ARB Major Ford tie-up brings full accessory range for new Ranger

Major collaboration between Ford and ARB sees full range of off-road equipment ready in advance for launch of new Ranger

There’s been no shortage of new 4x4s to get excited about over the last year or so. But few if any have been as hotly anticipated as the new Ford Ranger.

This arrives early next year, after making a cheeky early appearance in high-spec Raptor form. And from the word go, you’ll be able to turn it into the off-road weapon of your dreams.

That’s because Ford has been working with ARB for the last three years, sharing design data on the vehicle so that the Australian off-road giant can develop a range of accessories and modifi cations in readiness for the vehicle’s launch. Normally, when a new 4x4 is launched you have to wait months or years for the aftermarket to catch up, but this alliance has allowed more than 160 parts to be designed, tested, approved and fi nally moved through to manufacture in a process that’s been running behind the scenes since 2019.

‘Two iconic brands have joined forces to bring you an industry-leading vehicle personalisation experience ahead of the launch of the next-generation Ford Ranger,’ says ARB. ‘The exclusive partnership offers a wide range of accessories that have undergone a rigorous evaluation process by both Ford and ARB engineers to ensure they’re fully compatible with the Ranger, delivering optimal integration and performance. ‘A strategic collaboration between Ford and ARB has resulted in the best range of accessories available, so you can take your new Ford Ranger to the next level.’

Fine words are cheap and easy, but in this case ARB’s reputation goes before it. The company traces its history back to 1975, when founder Tony Brown fi rst hit on the idea of manufacturing equipment suitable for the rigours of the Outback, and since then it has grown into a household name among off-roaders.

With the imminent arrival of the new Ranger, complete with its full range of ARB accessories, that reputation is set to grow still further. And with so much potential added to the vehicle, its appeal to buyers is sure to be stronger than ever. If it wasn’t hotly enough anticipated already, what follows should be enough to get any truckbuilder’s mouth watering…

Suspension

ARB’s range-topping BP-51 Old Man Emu suspension system is yet to be confi rmed for the UK market as a new Ranger fi tment, however it’s already a well known name among existing pick-up owners. This is an all-singing, all-dancing remote-reservoir set-up, however Emu’s everyday

Nitrocharger shocks have also been engineered for the new Ranger.

Locking diffs

The Air-Locker is almost a ‘hoover’ word in offroad circles; people even refer to them as ‘arbs’. That’s how universal ARB’s legendary diff-locks have become, and not without reason – after all these years, they continue to be recognised as the gold standard in their fi eld.

For the new Ranger, ARB is concentrating on the front axle rather than the rear, where the vehicle will be available with a factory-fi t unit. Here, the Air-Locker will offer a direct replacement for the standard electric traction management system, providing the opportunity for true fourwheel drive on suitably equipped vehicles.

For the Ranger, ARB has also designed a mounting bracket allowing its own air compressor to be located in the vehicle’s offside rear wing. This leaves the rear pick-up bed free for whatever you want to put in it.

Raised air intake

You don’t need to be heading for the deepest water you can fi nd for a snorkel to be your best friend. Raising your vehicle’s air intake is a great way of protecting your investment in its engine – which will always thank you for keeping it supplied with clean, dust-free air.

Just as importantly (admit it), snorkels make vehicles look cool. And the latest V-Spec Safari Snorkel has been designed for the Ranger using the latest scanning and CAD techniques, so you can expect it to look cooler than ever. Especially when you’re wading it through the deepest water you can fi nd…

Heavy-duty bumpers

ARB’s winch bumpers are already a common sight on high-end builds, particularly those based on pick-ups – with the existing Ranger having traditionally been one of the most popular choices among UK enthusiasts and adventurers. Its full range includes several different options; not all of these will be homologated for road use in this country, however, with ARB itself advising that only one has been approved for use in Europe.

This is the StealthBar, which has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Made from moulded polyethylene, it’s capable of deforming to absorb the impact of a full-on kangaroo strike – a feature which also makes it far kinder on pedestrians than a traditional allsteel design.

The winch mount hidden behind the StealthBar won’t deform, on the other hand. And as is normal with ARB, it doesn’t come with recovery points – these are sold separately, and like the winch tray they’re made from heavy-duty steel which is attached directly to the chassis. Each recovery point is rated to 8000kg up to the maximum turning angle of the front wheels.

Being a bumper rather than a full-height bull bar, the StealthBar is also signifi cantly lighter than the other options in the ARB range. This is no small matter when it comes to the vehicle’s braking and handling, not to mention its fuel consumption – and once you’ve seen how easy it is for accessories to interfere with your payload and towing weight limits, you’ll never take them for granted again.

As the illustrates, ARB has these days moved well beyond the traditional off-roaders’ answer to everything of simply throwing as much massive strength as possible at the issue. The company does still make its familiar all-steel range of Summit, Summit Sahara and Commercial bars, which are in effect three variations on the same basic high-strength theme each incorporating different levels of premium features, as well as the full-height polyethylene SpartanBar, but for UK customers the ever-growing popularity of the more subtle StealthBar is easy to understand – and you can expect it to be very well suited to use on the new Ranger.

At the back, like all pick-ups, the Ranger’s rear overhang will be among its most vulnerable areas. Here, ARB’s Rear Step Tow Bar is a well proven way to prevent the inevitable ground hits from wrecking your vehicle’s pick-up bed, and for the new model it has been engineered to work with the vehicle’s original equipment lower tub step. In addition, it will be available with optional lower tub protection and recovery points, again rated to 8000kg.

Rock sliders

The need for a long wheelbase means pickups are also vulnerable to grounding out on breakovers, or in deep ruts. So a set of rock sliders is always likely to be near the top of your shopping list. That’s what ARB’s Summit Side Rails and Steps are all about – these shield the vehicle’s sills and doors against damage, whether from rocks, stumps or debris; if you’re buying a set, it’s likely that you’ll be combining them with one of the company’s front bumpers, but they’re available with a return for solus use too.

Underbody protection

ARB will offer not one but two ranges of underbody protection products for the new Ranger. One is its traditional Under Vehicle Protection, made from pressed, folded and lasercut 3mm steel, however you’ll also be able to shield the vehicle’s underside using… plastic.

Seriously? Traditional bash-it-with-a-hammer types, look away now. ARB’s Under Vehicle Armour is made from crosslinked polymer, making it far lighter (that again, and still as good as ever), and like the StealthBar it will deform under impact before popping back into shape. It’s tough as old boots, too (easily able to support the vehicle’s weight many times over) and for extra reassurance it’s ribbed in critical areas. It is, of course, compatible with ARB’s other protection products, so you can use it on a vehicle also equipped with the company’s bumpers, rock sliders and recovery points.

If you really want to keep it made of metal, the traditional steel plates mentioned above come zinc-plated and powder-coated, wit recessed mounting bolts securing them fi rmly to the chassis. Choices, choices…

Long-range fuel tank

As a general rule of thumb, the more a place is worth visiting, the less likely you are to be able to fi ll up with fuel there. No, we’re not talking about downtown Huddersfi eld when the tanker drivers are on strike.

If you want to conquer the Canning Stock Route or Anne Beadell Highway, cross the Sahara or spend a week off-grid in the Khan Khentii, one tank of fuel is not going to be enough. You’ll have jerry cans, of course, but those take up space – and you’ll need less of them if you’ve fi tted ARB’s 140-litre Frontier long-range diesel tank.

This isn’t a secondary tank; it’s a direct replacement for the factory-fi tted unit holding approaching twice as much of the good stuff. It’s made from the same kind of crosslinked polymer as the underbody armour, so it’s no heavier than something containing about 140 litres of diesel will ever need to be – and while it’ll sure cost a lot to brim it from fumes, at least you won’t see the inside of a petrol station anything like as regularly as most people.

Truck-bed canopies

Since work started on its collaboration with Ford, ARB has put down a serious marker in the offroad market in the UK by buying Truckman – a company which has long since been regarded as a frontrunner in pick-up accessories, particularly canopies. Not all of its hard-tops will be imported here, but those that do will come from a fourstrong range of options.

Foremost among these is the Ascent – ARB’s fl agship Canopy, with every feature under the sun including central locking and push-button window switches. The Classic is a no-nonsense loadspace cover built to very high quality standards, while the Classic Plus is the same but with more features including a single rear door with an electric handle. The Sportlid, meanwhile, is a secure, weatherproof loadspace cover which sits at top rail height to maintain the truck’s classic pick-up lines.

In addition to these, ARB will also be offering a Tailgate Assist option to prevent dangerous and damaging crash-down openings and allow far easier , one-handed opening.

Drawers

This is another area in which ARB is well known, and its UK arm has been reporting strong sales of drawer kits over the last year. The company’s trim panels turn the Ranger’s pick-up bed into a perfectly sized space in which to mount its drawers – whose smooth action and sky-high load capacities make them ideal for everything from kitchen instals to ground anchors.

Talking of kitchens, ARB offers one as a slide-out unit with a three-burner stove, sink and enough worktop space to cook up a storm. Ideal for Rangers being built for expedition use, general camping weekends or even just to cater for work crews on site, the Slide Kitchen is available solus or with its own vehicle-specifi c fi tting kit.

Rooftop stowage

ARB already offers a wide range of load-carrying solutions which are widely interchangeable around many different vehicles. The common factor is the company’s Base Rack, a low-profi le, lightweight unit whose fl exibility means it can be put to an almost endless variety of uses. Anything from jerry cans and spare wheels to carrying your home on your back… safe to say the new Ranger will be seen doing it all.

Electrics

The new Ranger is a pretty connected kind of a vehicle, with electrical systems almost everywhere you look. So what it really needs is… more electrical systems.

For starters, there’s a Ranger-specifi c plugand-play wiring harness to connect into ARB’s own Solis and Intensity driving lights. There’s also a universal plug-and-play patch loom, which provides a clean high-beam signal output to suit other brands of LED, and this can also be used when fi tting front-facing lights on a roof rack.

The range also includes an auxiliary battery kit allowing you to add a consumer circuit, and this is supplied complete with its own loom as well as a charger, battery tray and mounting hardware. And if you take a high-tech approach to off-roading, there’s an A-post bracket available for mounting ARB’s Linx vehicle accessory interface.