Installed my RokBlokz XL mudflaps, went for a high speed 40 mile gravel drive- woohoo!

[John E Davies]

https://rokblokz.com/collections/truck-car-mud-flaps/products/ford-ranger-raptor-2024-mud-flaps

I have been waiting for gravel protection before testing my RR on the local farm roads, it has been a long wait. I chose the XL size which are about 1” taller and 1” wider, I figured I could always trim them, but I like them so far. They give *excellent* coverage. I was going to post on the other RokBlox thread but it got locked by admins because of antagonistic comments, I think. You either like these or you don’t. I think they are great. I rarely do rock crawling, I am surrounded by thousands of miles of unpaved roads. For driving over ledges and across washouts, you would have to remove them, I think they would get damaged..

The RR really impressed me, I ended up using 4H all the time, which bypasses the transfer case clutch (locks the power front to rear) and greatly reduces hopping on washboards, and Offroad for the suspension setting. The big selector knob stays in Normal. The faster you go, the better it feels, 50 to 60 mph feels smooth and amazingly planted, the tires grip very well and the braking is excellent. Tires are at 36 psi front and rear, a little too high perhaps. But this kind of driving has lots of mixed highway and unpaved sections, so you can’t air down much.

My only big complaint is NVH, it seems a lot louder inside than my old Land Cruiser 200 (though the RR is going at much faster speeds). I think I will add sound proofing material in the doors and under the rear seat. Also, I will have a Go Fast Camper Topper in November, that should deaden some of the noise coming through the bottom of the bed.

I got my nav figured out. The Garmin DriveSmart 76 sits on top of the dash, using a big Amazon suction cup, a 3” extension and a 17mm Garmin ball adapter. It gets me to my destination when the cell signal dies (which happens frequently here, I usually have enough to text, but no usable data). And it tells me the cross streets as they come closer, which is quite handy. I have routable Topo maps installed, but I don’t plan to use them.

The main screen shows GAIA Premium using CarPlay from my iPhone, which sits on the charging pad , the Overland map layer is most excellent! It is theoretically routable, but it is pretty lame and unreliable. I don’t use routes with GAIA.. It really shows geographical features, bodies of water and back roads very well. And it shows the recorded track, which is useful.

The iPad Mini 6 is running Pocket Earth Pro ($5), that has very nice, easy to read maps that are great for general reference, for wide area situational awareness, like a Benchmark Road Atlas, but it is way easier to refer to, especially when the track is showing. I rarely need it, but it is handy when I get confused or the road ends unexpectedly. It uses a RAM “airbag” (bladder) mount that goes between the center console and the seat cushion. It installs and removes in seconds.

Love the truck! I have no regrets! But it does seem to show the dust….

John Davies

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[Raptor1996]

Out of curiosity, why did you remove the glamor rings from your wheels?

 

[John E Davies]

Out of curiosity, why did you remove the glamor rings from your wheels?

They weigh almost 5 pounds EACH, are vulnerable to rock damage, the problematic hardware corrodes, it is very hard to access the valve stems, even with extensions. I plan to use the wheels for my snow tires. I dislike them a lot…. I would never have chosen Beadlocks, but they came on the truck. I bought 5 complete 17” Bronco Badlands base takeoff wheels with sensors for $650, those will be my regular wheels.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[Mlowery1]

Love the truck!

where did you get your dash mat from?

 

[John E Davies]

Love the truck!

where did you get your dash mat from?

Thanks, the mat came straight from China, I ordered mats from two US companies (Covercraft and Carcoverusa) and neither fit the 2024 Rangers. This one is quite nice, is half the price of the Made in Mexico ones, fits fine, except for the odd leaf cutout in the center, I don’t know its purpose. It doesn’t use velcro, the bottom side is nubby silicone. No more glueing strips to your dash! I ran the power cord for the gps underneath it, down the passenger door A pillar, then to the USB C port beside the phone charging pad.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0D87QLJXL?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[telenerd]

The second day of ownership I already taken my Raptor on some pretty amazing dirt roads in Wyoming. Did a 100mille all dirt adventure. I didn’t have mud flaps and just noticed some minor rock chips. Oh well it’s broken in now.

 

[John E Davies]

They go far beyond a few cosmetic paint chips…. that is the least of your worries. Take a look under your truck.

The KO3 tires hold and then fling rocks like crazy when you get over 50 mph, clang clang clang, it is hazardous for any vehicle behind you. Flaps keep them under control. They keep abrasive crap and tarry chip seal off the underside of the powder coated steps and the rear quarter panel, in winter the caustic mag chloride/ brine road spray is kept off the body. They keep the frame and your expensive Fox suspension from being sandblasted. They protect your trailer too. Rally cars use them, I am a rally fan and IMHO all vehicles used offroad must have them, and all vehicles used strictly on road should have them.

When I got my RR I decided to not stress about the paint too much (no PPF) but I think keeping down the carnage is prudent. How would you feel if you saw a kid with a slingshot blasting your truck with steel bbs? Same thing!

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[pablo94sc]

I don't need the extra height. Is the extra width worth getting the XL and cutting them down, or would you recommend the standard?

 

[John E Davies]

I don't need the extra height. Is the extra width worth getting the XL and cutting them down, or would you recommend the standard?

It is personal choice, the standard ones should be fine for a stock truck with OEM sized wheels. If you plan to install different wheels with a smaller offset (stick out more), the wider ones would be best. I might lift the front suspension a couple of inches, for ground clearance, but I don’t plan to alter the wheel specs. I just happen to like larger flaps.

If you tow anything but a rental trailer, get the XL ones. None of the flaps, Ford OEM included, are appropriate for a rock crawler, they can get ripped off. But for blasting around on gravel backroads, no worries.

FYI the blue logo color is a 99% perfect match for Velocity Blue.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[SoutheastRangerRaptor]

I don't need the extra height. Is the extra width worth getting the XL and cutting them down, or would you recommend the standard?

Hey @pablo94sc these may be what you are looking for; they are a little lower profile and look stock on the truck.

I got these off blue oval industries' site. They are oem (I believe) and should have come on the truck from the factory.

https://blueovalindustries.com/coll...-guards-set-of-4?_pos=11&_fid=5f114b580&_ss=c

 

[pablo94sc]

Thank you both for the replies!

 

[BlackSapphire]

Do you think this would be enough to protect the sides of the vehicle if I were to remove those awkward side steps?

 

[John E Davies]

Do you think this would be enough to protect the sides of the vehicle if I were to remove those awkward side steps?

They would certainly be an order of magnitude better than no flaps at all. There would eventually be some stone damage along the rocker panels in front of the rear wheels, and on the front of the rear fender flares... you could install paint protection film in those areas and plan on replacing it in a few years if it starts to get a little ratty looking. I suspect that the door paint would stay protected quite well.

Another option to consider is to install tires that don’t fling stones, the KO3s are amazingly bad about this! The worst I have experienced, and I have run a lot of different AT tires. But the KO3s are very fine in other terms, I would miss their great features if I installed a different type.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

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