Ways to find help and be helpful on this forum

Forum members,

I’ll keep this as brief as possible, and then pin it to the top of our forum main page. The primary functions of this forum are seeking help and helping others with issues/questions relating to Ranger boats. In that vein, here are options or avenues for getting help or information pertaining to Ranger parts & service. There are certainly others, but the list below is a start. Caution: What NOT to do is to make posts, or statements within posts, that are entirely negative or critical: not trying to help, and not even looking for help. When excessive negativity creates a toxic atmosphere on this forum, we all lose.

Call a dealer: If you don’t have a working relationship with a reliable, helpful dealer, that’s not an issue *unless* you need to take your boat to them for hands-on service. And even then, if you need to take a road trip to get quality work done, it will be worth it. Many dealers [mine does] now offer while-you-wait service by appointment. Dealers also have the full Ranger parts list on computer, carry many of the most popular items in stock, and can either arrange for pickup at their business or drop-ship to you from the factory. Most have been in business for decades, have found numerous work-arounds for every kind of job, and will answer any reasonable questions without fee. Just ask for dealer references on here and you surely will get them.
Call Ranger at 800-724-7273 [Parts] or 417-873-4555 [White River customer service line]. Bear in mind that the factory line is often extremely busy! Personally, I never call the factory for something that a dealer can handle, and that is 99% of what the factory can do for you; possibly more, due to the hands-on experience of the dealer with the product.
Contact the White River Marine online chat for service or warranty questions: Go to Tracker Boats web site, click “Shopping Tools” [bottom of page], then “Contact Us,” then “Chat,” and have your serial number/s handy. Here is a direct link to the chat service: https://trackerboats.custhelp.com/app/chat/chat_launch. [Note: Tracker Boats is a subsidiary of WRMG, which owns Ranger]. If you have a complicated warranty or service-related question, the helpful factor about the chat is that the text is recorded and stored in a unique case number, for follow-up if needed.
Contact your Ranger forum moderator: the moderator of this forum often has additional ideas and insight into parts/service questions. Within the past few years, I have been fortunate to develop strong relationships with dealership, Ranger company, and White River Marine employees that have been useful to many forum members in problem-solving.
Don’t overlook independent marine companies and other sources: Older Ranger parts can often be found at Great Lakes Skipper. Trailer parts are often found at trailer companies like Dexter, EZ Loader, etc., and also at auto parts stores like NAPA. Ranger parts and accessories are popular enough that they often can be found on Amazon and eBay. And don’t overlook YouTube for service-related videos.
For any parts, service, after-market accessory, or other questions, ask forum members for their suggestions.

Please do not make posts or statements within posts that are strictly negative, non-helpful, and not a reasonable or polite expression of wanting help. We all want what we want when we want it. Parts and material shortages happen, however, as do employee mistakes, computer malfunctions, temporary increases in call volume, etc. This forum exists to allow Ranger owners to use each other as resources. Via patience, politeness, and willingness to compromise, the vast majority of issues/questions can be solved.