gavin
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- September 27, 2002
- Messages
- 3,183
- Reaction score
- 23
- City, State
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '97 Explorer XLT AWD 5.0L
Figured I might as well start a build thread here.. Although the build has been in retirement.
Moving, lack of funds due to buying a place, etc etc etc.
Although I'm finally starting to get a bit more motivation to work on it. My parents want it out of their place, or at least moved, since it's a bit of an e ye-sore and makes it a bit difficult for them to snowblow the driveway.
Anywho, this is how it started out, sans the brush guard.
Paid $700 for it because it wouldn't run. Turned out it was just a cracked valve. Got it running, but had to do some work with wiring for the fuel pump, but that came farther down the road. Ended up hard-wiring a switch to turn the fuel pump on and off since it didn't like to keep itself running :
I then found a nice set of Dayton Timberline 31x10.5x15's at the junkyard. Went to SixRobbLees and picked up 4 whitespoke steelies.
Also trimmed the front fenders.
Tried trimming the rear, but can see that was a failure :
When the poor 2.9 started to get tired, had trouble getting up to 65mph on the highway even in 4th gear, along with a 3rd gear that would pop out and various other transmission issues, I found the Explorer.
About a year after getting the Explorer, the surgery started.
So I tried to use a James Duff transmission x-member. Can't remember where I got it, but was relatively cheap. Turned out that this wasn't going to work, though. More on that later.
F250 shock mounts installed. Or, 1 bolt at least.
Cut EB coil buckets, I believe, compared to OEM. Although I did not use these.
Unfortunately, I received a set of the wrong radius arm mounts. Although not an issue now.
OEM vs dropped pitman arm
Coils installed
Sitting on all 4
This is where she has set for several years.
I recently came across a for sale thread for a custom radius arm mount/x-member, and it also happend to include a trac-bar and trac-bar bracket. Thanks Turdle!
But now, I could use some hints/tips/secrets to get these 2 holes drilled:
Very difficult from the front, I would need to remove the steering box. Even then, I would have a difficult time getting the holes drilled in the correct place due to the shape of that x-member.
From the rear, can't get a straight-shot due to the x-member.
Maybe a small pilot hole with my right-angle drill, then a uni-bit/step-bit to open it up to 1/2"?
Moving, lack of funds due to buying a place, etc etc etc.
Although I'm finally starting to get a bit more motivation to work on it. My parents want it out of their place, or at least moved, since it's a bit of an e ye-sore and makes it a bit difficult for them to snowblow the driveway.
Anywho, this is how it started out, sans the brush guard.
Paid $700 for it because it wouldn't run. Turned out it was just a cracked valve. Got it running, but had to do some work with wiring for the fuel pump, but that came farther down the road. Ended up hard-wiring a switch to turn the fuel pump on and off since it didn't like to keep itself running :
I then found a nice set of Dayton Timberline 31x10.5x15's at the junkyard. Went to SixRobbLees and picked up 4 whitespoke steelies.
Also trimmed the front fenders.
Tried trimming the rear, but can see that was a failure :
When the poor 2.9 started to get tired, had trouble getting up to 65mph on the highway even in 4th gear, along with a 3rd gear that would pop out and various other transmission issues, I found the Explorer.
About a year after getting the Explorer, the surgery started.
So I tried to use a James Duff transmission x-member. Can't remember where I got it, but was relatively cheap. Turned out that this wasn't going to work, though. More on that later.
F250 shock mounts installed. Or, 1 bolt at least.
Cut EB coil buckets, I believe, compared to OEM. Although I did not use these.
Unfortunately, I received a set of the wrong radius arm mounts. Although not an issue now.
OEM vs dropped pitman arm
Coils installed
Sitting on all 4
This is where she has set for several years.
I recently came across a for sale thread for a custom radius arm mount/x-member, and it also happend to include a trac-bar and trac-bar bracket. Thanks Turdle!
But now, I could use some hints/tips/secrets to get these 2 holes drilled:
Very difficult from the front, I would need to remove the steering box. Even then, I would have a difficult time getting the holes drilled in the correct place due to the shape of that x-member.
From the rear, can't get a straight-shot due to the x-member.
Maybe a small pilot hole with my right-angle drill, then a uni-bit/step-bit to open it up to 1/2"?