ExplorerTom
Explorer
I haven't tried yet- but soon I'll figure out what's going on there.
Expedition Squared build
- Thread starter ExplorerTom
- Start date
Ivan
Lost in Space
The rear trailing arms are really the only rusty things on the truck. And going offroad with these doesn't give me a lot of confidence. So I replaced them with some pieces from Supreme Suspension.
How much better does it feel with the new arms? That's my next purchase. Not that mine are rusty, but more of preventative maintenance.
ExplorerTom
Explorer
It feels OK. I don't think my factory arms were bad (yet) so the difference wasn't really noticeable.
Looking at the design of the Supreme arms, I'm starting to wonder if they actually aren't as stiff laterally because of the smaller footprint on the bushing. The PMT arms use a square tube and might be a better choice for rigidity. Factory arms are u-shaped stamped sheet which is a fairly strong shape.
Looking at the design of the Supreme arms, I'm starting to wonder if they actually aren't as stiff laterally because of the smaller footprint on the bushing. The PMT arms use a square tube and might be a better choice for rigidity. Factory arms are u-shaped stamped sheet which is a fairly strong shape.
ExplorerTom
Explorer
It's been a little bit since I've updated.
I added a lift. Just 2.5" coil spacers in the rear from Supreme Suspension and the factory torsion keys were cranked to their max.
During the lift I noticed my lower rear shock bolts had seen better days:
I replaced them and didn't realize the problem I had. Can you spot it:
That's the shock fully extended- while the truck is at normal ride height. Might explain why the ride quickly deteriorated after the lift was installed. I'm sure I beat those internal valves to death against the end of the shock tube.
I tried to get some Bilsteins but they were actually shorter. And finding info on Bilsteins for non-stock applications seems impossible. I guess those Germans don't like you modifying stuff. So I went back to Rancho. Their website is much easier to use for lifted applications. I took some measurements and even though I only added a 2.5" lift, I went with the shocks for a 4" lift.
I still need to look into the front shocks.
Also went on a couple camping trips.
Webster Pass:
Goose Creek:
And took a 2400 mile road trip to northern WI:
And got some Husky Liners off Craigslist from another Overlander with an 80-series:
I added a lift. Just 2.5" coil spacers in the rear from Supreme Suspension and the factory torsion keys were cranked to their max.
During the lift I noticed my lower rear shock bolts had seen better days:
I replaced them and didn't realize the problem I had. Can you spot it:
That's the shock fully extended- while the truck is at normal ride height. Might explain why the ride quickly deteriorated after the lift was installed. I'm sure I beat those internal valves to death against the end of the shock tube.
I tried to get some Bilsteins but they were actually shorter. And finding info on Bilsteins for non-stock applications seems impossible. I guess those Germans don't like you modifying stuff. So I went back to Rancho. Their website is much easier to use for lifted applications. I took some measurements and even though I only added a 2.5" lift, I went with the shocks for a 4" lift.
I still need to look into the front shocks.
Also went on a couple camping trips.
Webster Pass:
Goose Creek:
And took a 2400 mile road trip to northern WI:
And got some Husky Liners off Craigslist from another Overlander with an 80-series:
ExplorerTom
Explorer
In preparation for the Great American Eclipse trip in a couple weeks, I decided to ditch the worn Big O Big Foot tires. I put 42.5k miles on them and they were on the truck when I bought it. We are going to be taking some back roads and because they were getting so worn, I wasn't confident in their puncture resistance and traction on loose ground. And they were loud on the highway.
Who doesn't love new tires?
Cooper ATPs in 275/70/18.
So far I like them, but I've only got 50 street miles on them so far.
Who doesn't love new tires?
Cooper ATPs in 275/70/18.
So far I like them, but I've only got 50 street miles on them so far.
ExplorerTom
Explorer
Either an abandoned air strip west of Casper, WY or Nebraska. All depends on the clouds.
ExplorerTom
Explorer
Apparently haven't updated this in awhile.
The Eclipse was great. We did the COBDR from Gypsum to WY (the easy section). Lots of smooth dirt roads with some occasional trail here and there. 4 nights, all in different locations: 2 in CO and 2 in WY.
Met up with a group on the 3rd night from my local overlanding group:
We drove through some cool BLM land. The smell of sagebrush was everywhere as we ran over bushes that lined the 2-tracks.
Our goal was to get to an old air strip for the eclipse. But we found a hill that looked perfect instead.
As you can see: nothing for miles around.
The Eclipse was great:
The one thing I learned on this trip was that I really love my drawers in my Explorer. In the above picture, I have 2 boxes stacked on top of each other and each are strapped down. Anytime I needed anything, I would have to unstrap them and restrap them when I was done. What a pain. I'd like to do something about that in the future.
The Eclipse was great. We did the COBDR from Gypsum to WY (the easy section). Lots of smooth dirt roads with some occasional trail here and there. 4 nights, all in different locations: 2 in CO and 2 in WY.
Met up with a group on the 3rd night from my local overlanding group:
We drove through some cool BLM land. The smell of sagebrush was everywhere as we ran over bushes that lined the 2-tracks.
Our goal was to get to an old air strip for the eclipse. But we found a hill that looked perfect instead.
As you can see: nothing for miles around.
The Eclipse was great:
The one thing I learned on this trip was that I really love my drawers in my Explorer. In the above picture, I have 2 boxes stacked on top of each other and each are strapped down. Anytime I needed anything, I would have to unstrap them and restrap them when I was done. What a pain. I'd like to do something about that in the future.
ExplorerTom
Explorer
Did an appearance mod: painted the rear chrome bumper black and added some aux LED backup lights.
I spent a fair amount of time prepping the chrome so hopefully the paint sticks. I haven't done the front. The front scares me: in CO there is a bunch of sand on the road in the winter (although a lot less now than when I was younger). I fear the front would get sand blasted and really put my prep work to the test.
That intake manifold that I replaced on page 1- it failed too. The Dorman proved to be a big piece of junk. 42k miles was all it was good for.
I replaced it with a Ford OE manifold. I cost about $100 more- plus a set of Fel-Pro gaskets. Much happier with the Ford part. It seems like a much better part than the Dorman.
So while it was out and I was driving my Explorer, I decided to have my fuel injectors cleaned and flow tested. I had no reason to suspect anything was wrong, but I figured 220,000 miles they might not be flowing all that great. Turns out one wasn't flowing at all.
When I got it all put back together, the engine did seem to idle just a little smoother. Overall driving impressions were the same. No change in mileage detected.
Then the radiator started leaking. Again. Almost 1 year to the day after replacing it. The Ford radiator is a plastic end tank radiator and that's what I replaced it with. But when that replacement started leaking so soon after, and the Dorman intake fiasco still fresh on my mind, I went all aluminum.
I'd like to say that the install was smooth sailing and straight forward. But it wasn't. I trimmed the fan shroud a bunch and battled leaky transmission cooler connections for a couple days. I think I've got it figured out now though (after more trimming).
I spent a fair amount of time prepping the chrome so hopefully the paint sticks. I haven't done the front. The front scares me: in CO there is a bunch of sand on the road in the winter (although a lot less now than when I was younger). I fear the front would get sand blasted and really put my prep work to the test.
That intake manifold that I replaced on page 1- it failed too. The Dorman proved to be a big piece of junk. 42k miles was all it was good for.
I replaced it with a Ford OE manifold. I cost about $100 more- plus a set of Fel-Pro gaskets. Much happier with the Ford part. It seems like a much better part than the Dorman.
So while it was out and I was driving my Explorer, I decided to have my fuel injectors cleaned and flow tested. I had no reason to suspect anything was wrong, but I figured 220,000 miles they might not be flowing all that great. Turns out one wasn't flowing at all.
When I got it all put back together, the engine did seem to idle just a little smoother. Overall driving impressions were the same. No change in mileage detected.
Then the radiator started leaking. Again. Almost 1 year to the day after replacing it. The Ford radiator is a plastic end tank radiator and that's what I replaced it with. But when that replacement started leaking so soon after, and the Dorman intake fiasco still fresh on my mind, I went all aluminum.
I'd like to say that the install was smooth sailing and straight forward. But it wasn't. I trimmed the fan shroud a bunch and battled leaky transmission cooler connections for a couple days. I think I've got it figured out now though (after more trimming).
DailyExpedition
Active member
Subd diggin this thread! I like that you’re in Colorado too, I grew up in Florissant, lake George, and Woodland Park. My Old man was a Ranch foreman for Wildhorn Ranch and High Chaparral ranch by 11 mile reservoir back in the 80’s. I’ll be up there in late August Early September for a couple weeks camping, I can’t wait
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Judge Mills
New member
Good to see another Expedition build! Mine is a second gen, but this still gives me ideas. I'm going a very similar route with mine.
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Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk
ExplorerTom
Explorer
Some say ignorance is bliss. But since I have my UltraGauge displaying transmission temp, I get worried when I see trans temps above 200- or really anything above 150 since I don't tow. It's not uncommon to see trans temps above 190 in stop-n-go traffic in the summer.
And this is after I upgraded the aux trans cooler 2 or 3 years ago.
I've been reading about how the 6.0l diesel trans cooler is huge. I figure since it has the same transmission, the larger cooler couldn't hurt on my 5.4l. It's a popular swap for 7.3 and V10 Excursions. I don't know of many (if any) Expeditions that have done it.
It's huge. It's only a couple inches narrower than the width of the opening in front of the AC condenser.
Install wasn't exactly straight forward. This cooler was never meant to fit here. It's a bolt in swap for the Excursions and Super Duties- but I had to get creative. I cut off the driver side lower bracket and shortened the side brackets. Then I used metal strap to secure it from above and I drilled a hole through the lower radiator support to bolt the lower passenger side bracket. All in all, I'm pretty happy with how secure it is.
I'm going to also run an Autometer trans temp gauge on the cooler exit line.
I spent a small fortune in plumbing adapters. But the 6.0 cooler has larger nipples than the Expedition lines.
This is the upgraded Hayden cooler that replaced the factory cooler:
And this is after I upgraded the aux trans cooler 2 or 3 years ago.
I've been reading about how the 6.0l diesel trans cooler is huge. I figure since it has the same transmission, the larger cooler couldn't hurt on my 5.4l. It's a popular swap for 7.3 and V10 Excursions. I don't know of many (if any) Expeditions that have done it.
It's huge. It's only a couple inches narrower than the width of the opening in front of the AC condenser.
Install wasn't exactly straight forward. This cooler was never meant to fit here. It's a bolt in swap for the Excursions and Super Duties- but I had to get creative. I cut off the driver side lower bracket and shortened the side brackets. Then I used metal strap to secure it from above and I drilled a hole through the lower radiator support to bolt the lower passenger side bracket. All in all, I'm pretty happy with how secure it is.
I'm going to also run an Autometer trans temp gauge on the cooler exit line.
I spent a small fortune in plumbing adapters. But the 6.0 cooler has larger nipples than the Expedition lines.
This is the upgraded Hayden cooler that replaced the factory cooler:
ExplorerTom
Explorer
Took my Expedition on a little expedition. I've been wanting to do the Alpine Loop in SW Colorado for awhile. It's a "scenic byway" that is mostly dirt roads. 4wd is recommended, but I really only used 4lo for the gearing help while going up long, steep sections at high altitude. High clearance is a must though. We started just outside of Ouray.
The trail goes by a bunch of old mines. Sites like this are not uncommon.
But more importantly, sites like this were even MORE common.
I saw tons of waterfalls in the area.
We set up camp at a weird pull off area. There were a couple fire rings (that couldn't be used due to the fire ban) and what looked like horse hitching posts.
In the morning we continued down the road.
Spent a bunch of time above treeline. The sun is very intense at that altitude. Temp was pleasant though.
We got to an old mining ghost town called Animas Forks. Very cool. The buildings were open and you could go inside.
This 2 story house was very neat.
The trail goes by a bunch of old mines. Sites like this are not uncommon.
But more importantly, sites like this were even MORE common.
I saw tons of waterfalls in the area.
We set up camp at a weird pull off area. There were a couple fire rings (that couldn't be used due to the fire ban) and what looked like horse hitching posts.
In the morning we continued down the road.
Spent a bunch of time above treeline. The sun is very intense at that altitude. Temp was pleasant though.
We got to an old mining ghost town called Animas Forks. Very cool. The buildings were open and you could go inside.
This 2 story house was very neat.
