I need help with my new explorer | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

I need help with my new explorer

i got it from autozone (i had a gift card) and it said OE was 192...so thats what i got
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





If you're unfamiliar with all the dash controls, there's a dimmer switch for the dash lights, if it's turned all the way down, it would appear they were 'out', it's happened before.
 






Re : door handles

I just did this, what a pain in the ass. You can't get the parts in Canada so you have to rebuild it yourself, finding a wedgewood blue ex at the junkyard is not easy.

Here is what I did.. The springs break and have to be replaced, sounds easy but the door handle is riveted in and the bolt that holds the spring is also riveted or welded together and is mean to be thrown away after you remove it.

So the fix is at home depot. You have to go to the bulk section and in little bags they have a 4 pack of screws that look like rivets with slim heads. You can't just put the 29 cent screw in there because the door handle will never go back in. There is only 1mm of space on each side to fit the handle back in.

Get these rivet screw things and put the new springs over them, you will have to remove springs from some other junk or another broken ex like I did.

The main door handle rivets can be knocked out with a screw driver and hammer, if that fails you can drill them out, then a bolt has to removed to drop the window guide and then a yellow clip becomes visible, once you unclip that the handle comes out. I had to get in there with needle nose pliers and remove the old rivet ends.

Because of vibrations and constant openings you have to put a drop of crazy glue on the screws threads to keep them locked. I also used the same rivet ends to hold the handle in, so for $3 you can do the fix but its time consuming. I've seen some people rivet the door handles in with washer, that looks weak to me. I also sealed the area with gasket maker and the whole section is solid now.
 






The screw kit
 

Attachments

  • php96zX5cPM.jpg
    php96zX5cPM.jpg
    64.8 KB · Views: 216






The repaired handles
 

Attachments

  • phpT1IPCaPM.jpg
    phpT1IPCaPM.jpg
    48 KB · Views: 212






thanks and its not the dimmer switch...checked that...i had an 87 bronco 2....and i thought the dash lights didnt work, cause the knob was all the way turned, well one day i just said dang and gave it more strength and it turned over, it was just stuck lol.
 






i think i should clarify a few things, and i do not mean to be rude, this is not meant to be rude or anything, and its not your fault.. y'all didn't know. I asked all the questions i did...mainly because i know certain vehicles have certain things about them, so i wanted a general consensus about my problems. I am in college, i do not have a lift, or a big floor jack, or jack stands and a mountain of tools to work on my EX.. plus we have somewhat strict rules about working on cars in the parking lot. I went to votech for automotive for 2 years, i went to college for it for 2 semesters.. Im about to go back to school for it in june. Ive worked in a few automotive repair shops, i know my way around a vehicle, i asked the questions i did because being in college, i needed the simplest sure 1 time try way to fix my problems. i dont have the tools to pull a thermostat, anyone with a 97 Ex with the 5.0 knows that it isnt just in plain view with easy acess, so i needed to be sure a thermostat would fix it..before i paid someone to do it then taking the chance it didnt fix it.

so im sorry for not sounding more proffesional, i will do so in the future.
i know alot of people who do join this site are newbs needing help,

but it just bugs me (and no offence onelever) to see someone say something like that. Not his fault, he didnt know that i know.

so if yalll never talk to me again,, well thats fine i guess, otherwise this message was just to clarify things.
 






i got it from autozone (i had a gift card) and it said OE was 192...so thats what i got

That sounds good. The one I took out was 192 *F and I replaced it with a 195 *F since that was the closest I could get. It's amazing how much of a difference working heat makes.

i do not mean to be rude...i wanted a general consensus about my problems.

so if yalll never talk to me again,, well thats fine i guess, otherwise this message was just to clarify things.

Whoa there buddy! You were never rude to us, and I'm pretty sure no one thought you were. This forum exists so people who have learned can help people who have yet to learn. So feel free to ask all the questions you want.

I know exactly how you feel about not having enough tools or space to work. Until recently I had to buy a new tool for every job I did. My vehicle is my daily driver as well so every repair is a one time shot.

Enjoy the forum and lighten up a little bit!
 






Driver side hub is shot, and so is both upper ball joints and the lower joint on driver side.
 






replaced hub, works like a champ...except for the ball joints :(
 






i think i should clarify a few things, and i do not mean to be rude, this is not meant to be rude or anything, and its not your fault.. y'all didn't know. I asked all the questions i did...mainly because i know certain vehicles have certain things about them, so i wanted a general consensus about my problems. I am in college, i do not have a lift, or a big floor jack, or jack stands and a mountain of tools to work on my EX.. plus we have somewhat strict rules about working on cars in the parking lot. I went to votech for automotive for 2 years, i went to college for it for 2 semesters.. Im about to go back to school for it in june. Ive worked in a few automotive repair shops, i know my way around a vehicle, i asked the questions i did because being in college, i needed the simplest sure 1 time try way to fix my problems. i dont have the tools to pull a thermostat, anyone with a 97 Ex with the 5.0 knows that it isnt just in plain view with easy acess, so i needed to be sure a thermostat would fix it..before i paid someone to do it then taking the chance it didnt fix it.

so im sorry for not sounding more proffesional, i will do so in the future.
i know alot of people who do join this site are newbs needing help,

but it just bugs me (and no offence onelever) to see someone say something like that. Not his fault, he didnt know that i know.

so if yalll never talk to me again,, well thats fine i guess, otherwise this message was just to clarify things.



There is no sure 1 time solution in a forum, if you're looking for all that go to the dealer but even they fail at it and often know less then the forum. A car is a puzzle of 1000 components and nobody is going to get it perfect each time. If you want to pull a thermostat you need $6.99 for a chinese ratchet set.
 






Back
Top