Something I've noticed about people's opinions on the new Ford Ranger

[2002edgeplussupercab]

How?

To low to go off road, IRS that doesnt exactly lend itself to towing/heavy loads (as in, consistant towing), to expensive to appeal to anyone who isnt an executive...

Honestly, a 1st gen (97-03) Expedition is much more capable at doing things an SUV should be doing.

Folks who buy things like platnium expeditions/navigators are the folks who 20-30 years ago woulda bought a town car.

These are the people who have dilliuted the availabilty of actual trucks and flooded the used market with overpriced useless junk.

Dude. I wouldn't buy one either. Just saying they are impressively nice.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Ford offers the FX4 package on the Expedition now. I can see it on the pickups. My 2010 F-350 Diesel FX4 would actually go a lot of places with the stock FX4 setup (plus 3 inch lift and mud tires). But as an owner of a 2016 Expedition, I don't know that I would ever expect to take it anywhere that I would get any benefits of an FX4 package.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Ford offers the FX4 package on the Expedition now. I can see it on the pickups. My 2010 F-350 Diesel FX4 would actually go a lot of places with the stock FX4 setup (plus 3 inch lift and mud tires). But as an owner of a 2016 Expedition, I don't know that I would ever expect to take it anywhere that I would get any benefits of an FX4 package.

I had a 97 and a 98. I took them both out into some pretty nasty shit. The 97 had a 3 inch lift and 33s. That being said though, even it got outwheeled by anything i had with TTB.

Ford really should have kept the excursion a few more years, and also offered it with a manual trans.

 

[2002edgeplussupercab]

Fx4 ? You mean belly pans, 'off road shocks', locking rearend, tilt-o-meter, stickers, ... What else ?

Nah. Rip-off.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Fx4 ? You mean belly pans, 'off road shocks', locking rearend, tilt-o-meter, stickers, ... What else ?

Nah. Rip-off.

FX4s have the roll gauge?

I got on a kick a few years ago over a Dodge Raider i found at a local used junk lot. Think it was an 86? I dont remember, but anyways it had one of those. I took it for a test drive and any time you took a turn at more then 10mph it threw it in the "danger" zone...

...and yet BIis were "unsafe".

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

FX4s have the roll gauge?

I got on a kick a few years ago over a Dodge Raider i found at a local used junk lot. Think it was an 86? I dont remember, but anyways it had one of those. I took it for a test drive and any time you took a turn at more then 10mph it threw it in the "danger" zone...

...and yet BIis were "unsafe".

Yeah but more than that. Little display that shows how much the truck is tilted side to side and fore/aft in degrees and how sharp the wheels are turned. Kinda neat but doesn't really do that much. Also a little diagram that shows 4wd status with turning driveshafts.

It is all on a LCD screen so you don't have to have it showing if you don't want to. It is kinda neat.

Only reason I would buy a FX4 Ranger is the locking rear isn't available otherwise.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Yeah but more than that. Little display that shows how much the truck is tilted side to side and fore/aft in degrees and how sharp the wheels are turned. Kinda neat but doesn't really do that much. Also a little diagram that shows 4wd status with turning driveshafts.

It is all on a LCD screen so you don't have to have it showing if you don't want to. It is kinda neat.

Only reason I would buy a FX4 Ranger is the locking rear isn't available otherwise.

If you scattered the rear driveshaft would it only show the front spinning?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If you scattered the rear driveshaft would it only show the front spinning?

Show the shaft in question flailing around beating on stuff under the truck

Outta suggest that to Ford.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Show the shaft in question flailing around beating on stuff under the truck

Outta suggest that to Ford.

Yeah with a running total of what its gonna cost to fix. Kinda like scoring in pinball.

 

[2002edgeplussupercab]

Locking rear diff is available as a stand alone option. Do not need to get the Fx4 package to have all the Fx4 stuff. Basically, it's stickers and a tilt-o-meter.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Locking rear diff is available as a stand alone option. Do not need to get the Fx4 package to have all the Fx4 stuff. Basically, it's stickers and a tilt-o-meter.

For the F-series yes.

The only thing that has been announced with the Ranger is that the FX4 package comes with a locking rear, Ford has said nothing one way or the other about it being a standalone option like the F-series.

 

[2002edgeplussupercab]

Some option besides open diff has always been. limited slip etc.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Some option besides open diff has always been. limited slip etc.

Yup. My '85 has limited slip in the rear.

It would be nice to be able to turn it off so the rear doesn't want to pass the front on ice by default in 2wd though.

It really depends on how they want to package it. Locker is available separately on the F-Series. Ranger of yesteryear the only way to get the "better" limited slip was with the FX4/FX4LVII.

Ranger being more of a "lifestyle" vehicle than a "work" vehicle... IMO it could go either way depending on how they want to do it.

With a Tacoma you have to get a TRD Offroad or Pro to get a locking rear...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

It would be nice to be able to turn it off so the rear doesn't want to pass the front on ice by default in 2wd though.

But thats the fun part.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

But thats the fun part.

On demand yes, when trying to get moving on a highway to get home in a sleetstorm... not so much.

Get out there, get on the throttle once and kick the rear out. Back off and ease on to it and rear tries to step out out again. Slowly coast until rear wheels slow down to match fronts and pull magic lever on floor.