It just followed me home (version 2)!

[scott9050]

Got new tires on the front wheels, as the old ones were worn really un-evenly. Turns out the alignment was entirely outta whack. Got that sorted out as well.

Also had all four re-balanced to sort out a wicked vibration in the 50 - 70mph range.

I spent some time lying under the truck today, and took the light bracket off the front, for a few reasons. I relocated the driving lights down inboard of the fogs. The big spot lights are going to get moved up to the roof. That bracket seemed like a good idea, but it jiggled far too much for my tastes, and stuck out too far.

Still on the to-do list:
- Peel and paint (instead of Dip) the grill (some of the plastidip got peeled off by the big spots when I nudged the wall in a parking garage)
- Fill holes in bumper
- Paint the bumper (blaaaaack!)
- Put the spotties on the roof
- Try not to lie down in bird poop while doing all of the above




As much as a loathe to admit it, Colin was right... I've grown to like (but not necessarily love) the green interior. It's slowly growing on me. ...sort of like a fungus.

Tires look good, similar to what I want to put on mine. I just dropped $1000 on a soft transmission rebuild with new converter so they will have to wait a few months longer.

 

[koda2000]

It looks better without the big lights on the front bumper, besides I don't think they would have survived long in that location.

I hope you like the Wrangler tires. I had them on our '00 AWD Mountaineer when we first got it and hated them so much I replaced them almost immediately. I found the ride rough and the handling poor.

 

[J_C]

I have Wrangler RT/S on mine and don't like them much. They do okay in snow or light trails but poor wet pavement traction. When it rains the 4WD often kicks in for a second just turning left or right starting from a stop, though in a straight line on wet pavement they stop reasonably, hardly ever have ABS kicking on.

It could partially be that they're getting older, rubber compound is getting harder as I don't put many miles on a year... no cracks in them or anything, they look good still but I may need to replace them soon anyway. I kept them as a testament to being cheap, have never bought tires for mine!

First I got a free set from the Firestone recall, then won the current set in a dealership lottery and they were offering factory replacement tires as the prize but they picked those since they weren't going to put Firestones on it again.

 

[96Green]

It looks better without the big lights on the front bumper, besides I don't think they would have survived long in that location.

Thanks. I don't disagree. The light spread from them mounted down that low was also less than ideal. I'm juggling between putting them on the roof rack cross bar, or getting a roof-mount light bar that would be mounted further forwards. Leaning towards using the existing bar.

I hope you like the Wrangler tires. I had them on our '00 AWD Mountaineer when we first got it and hated them so much I replaced them almost immediately. I found the ride rough and the handling poor.

I have Wrangler RT/S on mine and don't like them much. They do okay in snow or light trails but poor wet pavement traction. When it rains the 4WD often kicks in for a second just turning left or right starting from a stop, though in a straight line on wet pavement they stop reasonably, hardly ever have ABS kicking on.

Odd. I can't say I've noticed any such issues with them so far. Not had a good rain recently, though. My primary justifications for getting the Wranglers were:
- I was only replacing the front tires, so, wanted all four the same
- They were inexpensive
- They were in stock

 

[96Green]

RAP module talks to the remote and keypad; it is on a different fuse - locks are on fuse #6 (30A) and RAP is on fuse [URL=http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=12]#12 [/URL] (25A), both in power distribution box under hood. Good luck.

Maxi-fuse #12 is intact, I replaced it anyway. Truck still will not respond to remote or go into programming mode. ...And still no love from the keypad (it does not illuminate).

Oh well.

 

[intelisevil]

^ I consider most new headlights to be excessive. I should mention I have pretty good night vision and barely need headlights at all except for the darkest of nights, except for the night blindness that comes from other people's lights. IMO, beyond a certain point what you gain with everyone having brighter lights is more than taken away by being blinded by other vehicles' headlights. At least most of us have auto-dimming rear view mirrors.

Not too long ago I got rid of a car that didn't and it was a real pain to drive at night when someone following me had either upgraded or newer vehicle HID lights. Even tilting the mirror down, the cabin just got flooded with light due to the windshield angle and lower ride height. Ironic that people were probably driving on my tail thinking they were going to get where they were going faster when all they were doing was causing me to drive slower.

My method of dealing with extra bright lights close behind me is to move slightly to the right in my lane and adjust my left side mirror so the bright light shines in the driver's face . . . It's amazing how quickly they slam on their brakes!!!

 

[96Green]

I made a thing!

Well, okay... not so much made as drilled some holes in, i suppose. Anyway...

I've not wired them yet; Will probably do that later today or tomorrow.

 

[koda2000]

Looks good. I'm curious how much they may bounce around on the cross bar.

 

[96Green]

They feel pretty solid, so I'm not too concerned about bouncing.

We'll find out once I get 'em wired.

 

[96Green]

I wonder what the neighbors think?

I rattle-can'd the bumpers flat black, getting rid of the last of the icky chrome!

Got a good three coats on the front bumper and got it looking awesome! Also got most of a 1st coat on the back before I ran out of paint.

 

[96Green]

And with the giant condom removed:

 

[LoquetusofBorg]

That is a beautiful rig you got going on there! Are you planning on any communications?
Please keep posting your pic's there great.

 

[96Green]

Thanks!


And no, i do not have any plans for CB or HAM comms at this time.

 

[J_C]

The problem is that spray on chrome won't hold up. It looks great now but... I wouldn't want to have to touch it up often enough to keep it consistent.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

If I was you, being you like the nice black bumper theme, I'd get a junkyard bumper and the stuff to convert it to a 99 up, the 99-01s have a much better front bumper IMO

 

[J_C]

My method of dealing with extra bright lights close behind me is to move slightly to the right in my lane and adjust my left side mirror so the bright light shines in the driver's face . . . It's amazing how quickly they slam on their brakes!!!

That "seems" like a solution in minor cases but in one car I had it wasn't just an annoyance, rather a real safety issue of not being able to see.

When blinded like that it's not so easy or prudent to be trying to aim a side mirror back at someone, particularly when you have to just guess because you can't see where it's being reflected, rather than trying to make sure you're not going to hit oncoming traffic, pedestrians, or around here deer, geese, and roaming pets too. There is a deer crossing sign but they totally ignore it and cross wherever they want to.

 

[koda2000]

Okay. Enough with the lights already. You're on the verge of overdoing it... LOL

 

[RandomNerd2000]

^I'm still waiting on the LED light bars

 

[96Green]

If I was you, being you like the nice black bumper theme, I'd get a junkyard bumper and the stuff to convert it to a 99 up, the 99-01s have a much better front bumper IMO

I've been keeping my eyes on the local pick 'n pull website for a 99+ with a clean nose, actually. I much prefer that look, and will likely eventually go that route.

Okay. Enough with the lights already. You're on the verge of overdoing it... LOL

^I'm still waiting on the LED light bars

You can both un-wad your panties, as I don't plan on adding any more lights. Once it can be seen from orbit, any additional lighting would just be overkill. ...And there are plenty of builds on here with far more lights than I have.

 

[J_C]

You can both un-wad your panties, as I don't plan on adding any more lights.

it's all about on-road vs off-road. Off-road it's a good idea. On road it's usually not only a problem but illegal.