Sgtsandman's 2011 XLT

[Lefty]

We all love restomod: crazy cool on and off road machines brimming and bulging all kinds of expensive and exotic parts. Sure go ahead and build a slammed slime green truxarosa. Fill the back with row upon row of subwoofers that will not only deafen you but your nieghbors too. Maybe make a jacked up bad ass black rock crawler. Paint flames on the front and a bolt on a lighting package that could light a rock concert. Keep the two in a temperature controlled garage and roll them out once a year for county wide custom car show.

But maybe, just maybe, when it comes to driving a humble little Ranger, it is best to reign those fantasies in and tone them down. Maybe even restomod is really the wrong word. Maybe restoupgrade is the right word, just plain better, the kinda truck that you will want to keep, not for years, but rather decades to come.

 

[sgtsandman]

One very nice clean old truck made special by your hard work.

Thank you.

Being that I've owned this since new, it's more upgrading to what I want than a restomod. I do try to keep up with the preventative maintenance so the little problems stay little. So far that has worked. At least as far as the mechanical. I'm slowly losing the battle with rust and road salt. There is a few things that are going to need repaired or replaced. A hole in the bed in the usual spot for Rangers and the bottom of the doors are rusting.

 

[sgtsandman]

I took some pictures. I need to upload them onto imjr and post them here. Looking at the time, I don't think I'll get to it tonight.

 

[Lefty]

I drove a little Isuzu for more than 20 years. It was pretty rusty even when I bought it, but I didn't really care. I kept it around like an old pair of shoes that were not only comfy but great for heavy work.

The things I remember most were it's short comings: slipping and sliding on winter roads, not being able to see in the pouring rain, and that scarey feeling of trying to stop when hauling an over sized load. I remember being uncomfortable seats on longer drives, the lack of air conditioning in the summer and waiting forever for the heat to come on in winter.

These were the upgrades I really wanted when I bought another old, used truck: 4wd or limited slip, oversize tires, some bigger fog lights, racing brakes, air conditioning, comfortable seats, and a bigger motor to heat up quick. Maybe throw in a beefed up suspension and some decent shocks. Restoration is wonderful too. New paint, new wheels, and tires, aren't just pretty. It all means that the truck I really like will be good for another 20 years.

Restoupgrade is real beauty.

You will address the concern you mentioned, and all in good time too.

 

[sgtsandman]

Pictures of the wire routing. I failed to take a picture of the main power line routing. Most of it is hidden under the equipment in the engine bay and under the engine bay fuse box. The tool that @Jim Oaks told us about was a great help in getting it done. There is a rubber grommet in the fire wall on the dire's side that one of the main wire bundles enters the cab. The tool made the feeding of the wire easy and enabled the hole to be sealed after the tool was removed. 10 gauge wire is the biggest the tool can handle. Since the expected maximum load for the power block is 21.81 amps (If I could figure out how to operate all 5 radios at the same time), 10 gauge is more than adequate of handling the load (30 amps).

Here is the tool, which can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WZCL8Q/?tag=959media-20

If you have questions on what wire is needed use Amps = Watts divided by volts and then look at a chart like the attached to figure out the gauge of wire needed.


Wire routing on the driver's side under the trim panels.

Wire routing along the passenger side under the trim panels.

Fuse block.

I still need to pick up a couple clamps to secure the lower wire conduit so it doesn't get snagged by anything.

 

[Gibby6468]

That is a great looking truck!

 

[sgtsandman]

Some saddle blanket seat covers were installed since I have grown tired of regularly having to clean the black and light gray seat cloth. Now, all I have to do is remove the covers and wash them if anything needs cleaning.

 

[Lefty]

There was something about those old seat covers. They got dirty easy, seemed to attract dust.

 

[sgtsandman]

There was something about those old seat covers. They got dirty easy, seemed to attract dust.

Ar least I can take them off and wash them. With the truck seats, I need to use the rug scubber and wait for the seats to dry.

 

[Lefty]

Ar least I can take them off and wash them. With the truck seats, I need to use the rug scubber and wait for the seats to drive.

I switched to leather

 

[sgtsandman]

I switched to leather

From my experience, leather is just expensive vinyl. My girlfriend has leather in her Escape and is holding the same opinion.

 

[Lefty]

From my experience, leather is just expensive vinyl. My girlfriend has leather in her Escape and is holding the same opinion.

Maybe my comment seemed pretentious. I would have been equally as happy with vinyl. Either material stays cleaner longer than those older Ford seats.

I looked for seat covers first. I would have been pleased to buy a nice set like yours.

 

[sgtsandman]

Maybe my comment seemed pretentious. I would have been equally as happy with vinyl. Either material stays cleaner longer than those older Ford seats.

I looked for seat covers first. I would have been pleased to buy a nice set like yours.

I didn't take it negatively. Sorry if my reply seemed terse. As far as the seats, the 2019 seats are even worse that the ones in the 2011. So, they didn't improve over time.

Very true on the keeping clean part of leather and vinyl.

 

[Rick W]

I switched to leather

Reminds me. My ‘96 f250 extended cab has the cloth seats. They’re near perfect condition and they’re comfortable, but I always wanted to change them out to leather I’ve searched the web, but I can’t find seat skins that you can just buy and install yourself. It seems they’re either covers that go over the OEM cover, which never looked right to me or they’re 2/3 done and you have to go to a shop and have a custom fit. They are passenger 60 and driver 40 seats with the tall back and the shorter center back, that folds down with cupholders and a compartment in it, like a mini desk you can write on.

Does anyone know a source or link to buy those leather covers? Ready to install?

 

[SenorNoob]

I hadn't heard of any replacement covers like that till Katzkin. They only stock the newest models. Everything else is take it to the shop and have it done.