Body Work & Detailing

Very happy with the 2018 Explorer but I thought the all white body was a bit much. So after getting quotes for both painting and wrapping the roof, I went ahead with the wrap alternative, using glossy black (Avery). It was much less expensive and it is reversible. I plan a proper photo shoot later, but here is an iPhone image from our garage: (lost photo) It was done by a local shop called "The Dip Doctor". Jacob

Just got a new 2018 Explorer, Base model V6. Want to replace the chrome front grill with a black one and after checking around on eBay, the black Police Interceptor Grill is about $350ish, while the black Grill for the Sport is about $500ish. Some of the "check compatibility" links using my VIN show it will work, while others say it will not. I called Fairway Ford in Ohio that sells parts on eBay and they said they sell quite a few of the Interceptor Grills and about 20% of them get returned as the customer said "it didn't fit", while 80% of people are keeping them. Sooooo......it must be working somehow! lol I'm specifically looking at Part # FB5Z8200GB Any input? Thanks, John

Pretty quick video on how to install the front license plate mounting bracket and doing it WITHOUT any special tools, such as a plastic rivet gun:

Anyone have a detailed picture of what the rear doors look like so I know what to order to put it back as a personal vehicle? Not interested in speakers in the rear just want the door handle and locks to work for passengers in the back. What have people come up with that isn't so expensive for the center (horizontal) console with the arm rest? Ford wants over $1K for a new one.

Recently purchased a 2013 Explorer XLT. I had the car washed a few days after purchase and then noticed this film/haze on the windshield which was not present when I bought the truck. In hindsight, I wanted to dry off the windshield upon getting back to the house and just grabbed the nearest towel to do so. That towel was one I have used in the past to wipe off gas and oil from our portable generator. So I think this may be some sort of oil or gas stain on the windshield. I have tried using dish soap, Goo Gone, and a couple other suggestions I have seen online, but nothing has worked to date. Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations of how to remove this from the windshield? Thanks.

Hey all, I searched the threads here and watched some videos on youtube but I have a few remaining questions before I start. If I buy the full OEM rocker panel replacements (here) do I need the dog leg as well? The replacement looks like it includes the full dog leg except for just a bit at the top, which my explorer doesn't need. And since they are already painted, should I worry about repainting and properly clear-coating these pieces if I don't cut or scrape any paint off? Here's my plan: First I will cut out or scrape off all rust, and seal any exposed metal with Eastwood rust encapsulator. As you can see in my first image, an area on the "inner" rocker panel is deteriorating (or is it called the uniside? The large panel which the...

Door latch removal and replacement. I encountered this common problem on my 98 explorer and could not find a good how-to online. The symptoms I was experiencing were problems unlocking the door. To unlock the door I had to work the interior door handle while hitting the power button to get the door open. The power actuator on it's own would not unlock the door. The small spring in the latch assembly had broken, I re-bent it once but it broke a 2nd time so I decided to replace the latch assembly. My interior handle also broke leaving me unable to open the door. This removal and replacement can be done by the knowledgeable enthusiast, but if you have large hands with fat fingers you may struggle. The following procedure worked on my...

For those that like to detail their Explorer or other vehicles, I just bought this new foam gun. I've tried several that hook up to your garden hose and just don't cover very well. This is my first that hooks up to your pressure washer and my god does this thing work amazing. Power wash with water first, swap out the nozzle for the foam gun, soak the whole vehicle and then use a bucket of water and a mit. The foam turns to this soft silky liquid with the water and easily wash the whole vehicle. You can obviously see the difference between what is washed and what is still foam so you never miss a spot. I did my wife's ST and my gt350 with incredible results. This is the gun I bought if anyone is interested in getting one...

My 06' has had some bad rust on the rear dogs legs and now this had transfered over to the rocker panels. I have scoured the internet and I can't seem to find rockers that are not slip ons. Also do they not make dog legs for 06-10 they seem to stop at 05'. Any suggestions?

Hey, need a simple answer to a simple question. I'm about to venture into the realm of painting with a paint gun, as opposed to rattle cans. I've got about all the equipment I need (thanks to friends at NAPA), but I can't get a straight answer on mixing the paint/reducer/hardener. I get the ratios, know how the cup works, but I get different answers. Is paint mixed paint first then hardener then reducer (thinner) or is it Paint-reducer-hardener? I'm kinda leaning toward paint/reducer/hardener cause that makes more sense to me. But, I'll let the experts/professionals tell me if I can get a consistent answer.

Hi, Does anyone know which colour is used on this bumper? Thanks :)

I have a 4 door 2003 XLS and I saw that the front bumpers on the XLT and higher trim models were different. Can I fit a 2002-2003 XLT or higher bumper on an XLS? I saw a XLT bumper brand new for sale and wanted to fit the fog lights on there as well. If any one knows I would appreciate it. Thanks!

Hey everyone, I'm currently stuck with a problem that was completely my own doing; I managed to get the liftgate stuck closed on our 2005 XLT. I was repairing the linkage for the liftgate glass and like an idiot I forgot to reconnect the metal rod (the one with the yellow plastic fittings on each end) to the main release handle, so now the liftgate won't open. So far I have had little success with trying the find a solution to this problem that doesn't involve a locksmith or Ford dealer. I was hoping to be able to remove the main handle and try and reach the mechanism through the hole, but it's held on by two bolts but I haven't been able to identify. I initially thought they were pin-in-head hex bolts however this doesn't seem to be...

Hi- not sure if this has been posted before. I looked around and couldn't find anything about it. I've had my Ford Explorer for 4 years now (it's a 2006) and over the last couple of months, the liftgate just opens by itself while I"m driving. We took it to the dealer and they couldn't find anything. However It's still happening. Anyone else experiencing this? Any ideas what's going on?

I just had my '17 Explorer Sport come out of the body shop. Someone lightly sideswiped it, but just enough to make me want to get it fixed. As part of the repair, the body shop replaced the driver door outer shell, but in general did some work on both driver door and left passenger door. Fast forward to today. I've been back to the body shop 3x asking for adjustments because when I drive, even at lower speeds (20-30) it sounds like the window or door is not fully closed. The body shop thinks I'm insane, but I know something isn't right. Then when I drive on the highway I get a very slight reverberation in my ear (almost like the back window is cracked) and it drives me crazy. I've done all I could to try to isolate the problem...