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What Did You Do To Your 3rd Gen Today?

Replaced all 4 shock absorbers with Monroe Gas Matics , rears were a bit** . used pb blaster everyday for a week before I started . came out fairley simple. Still had stock motocraft shocks its at 253km
 



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how are the monroes?
 






I installed the reflex quick struts in mine and they are much better than the OEM's
 






Changed the oil and filter and did a little exploring off road to try out the new tires.
 






Duplicate post for some reason.
 






how are the monroes?

Bought the Gasmatics 27$CDN each front and rear. Honestly drives like a new car. I don't got struts just absorbers 03 Sport xlt
 






Let's see. This weekend was front upper ball joints and sway bar end links. The tutorials here are a God - send. I did get around to putting led bulbs in the interior. Not a ton brighter but much more modern. I ordered a kit off ebay. It was cheap so a little .ore money would've probably gotten me brighter lights. I'm satisfied with what I have though. Oh I also sewed a 6" leather band at 12 o'clock on my steering wheel. A little but of custom plus I needed to cover a worn spot.

Up next is to fix the heat. Winter is coming and that's a sooner rather than later problem. Have some interior repairs (leather seats). Still haven't decided how I'm gonna handle that. Probably attempt to sew the rips and repair myself.
 






I installed a third outlet. Can't believe there is only 2 outlets for a 7 seater car!

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Installed blower motor resistor and ordered a set of warrior shackles 153 #, she leans back pretty nice. So annoying looking at it
 






Ordered Rancho Quick Lift struts all the way around.

Let me know how you like those. I have 2 monroes for the front waiting to go on but I need to replace the rear as well and think I might go with quick struts for the rear
 






I didn't do this today. But this was the last thing I have done to my ex. Insulated the low pressure line in the engine bay. I forgot to do a "before" test but my A/C after is 1 degree F coming out of the vent and it gets cold in only 4 seconds which is a life saver in Florida heat. Just recharged it with basic autozone freon.

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I had to do the compressor manifold after I left my uncles shop in FL and got to NY. My ac is high 30's on HIGH fan with the compressor not kicking out when its over 80 out. Bloody nice is it.

Pulled a vacuum for 45min and let it suck down 3 full 12oz cans. Only calls for 32oz... But the manifold was $95 from rockauto then $30 for 6 cans of 12oz DuPont R134a.
 






Let me know how you like those. I have 2 monroes for the front waiting to go on but I need to replace the rear as well and think I might go with quick struts for the rear

Have a couple hundred miles on them so far an I'm favorably impressed. The feel is firm, but comfortable. Can't compare them to new Monroe's, but they are light years better than the worn-out OEM units.
 






Installed 06+ mirrors
 






Removed my transmission and transfer case to replace the tranny.

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Replaced idler pulley
 






Let's see, the latest was replacing the CHT sensor on my 4.6. Engine was "running" too cold. Turn out it was not, but the genius that owned it before managed to break the old CHT sensor wiring harness somehow. Instead of taking the sensor out and putting screwing a new one in the block, he bought a new one, hooked it up to the harness, and tried to stuff it in the valley between the heads behind the alternator. Removed the broken one with 19mm socket and u-joint. Put the new one in with a 19mm box end wrench I bent in my vise. Now I get WAY better gas mileage.

Gonna build a roof basket in the near future. Also, like Tyler, I may look into '06 mirrors if I find them for the right price at the junkyard. Oh... bull bar from truck parts direct and some lighting are in the future but that may be a ways off. I'm starting to like this ex more and more.
 






Not a whole lot recently...installed a used OEM cargo cover to keep the goodies out of sight when I go to the shooting range.

Other than that the wife has been using it a lot lately to take the kids out to a nearby ranch to go riding. It's our 3rd vehicle and gets all the "dirty" jobs.
 






Today it got new tires. They were originally scheduled to be installed on Sunday but the tires arrived early so the shop was able to get me in this evening.

Next up...Monday: upper control arms and lower ball joint...Tueday: alignment and reinspection. Then hopefully get the permanent tags on Wednesday and get this thing on the road!
 



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replaced 3 idler pulleys and tensioner assembly. wife came home last night with a wobbly tensioner pulley creating a knocking noise. I thought my engine is toast upon hearing the sound. I was relieved to see a woobling pulley.

I was thinking this a piece of cake DIY, remove belt and take out 3 bolts from the tensioner. It wasn't easy because of the space, even getting the bolts in is a struggle. Finally managed to install it and she sounds better. Looking at it 145k seems to be the point where the pulleys are not trustworthy anymore.
 






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