High mileage preventive maintenance

[Phase 1]

I have a 99' Explorer Sport with a manual trans and 115,000 miles and I'm wanting to start on doing the preventive maintenance myself. I've done some work on it myself as issues came up but never really knew where to start to keep it running long term prevention wise. I now live out in west Texas where it's dry with ungodly heat in the summer and fairly tame cold winters if that helps with pointing in a direction. Any help yall can give in pointing me in the right direction would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance folks.

 

[XLTrunner]

Preventative maintenance can be a fine line between replacing things needlessly vs routine maintenance. For instance, I don't see the need to randomly replace things like a radiator, water pump, alternator, starter, fuel pump, sensors, etc. just because your vehicle has 115K miles on it (which, by the way, is nothing for these suv's). On the other hand, as with any vehicle, first and foremost is to make sure the fluid and filter changes are up to date. Are the spark plugs and wires original? If so, replace them...they're overdue. Check your belt, hoses, brake pads/rotors, suspension components. I do make exceptions to my rule when it comes to replacing a worn suspension part. If I have, say, worn ball joints...I'll figure I might as well (MOW) replace the tie rods, shocks, stabilizer links/bushings, even brake pads/rotors and wheel brgs as long as I'm in there taking things apart. Plus, it's all nice and tight and ready for an alignment...something I wouldn't want to spend money on again the next year if something else were to fail.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

As far as what I'd do, a tune up (plugs, wires, fluids, that sort of thing) if it hasn't been done, check the ball joints (known issue), sway bar end links (another known issue), tie rods for cracked/busted/missing boots,and something I do is make sure the spare tire is actually full of air. These are known to run over 250K miles, the biggest thing with them being the SOHC timing chains, which clean oil and highway driving helps with so I've been told, but the fact you're a manual means you're probably an OHV engine, which, like the 5.0 offered in 4 doors, runs easily over 250K, highest I've seen is 342K miles.

 

[LoquetusofBorg]

definitely plugs and wires. Winterize it, check your coolant to see if it's good or time for a change. Most all end links, as rust kills them, before I replaced all mine, the sway bar end links were just gone from rust and the bar was hanging there. Most all that I have mentioned as well as the others try to do now as it is no fun when it is cold. good luck
Robert