Tim’s Alaska Ranger Raptor Build + Adventures

[Tim_AK]

Hey everyone! I’m new here, and just wanted to document my use of my 2025 Ranger Raptor and some things that have worked great for me as I use it to travel around the remote northern parts of North America.

I’ve utilized this forum a fair bit during my “build” process, learned a lot as I went, and figured it was time to say hi and share the awesome stuff this truck is capable of!

A little backstory: I live in Alaska, and remote travel is something I love. I not only needed a vehicle to get me out to the mountains for skiing, climbing, hiking, etc, but also to take on multi thousand mile trips around AK and northern Canada.

Prior to the RR, I had a built 3rd gen Tacoma. Took that thing everywhere from the Mojave desert to the Arctic Ocean in the Northwest Territories. Rock crawling, mud, thousands and thousands of miles of dirt roads. It was reliable, underpowered, had a confusing relationship between the engine and the transmission, and had typical underwhelming Toyota suspension, even with multiple different suspension systems tried. My wife and I found ourselves exhausted after our last trip in it up the Dempster highway to the Arctic Ocean. 1200 miles of dirt (2100 total) in one trip, it just lacked the comfort and composure I wanted on nonstop bad roads at 40-50mph. Not impressed with Toyota’s current build quality on their new Tacomas, I decided to shop around and the reviews of the RR were all great (raptor suspension and a front locker? Let’s go). One was coming into my local dealership so I put a deposit down on it and gave it a test drive when it arrived last October. Instantly fell in love, made the purchase, and off we went! Will hopefully update this with photos as time goes on and detail some build stuff.

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[Tim_AK]

I really wanted the ride feel to stay as close to stock as possible since I was so impressed with my initial testing. So that was the goal. I off road a lot, but I think people often think “lift” immediately, and then it is a big game of compromise. I wanted to do as little as possible to upset the great suspension on this vehicle.


Immediately looked to recovery options since I often travel solo. Wanting to forgo an entire heavy bumper, I typically aim for a hidden winch mount like I have on my last two vehicles. I saw what could have been a decent option on eBay and upon receiving it, despite being guaranteed that it would fit North American raptors, I realize that it was going to take a fair amount of cutting on the frame which I was not willing to do on a brand new truck. I’ve used different hand winches in the past for recovery (they’re a pain but they worked well if you’re mediocre at rigging), and settled on a Wyeth Scott power puller with synthetic line. This puller with an extension line made me feel comfortable for solo travel since I generally don’t push it too hard. And for a travel in a group it’s nice to have the option for a directional pull in addition to my friends with mounted winches. It is nice to be able to take it out of the vehicle as well when I’m not on a trip (even though the raptor isn’t my daily driver since I have a work vehicle).

Having done very long dirt road trips with an open bed and a tent on a bed rack, I knew I wanted an enclosed bed (the dust can be unimaginable over the course of a week). I went with the RSI smartcap and love it. Looks a little strange at first with the curved roof line of this vehicle, but with the load bars on it looks better, and with a tent on it looks even better than that. I love the ability to open the side windows and access gear. I also don’t want to constantly look like an “overlander” (even when spending long periods of time on the road), so I have bedside molle panels to hold all my gear out of sight (builtright industries). On stock rear springs the sag was negligible and the ride was still great.

Added an M&R automotive light bar (dual amber/white beam) and tapped it into the number 1 and 6 auxiliary switches. Alaska is really dark in the winter so extra lighting is great when driving to go skiing and climbing.

https://mandronline.com/products/2024-ford-ranger-raptor-40in-light-bar-pro

 

[Tim_AK]

My next concern was armor, because the vehicle is pretty wide and squat. Previously only did steel skids, going for ARB ones because they were a little bit lighter than super thick steel options for my Tacoma. I beat the crap out of them and they never cared. For the raptor though, because I figured I would probably be crawling in rocky terrain a little bit less, I opted for rival aluminum skids. Nice and light, and I don’t mind replacing them if I beat on them too hard (skids are a consumable asset in my mind). I generally try to have pretty good mechanical sympathy on my trucks, and find that when I start hitting skids into stuff, I generally back up and try again rather than skinny pedal it in rocky terrain.

After skids was sliders. I like how much the steps protect your vehicle from road rash in high speed situations, but this thing sits a little low already, and the side steps make it even worse. I went with RCI frame mounted, 10° (I think?) with top plate. Definitely exposes your vehicle a little bit more and accentuates the need for front mud flaps. But they give the vehicle a little bit more clearance and they look great (and give some peace of mind in case I accidentally hit them into something, which I probably do once or twice a season). They don’t act as a great step going in or out, but this truck isn’t super tall, and the rough side step doesn’t get the back of your leg anymore.

 

[Tim_AK]

Interior-wise, all I have done is add a ram track from tackform above the center display. I routinely rely on a Garmin overlander for navigation (trails, camps, where to find fresh water, etc) and also mount my Garmin inreach up there for communication when I’m out of cell signal for days at a time. Sits perfectly flush and looks stock with no vibration.

 

[Tim_AK]

As I entered summer and the white north thawed out, it was time to test my camping system to see how it would work on long road trips (on some really crappy roads). Having read everything about suspension modifications for these vehicles, and knowing that I have a highly variable payload in the bed, I decided to keep the rear spring stock since I generally just have the smartcap, and then I added some sumo springs coil helpers in the rear.

This actually made a big difference when carrying my camping gear and the tent on the back. Yes the rear end sags to level with the front, but the ride is still very comfortable. We just drove 3000 miles from Alaska through the Yukon, British Columbia, into Hyder AK and back. Some high speed rough dirt, a little bit of rough trail to access camps, and the truck drove great. I tried to keep my kit light (tough when you are planning on being off grid for a week except for some fuel and water stops), so at this point this is what I’m going to use for the summer.

I have two base pieces of plywood, covered in self adhesive carpet. On one side I attached my fridge slide, on the other side I attached a Milwaukee pack out base. Then I use two Milwaukee pack outs as the pantry while camping. Setting up and breaking camp every day can be a pain, so having everything be quickly accessible was important to me. I run my dometic fridge off a goal zero Yeti 500x battery. I have the battery plugged into the bed power port so it charges while we drive, then at night it runs the fridge and recharges some cameras and such.

 

[forestclouds]

Welcome to the forum! Great posts and a cool rig.

 

[superj]

That's super cool that you do all that kind of stuff up there. I like when people don't lift immediately too. Learn what it does first and adjust to where it fails is way better than just lifting with no reason

 

[NM Mike]

Welcome to the forum. I love your no nonsense approach to your rig.

 

[scuba mike]

awesome build.. thanks for sharing

 

[Lion77]

Holy crap, I didn't know you could go off-roading in a Ranger Raptor with stock 33's, stock suspension, stock engine and just a pair of sliders / skids....I thought it could only touch a dirt road with 37's, portals, lift, 600 RWHP and big turbos, charge pipes, intercooler, upgraded tie rods, high clearance bumper, overlanding rack, 600lbs of gear and a jet engine for added boost .

Nice to see another nearly stock RR kicking butt in the dirt. Yes, the RR does sit a bit lower than something like the ZR2 bison on 35's or the TRD Pro which has a bit more minimum running clearance at 11.5 inches, but it's comparable to all the standard off-road variants.

1. Tacoma TRD off road (not pro) has a minimum running ground clearance of 10.7 inches

2. Chevy Colorado Trail Boss (ZR2-non bison on 33's) has a minimum running ground clearance of 10.7 inches

- ZR2 Bison is 12.2 inches on 35" tires + factory lift but SLOW as molasses and gets the fuel economy of a full-sized truck (like 15~16 mpg).

3. Jeep Gladiator Rubicon has a minimum running ground clearance of 11.1 inches (but worst break over of only 20 degrees since it's LONG).

4. RR has 10.7 inches of minimum running ground clearance, so it's the same as the other trucks.

As most people notice however, the stock side steps sit lower than ALL the other trucks on that list, which is where I think it gets dinged the most for ground clearance stock, especially on trails. Side steps are nice for gravel roads, dirt roads, prepped tracks, sand dunes etc. where clearance isn't a big issue, but on trails they get in the way.

That's why I'm of the opinion that a stock RR with just rock sliders is very capable, yes, you will have to choose your lines still, but you will also have to choose your lines with all the other trucks in stock form other than the ZR2 Bison which gives you a bit more freedom, since it has the most clearance stock and is comparable to a lifted Jeep on 35's. But the ZR2 Bison on 35's has a LOT of compromises. Even empty, the reviews noted how sluggish it was on the highway, imagine being loaded with gear or towing 5,500 lbs....it's not just slow, its PRIUS slow!!!

If you look at the 3rd Gen Taco's, they were only like 9.3 inches, same with Gen 1 Rangers at 9.6 inches and older Colorado's in that range. So, 10.7 to 11.5 inches of minimum running clearance seems to be the new standard range for mid-sized off roaders, which is pretty decent.

At the end of the day, going up in tire size is overrated for most uses and has more drawbacks and benefits for the majority of us in 95% of how the truck is actually used. I'm not opposed to bigger tires and a lift, but I think that's if it's a dedicated trail truck you don't drive long distances, tow with, it's basically an off-roader toy at that point due to all the compromises.

I'm not opposed to stacking rocks, choosing my lines more carefully, getting out a shovel or carrying car ramps in the bed! I can go over bigger stair steps with a pair of car ramps at stock ride height than a lifted truck on 35's hitting them head on....but then I don't have to put up with big heavy tires, sluggish acceleration, poor cornering, poor fuel economy etc. for the 30 seconds I need more ground clearance lol. I don't consider that cheating because on the trail, the only rule is get to and from your destination safely, by any means.

But yes, those darn side steps are a legitimate clearance fail on Ford's part, they should have used slimmer side steps that tuck up more under the truck like the F-150's and Bronco's or used sliders like the ZR2's, Taco Trail Hunters and Gladiator Rubicon's.

Most of the time, when you're going over obstacles head on, either your limited by break over angle (getting high centered across the chassis) or it's a rock on one side of the truck you can drive over. Once the tire is up on the obstacle, then the side clearance under the rockers is what matters, and those stock side steps hang 2" lower than necessary, if you go with 20-degree angled sliders you get a whopping 4" of side clearance without touching the suspension or tire size!

On trails, it's very common to drive over an obstacle on just one side of the trail where clearance under the rockers matters but not break over (which the RR actually has a good break over angle at 24 degrees). Sliders do wonders for trail capability on an otherwise stock RR.

 

[Lion77]

Look at how much side clearance you gain from 20-degree sliders (not as much, but also good gains with 5 degrees like the RCI's etc.):

Something else people dont' consider is roll over. The RR with its lower / wider stance can maintain stability on steeper side grades than higher narrower trucks. There are plenty of videos of Jeeps or highly lifted trucks rolling over trying to drive at too high of tilt angle!

There are always pros and cons to lifting and I find that most people ONLY tend to look at the pros, which is I can go over bigger objects without stacking rocks, using ramps, shovels or picking my line more carefully.

But they are also more prone to roll over. So, what if you have a relatively flat surface with a very steep side grade (like driving along the bank of a hill), that lift and tires actually work against you in that off-road situation!

It's not always just a case of "well the only drawback is worse fuel economy and slower acceleration". You actually sacrifice trail performance in other situations like I just mentioned. Roll overs are game ending, usually the vehicle is totaled or has sustained serious damage, and all the fun is now gone. Not saying tires / lifts don't have a place, but I think there is far too much emphasis on forums with lifts / tires vs. peeling back the low hanging fruit first and learning to drive better.

Now that's a pickle!

 

[whale]

As I entered summer and the white north thawed out, it was time to test my camping system to see how it would work on long road trips (on some really crappy roads). Having read everything about suspension modifications for these vehicles, and knowing that I have a highly variable payload in the bed, I decided to keep the rear spring stock since I generally just have the smartcap, and then I added some sumo springs coil helpers in the rear.

This actually made a big difference when carrying my camping gear and the tent on the back. Yes the rear end sags to level with the front, but the ride is still very comfortable. We just drove 3000 miles from Alaska through the Yukon, British Columbia, into Hyder AK and back. Some high speed rough dirt, a little bit of rough trail to access camps, and the truck drove great. I tried to keep my kit light (tough when you are planning on being off grid for a week except for some fuel and water stops), so at this point this is what I’m going to use for the summer.

I have two base pieces of plywood, covered in self adhesive carpet. On one side I attached my fridge slide, on the other side I attached a Milwaukee pack out base. Then I use two Milwaukee pack outs as the pantry while camping. Setting up and breaking camp every day can be a pain, so having everything be quickly accessible was important to me. I run my dometic fridge off a goal zero Yeti 500x battery. I have the battery plugged into the bed power port so it charges while we drive, then at night it runs the fridge and recharges some cameras and such.

Nice build, my RR is stock except I removed the side decals, which I sometimes regret. What kind of running boards are on yours? Been looking for some that don't stick out so far.

 

[whale]

As I entered summer and the white north thawed out, it was time to test my camping system to see how it would work on long road trips (on some really crappy roads). Having read everything about suspension modifications for these vehicles, and knowing that I have a highly variable payload in the bed, I decided to keep the rear spring stock since I generally just have the smartcap, and then I added some sumo springs coil helpers in the rear.

This actually made a big difference when carrying my camping gear and the tent on the back. Yes the rear end sags to level with the front, but the ride is still very comfortable. We just drove 3000 miles from Alaska through the Yukon, British Columbia, into Hyder AK and back. Some high speed rough dirt, a little bit of rough trail to access camps, and the truck drove great. I tried to keep my kit light (tough when you are planning on being off grid for a week except for some fuel and water stops), so at this point this is what I’m going to use for the summer.

I have two base pieces of plywood, covered in self adhesive carpet. On one side I attached my fridge slide, on the other side I attached a Milwaukee pack out base. Then I use two Milwaukee pack outs as the pantry while camping. Setting up and breaking camp every day can be a pain, so having everything be quickly accessible was important to me. I run my dometic fridge off a goal zero Yeti 500x battery. I have the battery plugged into the bed power port so it charges while we drive, then at night it runs the fridge and recharges some cameras and such.

Welcome Tim. What kind of running boards your RR?

 

[dabaur]

Thank you for the excellent write up! And thank you for providing the manufacture names for your equipment and how you utilize everything. Alaska is stunning, and you’re seeing more of it than most people can even imagine. Talk about memories that will last a lifetime!

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