winkosmosis
Explorer
They're ubiquitous in America, have been around forever virtually unchanged, parts are cheap and easy to find, and with a 4 cylinder they get gas mileage similar to compact cars. So what gives?
Why isn't the Ford Ranger a popular expedition vehicle?
- Thread starter winkosmosis
- Start date
Bcghosttowns
Adventurer
I love my Ranger.
BKCowGod
Automotive ADHD is fun!
Same load cap as a Taco or a Frontier... Same bed as these too. I really think it's just the Ford name - they just aren't as strong in the small truck market. I test drove one a while back with the 4.0l 6 and it had quite a bit of pep.
VanIsle_Greg
I think I need a bigger truck!
Good question?
Maybe it is the front end design that holds people back? More complicated than say my Jeep with a basic solid axle? Maybe (as stated) it is just the name? Personally I like the Ranger, always have... never owned one as they always seemed too small inside.
Then I got a Cherokee. lol
Ford has become one of if not the most reliable vehicle brands on the market overall. IMHO, it would likely do well for an Expo base.
Maybe it is the front end design that holds people back? More complicated than say my Jeep with a basic solid axle? Maybe (as stated) it is just the name? Personally I like the Ranger, always have... never owned one as they always seemed too small inside.
Then I got a Cherokee. lol
Ford has become one of if not the most reliable vehicle brands on the market overall. IMHO, it would likely do well for an Expo base.
FreeManDan
Adventurer
I reside in Texas, and they are every where! Long travel lift kits, solid axles, big tires, or better yet in stock form in the 4x4 areas of big bend state park:smiley_drive: they have a better aftermarket then the colorado/canyon compact because they've been around longer, and I know you can get a fiberglass top for one, cause I don't think I could drive to and from work and NOT see a ranger with one. SO when I read that ford is dumping the ranger I think why on earth!?! Well, I guess people in, ohhh, I don't know, Nantucket don't have the same love of trucks of ALL sizes like they do down in Texas...where every third vehicle down the road is a pickup truck:costumed-smiley-007
The Ranger isn't given much respect by the rockhoppers or ExPo travelers. But it's held in high regard by the desert racing folks. The streets of San Bernadino County and Las Vegas are filled with Pre-Runner style two wheel drive Rangers with long suspension travel and huge tires covered by bulging fiberglass fenders.
Many of the companies that make off-road parts for the Jeep and Tacoma also make parts for the Ranger. So there's nothing stopping you from building a Ranger in the ExPo style.
Many of the companies that make off-road parts for the Jeep and Tacoma also make parts for the Ranger. So there's nothing stopping you from building a Ranger in the ExPo style.
winkosmosis
Explorer
I don't have any numbers but I think I see more Rangers on the road than any other small pickup
^^^^ 2nd that. I had a 2005 4.0L Auto and it was a great truck but 15MPG got old fast. The ranger is comfortable, powerful, and reliable, but I couldn't get past the horrible mileage. Mine also ate brake pads WAY too fast. As far as loading it up and taking it to SA or RTW I think it would be just fine.
Bigfoot1963
Observer
I have a '98 Mazda B4000 4x4 auto, which is just a rebadged Ranger with th 4.0, Its very cabable with 31 inch tires. The factory tires were between a 30 and 31. There is a lack of aftermarket accessories, However after 140,000 miles It still runs strong and gets about 19mpg combined hwy/city driving.
Martinjmpr
Wiffleball Batter
Well, I'm not sure this is the reason you don't see many Rangers on this forum, but I'll make a few points:
1. Yes, the Ranger is very common, but it's most common use seems to me to be as a light commercial vehicle.
2. AFAIK the 4 cyl was not offered with 4wd after about 1994 or so. I know that when I got my 2wd Ranger in 1999 the smallest engine on the 4x4 was the 3.0l V-6.
3. Ford never quite seemed to be able to combine a reasonably powerful engine with decent MPG. You could get one or the other but you couldn't get both. When I had my Ranger I was on a couple of Ranger message boards (which I think are now gone) and the single biggest complaint people with 4x4's had was the poor MPG. Even the 3.0l 5 speed combo struggled to get 18mpg which almost any Toyota or Nissan V6 can get with ease. Most of the guys with the 4.0's were getting in the 12 - 15mpg range, especially if they ran bigger than stock tires or a lift.
4. For me, one of the "deal breakers" was the electric-shift T-case that Ford adopted in the 1990's. IMO it was a mistake to do this as it created a "single point of failure" without giving any corresponding benefit in return (I think the only benefit is to the vehicle designers who don't have to figure out how to put in a mechanical linkage.) When I lived in Laramie, WY, which has extremely cold winters, a buddy of mine with a 4wd Ranger had quite a few problems with his electric T-case not wanting to switch into 4wd when it was cold. He even had some warranty work done but it never really was reliable for him.
I really liked my Ranger, and I think it's a shame that Ford is dropping it from their lineup. The Ranger is really a nice size for a truck, big enough to be useful but not so big that it's hard to maneuver. If we could get a Ranger with a small turbo diesel, I think it would be a perfect vehicle for a lot of us.
I also think the Ranger has always been one of the best looking small trucks out there.
My 2wd Ranger was absolutely the best "road trip" vehicle I ever owned. The only thing it lacked was cruise control and I guess if I'd wanted it bad enough I could have added that myself. With a 5 speed and the 3.0l Flex-fuel V6 I could get 23+ MPG on the highway and with the 19.5 gallon tank I had over 400 miles of range. Pretty impressive considering it was an extended cab truck with a high-rise shell and a full carpet kit in the back!
I still miss it sometimes!
Quill
Adventurer
As a big Ranger fan, they are fine. I don't care for their auto transmissions. Also Ford treats them as a bit of an after thought. That is why they are being eliminated in favor of the F-150. The manual gear box is much better and gives you better mileage. I have a small slide in camper for Rangers. It fits the older Dakotas, Toys and S-10s. I have two rangers now and 3 in the past along with a Bronco II. Check this page for all you can do with one.
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/index.php
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/index.php