_125619.webp
Because I had the license bracket screws I guess I was ahead of the game somewhat.
I did not take my front end apart since the Putco flexes a little. I was able to get it done without disassembly on both my 2019 without adaptive cruise and my 2021 with adaptive cruise.
 

allcos

Well-Known Member
First Name
George
Joined
Mar 7, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
64
Reaction score
117
Location
South East, PA
Vehicle(s)
2020 Ford Ranger Scab 4X4 XLT
Occupation
Retired
Just got home from getting a new set of 255/65-17 Continental Terrain Contact H/T tires (26000 mi on the original OEMs). In all the years I've been driving it was the first that I ever felt astonished how quiet and great handling in dry weather a set of tires can be. (I know that's extreme, but I'm 73 and had a lot of tires) Plus I get a $110.00 rebate...don't get any better!
Next installation: the PPE std trans pan. Already installed the MBS trans dip stick...that was a very nice design...Thanks again Mike!
 
Last edited:

Big Blue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Lee
Joined
May 5, 2020
Threads
16
Messages
3,931
Reaction score
9,375
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4 Supercrew lighting blue
Occupation
Retired mechanical designer
Technically this was Sat lol. I installed the Putco grill I got earlier in the week. Not as simple as it should have been though? . 1. I'm very OCD. The grill is held in place with double sided sticky tape 2 screws from the front license plate bracket, so I wanted to try and use the exact screws. But, with all the car crap I do, I figured I'd have at least 2 screws that would work...nope. So I went to my local True Value as they always have a large selection of hardware...nope, no luck there. So, on my way to try Home Depot, I stopped at the Ford dealer since it was on the way. They didn't have them either and they were $60 each ?. Yes...6 0...sixty! Parts guy showed me what they looked like so I went home, grabbed aa couple tools and went to the salvage yard. $2 entry fee later, grabbed 6 bolts, the 2 I ended up using I actually found on the ground lol. Guys at the yard didn't even charge me for them ?.

So I get home, clean the bolts and slap a couple coats of paint on them, then start to take the front apart while the paint dried, pretty simple. Install not so much. I used Stage3 Motorsports youtube video for reference.




I don't know if there is a difference between a 19 (theirs) and a 23 (mine) or, if the front park sensors were the issue (theirs had PS, mine doesn't) but the grill was not fitting properly due to the lower tabs on the body, which I assume is some sort of support for the grill? The part of the Putco grill where the double sided tape is was to thick and would hit the tabs (just the outer ones) so I busted out the cut off wheel lol.

TRIM.jpg


I trimmed the 2 outer tabs down, gave them a quick paint job to prevent any rust and then finished up everything. Kinda a TL;DR type deal for this thread lol, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that this might be an issue if they go with Putco. Maybe I somehow got a wrong one for my year of truck since I got it on Amazon, but I made it work, no biggie. Still I dig it and it looks great!

thumbnail_20240803_125619.jpg
Wow! I'm glad I went with the MTM grille, no disassembly required. Just had to pull the 5 push pins and put the grille in place and reinstall the push pins. The front license plate holder broke a while ago. Looks better without it. Took longer to find my trim tool than to install.
 


tm1506

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tony
Joined
Aug 10, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
184
Reaction score
1,071
Location
Central Illinois
Vehicle(s)
2021 Ranger XLT FX4, 2020 Outback XT
Occupation
Retired
New Shoes!!! Replaced the LT Hankooks 265/65/17 (a little over 19.5k miles) with Cooper Discoverer Road & Trail AT 265/70/17. First impressions: Ride quality greatly improved (smoother and quieter) according to Waze speed is 1 mph higher at 60 mph and 2 mph higher at 80 mph (I can live with that for now).

Shout out to @Discount Tire, I was in and out of there in about 40 minutes with an appointment.

IMG_4609.jpg


IMG_4611.jpg


IMG_4615.jpg
 

Friday yet?

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2022
Threads
48
Messages
2,537
Reaction score
11,362
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle(s)
‘23 Lariat Tremor, Focus ST
Occupation
Corporate drone. Dilbert's world is alive & well.
Nice, do you have a lift/level or anything?
Nope. Stock as stock can be. Adding the MTM grill insert was an "exterior mod" in my world. :sunglasses:
 

Whiplash

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kern
Joined
Oct 17, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
270
Reaction score
848
Location
The southwest Missouri Ozarks
Vehicle(s)
2021 Ranger XLT FX4 / 2004 Mazda RX8
Occupation
Retired
After a full week sitting in 95° sunshine , found my 3+ year old wipers melted to the wind shield ...I went into town, Auto Zone , bought a set Bosh Icons...The nice young guy man offered to install, ....Soo I let him.
He got a smile when I pulled my front floor carpet and threw on my windshield for protection from snap back..." Can never be too careful "" ...tipped him $ 5.....?.....
 

SegFault

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Dec 24, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
75
Reaction score
266
Location
OK
Vehicle(s)
2020 Ranger Lariat
Occupation
Industrial Sanitation Engineer, Cloud DevOps
After a full week sitting in 95° sunshine , found my 3+ year old wipers melted to the wind shield ...I went into town, Auto Zone , bought a set Bosh Icons...The nice young guy man offered to install, ....Soo I let him.
He got a smile when I pulled my front floor carpet and threw on my windshield for protection from snap back..." Can never be too careful "" ...tipped him $ 5.....?.....
My windshield unavailable for comment

windshield_crack_02.webp
 

VoodooRanger

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joel
Joined
May 6, 2020
Threads
10
Messages
493
Reaction score
2,337
Location
Miami, Florida
Vehicle(s)
2019 Ranger XLT FX4
Installed the RubiGrid dash mount made by Bulletpoint. On the passenger side is the tablet holder and the driver I’ll be mounting my wireless backup camera monitor when towing my small trailer.

IMG_8267.webp


IMG_8268.webp


IMG_8257.jpeg
 

Doc

Well-Known Member
First Name
Doc
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Threads
94
Messages
5,775
Reaction score
23,275
Location
Live oak fla
Vehicle(s)
2026 5.0 Mustang GT, 2024 Ranger STX
Occupation
Retired
New Shoes!!! Replaced the LT Hankooks 265/65/17 (a little over 19.5k miles) with Cooper Discoverer Road & Trail AT 265/70/17. First impressions: Ride quality greatly improved (smoother and quieter) according to Waze speed is 1 mph higher at 60 mph and 2 mph higher at 80 mph (I can live with that for now).

Shout out to @Discount Tire, I was in and out of there in about 40 minutes with an appointment.

IMG_4609.jpg


IMG_4611.jpg


IMG_4615.jpg
Nice !
 
 








Top