Trey's Magnetic Lariat FX4 "Rainier"

[DeadSkiHead]

Thank you! Overall, I don’t know but I’d estimate it’s about 2.5-3 inches taller than stock at the roof without the 2m antenna. The tires probably bring it up 1.25” and the front lift another 1.5” in the middle. The antenna is 23” tall, but it’s spring loaded and will bend to the height of the AM/FM antenna.

It fits into a 6’6” parking garage

Sweet! I'm in a small parking garage too and I found the lowest hanging pipe to be right at 80 inches. When we put the Yakima ski rack on top, it scrapes, so I have to take it off every time I pull in the garage. But the stock height of the Ranger FX4 is 71.5 inches, if I recall correctly.

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[Trey1940]

I've been towing a lot of trailers lately, and, while most of them are light, they're getting heavier. Time to install the Redarc Tow-Pro Elite that's been in my back seat for two months.

Installing the Redarc was simple enough, but dang, the factory harness wires are SHORT! They had me bent at all kinds of weird angles under the dash crimping them together. I zip-tied the Tow Pro box to the metal support under the fuse panel under the steering wheel, and mounted the control knob under the drive mode selector. There's a honeycomb structural pattern under that panel, I took a pair of pliers and sort of sheared it off until the back of the rotary knob cleared. There's a TON of room under there to work. To get under that panel, I started at the cupholder seam with a plastic trim tool and gently pried up the clips all the way to the front. I left the front clips in place and just hinged the rear of the panel upward enough to work.

While I was under the dash playing with electricity, I finished running power to my Wouxun KG-UV920P-A 2-meter/70-centimeter radio. I had already mounted the faceplate in the dash tray, the speaker mic on the console through the Lightforce fascia, and the antenna through the roof, so it was time to mount the radio chassis. I don't have a photo, but I mounted it on the C-pillar right where the rear seat hinges, so I can reach it for programming without moving the seat.

Here's an updated view of my console, also featuring Sync 3.4

 

[FULLSCALE]

Nice work, looks clean! I was thinking of mounting my ScanGuage there but I wasn’t sure if the heat in the summer would hurt it.

 

[AzScorpion]

Nice work, looks clean! I was thinking of mounting my ScanGuage there but I wasn’t sure if the heat in the summer would hurt it.

That would be a puddle of plastic by the end of April here.

 

[Trey1940]

That would be a puddle of plastic by the end of April here.

I've had good luck with the radio on my Fiesta being up there, but I don't regularly see temps over 100 like you do!

 

[AzScorpion]

I've had good luck with the radio on my Fiesta being up there, but I don't regularly see temps over 100 like you do!

I grew up and lived in WMA for over 50 years and it's rare to see 100 out there. At least on the Vineyard you get the ocean breeze and while it still gets hot and muggy the breeze keeps the temps down some. Heck by mid August it'll still be well over 100 at 10;00 pm here but it's the price we pay to have 79* days in February and not have to deal with snow.

 

[Trey1940]

Less mods, more road trips! I've been busy putting some miles under Rainier.

First off, a trip to Atlanta and Charlotte for my girlfriend's birthday weekend. I took her to her two favorite places, the Georgia Aquarium and ST Octane Academy! 2,467.9 miles. The trip fuel economy worked out pretty close to the hand-calculated 20.4 MPG.

Next up was a trip to Maine to help my parents finish a shack we built last fall on their property

The Truxedo tonneau cover was a huge factor in the success of this trip, as it was pouring rain the entire drive from southeast Massachusetts to eastern Maine. I took ALL of the equipment, since it all had to stay dry and my mom's F-150 doesn't have anything to cover the bed. Bonus, you couldn't tell at all that there was anything underneath it.

8,565 miles later, I still LOVE this truck.