The Ford Ranger has been available again for a few years now after being out of production for a while. It’s getting better every year, especially in the way of offroad capability and various interior amenities. If you’re considering buying a new or used Ranger, or already own one, you might be wondering which mods and upgrades would be good for you. We’ve got you covered with some of the most highly suggested accessories available. Here are the best mods and upgrades for a Ford Ranger in 2021.

Tonneau Covers

These are some of the most popular purchases for truck owners of any kind. With tons of different types available, find the one that best fits your needs and the installation is fairly easy. There are tonneau covers that are retractable, rollup, tri-fold, hard, soft, and all kinds of other options. Some of the more complicated and expensive covers will have to be installed by a professional but many are very simple and can be put on your truck by anyone. Most come with instructions and many even have videos available online. Our recommendation is the Power Retractable with T slots from Pace Edwards by LEER, available on the Ford accessories website.

Nerf Bars

Running boards, steps, whatever you call them, they’re a pretty popular Ranger upgrade. As with all pickup trucks, the Ranger might be just high enough that it’s hard to step into. These solve the problem. There are plenty of different options and some might be more expensive than others. The step bars available on the Ford accessories website match well, look clean and aren’t too pricey.

Offroad Wheels

If you don’t like the look of your factory-installed wheels, maybe you need an upgrade. There are plenty of aftermarket options available that look great on any color Ford Ranger. You might even be looking to drive offroad, and need some help there. There are some performance wheels better for tough terrain. The wheels will last longer and be much tougher in harsh conditions. If you are completely uninterested in taking your Ranger through the mud, the wheels look cool too.

Tires

Offroad tires for the mud and tough terrain might be a good option for you. Even if you don’t and just need to haul a lot of weight often, different tires from the factory-installed ones might be a good idea. A wider, knobbled tread is perfect for gripping tough terrain and handling the weight placed on top of them. Tires like this can last longer and keep you safer when moving heavy loads or driving offroad.

Lift Kits

You knew this was coming. People love lifting trucks of any size. It doesn’t matter if it’s the biggest truck in the world or the tiniest GMC Sonoma you’ve ever seen. It needs to be higher. Lift kits are available pretty much anywhere that sells vehicle parts, but installing them might be complicated. Lift kits are not something that anyone can install properly, so if you’re not a professional, make sure you find one to do it for you. Rough Country is a trusted manufacturer of lift kits and makes one compatible with the 2019-2021 models of the Ford Ranger.

Tailgate Damper

If you aren’t familiar with tailgate dampers, they are simple pieces of hardware that prevent the tailgate from slamming down. Having it come down in a slow, controlled manner can save you a lot of trouble. Whether that trouble is caused by a broken tailgate or something being hit by it, this prevents any issues. One of the more easily self-installed items on the list, there are plenty of options for which to buy. They will usually come with instructions, and videos can be found online on how to install them if you need help. Best of all since these are so simple and small, they’re fairly inexpensive.

There are plenty of available accessories, upgrades, and mods all over the internet for pickup trucks. The Ford Ranger has more available for the 1998-2011 version than the current 2019-2021 version. These are the best mods and upgrades for a Ford Ranger in 2021. Be sure to check the Ford accessories website as well as other sites to compare prices.