Paraphoe's 97 XLT | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Paraphoe's 97 XLT

Hey all, I've been around for a number of years now, had my Explorer for over 10. I'm a '08 Villanova U grad, born and raised in New York City, but currently living and fighting fires in eastern PA. Enough about me though - this is all about the truck:


Current mods:



Tires, rims & suspension

1. 2 inch suspension lift
2. 3’’ Performance Accessories body lift
3. 33x12.50x15 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires
4. Cragar black 15’’ Soft 8 rims
5. Black Ford powder coated center caps (by Turdle)
6. Rancho RS5000 shocks


Lighting

1. Trail Worthy Fab roof rack 30'' LED light bar
2. PIAA 520 Off-Road auxiliary lights
3. KC 26 series Auxiliary driving lights
4. Tuff LED 2x2 rear-facing auxiliary lights
5. Extreme Tactical Dynamics windshield ET-7 emergency blue light
6. Extreme Tactical Dynamics hidden rear Deck 2 Dual emergency blue lights
7. Whelen Hide-A-Way headlight strobe system
8. Tinted taillights
9. Eagle Eyes diamond black headlights and corners
10. Fire & Ice - Tailgate LED strip
11. Interior lights LED conversion


Exterior/Body Accessories

1. Explorer Express Hood scoop
2. Lund roof rack w/ custom welded mounting platform
3. Custom black painted bumper trim
4. Frame-mounted 10,000 lb tow hooks front and rear
5. Lund black bug guard
6. Go Rhino black taillight guards
7. Black grill center
8. Redline Tuning hood struts
9. Custom red Ford emblems
10. Taillight mounted safety flag
11. Custom painted diff cover


Interior

1. Wet Okole custom front and rear seat covers
2. Aiwa CDC-Z137 head unit
3. Scangauge automotive computer w/ custom display install
4. Auto Electronic reverse sensor w/ custom display install
5. Cobra C19DXIV CB radio with Wilson “lil Wil” magnetic mount antenna
6. Redline goods custom red and black Italian leather armrest cover
7. All-weather rubber mats
8. Interior vents painted black
9. Custom painted door sills & engine cover
9. Axe mounted in rear cargo area
10. Twin fire extinguishers mounted in cargo area – 2.5 H3R HalGuard and MaxOut
11. Custom Radio box mount


Performance

1. KKM CAI adapter with Amsoil EA cone filter
2. Flowmaster 70 series exhaust, 3’’ exit pipes
3. EBC Green Stuff performance brake pads & Ultimax USR slotted rotors
4. Amsoil & Mobil 1 synthetic fluids throughout
5. Magnecor performance plug wires
6. DieHard Platinum Battery
7. Extended breather lines






Next on the mod list...


Superlift 4'' suspension lift [purchased]
RCI Metalworks front Skidplate
Westin Bullbar with blue emergency flashers and possibly winch




Down the road...

Rocker panel rust repair
Complete re-paint
Body-off-frame restoration/rust removal
Henson performance tune
XRC8 Winch






Back when it was fresh, new, and just purchased by me.


New1.jpg




Lift time! A few pictures mid-wrenchfest. What a day that was.

registry4.jpg


registry5.jpg




After the lift, popping off the running boards and getting ready to do the bumpers.

registry3.jpg




How it currently sits:

IMG_1946.jpg




All Lit up:

33.jpg




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Off-roading and playing around pictures:



From the Jersey Pine Barrens trip, 2/3/08:

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DSC_0544.jpg




Pile of gravel in my father's driveway, and of course I couldn't resist crawling up on it. Neighbors think I'm nuts :D

reg2.jpg


reg3.jpg





Some shots from Rausch Creek:


reg1-1.jpg


reg6.jpg


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Pine Barrens Winter Run, 1.29.11:

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Wharton mud run:

ExMudDesat.jpg


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DSCN2046.jpg


DSC00593.jpg



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Interior pics (stolen from page 2):


All lit up at night

int8.jpg






Custom Scangauge install:



int2.jpg


int4.jpg






Black painted vents:


int1.jpg



int3.jpg





Console. (Console cover by Redline Leather Goods). The switches are for my off road lights - the two black rockers for my roof rack and the one with the red LED for my PIAAs.


int7.jpg




Hideaway CB radio.


int6.jpg





And finally my reverse sensor with custom display (the guy above the radio):


int5.jpg


int9.jpg




Cargo area interior:


Ext8.jpg





Old girl is growing up...

reg7.jpg






Some helpful links of mine:


Emergency lights install & vid: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250029

Flowmaster with sound clips: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203416

Black headlights: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212249

Bumper and trim painting: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216871

CB radio install: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187578

Post-seafoam smoke show vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFYXVl4rw5I

Oil pan replacement how-to: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254729

Taillight tinting how-to: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212944

U-Joint Replacement how-to: www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=279644

Underbody sealing/corrosion protection: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285257

Rattle-can car painting thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2534096

Welded roof rack base build thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291714

Idler Pulley replacement how-to: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=316065




I never would have been able to get all of this done without the absurd amount of knowledge and awesome people on this site, thanks a million. I'll see you all on the trails. :thumbsup:


HPIM0447-1edit.jpg
 



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Pictures added from off roading in the Jersey pines yesterday. Wild day with a near rollover posse application and a near hydrolock.
 



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2 more questions haha
1. Did the steelies make that much of a difference in acceleration or speed being so heavy?
2. How much of a differenc did the KKM intake make?

your Ex just has a look to it i want mine to have so i'm just a bit curious lol
 






hey man i love your truck almost all the mods you've done i'm planning on doing on mine i just have a few questions...
1 how much was the lift?
2 did you leave it after the lift with stock rims for a day or so
3 how much work was the lift?
 






Gentlemen, sorry about the response delay - I'm not email subscribed to my own registry thread. :rolleyes:


hey man i love your truck almost all the mods you've done i'm planning on doing on mine i just have a few questions...
1 how much was the lift?
2 did you leave it after the lift with stock rims for a day or so
3 how much work was the lift?

Thank pat. My lift was the cheap combo a lot of people do. The TT/shackles cost only the $60 for the shackles and maybe $10 if you need longer torsion bar bolts. The body lift kit was only about $170. All in all, a very cheap option compared to a suspension lift kit like a superlift.

I did not leave the stock tires or rims on. The minute the lift was complete, the new meats went on, sorry.

The lift itself wasn't horribly difficult. My father and I got it done over two days. The main problem we encountered were the frozen body mount bolts in the engine compartment, which took 9 hours to break free.

If you'd like further details, I have an in depth writeup saved in a word document. PM me if you'd like.


Did you paint the ugly gray trim yourself? If so what did you use? just regular ol' spray paint?
awesome X by the way...mine will be lookin like that soon with all the goodies on it lol

J-dogg, thanks for the compliments. I recently touched up the paint, you can find a thread that will answer some of your questions here:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216871

2 more questions haha
1. Did the steelies make that much of a difference in acceleration or speed being so heavy?
2. How much of a differenc did the KKM intake make?

your Ex just has a look to it i want mine to have so i'm just a bit curious lol

Don't worry about the questions. It's the best way to learn. :D

The steelies, honestly, are lighter I think than my stock rims. I wouldn't, however, be able to tell a difference because I've only ever run the steels with 33s and lifted. As soon as the lift was complete the stock tire/rim combo came off and the steels/33'' combo went on, so I can't compare.

The KKM made a solid difference, I think. Not as much as some people make it out to be on this site (but it's different for everyone), but it was worth the $100 or so it cost back then. I wish I kept better track of my MPG numbers back when I put it in so I could tell you if I had any gains, but I didn't pay it much mind 4 years ago, sorry.


Any more questions, so not hesitate to ask.
 












First time I have taken a close look at your truck I have to say it is very, very nice looking. We may have opposite styles with our trucks but wow I like yours...
 






Thanks man, appreciate it. Those pics aren't even the most recent, I should throw up some new ones soon.
 






Thanks man, appreciate it. Those pics aren't even the most recent, I should throw up some new ones soon.

I love your Registry so much I re did mine...Take a look and post what you think? The link is in my sig...
 






This is one of the most beautiful trucks I've ever seen. Where in NJ are you? (I'm not going to steal it).
 






Wow, thank you. That's a helluva compliment, appreciate it.

I'm actually no longer living in Jersey. I just graduated college this past spring and moved into my own place near my job in Willow Grove, PA.
 






that thing looks better and better every time you do any thing to it....im curious about the interior of it. Any pictures of that too?
ps: i never figured how to get those damn tow hooks on the rear....i swear you like used a shoe horn to get those in.
 






Haha! The rear towhooks weren't bad at all man. I'll try to take some pics in the coming days for you of both the towhooks and my interior. Nothing too fancy going on inside, but I keep it clean. Looking to do more interior work in the near future too, as I'm taking an extended break from offroading because it's costing me too much ($800 in suspension repairs last week, busted 4wd and just too much wear and tear for a 40 mile a day DD).
Gonna clean her up a bit (you should see my engine bay...), might switch from muds to ATs when my tires are finally worn out this spring, and focus a lot more on maintenance and repair/touch up. I also might be adding emergency lights soon, as I'm beginning training for the volunteer fire department this week.

Thanks for the compliments though, means a lot. I'll try to get some pics up soon. :thumbsup:
 






I've been on the fire dept for 8 yrs. I've also got a Blue/Amber brand new Dash LED if you want it I'll sell it to ya cheap. $30 or so. It'll look good in the rear window of your truck.
 






Cool man, I'll let you know. I've gotta talk to the department about what is and isn't allowed. I think the law in PA is you only get one blue light, either dash or roof mounted. Kinda disappointing, as I wanted to get a wig wag for head/tail flashers, but we'll see.
 






Nah most towns don't care. It's SUPPOSED to be one rotating blue light in the center of the dash. On my DD I've got blue/white whelen slimlighter mounted above my mirror. I know people w/ full strobe kits, wig wags, etc. Usually the cops could care less what the local firefighters do.
 






that thing looks better and better every time you do any thing to it....im curious about the interior of it. Any pictures of that too?
ps: i never figured how to get those damn tow hooks on the rear....i swear you like used a shoe horn to get those in.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Towhooks here:

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/Paraphoe/th2.jpg
http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/Paraphoe/th1.jpg


Interior pics:


All lit up at night

int8.jpg






Custom Scangauge install (finished this recently)



int2.jpg


int4.jpg






Black painted vents:


int1.jpg



int3.jpg





Console. (Console cover by Redline Leather Goods). The switches are for my off road lights - the two black rockers for my roof rack and the one with the red LED for my PIAAs.


int7.jpg




Hideaway CB radio.


int6.jpg





And finally my reverse sensor with custom display (the guy above the radio):


int5.jpg


int9.jpg
 






Dude Jason! I love the inside! I like the CB hidden very well! Better then Fairbanks his is all out in the open...What are the switches for by your cup holders? By the flash light...
 






Dude Jason! I love the inside! I like the CB hidden very well! Better then Fairbanks his is all out in the open...What are the switches for by your cup holders? By the flash light...


The switches are for my off road lights - the two black rockers for my roof rack and the one with the red LED for my PIAAs.


;)

Thanks man. :D
 



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