2017 Winning Blue XLS Auto

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sun Jul 15, 2018 8:03 pm

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to the forum so and I thought I should post some photos of my 2017 XLS Winning Blue auto.
Current additions include the following:
ARB classic canopy and tub liner.
Genuine tow bar.
Uniden radio.
Lightforce switch panel.
Piranha battery isolator and under bonnet mount.
Ironman side steps.
Rear false floor/box with battery in tray.
Bridgestone Dueler MT 674, 265/75/16 tyres of XLS rims.

I have an ARB Summit bull bar to be fitted in August along with my Warn 9.5 XP winch. I have had lots of 4x4's in the past of various makes, mainly dual cab utes. I did have a 2012 BT 50 which I had for a short time then moved to a 2013 Defender which was an excellent 4x4.

I have settled on the PX2 for a while as I missed the versatility of the dual cab 4x4. It is my first auto 4x4 so am missing the manual change a bit. Round the city it makes sense with the stop-start traffic.

I like the look of the new ARB raw summit rear bar so that might replace the standard tow bar in the future. I might have a go at fitting a Safari snorkel as I did with my Defender and BT 50.

Thanks to everyone who contributes as the site has a great deal of information for Ranger owners.

Craig001 · Post by **Craig001** » Tue Jul 17, 2018 11:11 am

The auto is a manual as well as an auto,, you're missing the clutch pedal. If need be, lift your left leg up and down each time you select another gear.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Tue Jul 17, 2018 6:11 pm

Hi Craig,
You're right and I have used the "sport mode". The other car in my driveway is automatic and I don't think about it. Driving a Defender is like going to a gym. Heavy brakes and clutch. Great fun though. The Ford is like an armchair in comparison!

I have yet to do any decent 4x4 tracks with it yet and given the extra weight added, I suspect some suspension work might be needed in the future.

Craig001 · Post by **Craig001** » Wed Jul 18, 2018 6:21 am

With a front e locker and quality under body armour thru to the transfer case and you will have yourself a beast. The auto will hold gears after long periods of low range in sports mode. Soon after getting back onto the bitumen it will re-learn that holding gears is no longer required.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Wed Jul 18, 2018 5:06 pm

Thanks Craig.
Looks like I have a bit to learn about driving the auto on the tracks which I will be looking forward to.

I had a Harrop rear e locker fitted to the Defender I owned and could not be happier with the installation and operation. The Harrop team over in Preston do an excellent job. I would not look to anything else for the front of the Ranger.

Thanks for the advice on the underbody protection. They need it as the bits are low without a suspension lift.

Regards,
Adrian

Craig001 · Post by **Craig001** » Wed Jul 18, 2018 5:47 pm

Hit that transfer case or selector motor and your walking home. I have the superior engineering plates that are 4mm thick, very heavy but I have lost count how many times it has saved the truck from being damaged. Mine protects from the front of the ARB bar all the way down to the long range tank.

As for off road High range mainly for flat ground, Low is the way to go in either auto or sports. I found that the transmission heats up quite quickly if you start climbing in high. Make sure you are in NEUTRAL before selecting low.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Wed Jul 18, 2018 7:35 pm

Excellent. I will have to look into that bash plate. Sounds good.

While I have had driven a lot of 4x4 tracks from the Victorian high country to W.A. Kimberley, its all been done in a manual. Land Rover Defenders have great low range reduction. Select low 1st and off you go. I'm a member of a few 4x4 clubs. On our club trips I would always be up the back on step descents because if I was further up the line, I would have to accelerate so others would not catch up.

The reduction in the auto Ranger isn't bad. Just getting time to use the newish 4B on the tracks is a problem. I can see that the auto will be a real advantage in some situations.

Adbailey121 · Post by **Adbailey121** » Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:43 pm

Looks like an awesome bit of kit already.
I will be interested if you go on any off-roading tracks how the Ironman steps go. I’m looking at purchasing a set myself and I’m trying to figure out the amount of off-roading they can cop compared to traditional rock sliders.

Congrats on the purchase

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Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:27 pm

Thanks.
The Ironman steps look to be fairly solid, but to be honest, I purchased them more to protect the paintwork from debris thrown up from the mud tyres. I already have a few chips in the rear wheel arch after a drive to Lake Mungo National Park in NSW. While I have now put some 10mm body moulding strip in the arch to stop the damage, I should have thought about it earlier.

The steps middle chassis mount drops about 30mm below the chassis rail at about the perfect place to catch on rocks, logs, erosion mounds etc. The front and rear mounts are quite good and don't impact clearance. They bolt top and bottom in the centre mount and have clamp style bolts at the front and rear mounts which clamp to the outer face of the chassis rail. This might to be done for ease of fitment or for airbag deployment reasons. I must admit I purchased some longer bolts and metal plates and passed the whole lot through the chassis as my feeling (rightly or wrongly) was that a force on the front or rear of the steps from underneath might bend the whole lot upwards into the sill panel, including damaging the outer chassis rail. Have a close look at the Ironman display vehicles and see what you think. Many seem to be Rangers.
Many years ago I had ARB steps on a Hilux. A branch on a track flicked up from the front tyre, lodged under the step then grabbed the ground and punched the step up into the sill panel bending it as well. I know this is just one of those things that happens when you go 4WDing but it still is annoying when you look after a vehicle. I hope I don't have to test out this with the Ironman Ranger steps.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 12:39 pm

I have finally had the ARB Summit bar fitted including Warn 9.5 XP winch, Narva 225 HID lights and Uniden radio. I'm not sure about the colour coding as it now looks very blue. Possibly should have gone basic black. Not too sure about the paint as it seems to chip very easily with no visible undercoat. It looks to be sprayed straight over the powder coat.

I was told that the bar would have to be removed to service the winch but to my eye there seems to be enough of a gap to drop the winch. It would be a tight fit but it looks to be possible.

lincolnland · Post by **lincolnland** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:54 pm

looks great. colour coded looks great. i like the anti speed camera number plate

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 2:15 pm

Thanks Lincolnland. My days as a speed demon are long over - age does that.

Not too much more I want to do now apart from suspension and fit up a snorkel. I have fitted a snorkel to a BT 50 which was nerve racking and my old defender fit up was easy enough. Just taking a hole saw to a panel is a bit stressful.

The Narva lights are big units so I will keep an eye on the engine temps at highway speed. Hopefully there is no air flow impedance. I think it should be O.K.

lincolnland · Post by **lincolnland** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 2:18 pm

you wont have any airflow issues at all. ive got lights of comparable size. no issue at all.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:13 pm

Excellent information. Thanks.
For those installing the uhf aerial, I found a firewall grommet in the top of the dash on the passenger side at the base of the A pillar. Just pops out and is would accommodate a few wires coming through. Up nice and high and means you don't have to put holes in existing firewall grommets. You just unclip the external wiper plastic cover panel to get access, pass a pilot wire from inside to outside and connect up the aerial of wires and pull them through. The wires must be passed through the grommet that passes through from the engine bay to the wiper void before connecting to the guide wire but seems to work well.

I fitted the UHF under the passenger seat in the tow computer box so you don't even see it. The aerial will just reach there and I took the power from the cigarette lighter socket in the dash.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:52 pm

I have just fitted up some FX4 wheels. Not sure about the look. Thoughts?

: Ranger with FX4 Wheels

Adbailey121 · Post by **Adbailey121** » Mon Dec 10, 2018 2:23 pm

I think they fit the car well, a lot better than the OG you had on.

Myself I have gone for the black steel wheels as they fit in well with the black and white theme.

How is your ARB classic canopy going for you?
One of my next purchases coming up and so far I’m not loving the look of most canopies that have an extreme angle at the back of the tub, just seems like this wastes a lot of space for one and would mean if you have a fridge on a set of drawers and a slide that it would have to be mounted fairly far back into the tub.

Looks good
Cheers

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Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 8:51 pm

Thanks for the feedback,.

I swap between the FX 4 rims and the O.E. XLS wheels with the mud tyres. The FX 4 rims with standard highway tyres are quieter as expected but my main issue is vibration with the mud tyres. When they were on my Defender there was no issue. Now on the Ranger there is vibration at 90 -105 Km/h which is a pain -literally. They have been balanced twice now without change. I am going to take them to another tyre dealer and see what they can do. The standard tyres present no issue.

I have had ARB classic canopies on all my utes and have been happy. You get the usual dust problem. I hate the window handles as they are difficult to get a grip on. The side windows tend to stick to the seal and sometimes I have to keep the key in the handle to provide leverage. The old style "T" handle was so much better. Maybe the classic plus might have been a better choice.

I considered the more expensive ARB canopy but I could not justify the extra cost involved.

I put an ARB suspension under it a month ago but it has settled. The right height with the canopy, fridge, false floor and some weight has settled to the standard ride height of an empty XLS bare tub. It also leans 20 mm left now. The front has been better and is supporting the bar and winch well. There is no vibration due to the "lift" as the standard tyres have proved.

I hope to finally do a basic tip over Christmas, probably up to Craig's Hut, just to see how it all performs. I can join the other million people who will be there! It is a shame to have what is probably a capable vehicle and not have time to use it properly. Should have bought a Mustang!

Adbailey121 · Post by **Adbailey121** » Fri Dec 21, 2018 8:02 am

Interesting about the MT’s giving you vibrations at highway speeds. Let us know the verdict with that when you take them back in.

Yeah price is another big factor when choosing the canopy. Got quoted 4.5k for the ascent fitted. The classic came to 3.4k so i think thats the road i will be taking. Didn’t get the price for the classic plus though. I wonder how much they can chuck on for a central locking kit ???
Regarding the dust have you tried the sealing kits? Interested to know as eventually I will want to be going and doing some touring around the place.
Thanks for the feedback regarding handles though.

I feel exactly the same about actually getting out and using the Ute and hitting some tracks. Looking forward to getting this move done.

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MSP · Post by **MSP** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 10:50 pm

I went the Classic Plus with central locking. This is my 4th dual cab with canopy, best by far. I have tailgate seal and forward facing vent at front. Minimal dust. With the latch they use you can open back of canopy with a single finger. Would be hard to go back to anything else. Only gripe is not a perfect paint match, a little darker.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Wed Dec 26, 2018 11:38 am

Adbailey121 wrote:Interesting about the MT’s giving you vibrations at highway speeds. Let us know the verdict with that when you take them back in.

Yeah price is another big factor when choosing the canopy. Got quoted 4.5k for the ascent fitted. The classic came to 3.4k so i think thats the road i will be taking. Didn’t get the price for the classic plus though. I wonder how much they can chuck on for a central locking kit ???
Regarding the dust have you tried the sealing kits? Interested to know as eventually I will want to be going and doing some touring around the place.
Thanks for the feedback regarding handles though.

I feel exactly the same about actually getting out and using the Ute and hitting some tracks. Looking forward to getting this move done.

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I took the tyres to another tyre dealer on Monday to check the balance. Before they even put the tyres on the balance machine the staff member said that the most likely problem was uneven wear. He pointed out the areas of the tyre he was referring to. He placed the tyres on the machine and found they were balanced correctly. Bit sad as he said the vibration is likely to get worse rather than better. I inspected the tyres when I arrived home and could see that the tread blocks were if fact wearing unevenly although the wear was not obvious. Mud tyres will wear if not rotated regularly but I was surprised that the issue has come about with maybe 15,000 Km on the tyres. There was no issue on the Defender I had.

There is the possibility that when the tyres were swapped from the Land Rover rims to the Ford rims that the inside of the tyre/tyres became the outside. This could account for the vibration being introduced. So I either put up with the vibration and see if the vibration reduces with further wear or put my hand in my pocket for new tyres. Unfortunately the 95-110km/h speed range is where the vibration is evident so makes highway driving unpleasant. I might alter tyre pressures to see if this helps.

I have almost always run BFG muds. The only 2 times I changed brands basically was a waste of time and went back to BFG. If I purchase new, some KM 3's or KM 2's will be on the list. I will probably just stick to the 16 inch XLS rims and forget the 18 inch FX4 rims. The 18 inch tyre sizes/brands are a bit limited and I want the side wall height so the FX4 rims will be for show and not for go.

Craig001 · Post by **Craig001** » Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:44 pm

I run the Faulken Wildpeak at3w on the road and absolutely love them. They are mounted on the factory rims where lift and side wall is less important. I have the Mickey P3's as my play tyre on 16" csa rims. Reason for the post is that I notice a difference not only in economy and silence with the Wildpeaks. If you plan on running dual sets as I do this combo covers all the terrain I wish to traverse. The Wildpeaks get used for every day and touring while if its the more challenging terrain I am heading into a tyre swap is required.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Thu Dec 27, 2018 4:08 pm

Hi Craig,
Thanks for the information regarding your tyre choice. I had been looking at Falken Wildpeak tyres but did not know much about them so it is great to get your feedback. I will have a look at the P3's as well. I probably get a little lazy and don't rotate tyres regularly enough but the Bridgestone 674 MT's I have fitted currently have not had too much work and by all accounts are a good tyre as well. Apart from the vibration, there is a good deal of life left in them.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 9:54 pm

So, latest update is that I decided to fit the BFG KM 3's as my plan is to basically run them full time. Replacing the 674's has removed the vibration problem. I am pleasantly surprised at how quiet they are. I know this will only last a short time until they wear but while not cheap, I am happy with the purchase.

CeeJay · Post by **CeeJay** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:13 pm

You might be surprised. My last set of KM3s ran for 50k and still had 8mm I’d tread left when I sold the car.

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Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Mon Jan 07, 2019 9:56 pm

Thanks CeeJay.
If I can get a similar distance out of them that will be great. Even better if they don't get too loud with wear. However, after owning 2 Defenders, loud becomes a relative term and probably the loudest Ranger will still be quieter than the quietest Defender - until /if the new Defender replacement arrives.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sat Jun 29, 2019 8:13 pm

I have finally gotten around to updating the dual battery system in the Ranger. The old battery, a cheap valve regulated unit, finally died after 10 years which was amazing since I expected it to last a few years at best.

I had the Front Runner battery tray already fitted but wanted to fit the largest capacity battery I could to it. I found that the Ritar 120 AH AGM fits perfectly. I installed a Projecta IDC25 battery charger and a fused the cable at both the starter and auxiliary battery.

In the engine bay, I kept the Piranha DBE 140S battery isolator but swapped it to supplying power to the camper trailer battery. I have a Redarc Tow-Pro Elite electric brake controller which has the auto reset circuit breaker. I did not like the fact that the terminals of the circuit breaker are rather exposed so I enclosed the circuit breaker in an enclosure so there is no chance of shorting it out accidentally.

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Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:52 pm

I decided to fit a Safari Snorkel. It always creates stress cutting and drilling perfect panels. Luckily I didn't stuff it up. At least I know everything is painted and sealed properly.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Tue Dec 31, 2019 2:29 pm

So, I have fitted an ARB aluminium roof rack in the past few weeks to the ARB Classic canopy. I thought it was going to be as simple. Just measure, drill and bolt. Not quite!

I roughly mounted the internal support frames as per the instructions, and then checked the dimensions as per the instructions. The problem was the instructions told me I should have 1160mm +/-5 and I was getting 1190mm. I mucked around trying to get the appropriate measurement and came to the conclusion that my measurement was correct and there was an error in the instructions. The photos in the instructions regarding the front internal mount points are not particularly clear which brought into doubt as to whether the front canopy sill mounts were the right way around. I don't believe I made any mistakes though.

I rechecked my measurements for centrality etc., then I took a deep breath and drilled the holes in the canopy. I checked the holes against the internal supports and everything looked good. I lifted the rack into position. I knew from measurement checking that tolerances seemed very tight and I was right. I found fitting the front roof mounts to the rack very difficult to the point that it became annoying. It should not have been that difficult but the mounting brackets were set at the widest extreme as per the holes dictated by the internal frames. The front frames centres need to be brought in by around 10mm total. In the end I slotted the holes slightly in the internal frame to give more free-play for the front bracket then mounting became easy.

I had ARB check my work and they could not see that I had made any mistakes. For me, the rack mounting system could be more simply designed in terms of the mounting positions on the canopy roof. The front and rear mounts could/should could be moved slightly further forward so that they will sit on flatted sections of the canopy body. The front mounts need to be slightly less wide for easy fitment.

I have checked some other Rangers I have seen since, and I seem to have mounted the rack in the right position. I have never had difficulty fitting accessories before, but in this case, the stress was not worth the effort. While I am happy that everything is located evenly of the canopy roof, the fiddling around with this job took away the enjoyment of doing the job myself.

I would also make the comment that the aluminium rack has a fair amount of flex in it. I wanted the mesh floor which meant I could only fit the aluminium rack and not steel. It will be interesting to see how it goes. It is quite light-weight though which is an advantage.

Bill68 · Post by **Bill68** » Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:57 am

You’ll have no problem with the Arb alloy rack I’ve had mine for years and love it, it’s probably the only thing I like from Arb!

Post by **Trublu** » Wed Jan 01, 2020 12:21 pm

I had ARB fit my rack but went for the one without mesh, got me stuffed how you could wash the top of canopy with limited room to do so with the mesh.
I find my rack fit for purpose.
Cheers

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Wed Jan 01, 2020 4:00 pm

Thank you for your replies Bill68 and Trublu. Much appreciated. Virtually everything else on the Ranger is ARB apart from the Ironman sidesteps. The rack looks well made.

Trublu, there is just enough clearance for cleaning, although tight. What I have noticed is that I will have to be careful with weight distribution as the centre section cross bar flexes under weight and the cross bar in the very centre at the high point of the canopy will touch the canopy when it flexes, even though there is around 10mm clearance when not loaded. The rack is mounted evenly as I have measured the rack rails relative to the canopy side sills.

In the past I have had custom made racks fitted to my ute canopies but the companies now no longer exist.

I did get pricing from another rack manufacturer for a cage rack (which was my preference) but when I found that they were quoting me double the price for the ARB internal supports, I lost interest.

I know Ironman make a cage rack in steel or alloy for their canopies, and if I change the rack in the future to a full cage rack I might be able to adapt the rack to fit the ARB mounts. I would have to see where the mounting points are located on the Ironman rack. In the meantime I am sure the ARB rack will do a great job and open ends does add versatility.

All the best for 2020

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Tue Apr 21, 2020 8:13 pm

I have just fitted a Provent oil catch can from Western Filters. The unit was easy to fit and will be interesting to see how useful it will be. The kit cam with all items needed.

When I removed the original Ford vent hose there was no oil residue evident on the hose, even at the inlet to the air intake. I wiped it down with a clean cloth and no apparent oil residue was present. The Ranger has travelled just over 11,000 Km. It will be interesting to see what happens over time.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:03 pm

I have fitted up some Toyo Open Country RT 265 70 R17 tyres to the Ranger. Reviews have indicated that they are a quiet tyre as the "hybrid" construction means they are not as loud as a full mud terrain tyre.

My initial impression is that while they are not noisy, they don't seem much quieter than the BFG KM3 tyres I have on XLS rims. Once the Melbourne lockdown ends, I will be able to see how the Toyo's go on the highway.

jstanovic · Post by **jstanovic** » Mon Jul 27, 2020 4:34 pm

I've been looking at them but thought they didn't come in that size? Wasn't listed on their site 2 months ago. My mate got them in 285/75/16 on his Landcruiser and they seem to be a great all round tyre.

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:53 pm

I have added the post again as the photos seem to have gone since originally posted.

I have fitted up some Toyo Open Country RT 265 70 R17 tyres to the Ranger. Reviews have indicated that they are a quiet tyre as the "hybrid" construction means they are not as loud as a full mud terrain tyre.

My initial impression is that while they are not noisy, they don't seem much quieter than the BFG KM3 tyres I have on XLS rims. Once the Melbourne lockdown ends, I will be able to see how the Toyo's go on the highway.

lincolnland · Post by **lincolnland** » Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:56 pm

Looks great

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sat Aug 15, 2020 8:14 pm

Thanks Linc.
I worked out today that the Ranger has only travelled 1000 km since its February service thanks to all these COVID restrictions which includes 420 km undertaking a couple of trips to Geelong when we could travel. It is the least travelled vehicle I have ever owned. Quite sad.
In my younger days I had a Daihatsu Charade which had a little one litre, 3 cylinder engine. I put 250,000 km on it in 5 years before it started falling apart. That car went to places that no tiny 2wd should have gone to and got me into 4WDing. Those were the days.

Prado - 3D · Post by **Prado - 3D** » Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:45 pm

Ford4wheeler wrote:Thanks Linc.
I worked out today that the Ranger has only travelled 1000 km since its February service thanks to all these COVID restrictions which includes 420 km undertaking a couple of trips to Geelong when we could travel.

It’s interesting that you say that. My vehicle’s warranty recently expired (June 2017 purchase) and I was getting it serviced. Spoke with dealer about warranty, being 3yrs or 100K and asked with a lot of vehicles being parked up and not being driven due to COVID, how will Ford handle warranty periods. Largely that warranty is ticking away with units not being used and time will expire well before kms. Response was a slight chuckle and no commitment but did say that nobody else had actually asked.

Cheers DJ

Ford4wheeler · Post by **Ford4wheeler** » Sun Aug 16, 2020 9:12 pm

Hi DJ,
Yes, that is a valid point which I had not thought about.

I have had an annoying rear main seal issue. So far two replacements so the vehicle is now on its 3rd seal. The leakage tends to start to show after about 2500 - 3000km. While my Ranger has a 5 year, 200 thousand kilometer warranty, I need to put some distance on it to make sure that this latest replacement has been successful. If it fails again I will want to inspect the crankshaft sealing surface myself as it likely means that the crankshaft sealing surface has been faulty/damaged during manufacture and is destroying the seal. I hope that this is not the case but only time will tell.