Well hello all!
I've been following along for a while, since I got my 2001 Sport Trac in October of 2011 with 98k miles.
The only additions at this point is a sticker and the nerf bars
I found this site fairly quickly but really didn't have the monetary means or the time to do anything major to it. First thing was the addition of a topper for some cross country moving to Idaho
The shorty with a totally loaded back end. Poor thing has some saggy ass..
Arrived in Idaho with an unloaded truck finally. Doesn't look nearly so sad
Finally I got my nerve up and added a 1" TT and 265/75/16 bfg at's
Next I got a K&N Air Intake system after reading a bunch about it on here (LONO was the real culprit in making me want one lol)
While I was installing it I took the time to clean my throttle body. Really helped out all the way around and I would highly suggest it to anyone interested.
Next it was time to defeat the saggy butt and give myself a little more lift while I watched all the other lifted beautiful Tracs on here
Also installed 1.25" spacers in the rear, I really love the wider stance still. That rollerskate look really doesn't do it for me.
Ahh looks soooo much different so far from where we started. But so much more to go!
For instance I have it in my head I'd love to have some offroad lights and we definitely need to do something about that rounded explorer nose. So on the Westin Light Bar goes. It was a pain in the ass to put on by myself, and to this day I can't figure out why the mounting brackets have slotted bolt holes rather than just holes, since they are brackets for 2001-2005 Sport Tracs. But I digress...
I was immediately a fan, and had all the intentions of putting on a 3" body lift that summer until life got in the way. I broke my left ankle that April (only a week or so after this picture) and got a new job back in Iowa so it was pack up everything, move, oh and no paychecks for 4 months while I was down, but in the midst of all that I got my favorite Trac pic to date.
On the way back to Iowa I made a pit stop at my college friends place in Minnesota and talked him into installing my fog lights for me (bribery with beer and pizza always works)
It's a 3" diameter bit and worked flawlessly to remove the "caps" in the bumper.
Still in the mood to modify and expand on what my truck could become I bought the cheap modifications, still wanting that lift. Not the summer of 2013 though. Instead I sated myself with shocks all the way around and smoked headlights and taillights. Front shocks are Rancho RS5000's and rear are Monroe Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shocks (coilovers). I was determined to never again have a saggy ass explorer. Install on the front shocks was a breeze, required a little sawzall action on the top bolt on the driver side but otherwise was easy. I can't even explain the kind of hell the rear installation was. They are serious load adjusting shocks and raised my back end 1.75" easy once they were installed.
Then it was time to suffer through another winter in Iowa. It's been unpleasant to say the least but at least we really got snow this year so it wasn't just bitterly cold. Now that I'm back into reasonable weather (was 62 today) the projects can begin anew. I am determined that by June I'll be lifted and by November I'll have my 33x12.5x15 duratracs and can really say I got where I have wanted to be since the day I found this forum.
Last week I decided enough was enough on these awful roads and got Addco sway bars for the Trac courtesy of Todd Z at Zabteck. I HIGHLY recommend that upgrade if you haven't already. Its a truly spectacular driving difference. Feels like a new truck all together.
And to bring this post to a close this is how the trac sits today. Not quite two years with me, 28k miles later, and I'm convinced it drives better today than it did the day I bought it.
There will be much more to come in the coming months. April will bring red LED interior: dash, control panel, interior lights; RECON LED third brake light; and herculining the cladding and bumpers. May I'll buy and install my 3" PA Body Lift and add a 1" spacer to the front and start saving my nickles and dimes for Black Rock 905 Defenders (15x8, 5x4.5, 3.75" backspacing) and 33x12.5x15 Duratracs before next winter rolls around. It's going to be a good year my fellow enthusiasts. I look forward to any and all feedback, many of you have been instrumental in my progress thus far, its much appreciated.
-Daniel
I've been following along for a while, since I got my 2001 Sport Trac in October of 2011 with 98k miles.
The only additions at this point is a sticker and the nerf bars
I found this site fairly quickly but really didn't have the monetary means or the time to do anything major to it. First thing was the addition of a topper for some cross country moving to Idaho
The shorty with a totally loaded back end. Poor thing has some saggy ass..
Arrived in Idaho with an unloaded truck finally. Doesn't look nearly so sad
Finally I got my nerve up and added a 1" TT and 265/75/16 bfg at's
Next I got a K&N Air Intake system after reading a bunch about it on here (LONO was the real culprit in making me want one lol)
While I was installing it I took the time to clean my throttle body. Really helped out all the way around and I would highly suggest it to anyone interested.
Next it was time to defeat the saggy butt and give myself a little more lift while I watched all the other lifted beautiful Tracs on here
Also installed 1.25" spacers in the rear, I really love the wider stance still. That rollerskate look really doesn't do it for me.
Ahh looks soooo much different so far from where we started. But so much more to go!
For instance I have it in my head I'd love to have some offroad lights and we definitely need to do something about that rounded explorer nose. So on the Westin Light Bar goes. It was a pain in the ass to put on by myself, and to this day I can't figure out why the mounting brackets have slotted bolt holes rather than just holes, since they are brackets for 2001-2005 Sport Tracs. But I digress...
I was immediately a fan, and had all the intentions of putting on a 3" body lift that summer until life got in the way. I broke my left ankle that April (only a week or so after this picture) and got a new job back in Iowa so it was pack up everything, move, oh and no paychecks for 4 months while I was down, but in the midst of all that I got my favorite Trac pic to date.
On the way back to Iowa I made a pit stop at my college friends place in Minnesota and talked him into installing my fog lights for me (bribery with beer and pizza always works)
It's a 3" diameter bit and worked flawlessly to remove the "caps" in the bumper.
Still in the mood to modify and expand on what my truck could become I bought the cheap modifications, still wanting that lift. Not the summer of 2013 though. Instead I sated myself with shocks all the way around and smoked headlights and taillights. Front shocks are Rancho RS5000's and rear are Monroe Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shocks (coilovers). I was determined to never again have a saggy ass explorer. Install on the front shocks was a breeze, required a little sawzall action on the top bolt on the driver side but otherwise was easy. I can't even explain the kind of hell the rear installation was. They are serious load adjusting shocks and raised my back end 1.75" easy once they were installed.
Then it was time to suffer through another winter in Iowa. It's been unpleasant to say the least but at least we really got snow this year so it wasn't just bitterly cold. Now that I'm back into reasonable weather (was 62 today) the projects can begin anew. I am determined that by June I'll be lifted and by November I'll have my 33x12.5x15 duratracs and can really say I got where I have wanted to be since the day I found this forum.
Last week I decided enough was enough on these awful roads and got Addco sway bars for the Trac courtesy of Todd Z at Zabteck. I HIGHLY recommend that upgrade if you haven't already. Its a truly spectacular driving difference. Feels like a new truck all together.
And to bring this post to a close this is how the trac sits today. Not quite two years with me, 28k miles later, and I'm convinced it drives better today than it did the day I bought it.
There will be much more to come in the coming months. April will bring red LED interior: dash, control panel, interior lights; RECON LED third brake light; and herculining the cladding and bumpers. May I'll buy and install my 3" PA Body Lift and add a 1" spacer to the front and start saving my nickles and dimes for Black Rock 905 Defenders (15x8, 5x4.5, 3.75" backspacing) and 33x12.5x15 Duratracs before next winter rolls around. It's going to be a good year my fellow enthusiasts. I look forward to any and all feedback, many of you have been instrumental in my progress thus far, its much appreciated.
-Daniel