2017 Ford Ranger Wildtrak is Unstoppable in the Worst Conditions: Muddy Monday

Footage puts to rest any concerns that the new Ford Ranger won’t be a great off-roader.

This week’s Muddy Monday video comes to us from the Offroad Racing Cars YouTube channel and it features a 2017 Ford Ranger Wildtrak flexing its muscles and its suspension in a series of serious off-road obstacles. This is not the exact same midsized truck that will soon be sold at North American Ford dealerships, but it is developed as part of the same Australian-based program. Because of the new Ranger’s ties to foreign markets, some people question whether it will be able to hang with the F-150 in rough conditions, but this video leaves no question that the new midsized pickup is built Ford tough.

Key Upgrades

While this video does a fine job of showing how capable the Aussie Ranger is at it tackles some pretty serious terrain, it is not a stock truck. The owner has added a two-inch lift, 17-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch Dick Cepek tires and an assortment of underbody protection components including an Ironman Rear Protection Bar, a Rhino Evolution Bar and Uneek4x4 Rock Sliders.

The tires and lift do improve the capabilities of this Range, but in the grand scheme of things, they are fairly minor performance upgrades while the bars and sliders just keep the undercarriage from getting destroyed by rocks and other off-road debris.

Battling the Elements

The video begins as the Ranger descends into a deep, tight ditch that is filled with mud the consistency of peanut butter. Between the mud and the high point in the center, this trench would swallow up most small trucks, but this Aussie Ford has no problem powering through to the other side.

Next, the Ranger comes to a point in the trench where it heads downhill into deeper holes, with tree roots adding obstacles to the path, but after making it to the water, the midsized Ford comfortably cruises through the water and the long expanse of mud on the other side. The truck then goes through several more mud holes in this continuing trench with ease before meeting the final obstacle.

The last challenge for this 2017 Ranger Wildtrak is a step, downhill descent with a groove running down one side and a hard lean to one side. The driver carefully negotiates the first part of the hill, careful not to smash the side of his truck against the inside of the trench. As the Ranger reaches the bottom, it shows off some suspension flex, hanging the rear wheel high in the air as the truck wiggles through the rough footing.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy!

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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