Brad's '00 Mountaineer

Picked up a new truck last night (will update my signature after I make this post )

2000 Merc. Mounty. 5.0 2wd (missing the front drive shaft) - awd.

Fella was asking $1500, talked him down to $800.

What I love:
5.0
Leather seats
all the steering wheel controls
electronic hvac
black color
tan interior
sun/moon roof (pops up and slides open)
message center

What I don't like:
-missing front drive shaft
-header leak, but there's a wrong bolt in there, so I hope by just replacing the bolt with the correct one it might fix, its and iffy problem
-lift gate wont close and latch on the drivers side causing door ajar light to be on and dome to stay on
-173,000 miles
-when you look at the rear drive shaft going into the pig and someone switches from reverse to drive the drive shaft turns about 1/8th of the way.
-RUST
-running boards aren't very stable, might weld them, thoughts?
-broken windshield

Pics...
I'll post some of the rust and that weird header bolt later, these are the pictures I already have... oh and maybe a video of the drive shaft/pig

 

[sean99]

Nice score!!
Watch out for your mounty drifting in park :http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215726&highlight=creep+in+park

Fix your leak with some Torque Monster Headers

 

[BradR]

Nice score!!
Watch out for your mounty drifting in park :http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215726&highlight=creep+in+park

Fix your leak with some Torque Monster Headers

Yeah, I know about the drift, first hand, had it parked on a hill last night, then I remembered reading that topic, lol....

I was thinking TMH, then I saw price and said "New bolt!"
I found them for $600+ is this right? Or am I looking in the wrong place?

 

[sean99]

$725 for TMH's

 

[BradR]

Holy hell.

Anywho... About that bolt...

 

[BradR]

Here is a picture of the bolt... clearly not normal.

I was also wondering if this is common, or if anyone has anything to try and restore this scuffing, it's on both corners of the grill. Any ideas?

 

[sean99]

I looks like a build up from funk dripping off the hood. Try meguires cleaner wax on it. If the chrome is worn off to the plastic it would probably be best to get a new one.

 

[Joe Dirt]

It's run-off water score from the hood channel. No way to get rid of it, it's worn through, unfortunately. Most Gen II's have it if they sit outside especially.

For the running boards- if you do have the obligatory rocker rust, the mounts may have been compromised, I would lay under the pull the boards and see if there is play on the bolts. (Or maybe some are missing) The boards are incredibly strong as they are, and the L brackets don't generally rust, just the rockers that they attach to.

 

[Glen4X4]

Nice looking truck Brad, congratulations on the new one.

 

[BradR]

Thanks for all the tips guys. Looks like a new grill for me or sand and paint it maybe... for the boards ill take another look at them I haven't had much time to look at it since I bought it.

Anyone have anythoughts on that header bolt? I don't wanna go to the dealer and find out its the right thing, lol.

Thanks again for all the tips/tricks/opinions.

Posted from Mobile Android

 

[sean99]

Try to tighten the header bolt. Looks like it was set up for a bracket and might of just backed out.

 

[BradR]

Try to tighten the header bolt. Looks like it was set up for a bracket and might of just backed out.

No, those nuts slipped right over the threads (like washers) so I don't know, I think I might just go with some new stock manifolds and ditch the secondary cats and do some other type of custom exhaust.

Anywho, some more updates...

-Fixed the liftgate door ajar (kbabiak part)
-Radio antenna was replaced with a green wire (got another one from kbabiak)
-Coolant leak fixed (thermostat housing) - took it apart and cleaned it up with a new 'stat and gasket
-Door handles fixed (were all floppy, new ones from CarPartsWholesale - fixed the Explorer too)
-HIDs ordered
-More parts ordered from kbabiak (window tracks, domelight, hood leveler, etc)
-Kris Guilbeaux is sending me a driveshaft for a nice price
-Also been talking to Turdle about powder coating my upper intake
-Hopefully I'll be ordering a AirMax intake next week as well
-Uhmmmm.... That's all I can think of now.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

nice mounty and nice x

 

[BradR]

So uhmm.. I'm finally getting it insured registered, and plated tomorrow, lol.

I just want to drive it. I still need to get a set of matching tires, fix the exhaust, and throw that driveshaft in it, but I figure being able to drive it will motivate me to get some of these things done.

 

[BradR]

I can't be bothered to find the thread about the accident this truck was involved in, but long story short, the truck was hit and things destroyed were the grill, header assembly, and the lights on the drivers side...
So obviously with a $1500 deductible I decided I would do it myself, I've torn everything down already that needs to be replaced or what not, and ordered all the parts except for the grill earlier today from RockAuto for right around $400, yay for saving $1100!

Here are some pictures..

Original damage...

Closer inspection...

No bumper!

one of my friends actually suggested custom fabbing a diamond plate bumper, and then i reminded him that it was going to be a street truck and he was silly for saying that.

I figured this would be a good picture to have if anybody ever wondered where the horns are on a Mountaineer/Explorer.

HORNS

So... 6 lights, 2 manifolds and a header panel later...

All be shipped for about $400

The exhaust manifolds are getting done by a friend that has a shop that does mechanic work for a living, I would do them myself if I wasn't so busy, and he's doing them for a nice price.

 

[BradR]

Oh, also, does anyone have a chrome Mountaineer grille they'd sell? (with emblem)

 

[BradR]

I am really bad at keep you guys updated...

But here are some more pictures..

All Fixed...

I'm 6'3" And this is just above eye level, 2" drop front and back, forgot to cut the bumpstops, d'oh!

New wheels! 20x9.5 wrapped with Falken ZIEX 295/45/20 -only a little rub because my fender well needs a few push pins and whatnot.

That Ranger beats me in a race everytime, not that we do any illegal races or anything.... (first to the speed limit- give or take 5 or 20mph...)
Ranger is "2/3'd on 22s" and belongs to Alan.H

 

[BradR]

And I did get the exhaust leak fixed, turns out it was a combination between the manifold and the egr valve.

 

[BrianDye]

So your selling the Mounty, AND the Explorer? Or are you keeping the Explorer now?

And I want those wheels, no doubt about it man ASAP, those are beautiful!!

 

[BradR]

I'm just selling the Mounty..

I'd like to find a lower mileage v8 that I can depend/rely on that doesn't need me to dump another $2k into... and preferrably less rusty and an Explorer, not a Mountaineer.

I would also go 3rd gen...

lol. I don't know, all I know is that I am selling this for now and we will see what happens.

Here's some other pictures for the Mounty, that I used for CL