410Fortune - 96 5.0L XLT refurbish (making 1 great Ex from 2) | Page 19 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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410Fortune - 96 5.0L XLT refurbish (making 1 great Ex from 2)

Okay here we go 09/13/05

In march of 05 I rolled my new to me 96 5.0L AWD 86K miles, just after driving it back to CO from OR and putting $1000 into it. You see I bought this truck from my brother with 86K miles on the clock, it would not pass emissions for him and he drove it into the ground. This was the same explorer he bought new when I got the BII from him for $500 12 something years ago.
Well I payed him $500 for the green Explorer and $1000 later (shocks, tune up, 02 sensors, etc) it was in primo condition. Then I rolled it in an ice storm...
RIP 96 EB:
2893expldr-med.jpg

exafter.jpg


So in April my buddy Brett found this great deal here in town for a 96 XLT 5.0L AWD, $900 is what I paid, it has front end damage and air bags deployed, picked it up from a fellow board member:
2893drives.jpg



After the wreck the owner put in a new radiator and battery so it could be driven.
The truck has sat since April of this year, untouched, until this morning.
I have been preparing my new garage to accept my new project, and well she's ready, so today is the day I am driving this truck home.
To my disbelief this truck had no problem and started right up after sitting since April!

Here are some "before" shots:
Font end damage, sagging T bars, new rad:
beforework1.jpg

No airbags, interior is in great shape! (just needs TLC):
interiorbefore1.jpg

Rear:
rear.jpg

It has some "issues". Like steering extension is rubbing the manifold (3" body lift), no dipstick:
dipstickmissing.jpg

No fan, No ac condensor, and no trans cooler:
nofan.jpg


This is a 1996 5.0L AWD XLT with 151K miles on the clock.
Truck is loaded with sunroof, leather, tint, etc.
Previous owner installed 3" body lift and 33" tires.
Alot of things have been "rigged" but it runs and drives fine!

I will be completely removing the front clip, everything except the frame and inner fenders will be cut out. The entire drivetrain will be pulled (too many miles), the entire front end will be fixed, new bushings, bearings, new steering rack, torsio bar twist, shocks, brakes, etc.

the body lift will be fixed and or reduced to 1-2". the rear bumper will be re-located.

The drivetrain from my green 96 will be installed into this truck, along with alot of other "donor" parts.

The front clip will then be replaced using factory metal replacements, welding in new rad support, and then prepped for paint.

truck needs new windshield, airbags, and alot of TLC.


My long term plans for this truck include: "long travel" 4x4 IFS suspension lift (dixon bro's Camburg, etc). Stereo, tow package, SOA, low range T case, and custom everything else.
This is my "other" baby, and in keeping with tradition she will have the heart of my brothers old truck, just like the BII was his and run into the ground, so was "part" of this one.

Still no car payment after 12+ years.
 



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those are some sick rims, what are they?
 



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hahaha I had them on the BII for years, people always ask about the rims.
I got them used $400 like 7 years ago at a used wheel place here in CO

Thanks for the compliments, I am digging this truck, makes an awesome daily driver, I feel spoiled. I need paint and the 4x4 conversion then BLAMO!! pretty much done.
This week I am working to get the 33" spare underneath.

They are Superior "Star tech" 15x7.5" chrome rims. 1 was bent so I tracked down a 5th wheel a few years ago, Superior has not been in business for many years.
So I have 5 of them. I love the look! I ish more companies made a 5 star deep dish like this, in say 17-18" :)

they will likely go back on the Bronco when I can get some 17-18's for this truck
 






do you still have your rear side skirts, the painted ones, I need some.....with that asked,your truck looks sweet, what color are you going to paint it.
 






The front clip and side skirts will be painted to match the factory light blue

I do have a set of the painted side skirts for the rear rockers, but they are my spares, sorry! the 98 mounty I had used different ones, I may go all one color (no chrome bumpers) in the future, if I do I will need those painted ones.

I will be in and out of alot of local junk yards over the next couple weeks (looking for 4x4 conversion parts) so if I see some do you want them? chrome or painted?
 






thanks either ones dont matter, ill be doing some glass work on them.
 






Looks really good!! Can't wait to see how the t-case swap goes along with the paint job.
 






Moose I will keep my eyes peeled for your rocker panels in the junk yard.

Yesterday the Explorer got new E brake shoes and new rear brake pads.
Today she gets new diff fluid and addative and I am installing my rear RSX shocks, the 5000's that are on there are a bit worn.
The rear e brake shoes were REALLY fun, let me tell you! The shoes in the truck were rusted metal, 0% brake shoe material left.
 






Updates:

Okay as I said I installed new ebrake shoes and new performance friction carbon metallic rear brake pads.
I drained and filled the rear diff with new 80W-90 including the limited slip addative. I stripped the stock 8.8 metal cover and re-painted flat black (for you froader haha)
the factory e brake shoes had 155K miles on them and were pieces of rusted metal. I spent some time adjusting the rear e brakes after the tires were back on to make sure it holds well.
I also found my rear diff vent tube was completely clogged, so I removed the hose and cleaned it out with compressed air. A clogged vent tube is no good! It was full of mud. Surprise surprise I am still removing mud from this truck.
Finally I installed my Rancho RSX rear shocks (from rolled truck) the Rancho 5000's that were on there are toast (didnt even extend when removed):

rearend.jpg


I spent some more time bleeding all 4 brake calipers, the brake fluid in this truck looked original. My braking performance went from spongy pedal to better then factory after this work (I did a pad slap on the front brakes when I first got her running)

I then turned my attention to my new fog lights. I picked up some Pilot brand 2800 series Ion blue lens fogs from Autozone. Mounting them posed some challenges, I wanted them in the factory locations below the bumper.
The solution was to use a piece of the factory fog light brackets.
So I cut the piece I needed so it would still bolt to the front bumper and clear the frame horns (body lift). I botled the new bracket to the bumper and clamped the light and pilot bracket to it, measured, adjusted, measured some more, and tightened the clamps.
Time to play with the welder! My skills are improving!!! (3rd time welding, wrong wire, no gas, etc etc):

welds.jpg


New bracket compared to factory:

factoryfog.jpg


bracket mounted to the bumper in the factory spot:

bracketmount1.jpg

bracketmount2.jpg


I mirrored my bracket using a paper template and built the other side, then mounted, adjusted, mounted and adjusted the lights a bit:

fogsmounted.jpg


I can aim the lights let to right by shimming the factory bumper bolts (turning the whole bracket) and I can easily adjust the up and down aim using the pilot pivot points.

Next I am going to wire the lights to the factory fog light circuit. I will make new pigtails using the factory fog light plugs so my new lights plug into the truck. Then I will modify the wiring at the factory fog light relay so I can run these lights with the parking lamps, low beams and high beams.


Tomorrow she gets a new fuel filter (OEM!!!) and I will begin working on the spare mount


Next project: stuff a 33x12.5" spare under my truck
 












Looking great man, keep it up. Can't wait to see you fit that tire under there.
 






That is looking real good.
Just had to throw this in-----
How about a round fog in the mountaineer grill ring? Kinda like a third eye.


why you don't admit it's a mountaineer?
 






its a Forcury
 






I got my 32" spare under mine fairly easy, just take some pliers and flatten the curled around edge of the front bracket at the bend. Then you can push/beat/bend the bracket towards the diff. Just guide the spare past the sway bar and its in. I was able to tuck it as tight as my factory size spare.
 












"4-cury" the D and the ME are silent :p

it has a mounty grill section and seats, all the rest is 100% blue blooded (just like yours!) :confused:
 












Sick mounty.
 















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