5spdman's slow and cheap XLT build

[5spdman]

Does having a big roof rack like that kill your mpg? I've been looking into them but i would have to add it all, like from the plastic that goes onto the roof to the cage itself. but this is also my daily so im not sure if i want to get it if it will hurt my mpg by anymore than 3mpg as im already only getting like 16 or 17mpg.

Honestly, I couldn't tell you....I made and installed it before the transmission was even in, so I'm not sure what the mpg was without the exterior mods. Its made from an old futon bed frame so its thin and light....I had the lights mounted on the 93 without the rack and was still getting an average of 19mpg if that answers your question. (I had also "chipped" the maf an hit 25mpg highway a few times, long as I didn't get a heavy foot.)

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Hey 5spdman I forgot to ask did you fix your door problems not opening in the rear?

My 94 Explorer 4x4 has the same problem drivers door doesn't open outside and passanger door doesn't open inside. I want it fixed as I will have people back their.
Trav

 

[5spdman]

Hey 5spdman I forgot to ask did you fix your door problems not opening in the rear?

My 94 Explorer 4x4 has the same problem drivers door doesn't open outside and passanger door doesn't open inside. I want it fixed as I will have people back their.
Trav

I have not yet....took the panels off and looked inside the door...the problem on the driver side is that the plastic clasp that attaches to the rod from the handle won't stay clasped. Haven't gotten around to it yet, but I was just going to put some gorilla glue on it to keep it held tight. Better than paying $22 for new door closures...

 

[5spdman]

Its probably the same problem on the passenger side, just haven't looked into it yet...

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Thanks I will have to pull mine off and figure it out.
Trav

 

[5spdman]

Yeah, I figured it all out just by sticking my head in there and pulling on handles, moving the locks, stuff like that, just to see how it all works...it seemed pretty easy to figure out, and it could be a variety of different problems

 

[Redneckfordf250]

I am hoping that the passenger side just broke or came off as I have a spare handle. For the drivers side the rod probably fell off as it feels like nothing attached. I am not sure yet right now working on getting it running then will worry about that just thought maybe it was a common problem like on the 92-96 Fseries the cable stretching.
Trav

 

[5spdman]

Got some more ideas to go along with the sick paint theme stuck in my head.......

Have a friend on the FD back home that does custom vinyl graphics mocking something up for me just for ideas...I'm so ready to paint again lol

 

[Redneckfordf250]

To me that doesn't look to bad and I am not much of a raptor graphic guy just never understood it. I think it only looks good as it breaks up the green.


Isn't their a first gen green explorer on here somewhere? I know I have seen it just can't remember where. I really like that one for being green (not much of a green guy).
Trav

 

[5spdman]

I agree, I like the break-up of the green. I myself am not a green guy either....as the only thing my family runs in the fields (back in Ohio) is CASE IH and going back to my high school colors (I guess is the reason), I'd rather have IH red or a bright royal blue. However, I've already seen the black/blue paint scheme and I'm saving the black/red for the day I get my tow rig/work truck. The black/LIME green is something that sticks out and one that I haven't seen yet.

There IS someone with a lime green 1st gen on here, but for the life of me, I can't remember who it is....

 

[Redneckfordf250]

I have run tons of different tractors and none have let me down unless I forced them too. LOL My neighbor has a Deere and it runs great I have a 60 Case backhoe ran great before I pushed it to its limit and threw a rod and the tractor I am getting is a good one so far. I understand the color thing. I made up my mind fast on the color scheme of my 94 Explorer only because I have so many that color and I like it (white and black with some chrome). I just am having a hard time of going with the smoked look on the lights or the clear.
Trav

 

[5spdman]

Guess it all comes down to personal preference and growing up. Like I said, all my family runs is IH, my great uncle started a Case IH dealership back home and my dad has been a mechanic there for 33 years now....red is all we bleed lol. No doubt J*** D**** is good...it's like my dad will say; without them, we'd have no competition to keep us in the lead!

Tractors aside, I would love to go clears all the way around, but since I can't find clear tails (NOT the alteza's) to save my life, I'm gonna go smoked. If I can find a link to a thread I think I remember seeing before (putting second gen tails in a first gen ex,) I did find two sets of second gen clear tails on ebay for a reasonable price, so I might go that route. It's just cheaper to get tint spray (for model cars) or lay down some tint film than to buy clear lenses and colored halogens/LEDs....they would look better no doubt, but more money than it's worth at the moment in my mind.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

Ya I agree I can't find clear lights that I like either I think I will have to go with the smoked look just like my F150. anyways thanks for the info and all sorry to hijack your thread.
Trav

 

[5spdman]

No worries....this thread was not just to get opinions from other people on certain mods or only to inform others of what I'm doing, but to give others some ideas/inspiration as well, so it's all good!

 

[5spdman]

For all those following this thread, I have some [mixed] news.....

I had been away for almost four months and haven't done much in the way of building Edgar; three months spent in NNFD Fire Academy and one month at home in Ohio. News from all that is that I graduated top of the academy earning my AZ Fire I & II cert, HAZMAT FRO cert and Building Construction cert. Also, while in Ohio, I got the transmission replaced in my Escort and drove it on out, allowing me to bring my new pup out with me to the school and also saving me some cash in travel and continuing to save in gas cost to-and-from Tuba to work at the station and Flagstaff. Bad news is we're not being paid for pulling shift at station, but it's all adding up for back pay and I am being paid (very little) by the school.

Other good news is that we had been getting paid during the fire academy, so I went ahead and purchased some parts!

Parts I currently have in my possession for the lift:

4" Tuff Country lift springs
ProComp FD400 pitman arm
4" drop brackets

Parts I hope to get soon to just start the build:

Brake lines
Rear axle spring perches
Dock washers (for leveling front lift)
Bolts for drop brackets
MOOG camber bushings

Don't plan on taking the rig anywhere on the road for a while, so that buys me a little time in the way of acquiring other parts:

F250 shock towers
Shocks
Spindle nuts for manual hubs

I hope in the next 2-3 weeks to load the old 93 onto a trailer, along with the axles from this Ex, and get them to the junkyard where I can get the lower geared front diff and 95+ disc rear end, along with ordering above mentioned parts. I will, in the future, be keeping an eye out for a cheap set of tires (31-33") and may extend the radius arms and paint the vehicle (although in my trouble finding neon green spray paint, I believe I will be going with a black/blue two tone with grey graphics).

We'll see how all of this goes and maybe I'll have some more updates in the coming weeks what with small additions/touch-ups (now that things are slowing down here at the school).....stay tuned!

 

[mr cribb]

Hey 5spdman I forgot to ask did you fix your door problems not opening in the rear?

My 94 Explorer 4x4 has the same problem drivers door doesn't open outside and passanger door doesn't open inside. I want it fixed as I will have people back their.
Trav

I have not yet....took the panels off and looked inside the door...the problem on the driver side is that the plastic clasp that attaches to the rod from the handle won't stay clasped. Haven't gotten around to it yet, but I was just going to put some gorilla glue on it to keep it held tight. Better than paying $22 for new door closures...

Hey Y'all the little door clip issue is a $5 dollar fix from your local parts store. I got mine at O'Reilly auto parts, it is a bag of 3 ranging in years 82 to 06 I think. (Not exact sure on year range for package). However, the one you need is a yellow one to attach the door rod for the outside opening. I found the package in the "help isle".

It is a giant pain in the x.. if you have big hands like me, I think I wound up using needle nose vise grips to make it close completely onto the door rod.

 

[Redneckfordf250]

I found out that was the problem with mine but I went to O'riellys and they told me they don't carry them so I have been getting them from junkyards. I also got 1 or 2 from my parts explorer.
Trav

 

[4pullingGM]

I use dupli-color grabber green paint, it's an engine enamel actually. It holds up well!

 

[mr cribb]

I found out that was the problem with mine but I went to O'riellys and they told me they don't carry them so I have been getting them from junkyards. I also got 1 or 2 from my parts explorer.
Trav

If you asked for explorer specific ones that's what they tell you.

The package I bought was all ford from 80 something into the early 2000s.

 

[5spdman]

Thanks for the heads up on the clips! I actually haven't looked into it yet, I just tell everyone they have to get in on the passengers side and out the drivers side....unless the windows are open!

Well I did some work today on the old Explorer that I did not intend on doing (at least today.) Teachers all had training, so we had no school....figured I'd look into why my stereo keeps shorting out, why my driving light and fog light wires get so hot they've melted two switches (that I luckily discovered before it started a fire) and start working on a new luggage rack.

With my ADD, I started instead by cleaning and vacuuming the interior, FINALLY installed a wire terminal on the back of my sub enclosure and then thought I'd take the interior rear trim out to look at the body.....the tire gate inevitably started warping my rear quarter panels....so, I took off the tire gate, got out my body hammers, and then decided to go another route.

I decided it'd be best to weld in some reinforcement, however, welding it inside the body would prove to be impossible unless I took out the spot welds and completely disassembled the body pieces. Best route: weld plates to the outside of the body. I took the window out since I didn't have anything to cover it with to prevent slag melting into the glass.

Yes those are electrical junction box covers....they're actually quite thick, cheap and weld very well. Next step was body filler.

After a lot of sanding, it was time to "seal" it....I found I didn't have a can of primer like I thought I did, but I did have some paint+primer that I had used for another painting "project" that I threw on there real quick.

It's gonna need just a tad more body filler (that I don't have anymore) but you can hardly tell the plates are there! I'm really liking that blue and believe I have made up my mind on blue instead of green, which is making me anxious to paint! Tomorrow I will re-drill the holes in the body for the hinges and hopefully get it all mounted back up! It's coming along....slowly, but it's getting there!