Parents mad about mods

[psychotic]

I'm 16 and i was lucky enough to get my dad's old 96 xlt.
My parents were ok at first, let me lower it 3-4inches, put in an intake, put in some performance spark plugs and wires. now they're starting to get pissy for no reason.... I put a billet grille on the other day and they were questioning wether or not i could even buy it. Then i told them i was taking off the skid plates to make it lighter and they said no. I didn't see a reason why not so i did it anyways in like 20 minutes while my mom was watching tv and i almost got grounded. My mom yelled at me saying "there is a reason they're on there" and i told her i don't off-road in my lowered street ex so it doesn't matter. she then claimed the explorer isn't an offroad vehicle and it has skid plates for another reason, telling me that i don't know everything.
I asked "well what can i do if you want me to stop doing things... can i take off the side steps or the roof rack?" a big no and more screaming from her.... i don't get it. I can lower my explorer on my own, yet i can't take off my roof rack?

 

[aldive]

Did YOU pay for the truck? Do YOU pay for the insurance? the fuel? the mods? Is the title in YOUR name?

 

[psychotic]

they wouldn't let me have MY own car... they gave me the explorer and told me its MINE. I would have been fine buying my own car. I paid every bit for the mods, i don't pay gas, because that was my present for my 16th birthday.

 

[aldive]

What about insurance?

 

[psychotic]

i'm in their insurance policy, they won't let me pay insurance because of that for some reason.

They complain about my driving costing too much, but when i offer to find a cheaper plan and pay it they say no way...

 

[Jason_25]

Well taking off skid plates is just rididculous. I'm sorry but no amount of weight reduction is going to make a 4 door ohv 4x4 explorer fast. With a 3-4 inch drop maybe you should leave them, you may need them.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Ummm, forgive me for asking but why would you lower a 4X4? As for the parents not letting you do what you want with your truck sounds like a insecure control thing.

 

[aldive]

Since you don't pay for the truck/gas/insurance' they have the right to tell you what to do, sorry.

You mention that you would pay for it all, pardon me, but where would you get that much money?

 

[espnfreak]

Yeah, I can feel their side about it. They seem to own the vehicle and that gives them the right to say what they want done to it. It may not permantely be yours, so they don't want you "butchering" it beyond the point where it won't sell

 

[psychotic]

An explorer wasn't my first choice in a car, but i ended up liking it. if i bought my own car, it wouldn't be a gas guzzling SUV... it'd be some car around 7-8k that got more than 13mpg.
I dropped the skid plates for a lil less weight in hopes of better mpg, and a lil better acceleration...
Dead Link Removed

 

[psychotic]

espn.. i totally understand they don't want me changing it so it won't sell.... but thats the reason i make everything i do 100% able to turn back to stock. I have all original parts for everything from the stock HU to the factory yellowish head light bulbs. putting the explorer back at stock height is as easy as it was to lower, and the skid plates won't argue to being bolted back on.

 

[espnfreak]

Or it could be they think its a waste of money...gotta admit, modding can be $$$

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by psychotic
An explorer wasn't my first choice in a car, but i ended up liking it. if i bought my own car, it wouldn't be a gas guzzling SUV... it'd be some car around 7-8k that got more than 13mpg.
I dropped the skid plates for a lil less weight in hopes of better mpg, and a lil better acceleration...
Dead Link Removed

13 MPG huh? My truck gets atleast 20 mpg on the highway and I have the same engine as you (stock), and it's lifted with larger tires. So many people jump to "upgrades" and weight reduction and stuff, when the real problem is that the truck needs a tuneup. Search for some tuneup tips and do ALL of them. If you have any questions then e-mail me and I will help you as best as I can.

 

[psychotic]

modding costs money... but the stuff the get picky about is the free stuff. They didn't want me tightening the slack on my throttle cable... they don't want me doing tune-ups. "just take it to jiffy lube and get an oil change." IMO, thats more of a waste of money, and it doesn't cover all that should be done to my ex to tune it up....

 

[Jason_25]

There's about 30 things that I can think of right offhand that should be involved in a good 4.0 tuneup. Jiffy Lube can do almost none of them. Maybe you should tell them that you are compromising the life of the truck without a tuneup.

 

[psychotic]

How hard would you say it is to replace all fluids with synthetics, do most people agree... they cause less wear?
I've changed spark plugs & wires, cleaned intake filter, intake tube, MAS, TB.
what are some other fairly easy tune up ideas you have?

 

[aldive]

Do you have a job?

 

[Jason_25]

Here's my personal tuneup list. There may be a few others.

1.Change oil and filter (Motorcraft Fl1A filter and possibly synthetic oil)
2.Run a whole bottle of seafoam through the engine
3.Run a whole bottle of seafoam through the gas tank
4.Replace plugs and wires (motorcraft double plat plugs and your choice of wires)
5.Clean IAC.
6.Check for vacuum leaks
7.Check for adequate fuel pressure
8.Clean/Replace MAF
9.Replace tranny fluid and filter
10.Clean throttle body, upper intake, throttle plate, and intake pipe/air filter housing with carb spray
11.Replace TPS
12.Replace Oxygen sensors
13.Replace Air filter
14.Replace fuel filter
15.Replace PCV valve
16.Throttle Cable fix

 

[psychotic]

Yes i have a job. in fact today i worked 8-4, and again tomorrow. This week i work 33 hours. not much but keep in mind, it is only a part time job for a 16 y/o.

 

[psychotic]

Thanks jason!
I've cleaned my IAC too,
lets see, i've done about half of those a few times... but half of them i've never done at all. is it hard at all to change transmission fluid/filter. also, i've never heard of seafoam.... i've heard of amsoil powerfoam... same thing or what?