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2003 Explorer XLT - Daily Driver getting modified.

2003
Explorer XLT
4WD 4.0L Flex
Charleston
South Carolina
Email: PM me here
Youtube: USMCSurvivalist85

A few years back I purchased my 2003 Black Explorer XLT from a coworker who babied this truck. The seats have been covered since it left the car lot. Not a scratch or dent in the whole thing. Almost three years, plenty of maintenance work, swearing and a little under 20,000 miles later its still in great shape, less the chronic issue of the rear hatch cover being cracked next to the Ford oval as well as couple dents courtesy of the people of Charleston SC (worst drivers I have ever witnessed are here) its still pretty much in excellent shape cosmetically, a few thing mechanically need work but hey, its going on 12, and 170k is right around the corner. I would like to mention if anyone is here from SC, that I lived in San Antonio before here and in a city of 1.7 million people not once did anyone ding my door. I move to SC and my truck is a magnet, this is part of a reason for one of the things I plan to do.

Before this year I really have not done any mods to the truck at all other than some add ons like smoke LED tail lights, I actually removed the HIDs the previous owner had they had a tendency of burning out, weather tech form fitting floor mats from front to back, and took out the stero and replaced it with a Sony Stereo/DVD/Bluetooth/Satellite ready/ back up camera ready/Tom Tom Navigation head unit.

If you couldn't tell by my screen name I am an outdoors guy, I am at home anywhere off grid. I do prepare a bit and keep things in my Explorer just in case, especially being in Charleston where hurricanes and earthquakes are a real threat. And I think wife finally got on board with me making this Explorer personal when we were installing the safari rack and like an idiot I stood on the very end of the plastic running boards and SNAP, broke it away from the bolts...(I hate plastic, part of the reason I like early-mid 80's model ford trucks). The first thing out of my mouth was not very nice, but the first thing out of hers was "Well now you have an excuse to buy nerf bars" and that I did.

Lost my "before" pictures except the artsy ones my wife took. Ill have here take some pictures when the weather clears up.

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I have a few things to fix and a few modifications I want to do, and I think I will be using this thread as a blog for them.

So Far:
-Stereo/Navigation
-Weathertech mats
-LED Tail lights
-Safari Rack


Planned:
-Nerf Bar Install
-Swap Class 2 1.25" hitch and 4 pin harness with Class 3 2" hitch
(90% of all accessories are made for a 2" hitch the 1.25 is quite annoying I was lucky to stumble on a factory 2" hitch at the junk yard.)
-New transmission cooler (mine is leaking and the host under the clamp is swelling now from the fluid) Taking suggestions on upgrades or just putting a OEM cooler back in
-Third Row Seating Delete/cargo area customization
-Leather Seats (If I can find a decent set the 02 I took the hitch from had the second row leather seats still in it)
-Off Grid power supply (this will consist of a Deep cycle battery isolated and in series with the main battery to charge while driving, as well as wired to either a static or solar power panel for charging when the engine is off and then wired back to a 1500w continuous output 3000w peak power inverter. I will explain what a static generator is later.)
-Remote control flood light (mounted either on the rear roof, front roof or both. these come wireless or wired controls and permanent or magnetic installation)
-If the engine dies I would like to go diesel.
 






Fixes the rear hatch guides today. The 2002 had 10mm screw heads while mine had 8mm I elected to use the tens.
Old
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New
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Removed and replaced my IAC Valve in hopes it will fix my idle problem, its an easy swap. Heres what the old o ne looked like.
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