2019 Ford Ranger XLT FX4

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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
I had been wanting a 4x4 since I was a high school kid that could afford copies of Peterson's 4-Wheel & Off-Road. The thing is, I never got the chance to even drive a 4x4 truck until I was an adult, and I had a 2007 4x4 Ford ranger issued to me at work in 2014. I loved it for snow duty on those rare winter days in Georgia, and drove all over my county on one occasion checking road closures and conditions for our Emergency Operations Center. Fast forward to 2019, and Ford brought the Ranger back, and I had fallen in love.

Through a handful of trips to Europe while growing up, and a 2016 trip to Australia, I fell in love with four-door Ford Rangers and absolutely LUSTED for one. In 2019 that dream came closer to fruition when Ford dropped the Aussie/Asian market Ford Ranger on the USA (sadly, without the diesel!). I picked up a slightly used four door 2019 Ford Ranger XLT with the FX4 package early this year. I had been shopping for a stripped down XL four door truck with the FX4 package, but the dealerships in my area wanted an arm and a leg for them. They were also very hard to find in this configuration. The husband of a friend of my wife works for CarMax, and had a truck brought down from Tennessee for me to look at. I fell in love with it, and it was optioned better than I had been looking for.

My wife wanted me to keep it unmodified, but I just couldn't. My truck has ended up looking like it rolled out of the outback of Australia. Stay tuned and I'll be adding to this thread with the progress up to now, and there is stuff still in the works. My ultimate goal is to get out of my area with it, and see Southern Utah, maybe Montana, and maybe head up towards my parents' area in Pennsylvania. But baby steps; I'm still gearing up and will start with a couple easy overnighters in North Georgia and Tennessee. Utah is the big goal. For some reason (probably from watching Matt's Off Road Recovery on YouTube), I want to see the canyons and ghost towns of Southern Utah.
 

GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
Glocker! Welcome to the other side. I assume you're the same Glocker from Ranger5g?
Yep! That's me!

I figured it was time I sought out an overlanding specific forum as I've got some questions about the RTT I just bought this past weekend, and I'm sure as I get closer to getting out for overnight trips, the questions will be coming more frequently from me!
 
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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
This was the start; a bone stock 2019 Ranger XLT FXR with 12,000 miles on it. While sitting at the CarMax, my wife actually reached over, shut the truck off, took the key out of the ignition, and asked me to promise that I wouldn't modify my truck. I failed her.
2020-04-10 20.13.29.jpg
I actually wasn't happy with the truck when I first saw the CarMax ad. I really didn't like the silver grill surround on the front of the truck, to the point that I really felt like I was settling on this to get everything else I wanted (4 doors and the FX4 package). But upon seeing it in real life, I fell in love!
 
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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
Next came a bed divider to keep fuel cans in place. It was a small modification that would end up growing later. But it helped me get fuel out to my boat so I could buy less expensive REC90 fuel away from our local lake.2020-04-18 19.12.15.jpg

A tow receiver and hitch was installed the same day with the help of a good friend, so I could get my boat in the water!
 
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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
I was all in at this point and an ARB Summit bumper, Warn VR EVO 10S winch, and Eibach suspension was ordered! With the help of some good friends, and a really nice shop with a lift, we knocked out the install on a Friday and a Saturday. The bumper was a royal PITA to install! LOL A snorkel followed a little later. It was a little hard drilling and cutting the fender of my truck, but I was committed and wanted to be ready for creek crossings!
IMG_20200719_123111.jpg
 
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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
In September, I went out wheeling with the Georgia (and Florida) Ranger group again. I only went for one day with this group, hitting Popcorn Creek Trail and Charlie's Creek Trail in North Georgia. They did what is called the Georgia Traverse, starting in the Talladega National Forest. I was a little jealous of them, but I didn't have any camping gear.
received_344082866729365.jpeg
 
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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
I have the same one except I mounted on my Leer cap. Hope you love the RTT as much as we do, comfortable and nice being off the ground.
That's good to hear! Do me a favor and check out this other thread I started and maybe you could chime in with some info for me! :grinning:
 

RVA Overland

Rank IV
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

1,315
Brandermill Parkway, Midlothian, VA, USA
First Name
Eric
Last Name
Rudolph
Member #

3226

ARB Bumper, Snorkel, and OME Suspension are on my list. Also looking at new bed system but those are spendy. Rig looks great, nice job. If you come north to VA for any wheeling, let me know we can get together on a trail.
 
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GLOCKer

Rank IV

Pathfinder II

1,209
Marietta, Georgia, USA
First Name
John
Last Name
Battersby
ARB Bumper, Snorkel, and OME Suspension are on my list. Also looking at new bed system but those are spendy. Rig looks great, nice job. If you come north to VA for any wheeling, let me know we can get together on a trail.
That might not be too far out of the realm of possibility! My parents live up in PA, and my in-laws live an hour and half south of there in MD (outside of DC). And a trip north will probably end up on the schedule!
 
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