Tyler's '03 4x4 wheelchair

[wheelin'explorer]

Hey guys! So I decided to finally start my registry for my Ex! To explain the title of this registry, I broke my back in May of 2009, which left me paralyzed from the belt line down and in a wheelchair. One of the first realizations I had was how I was going to keep driving my '99 Ex I had at the time. So I got a manual chair and learned to take it apart and put it in the back seat so I could drive myself. So here I am three years later with a bit nicer Ex still taking apart my chair and using the Ex as my 4X4 chair! Bought my '03 XTL just this last October. She is my second expo, had a '99 XLS that I traded in for my new one. Did not do anything to my '99. By when I drove Taylor (seemed like a good name for my new girl) off the lot, the ideas went through my head automatically of what I was going to do. So far it's been all small things. The lifting projects that I want to do are down the road. Glad to have this '03 over my second gen, the things they changed between the two are amazing. I'll continue on the rest of this tomorrow. For now a picture or two.

The day she came home

How she sits now. Ill fill in the time line tomorrow

So finally taking the time while at work with nothing to do to expand on my registry. When I bought Taylor she was bone stock. So far the MODs include:
Hunter Brush guard
window tint 15% all the way around (dropping the back windows to a little less than 5%
Thule MOAB with Thule Cross bars
Kenwood KDC-BT945U head unit
Some cheap off brand fog lights for the grill guard (had to make my own wiring harness after the one that came with the lights burnt up, got what I paid for)
5k DDM low beams, 6K HID kit I got from a buddy who sells them locally (much better than DDM, DDM will get replaced)
Repainted all the exterior plastics that were faded and off colored.
K&N Cold air intake
Black out turn signal housings with LED Switchback turn signal bulbs

So far that is the list, Soon to come will be a BTF lift, and the 1.5" body lift. Just got to wait on the funds. Well actually the list never stops, always finding more to do.

[Sams01XplrSprt]

nice x

[wheelin'explorer]

Thanks, I'm going to expand on this once I get a chance to pull in the other pictures for the other stuff that I have done to it since I've gotten it. Gotta show off the bit that I have done to it, all of it being ideas from this amazing forum.

[wheelin'explorer]

So I made the mistake of ordering my hids from ddm back in may. Had to send the bulbs back because one was faulty, got them back but still had a really bad flickering problem after turning them on that would last 5-10 seconds, they would just sit there and blink, some times the passenger side would shut off as well. This was with their wire harness to hard write them to the battery even. So after buying hids for my factory fog lights from a buddy in town that sells them, and seeing how much better the harness I got with his and how it operated compared to ddm's. I decided to buy another harness from him and replaced ddm's but left their bulbs and ballasts in. well of course that solved my flickering issue completely.

[Kazer]

Any plans to paint or plastidip the rims?

[wheelin'explorer]

Originally Posted by Kazer

Any plans to paint or plastidip the rims?

Eventually I would like to just get new wheels when I left it. But I do want to paint these. I can't decide exactly what color, i'm not a huge fan of my wheels painted black. I am thinking about doing a dark grey on them, or a gloss black. I really need to add more pictures of my Ex to this, can't find the time. Think plastidip would be better than paint?

[wheelin'explorer]

Alright, bored at work. So going to throw in some of the pictures of my Ex's progress.

The grill guard was first.

These are two Type R 12 inch subs I had, They were to obnoxiously loud, so I sold them.

Picked up my Thule MOAB from craigslist here in town for a steal.

My single DIN Kenwood.

My blackout corners.

Added the guard lights.

Low Bean HID's



Painted the fog light bezels black, Trim Painted black.
Painted the door pillars and door handles as well.
You've seen these before... but.... My K&N

This picture I thought came out well, my 6k fog lights.

This is the last for now, a picture of how I haul my wheelchair around with me in my Ex. I will go down screaming the day I have a can with a wheelchair ramp. I would much rather drive my Ex and kill my shoulders taking it apart to get it in and out. Vans also don't suit a 20 year old guy very well either, not a lady catcher.

[wheelin'explorer]

Did a PA speaker install today, don't care about the legality of them, i know its not legal. I texted a friend that is a cop and confirmed they are illegal in Missouri. But only live once, and this thing is fun to talk to people with blacked out windows.
My cb fit perfectly in this pocket.

The mic cable fits out to.

And i hid the speaker behind the grill, reaaaaal sneaky.

[not8taxi]

nice looking ex man

[wheelin'explorer]

Originally Posted by not8taxi

nice looking ex man

Much appreciated it man!

Got new struts in all door corners today!
The old and the new!

[BrooklynBay]

Nice Explorer! Did you ever see the offroad wheelchair with tank treads?

[wheelin'explorer]

Originally Posted by BrooklynBay

Nice Explorer! Did you ever see the offroad wheelchair with tank treads?

I have seen those, they are so beastly. Ive got a chair that is powered thats set up for off roading with some big tires for a wheelchair with beefy tread. The one i havr has air ride to lift it up if you need more ground clearance. The only down side is i have to use my trailer to take it anywhere!

[bronchole]

I have a friend in a chair with a 2000 2 door explorer. He does the same thing. He's got a lightweight - easy takedown chair that he uses 95% of the time. It took him a couple days to figure out the best proceedure to get it in and out. I gotta get him on this site.

Dan

[wheelin'explorer]

Originally Posted by bronchole

I have a friend in a chair with a 2000 2 door explorer. He does the same thing. He's got a lightweight - easy takedown chair that he uses 95% of the time. It took him a couple days to figure out the best proceedure to get it in and out. I gotta get him on this site.

Dan

You should. It's always nice to see people with wheelchairs not sporting a van that looks like it can fit 33s. I hate how that is expected from society these days. I'm paralyzed not lazy. I always get asked at had stations why I'm paying for the pump with a SUV at it.

[bronchole]

Not a problem with this guy. We built a BII for him several years ago and took him across the Rubicon. He has also owned a sand rail. His Explorer is very nice so he is reluctant to do to much wheeling with it........yet

He is currently in to RC airplanes. One hobby at a time I guess.

[Kazer]

Post a pic of your wheel chair Tyler, it sounds sweet!

And not to be rude, just curious, but do you have like a custom hand throttle/hand brake setup or?

[wheelin'explorer]

Haha hobbies are expensive these days. Thatd awesome he has a sand rail, ive got a custom trike in the works.
Here is my off road chair, its what i use camping, fishing hunting, and all that jazz. I use a manual chair 99% of the time.


I actually dont have any hand controls in my truck for two reasons. 1. They are really expensive and they wanted to drill all over my truck... That didnt fly with my. And 2. My injury was incomplete so my left leg half works, so i drive with it. My doctors don't really like it. But i can drive better than most people and back a trailer like its no big. So screw them.

[bronchole]

My buddy HAD a sand rail and HAD the BroncoII. He gave up the rail for the BII, Gave up the BII for the Explorer, gave up modding the Explorer for airplanes

He is 100% no workky below his waist so he uses hand controls.

Love your off road chair.

[wheelin'explorer]

Originally Posted by bronchole

My buddy HAD a sand rail and HAD the BroncoII. He gave up the rail for the BII, Gave up the BII for the Explorer, gave up modding the Explorer for airplanes

He is 100% no workky below his waist so he uses hand controls.

Love your off road chair.

I had a couple of gas powered RC cars that i got for free, just had to unlock the supee cute tiny engines. But i gave those up to mod the ex. I was fortunate in my accident and the use i still have. I used some janky hand controls i bought online that just clamped the pedals with thumb screws. Lol so i use my jankier half working leg. The off road chair is pretty beasty, air ride and all.

[wheelin'explorer]

Haven't posted any more pictures of my Ex lately.... Bummer.