Got me a new toy!

[HillbillySailor]

Here's my new aquisition...

http://images.craigslist.org/0101090102090104062008012104824f8fb8e6ae25df00f9d0 .jpg http://images.craigslist.org/01010001020301030720080121bc253c8081d443472400847a .jpg

It's a 200,000 mile 1996 Ford Explorer Sport 4x4 with a 4.0 V-6 and a 5-speed. She needs a new water pump (new one in the back, still in the box), thermostat (in the back, still in the box), and battery...but will be ready for the road after that. Future plans call for replacing the radio (someone tried stealing the old one), the clutch (the throw-out bearing chatters occasionally), shocks, and hitting the junkyard for a few interior pieces and a radio antenna. The body is in good shape with no rust and a few small dents. The best part? I got it for $450. Hell, the thing would be worth that with a blown engine. If the engine goes in it...well, I guess it will be time to drop in a V-8.

[HoosierGTA]

CONGRATS , I just missed out on a black one from Texas for the same money. Of course I would have sbc'ed it so its just as well. Got another bird so it worked out O.K again congrats and it looks good.

[HillbillySailor]

Thanks! I found it on Craigslist. I love it when I can come across something like this. The guy I bought it from didn't know anything about cars. He originally wanted $650 for it, but I talked him down to $450. Hel I would've given him his full asking price, but I knew he had to move soon so I figured I'd try to barter and see where it led me. I'll end up putting the $200 savings into it somewhere! ;D

[PYSCHOWard]

It never hurts to get a bargain, and have money left for upgrades.

[HillbillySailor]

Well, I put the water pump, thermostat, and new serpentine belt on today. Afte putting in 5 gallons of fresh gas, I took her out for a spin. After blowing the carbon and old gas out of it, I couldn't believe how well it ran. This little S.O.B. will run like a raped ape. It will need a new clutch soon, and I'll need to replace an oddball tire (one was one size smaller than the other three), but should get me through the rest of the winter. Again, can't beat it for $450!

[fabricatordave]

it is still a EXPLODER LOL just kidding sounds like a great deal

[White Monster]

it is still a EXPLODER LOL just kidding sounds like a great deal


.. it is still an EXPLODER
;D

[HillbillySailor]

An Exploder? Do you two know something I don't? I know the older ones with the POS 2.9L V-6 had issues, and the Mazda 5 Speed is kinda weak, but I wasn't aware of any other problem areas.

[fast Ed]

Ball joints, front hub & bearing assemblies (with false ABS activation), and brake wear are usually the bugaboos we see here at the dealership on the 2nd gen Explorers. Some of those 4.0L OHV engines had oil and coolant leak issues, but most of them got straightened out back in the day. Overall not a bad vehicle.


cheers
Ed N.

[HillbillySailor]

I'll keep an eye out for those issues you pointed out. Sorry everyone if I seem so stoked about an Explorer. I had to sell the T-Bird I had because it blew a transmission right before I deployed a couple of years ago, and Virginia Beach has an ordinance against broken down cars. They would've dragged my ass to court over the thing sitting for any long period of time, so I had to unload it. I've spent the past two years wrenching on my friends rides when I wasn't out to sea (which was alot). This thing may be just an "Exploder" and you guys may find my enthusiasm silly, but it's mine and it gives me something to wrench on besides my friends stuff. That, and she'll also be my means to drive back and forth to work (it's nice having two cars again). I'm still looking for something more "musclecarish" but for right now, my Exploder will have to do.

[Freiburger]

They also flip over fairly easily. Give it a shot.

[72_Ventura]

I don't think there's anything silly about getting excited over an exploder. It's what you got. Now do something cool with it!

[Two Lane Blacktop]

I'd have the following handpainted

"Old-School Nascar Style"

on the top of the driver's door:


Driver: Al Cowlings

[DanStokes]

My advise - lower it if you can. It's about the only thing you can do to it to make it more stable and not look weird - gotta be either lower or wider. Suspension helps too, of course, but I have no clue as to what's available for these, and I suspect it will be pricer than lowering.

In any case, have fun and enjoy. Anything can be fun if you play with it.

Later
Dan

[TheSilverBuick]

I'll keep an eye out for those issues you pointed out. Sorry everyone if I seem so stoked about an Explorer. I had to sell the T-Bird I had because it blew a transmission right before I deployed a couple of years ago, and Virginia Beach has an ordinance against broken down cars. They would've dragged my ass to court over the thing sitting for any long period of time, so I had to unload it. I've spent the past two years wrenching on my friends rides when I wasn't out to sea (which was alot). This thing may be just an "Exploder" and you guys may find my enthusiasm silly, but it's mine and it gives me something to wrench on besides my friends stuff. That, and she'll also be my means to drive back and forth to work (it's nice having two cars again). I'm still looking for something more "musclecarish" but for right now, my Exploder will have to do.


As long as you never lose sight of the fact it's an Exploder, have fun with it ;D

[HillbillySailor]

My advise - lower it if you can. It's about the only thing you can do to it to make it more stable and not look weird - gotta be either lower or wider. Suspension helps too, of course, but I have no clue as to what's available for these, and I suspect it will be pricer than lowering.

In any case, have fun and enjoy. Anything can be fun if you play with it.

Later
Dan


I hadn't considered lowering it. I did notice that it has a tendency to flounder, but I know part of that is the worn out shocks and the oddball tire. Lowering it an inch or two will probably help it's asthetics and it's handling. I'll need to look at the wheel wells to see how much room there is to pla with once I get back from this underway period.

[DanStokes]

I haven't messed with lowering a 4x4, but I'm guessing it's doable. Heck, ANYTHING'S doable! Getting 4 tars (NC for tires - I'm learning the language) that know each other has GOT to help, as well as shocks that still have all (oil) in them. Shock oil is the equivalent of electronic smoke - they don't work if you let it out.

Have fun and come back safe
Dan

[White Monster]

I hadn't considered lowering it. I did notice that it has a tendency to flounder, but I know part of that is the worn out shocks and the oddball tire. Lowering it an inch or two will probably help it's asthetics and it's handling. I'll need to look at the wheel wells to see how much room there is to pla with once I get back from this underway period.


Hey fellow sailor,
Just messin' with you. It is a Ford, I just thought Exploder was funny.
I think Dan's advise to lower it is an excellent idea and sound.
The "floundering" symptom you mentioned is not all from worn out shocks and an oddball tire.
It's the design.

As everyone says, come back safe and then have fun and enjoy !!!
:)

[Two Lane Blacktop]

Navy,


Due to mil-pay & duty stations, yours truly had ZERO

for a POV during my entire six-year hitch. :o


Corcorans, low-quarters & Nikes were my "daily-drivers". :)


Lots of wishes, intentions and plans are necessarily deferred

(aka sacrificed) while serving your nation, but think of it as

"Duty Now, For The Future". It doesn't matter what you drive,

so long as it keeps you on the road to your dreams.


Your skill-sets, commitment, desire-to-learn and discipline

are the investments you're making in yourself that will pay

dividends in all your endeavors, for the rest of your life.


Your day's coming, bro'!! -- 8)

[HillbillySailor]

Did a little research on lowering an Explorer. Turns out there's a company that has a kit for it (called the X-SPEC kit). It includes a new sway bar, Edelbrock shocks, camber plates, and all the other stuff needed to do the job. And...it seems all I have to do to lower the rear of it (since it's an Explorer Sport) is relocate the spacers to the top of the leaf spring from the bottom and bolt everything back up. The kit and spacer swap will lower it 1 3/8 inches. It's supposed to help the floundering problem. They say it's almost like driving and riding in a car. I've always had reservations about lowering cars and trucks, especially the 4WD variety, but the last thing I want to do is flip ass-over-tea kettle down the interstate in an SUV. I've done that once and don't care to do it again.

[joebogey]

Don't mean to imply you don't know what you're looking at, but I have a '97 Explorer XLT, and when it start to turn a little funny it was due to a broken sway bar end link. Seems there was a recall on it by Ford, but it only applied if they were broken, so if you had an un-broken bad part they wouldn't replace it. So anyway, didn't see anything until I put it up in the air since I'm literally shadetree (no garage, no carport, lifting one side at a time with a floor jack & stands). The Moog's on there now work great. Also Addco makes a sets of beefier 1 1/2" front/ 7/8" rear sway bars.

The other thing to consider, is that you basically driving a station wagon bolted to a Ranger chassis. My Uncle's got a '94 Ranger and laying under it is the same as my Explorer. You have a truck, unless you toss the suspension for new it's going to drive like a truck.

Also check out http://www.ford-trucks.com/ it's a pretty cool site with lots of info.

[JustinSuhas]

This dude made a sleeper out of one. I know how you love sleepers ;)

-2000 Explorer 5.0 AWD.... Holset HX35 12cm, Tial WG, GReddy RS BOV, 80mm Lightning MAF, 39lb. Cobra injectors, AEM UEGO wideband, 3" straight exhaust, and alot more.. Tuned by Henson Performance.
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s97/justinb3325/trucktreeSmall.jpg

[HillbillySailor]

The other thing to consider, is that you basically driving a station wagon bolted to a Ranger chassis. My Uncle's got a '94 Ranger and laying under it is the same as my Explorer. You have a truck, unless you toss the suspension for new it's going to drive like a truck.


I've owned SUV's for quite some time, so I understand that it's going to drive like a truck...hence why I'm taking the advice to lower it Not upgrading the Ranger suspension when they put it under the first and second generation Explorer is one of the main reasons the thing has a roll-over problem. Instead of fixing the problem what does Ford do? "Hey, let's just have the customer drop the tire pressure to 26 PSI!" Did dropping the air pressure work? Yes, but then it caused a new problem of the tire getting too hot and having the tread peel off of it at speed. Kinda reminds you of Ford with it's Pinto problem doesn't it?

I like the pic of that Explorer Justin! That's exactly the look I'd go for!

[White Monster]

Cool, sounds like you got it under control.
I would make sure you have both front and rear sway bars, the beefier the better.
It really improved the cornering on my '01 Tacoma PreRunner.
Good luck.

[joebogey]

Not upgrading the Ranger suspension when they put it under the first and second generation Explorer is one of the main reasons the thing has a roll-over problem. Instead of fixing the problem what does Ford do? "Hey, let's just have the customer drop the tire pressure to 26 PSI!" Did dropping the air pressure work? Yes, but then it caused a new problem of the tire getting too hot and having the tread peel off of it at speed. Kinda reminds you of Ford with it's Pinto problem doesn't it?


Absolutely, plus it was compounded by people that have no idea what to due in a blowout (not that it would apply to all), with driving cars with traction control & ABS. I had to drive my father-in-laws Maxima once in the snow. I was all over the road until I turned the traction control off, then it was smooth sailing. ;D

Also, that's a cool Explorer in the pic, hmm... may have to do something this weekend...

[HillbillySailor]

Cool, sounds like you got it under control.
I would make sure you have both front and rear sway bars, the beefier the better.
It really improved the cornering on my '01 Tacoma PreRunner.
Good luck.


I'll need to crawl under it to be sure ,but I think it already has sway bars. If it does have them, it will be the hollow ones. Turns out that they didn't get solid sway bars until a couple of years later. I may go to the junkyard and pull a set off of a later model and put them on mine.

[Will]

Don't let 'em sway you, Hillbilly. A good beater daily for cheap is hard to beat.

BTW, what's your rate and what ship are you on? I was a DS2 when I got out after 6 on the USS Constellation. Right after I got out they decommissioned my rate and my ship.

[White Monster]

Ha, Data Specialist.

I was thinking about that one, but eventually went with Electronics Technician (ET).
Hadn't heard they retired your rating though.
Time fly's
;)

[JustinSuhas]

yea man, dont take any crap about daily drivers. (or sleeper to-be's)

i daily drive a dented four door aspire :-[

ps. how about i get a new signature? perhaps P.A.P.E.R.C.L.I.P.?

[PYSCHOWard]

Gotten Cheep, ya can always fix and trade or sell for that Muscle car or Truck down the road.

If ya want you can make it whatever you want it to be, its yours. Excited? why not, its a project.

[ls7gto]

I haven't messed with lowering a 4x4, but I'm guessing it's doable. Heck, ANYTHING'S doable! Getting 4 tars (NC for tires - I'm learning the language) that know each other has GOT to help, as well as shocks that still have all (oil) in them. Shock oil is the equivalent of electronic smoke - they don't work if you let it out.

Have fun and come back safe
Dan

Dan, isnt that pronounced EARL in NC as in "moter earl is moter earl"

[HillbillySailor]

Went to the junkyard yesterday and pulled some much needed things for the Exploder. I pulled the following...

Emergency brake assembly (mine wont stay engaged)
Seat Latch (my seat won't stay up without something in behind it)
Timing Belt Tensioner (hey, it was new off of a wrecked Ranger)
Seat Belt Latch (my seat belt latch is stuck and wont disengage the seat belt)
Speaker covers (the old ones are nowhere to be found)
Ashtray assembly (some gorilla snapped off the my ligher housing)
Drivers side lower kick pannel (same gorilla snapped the old one in two)
Radio antenna (guess the gorilla made off with it)

The cool part is I got all this stuff for $18. It was half-price day at Pick-n-Pull. They didn't have any later models than 1996, so I didn't pull the sway bars off of any of them. Considering the cars I saw get picked clean while I was there, I figure they'll have some new stuff in the yard within the next week or two. it was a good day nonetheless...although the wife did get on my case for being there for so long! ;D

And to answer Will's question, I'm a Fire Controlman onboard USS Normandy (CG-60). I've been in for 16 years. The last time I served with any DS's was onboard my first ship (USS Bainbridge CGN-25). They ended up turning DS's into either FC's of ET's. Most Computer type DS's went FC, and most Console type DS's went ET.

[DanStokes]

I was apprenticed to a guy from Cherk-ey (found out later that was "Cherokee") NC, and he said it was "ALL". So I bought him an icepick. He said with frustration "no, I want the all, not the all". Never did hear the difference. Then he wanted 5 quarts instead of the gallon I brought him, and he told me to bring "all the all". I eventually was able to figure it out the first time from the context.

BTW - the coastal accent (where I live now) is very different - more like Savannah. Soft and refined. Go 100 miles inland and the BBQ and the accent change beyond all recognition.

'Earl" is more southern Missouri/Oklahoma area.

Later
Dan





I haven't messed with lowering a 4x4, but I'm guessing it's doable. Heck, ANYTHING'S doable! Getting 4 tars (NC for tires - I'm learning the language) that know each other has GOT to help, as well as shocks that still have all (oil) in them. Shock oil is the equivalent of electronic smoke - they don't work if you let it out.

Have fun and come back safe
Dan

Dan, isnt that pronounced EARL in NC as in "moter earl is moter earl"

[Will]

Went to the junkyard yesterday and pulled some much needed things for the Exploder. I pulled the following...

Emergency brake assembly (mine wont stay engaged)
Seat Latch (my seat won't stay up without something in behind it)
Timing Belt Tensioner (hey, it was new off of a wrecked Ranger)
Seat Belt Latch (my seat belt latch is stuck and wont disengage the seat belt)
Speaker covers (the old ones are nowhere to be found)
Ashtray assembly (some gorilla snapped off the my ligher housing)
Drivers side lower kick pannel (same gorilla snapped the old one in two)
Radio antenna (guess the gorilla made off with it)

The cool part is I got all this stuff for $18. It was half-price day at Pick-n-Pull. They didn't have any later models than 1996, so I didn't pull the sway bars off of any of them. Considering the cars I saw get picked clean while I was there, I figure they'll have some new stuff in the yard within the next week or two. it was a good day nonetheless...although the wife did get on my case for being there for so long! ;D

And to answer Will's question, I'm a Fire Controlman onboard USS Normandy (CG-60). I've been in for 16 years. The last time I served with any DS's was onboard my first ship (USS Bainbridge CGN-25). They ended up turning DS's into either FC's of ET's. Most Computer type DS's went FC, and most Console type DS's went ET.


Nice job on the score. Need to hit the pull-a-part here pretty soon, as I have a few things to score for my various beaters.

They converted everyone about 6 months after I left, from what I hear. I was a computer type, so I would have been a FC also. My father in law was a FC for 24 years. He actually wrote the school courseware for CIWS.

[HillbillySailor]

Finally got a chance to do some wrenching on the Exploder this past Saturday. Spent around $350 on it too. I had tires installed in the back so it would sit even and took it for a drive so I could have a baseline for the improvements I was getting ready to make. Although it drove better, it still floundered like nobody's business. I installed new shocks all the way around and installed new swaybars I took off of a 2000 Explorer. It was a night and day difference. It felt like I was driving a different car. I also installed a new exhaust system while I was at it. She still needs alot of work, but it least things are going in the right direction. At least the wife can see I'm actually installing the parts I've been scrounging at Pick and Pull these past few weekends! ;D

[joebogey]

Cool, it's fun to actually make changes and notice the improvement. One thing I thought of, if you get around to doing anything with the brakes, Classic Tube makes a braided stainless hose kit that's DOT approved. Includes all five hoses (2 front chassis to caliper, 2 rear axle to caliper, and 1 rear chassis to axle) and the junction/splitter block that's on the rear axle. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Now you need to post some pics :)

[HillbillySailor]

Will try to get some pics up soon. Just got marching orders from the wife. Seems she's not too crazy about the seats. Looks like that will be my next project. Good thing I just spotted a set on Craigslist... 8)

[FORDGUY]

I was apprenticed to a guy from Cherk-ey (found out later that was "Cherokee") NC, and he said it was "ALL". So I bought him an icepick. He said with frustration "no, I want the all, not the all". Never did hear the difference. Then he wanted 5 quarts instead of the gallon I brought him, and he told me to bring "all the all". I eventually was able to figure it out the first time from the context.
Later
Dan



lmao thats funny! I am in central Ohio and some people around here pronounce "Newark" like "nork" or "nerk" and "oil" like "all" or "oral". the farther south you go (into the hills of Ohio) there is a regional accent/dialect that I can barely understand a word they say.

[fast Ed]

That's because the people who settled the south of Ohio were mostly West Virginians, the north and east part of Ohio was the New Englanders. ;)


cheers
Ed N.