Need help finding aftermarket parts!

[Kip1680]

Hello! I just joined this forum. I have a 1998 Mercury Mountaineer and I am looking to upgrade from stock to off road for the purpose of going on hunting and fishing trips off the grid. I would like to improve the suspension - does not have to be a rock crawler - to get some additional clearance and to handle"rough to terrible" dirt roads. I would like to improve the lighting, interior, and maybe some engine modifications for improved power and performance. I would love some suggestions on sites to get parts and research. Any help and/or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!! Kip

 

[410Fortune]

Hey Kip! Welcome to EF
We can certainly help you with ALL OF THAT

Your 98 Merc, what engine and how many miles?

 

[Kip1680]

Hey Kip! Welcome to EF
We can certainly help you with ALL OF THAT

Your 98 Merc, what engine and how many miles?

Cool!! Thanks! It's a 5.0 V8 and it has about 200K on the engine. It's a Harley Davison edition and I would like to get rid of, or replace, the plastic all around it with something else. I have had some work done on the engine so I should be able to get another 40-50k more miles. If not, I will get a new one so.... I don't drive too many miles a year with this car. Maybe 2k? I use it primarily for hunting and fishing. It's just that there are some places I would like to go that would need a little better suspension. It's a project. I would ultimately like to make it a really nice hunting vehicle but it's just now in the beginning phases. A buddy of mine said I should start with the suspension. I tried looking around the internet but I can't seem to find any good resources.

KP

 

[410Fortune]

Congrats!
Harley Davidson edition must have been a dealer thing as Ford/Merc never made one that way
Pics would help!

Actually you should start with the transfer case, right now she is full time AWD correct?
(5.0 trucks came in RWD and AWD only)
The full time AWD transfer case is good in the snow and for mild off road, but one of the best mods we can make to these trucks is to remove it and relpace it with a real 50/50 4x4 transfer case giving you 2wd, 4hi and 4 low. Many members here (including me many years ago) convert from AWD to the F150 BW4406 manual transfer case. This requires a different t case, the shifter linkage, a new small hole in your floor, and some driveshafts...
You will gain MPG and passing power, also save wear and tear on your front end components, especially tires

The suspension can use a few small upgrades, but with the IFS front suspension there is not a whole lot you can do to improve the amount of travel
What you want is traction to go further off road and some ground clearance. The only way to increase ground clearance is with larger tires, which in turn also increase traction. So we do mods to our suspensions and bodies with one goal in mind, bigger tires.

The 5.0 drivetrain is AWESOME
You can get well over 200K miles, heck well over 300K miles with proper care. The 98-01 version of the 5.0 and the 4r70w auto trans are nearly bomb proof (best drivetrain Ford ever put into one of these)