5spdman's slow and cheap XLT build | Page 21 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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5spdman's slow and cheap XLT build

Caleb!! Just seen your thread as I clicked the new post dealio. LOL!! I gave it a quick once over.

I had no idea you made those extended arms yourself. I know you told me you had a bunch of last minute work before we went to Moab, but I didn't think you did all that! The rig did great out there.

So many of us wrenched and wrenched like crazy to make that trip happen, and was worth every minute of it. Was great to meet you, the wife, the rig, and the puppy! You know we will have to do it again!
 



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Could you post pictures of what you did, your process intrigues me.

I don't have the best of pictures....I do have something I drew up of the process though and a pic of the truck now...

glass.jpg


IMG_20160813_141227680.jpg


Doesn't look the best I know, but it looks better than it did when I just pumped it in there. That pic kinda help?

Caleb!! Just seen your thread as I clicked the new post dealio. LOL!! I gave it a quick once over.

I had no idea you made those extended arms yourself. I know you told me you had a bunch of last minute work before we went to Moab, but I didn't think you did all that! The rig did great out there.

So many of us wrenched and wrenched like crazy to make that trip happen, and was worth every minute of it. Was great to meet you, the wife, the rig, and the puppy! You know we will have to do it again!

Yeah, when I said work, I meant work! It was great to meet you too Greg! Don't think we'll make it that far next year, but maybe something closer?
 






Plenty of closer places we can wheel at. :) Your only an 8 hr commute away from me.
I most likely won't make it back to Moab until 2018-19 myself. That's not a cost friendly trip. lol
 






Thanks for the info 5spdman. I've got to figure out something for mine and don't really want to replace the glass now (it's cracked so if I have it pulled, I'd want a new one). I've never seen how a windshield attaches or how any of it is setup so that's great info.
 






Thanks for the info 5spdman.

I've never seen how a windshield attaches or how any of it is setup so that's great info.

Don't quote me 100% on the shape of the trim...from what I could see (and from previous experience reattaching a windshield (old work truck, adhesive all let loose, ditched the trim)) I'm pretty sure that's how it's shaped...makes sense to me at least...
 






Good job and glad to hear its worked so far. No judging from me...I'm broke as well but sometimes the bandaid fixes are worse than ought right repair.
 






Haven't updated this in a while.....

Well, no leaks from the windshield to-date, so there's a plus!

Exhaust was replaced about two months ago from the cats back and everything seemed to be great! About that time, I picked up a new daily driver, a 95 Ford Escort, 2 dr hatch, manual trans, for fairly cheap...has almost tripled the mileage I was getting with the Ex, so that means more money to spend on the Ex, right? Has some stuff going with it that should probably be looked into, but it's not high on my list of priorities...

Since Edgar has sat now for a little while, I'm starting to notice some things...wouldn't start this morning (Escort had a low tire) and a little tap on the ignition coil got it fired up tonight. While under the hood, I noticed the clutch fluid res was low (was really low last weekend too) so I'm guessing another new slave cylinder is in it's near future....I'm also dealing with fluctuating dash/headlights/voltmeter and high idle RPMs....

The things we do for the vehicles we love...
 












Had someone suggest it was a part of the alternator that was the issue with the lights...everything fluctuates every now and then...
 






That may be true, but, anytime your volt meter starts being erratic, it's usually a bad ground.

When the headlight switch starts failing, it has an intermittent ground issue. Thus the flickering lights. All the electrical components are always hot on these rigs, and the circuit is completed by ground on/off. Does the volt needle move when accessories are used? Like turning the blower on, or turning on the brake lights for an example.

Corroded battery cables will mess with the system (including the ALT), and cause the volt meter to move when a draw takes place. I replaced mine on the 94 EX, and split the loom off it. It was corroded the entire length, and I never knew it, when diagnosing a similar issue as yours.

Just something to think about.
 






I will for sure keep that in mind...I saw some threads on how to test different sensors and whatnot that I was told may be the issues....anyway to test the wire without just taking it out? I do have probes on my volt tester...
 






Set volt meter on DC volts 20 scale. Stick one end into the lead part of the negative battery post. Attach the other lead the body of the alternator or some other ground on the engine. If there's voltage there, you have battery cable issues (negative side).

Remember, voltage is a difference of potential. You'd be reading the difference of the battery voltage and what's getting to the engine ground. This would be the amount of "voltage drop" in a defective/poorly connected cable.
 






gman, the needle moves almost the entire time the truck is running...sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, and every now and then it stays still...

Thanks for that natenkiki...testing is my downfall when it comes to electrical, but I was sure there'd be a way to test the wire. And just to clarify to ease my mind and make sure I'm doing it right, I need to have the truck on/running I assume?
 






gman, the needle moves almost the entire time the truck is running...sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, and every now and then it stays still...

Thanks for that natenkiki...testing is my downfall when it comes to electrical, but I was sure there'd be a way to test the wire. And just to clarify to ease my mind and make sure I'm doing it right, I need to have the truck on/running I assume?

Doesn't have to be but different conditions will tell you where different voltage drops are.
 






Alright...I'll try to get out and do some testing this weekend, but as it's deer season and the week of shotgun season started Monday and I have YET to make it out to the woods (only two mornings to bow hunt), I will more than likely be hunting all weekend long...I'll let you all know when I get some results! (Hunting or otherwise! :) )
 






I'm going to say that the cables need replaced. I would also research here about the headlight switch, as you might have two issues happening.

If you do replace the cables, go with Motorcraft originals. Trust me on this one.
 






Well early diagnosis/report...still didn't inflate the tire on the Escort and it was even lower this morning...truck didn't start again...looked at the battery and the ground connection was loose, bolt wasn't even tightened...wiggled it, tightened it to the post and he fired right up! Tried watching the voltmeter as much as I could, no flickering lights!

Post clamp still seems a bit loose and it's not in the best shape, so I'll probably switch that out sometime this weekend...thanks guys!
 






Are they the original cables? If so, grab a clamp/bolt-on end and that will buy you some time until you get new cables. If they're replaced, buy a proper end that you can solder on.
 






They are the original cables yet.

When I "redid" my positive cables, I went with a marine post connector with a wing nut, and then crimped, soldered and heat shrunk (w/ adhesive) a copper ring terminal to each positive wire coming to the battery. I'm probably going to go that route again with the negative cables as it was easy, didn't rid myself of much if any of the existing cable and would make pulling the battery a very quick process if I were to need it for trail welding.....that being said, I do not have another battery or means to trail weld, but the possibility would be there and having the wingnut posts would make running it and others in a series very simple...

I spent more than every daylight hour out in the woods hunting yesterday and today, so there was no time to work on the truck...may swing by the NAPA store tomorrow or sometime this week....who knows when I'll find the time right now to do anything lol
 



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