2024 Ranger Raptor Build

[nestamarley]

the never ending project is close to completion and has been very satisfying to say the least. Started with a used 2024 RR that was taken pretty good care of. Original owner chopped the crash bars and put Goodyear 35s on. Started with the Super Pacific camper for the added sleeping length and overall more options/anccessories after owning a GFC on my previous truck. It costs more but for my use I deemed it worth it. I put Eibach Springs front (1.5”) and rear (2”) for the added load and it brought the ride hieght at the front and rear mid fender to around 40”. I got a Relentless Fabrication Hybrid front bumper with Warn winch. Put Method 323s on with 35R1712.5 BFG KM3s for shoes. I’ve done a couple off off-road trips and have had minimal rub even with the steering locked out left and right which I was surprised about TBH. The Front Runner Slimsport rack fits perfectly under the camper and has BajaDesign Mounts for the LP4s on top. There’s enough space to slide my solar panel in there. Lost a ton of gas mileage with all the add ons and the Ford Proscan upgrade but if you are worried about gas don’t buy the truck. Loving how this truck rides and very impressed with the off road capabilities. Going to add some sliders from White Knuckle and I’ve promised my wife that’s it! Hahahaha……

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[Shrek The Raptor]

It’s gorgeous!!! Question about the relentless bumper, did you get their prior gen one and line it up? I didn’t see a next gen on their website but coming from the Jeep world, have always loved their products

 

[nestamarley]

I was actually his test case. I dropped my truck off and let him have it for about three weeks. He’s a great fabricator but a little slow on the business side (like most of the guys that do this) so he should have it up on his website by now but he hasn’t. He also makes a bracket for the winch control box but didn’t mention it so I made one myself.

 

[Shrek The Raptor]

Amazing, I’ll be holding out for that bumper then! Great build man

 

[Mystic]

Rad build!

That SP cap looks great with the roof rack and really cleans up the goofy overhang aesthetic typically seen on trucks with canopy campers, and you've got the lights tying it all together. Chef's kiss as the kids say.

Do you have any straight side-profile pics?

 

[nestamarley]

Thanks a lot! Appreciate it. I don’t have many pics of her in the wild but I took a side profile pic in her natural suburban environment.

 

[telenerd]

Howdy. Nice rig. How you mounting fuel? I’m gonna be mounting 2 Jerry cans with rivet nuts on the bed. Waiting on the mounts to show up.

 

[Lion77]

Give me some more picks of that bumper, that is exactly what I have been looking for, a pre-runner style bumper. The SVC is nice, BUT it doesn't have a pre-runner bar on it and I think the pre-runner bar up by the grill is helpful for off-roading when your pushing dense foliage out of the way or if you nose out too much.

I also like that his bumper extends to the edge of the fenders where the SVC for some reason stops at the body but doesn't go out to the fenders. the SVC is tucked away nice and close to the truck, so it is compact, where this sticks out a bit more like a true pre-runner bumper intended to take some hits (form vs. function). Both are nice, but I do like this a bit more and the SVC, but it's a bit on the heavy side, so I'm wondering if I would need springs + limit straps on the front (springs to compensate for the added weight, limit straps to prevent harsh top-outs / shock damage with the additional spring rate).

 

[nestamarley]

Thanks! I just used the Rotopax mount and drilled holes through the side of the camper and bolted it down. Put some rubber washers on both sides to help with water getting in.

 

[nestamarley]

I’m definitely digging the style of this bumper. I agree with everything you said about the SVC bumper. Close but not the same as the Relentless one. The bar was an option he gave me when he made the bumper. It was no bar, the height I chose or a bar that goes higher up than mine. The bumper weighs about 105 pounds but I have a winch also plus the roof rack so with so much added weight in the front it made sense to me to add new springs.

 

[Lion77]

No winch for me, just the bumper as I'm looking to go pure pre-runner (performance oriented) kinda like the Ranger Raptor Race truck. This is about as close to that style as I can find.

Does it use the factory skid plate in front or is that removed as part of the whole bumper?

I believe the factory bumper is around 30 lbs, the factory skid plate is a good 25lbs, so if this bumper replaces both (which the SVC and most of them do), then the net gain in weight up front is only around 50~60 lbs, so I shouldn't need springs.

BTW, if you did springs, I HIGHLY recommend getting some limit straps in front so you dont' damage the shocks over time with harsher top-outs. The F-150 raptor guys doing overlanding learned that lesson by killing their fox shocks from harsh top outs, blowing a shock out on a trail is super sucky!

Because of the extra spring rate, the internal damper when the shock fully decompresses (expands to maximum length) takes all the impact force of the spring, it's designed for the factory spring rate, increasing that increases the forces exponentially and will over time damage the shock.

That's why the RR Race truck used limit straps even with stock springs because they used perch collars to increase spring pre-load (thus increasing the effective spring rate) to lift the front a bit to clear the 35x12.5 race tires.

The class rules don't allow for suspension lifts or aftermarket shocks, but the rules for production class do allow for pre-load adjustments, bigger tires and cutting out fenders, hence why they went that route. Just some foot for thought so you don't run into issues down the road.

 

[RRaptorscallion0331]

Very nice rig! If I could ask a favor, next time you have the front tires off for rotation and/or balancing, would you mind please snapping a picture of the wheel well and what cutting or modifications were necessary to clear the 35s?
After my first off-road trip a few days ago I found out that ground clearance is an issue I’d like to address with little to no changes to factory suspension since the truck performed flawlessly in that aspect.

 

[nestamarley]

Ground clearance is definitely an issue for some of the places I like to go and realized this truck sits pretty low relative to Tacos and Colorados. I also didn’t want to mess with the suspension too much for the same reasons you mentioned. The original owner chopped the crash bars and after replacing the springs for the increased load (which gained an 1 1/2”-2” front and back) the 35s fit without any mods to the wheel well.

 

[RRaptorscallion0331]

So just the springs and removing the crash bars allow for 35x12.50s? Suspiciously simple but I’ll take your word for it, I keep things relatively light for the “getting there” part so I don’t know if springs is the correct avenue for me. Also, please keep us updated when your fabricator friend will take orders for that bumper! I have the Foutz light bar but would appreciate a middle seat between that and a $3k ADD bumper…

 

[Mystic]

So just the springs and removing the crash bars allow for 35x12.50s? Suspiciously simple but I’ll take your word for it, I keep things relatively light for the “getting there” part so I don’t know if springs is the correct avenue for me. Also, please keep us updated when your fabricator friend will take orders for that bumper! I have the Foutz light bar but would appreciate a middle seat between that and a $3k ADD bumper…

Can confirm 35x12.5s fit (with crashbars out and a lift, which the springs provide).

That being said, with a spring-only lift I could see a hard hit topping it out into the wheel well liner, especially with all that weight added. Am I crazy?

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