Tbars Project "X" begins | Page 42 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Tbars Project "X" begins

First and foremost my ranger is my favorite truck...I will not let any of you fools try to talk me into changing my new project into some rock beast, lmao...this rig is just to go camping and fishing in and thats it...it took all the money i had to buy and the seller was great and is a new member here....thanks rick, the seller that is...

I have never as much sat in an explorer and today was the first time i opened a door on one...

It needs alot of tlc and a new 4.0 motor as the current one is seized...It needs a bit of paint work as the clear coat is shot and the front fenders are a different color....

Notes
1) Kbabiak, you need to make some pre-made shipping tags with my name on them as I will be needed a bunch of little parts...
2) Admin Rick, I sent my new membership dues in at 8am this morning as i was hoping to be a new X owner...
3)All elite members, I am going to need alot of help and parts for my new to me, 91 XLT
 



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...Mine actually has the tape slots in the bottom...I'm not sure what year the CD slots were installed in the X's..:dunno:
 



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IIRC, it was tape slots going left to right, and CD slots going front to back.
 






...I had some time today and hosed off both trucks including under the hoods...My Ranger is now looking more like my offroad truck and my X seems pretty clean...:shifty_ey ...Not pretty, just cleaner looking than my DD..:rolleyes:

...What started me on hosing the trucks down besides trying to get rid of some oil underneath, my X had been making this weird noise under the hood every once in a while and I was pretty sure it was my high amp alt...

...The bearing in it was making some noise when I first got it (used) and spun the pulley, so I knew that had to be the problem...I took my old alt down to pepboy's and had them check it out for free before I put it back in and it passed with flying colors..

...I got back and pulled the high amp alt out and spun it...The bearing did not make any noise and it moved better than when I put it in...:scratch:...While I had the belt off and since the alt seemed fine I spun all the pulleys...

...Wouldn't you know it...The belt tensioner pulley itself is the problem...Spun it and it went "Clang, clang, clang"...This noise was driving me nuts as I could never replicate it and it would only make a sound like a just starting to go bad, dry alternator bearing...Real faint and maybe for 5 seconds a day while driving it...

..Haha...I won, I got you fool...

image.jpg
 






I changed both my idler and tensioner pulleys earlier this year (after 300K miles.) The idler pulley bearing was "notchy" as you spun it. I'm really surprised it didn't come apart or seize many miles ago.

And, just so you know, on the 4.0 engine (and maybe others) the tensioner pulley is held on with a left-hand threaded bolt. ;)
 






...Trying to save up enough money for one now...:(

...I need to be saving my money as I still need more parts for the Ranger and work out here is day to day, sketchy at best...I've been calling all my customers and bugging them, "Hey, I need parts money, umm, I mean I need more work.."..:D
 






...Swapped back in my High amp alt...Went to pull the tension pulley off and it is fine...Not perfect as can be expected in the southwest but still good...

...It seems the nub of the belt tensioner assembly that this pulley slides on to is what wore...I will be searching for a new or good belt tensioner assembly...

...For those that don't know, the first gen idler pulley and belt tensioner pulley are the same part #'s and parts stores are asking $19.99 @...The belt tensioner assembly is going for about $44...
 






When I replaced mine, I ordered a Motorcraft one from Rockauto. I figured since the original Motorcraft part lasted for 300K miles, I wouldn't take a chance on cheap imitation! :D
 






...In my futile attempt in keeping up with all the bling a resident peanut farmer has been throwing on his trucks...:p:...This is the best I could come up with this weekend...:rolleyes:...I did however manage to afford to also change the battery for the r/c to my stereo...;)

tensioner_001.jpg


tensioner_002.jpg


...I got the tensioner at Pepboy's for $64 plus tax and NAPA wanted $84 plus....I do have an extra Redtop Optima I will sell fairly cheap if someone is interested...:hammer:
 






Nice YellowTop. I would offer to take the RedTop off your hands, but I think the shipping would be ridiculous... :rolleyes:

Why did you choose to use a YellowTop as your main battery? I always thought the RedTop was best as a starting battery, and the YellowTop was for winching, etc.

3 more days...
 






I need to get me one of them batteries. I have heard there quality has went down the past few year though. People say there not as good and dont last as long as they used too.

Let me know how it works for you.
 






...I've got to say I've learned a bunch about Optima's in the last few months and if they last as well as they currently work, I am a new fan...

...I received this note from a member here (not a vendor) a few months ago when I installed my first Ballistic battery box and he helped me with lot's of information and cleared up some mis-information concerning Yellow, Red, and Blue tops...Great guy for answering your questions while not trying to sell you anything, the guy is the ultimate Optima question and answer man...:biggthump

OptimaJim said:
Hi there, I really enjoyed reading your post about your new battery box. Your truck looks very impressive as well. As you continue to mod your truck, if you ever get to the point where you consider adding a winch, I hope you will also consider powering it with a YellowTop. Our RedTops offer great starting power, but they are not designed for winching applications and all winches should always be connected at the top posts. If you ever have any questions or concerns about our batteries, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

...I don't know if he knew what he was in for by dropping me a compliment note on my thread but boy did I ask him a ton of questions that I had...Since I ran a Red top in the Ranger I already wanted to run a Yellow Top in the X when I did the next battery box...

...Not that I'm currently looking into getting a winch but this brought up some concerns I had about wheeling in the winter with everything on after letting the X sit during the heat of the summer, then having multiple cold starts in a day when I do drive it...(say 10-15 in less than 2 miles every day that it gets driven locally)

...After asking him a bunch of questions and getting a ton of answers I probably couldn't find from anyone else but him, he lead me to a site which I started reading up on Optima's usage on their various vehicles, on another auto Forum and came across this quick bit of info which I share with everyone who has questions about "Red top or Yellow top???"...:biggthump
http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/optima-battery-red-or-yellow-top/

...The first thing I noticed when I put the Red Top in my Ranger was that it spun it (turned over) like air...The good news is the Yellow Top spins my X''s motor the same way...Like having the belt off and no plugs in, I mean these have ultimate cranking power...

...The Yellow top for my X was always just going to be a test more or less but it turns out it alone is exactly what I need for a ton of lights, heater blasting, running at idle for long lengths of time with the stereo and all the other accessories on ...

...Here's some more quick info from the link above...:popcorn:

# If you think you need more than one battery, get yellow tops
# If you use a “battery tender” or external charging source to keep your ride ready to roll, you need a yellow top
# There’s no reason to have two red tops
# If you’re not sure which one you need, you can’t go wrong with yellow top
# Mixing red tops and yellow tops is wrong! (unless they’re wired completely separately)

...If you’re running anything on your ride that needs power, especially when the engine is off, that wasn’t there when it was built, you need a yellow top."...

...I hope this answers some of your questions..:salute:
 






Good info. I knew I definitely needed a yellow top for mine with the winch, lights, and radio setup and other various electrical stuff I added. Definitely going to have to pick one up in the future. Thanks for the info.
 






...No problem...:biggthump

...:shifty_ey ..Don't tell anyone but I'm going to be swapping to a Yellow top for the Ranger too..

...I was talking to a guy yesterday from expeditionportal and he said they use the blue tops for their camping rigs because the blue tops are the only ones that will last running their big refrigerators...;)
 






...No problem...:biggthump

...:shifty_ey ..Don't tell anyone but I'm going to be swapping to a Yellow top for the Ranger too..

...I was talking to a guy yesterday from expeditionportal and he said they use the blue tops for their camping rigs because the blue tops are the only ones that will last running their big refrigerators...;)

I was going to ask you about the blue tops.. That what I have in our X, Been there a few months.. So far so good...

~Mark
 






..Hopefully, 1 Yellow top in each truck will do the trick for current and future mods...:D

...I honestly don't know much on the blue tops but from the few people I talk to that run them in their trucks, they say they are the best...:dunno:
 






...Had a fellow member riding shotgun with me today so we hit the local spots by my house...Busted another stupidlift arm and I wasn't really doing anything...ok, there were some rocks in the road but that was all...:(

...I'm losing count on the arms but wish I could get these boxed and plated in the same day...Beginning of next week I will see what my options are...
 






Pic of the break?
 






Just bought me one of the Yellow Tops off advance. Got it for $167 with discount and taxes and everything out the door. Going to go pick it up here in a little bit and replace all the battery cables also. Ill let you know how it turns out.
 



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...RangerX, it is the top drivers ear again...It is still on the truck but it either broke right in front of or at, the weld repair from last time...This is the newer set that is thicker built...

..Thoughts are to get it re-welded this week so I can get it re-laigned with my lifetime alignment before I start trashing the new KM2's..This will give me some time before wheeling season to modify a stock set of RA's..:hammer:

Foxracin, waiting to hear your input on the Yellow top...Curious what the battery voltage was before you put it in?
 






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