WildernessLVR

^^ Reading your story made me wonder that I never really noticed that the ranger is a little Goliath! Now letting my brain slow down a bit I do remember of some trades I know of that do amazing things with their rangers!

Yeah, the V8! Groooaarrrr. I usually drive calmly and with music on, but when I need to step on the gas I instinctively turn off the radio just to hear the engine lol. Might seem silly, but, what a heck! It sounds awesome!

Tuffbot

With what you are saying, I get the distinct image the music playing is "Bad to the Bone," by good ol' George Thoroughgood.

Pool Runner

Dude I'm embarrassed to say this, but I got my brand new 100% stock FX4, EcoScrew, 157" with 3.73's and rear LOCKER! stuck on a mini wheelin adventure. To top it off, it was some of the easiest mud you could imagine to NOT get stuck in.


I don't blame my truck, though, I blame the almost racing slick like Pirelli Scorpion tires shod on the 20" FX4 wheels. I hit the mud at 5-10 mph (should have had more speed) was in 4hi but not locked in the rear yet. Got 1/2 way across and felt the truck start to lose momentum. I stopped as I felt I was digging in. Turned on the rear locker, which instantly made my rear sink more. Switched from 4-Hi to 4-Low with locker enabled still and now I was officially stuck. I actually was able to back-up about 15-20 feet, but because it was impossible to keep in a straight line in the ruts with the locker moving the rear from side to side, it got me further stuck.


Had to get pulled out by a lifted 1998-2000 era Toyota 4Runner, was extremely embarrassing (Guys gave me a bunch of crap for muddin in a $50K stock truck lol). I actually made it through the same spot effortlessly with my wife's, 2013 Subaru Outback wagon, that is just plain old AWD, no lockers of any sorts (open diffs front & rear) street tires etc...


I thought for sure seeing I paid for the "FX4-"Off-Road"" package this thing was plenty capable in stock form.

Pool Runner

I'm not afraid to admit, I loved and miss my 2011 Ranger dearly. Those little trucks can do way more than they are rated for. I had an XLT, Scab with the 2.3 4 cyl.


Deep down inside, I really liked having a Ranger sized truck over a full sized. But lets face it, having a full-sized is just more macho.

WildernessLVR

@ Pool Runner

Phew! Someone did the test I needed to run for me, lol!
Now, seriously, though, it's not your fault or from the options that this happened. The Pirellis have nothing of off-roading to it. You are one more victim of that reality. I still have them too. Darn work has kept me busy, but then again I'm 95% in the city with roads cleared from snow and ice, so I got too lazy to replace them. However I got the displeasure of having the truck sliding straight @ some 20 km/h for maybe 50 feet, which allowed me to run through the whole intersection, while the guy behind me stopped before it and stood there looking at me. Nothing I could do, but feel the abs rattling on my foot and luckily no cars or pedestrians crossed my path. Never went on icy roads again. Winter should end soon and on dry or just wet pavement the tires perform well.

So don't feel embarrassed! Could have been traction loss trying to leave your driveway when all your neighbors were looking at you

WildernessLVR

About the Pirellis again, just remembered I actually posted an event that happened to me with towing a trailer, and one of the reasons I was so stunned with the trucks performance there is due to the fact that the tires never spun when I was expecting that to happen.
That can tell me how darn heavy the trailer was for sure, by keeping the truck with constant grip on that ice patched gravel driveway !

gfc314

I had two other rangers a 97 2.3 5 speed and a 98 2.5 with a 5 speed. Then my 06 all 3 were great they fit anywhere off road! We were off road and one of my friends got out of his fx4 f-150 and got I. My ranger cause his truck just could not make it any further.. I really wish I could afford to have both trucks one for play (the ranger) and one for everything else (f-150)

WildernessLVR

I don't believe there's no more stories to be shared on this thread!

I really thought there where some good ones to be read about, but apparently the proud owners that drive around are only full of fluffy ego, because someone told them that their truck is better than that one...
I have friends with other makes and I don't look at them from above. Each ride serves its master's needs IMO, so I wasn't expecting a fanboy write down here, but looks like there's just not enough happenings coming from the members on this forum to have them write about it after all! Seems like, proud is all about truck's stock details or mods...

Not aggravated, just honestly surprised!
Oh, well! I really had too high expectations