The Juggernaut 97 EX 5.0

[Juggernaut31]

This weekend the new lights came in.

OLD BLUE EYES.

AND NOW More light!!

 

[Juggernaut31]

i also removed the longer length TT bolts, and lowered the front back down, and i removed one set of the overload springs. the ride was just a little too stiff to suit me, now i still have a great stance, and the softer, (factory like ride).

 

[Juggernaut31]

This is it, after the longer bolts, and one set of overloads were removed

 

[RyansX]

This is it, after the longer bolts, and one set of overloads were removed

What are you gonna do with those overloads and longer bolts? If your not gonna do anything with them than ill snatch them up?

 

[Juggernaut31]

i don't plan on doing anything with them. but in all honesty, you can buy a set of the overload springs cheaper than i can send em. when they arrived to me, the shipping was $36.00 each set. luckily the e-bay seller i bought them from had free shipping, and he obviously didn't know how much it was going to cost to ship them, because that was more per set, than i actually paid for them. only by about $2.00, but it was more. lol. but the bolts wouldn't be that much. and they are already prepped, (beveled end) and were installed for about a week, so i know these work well.

 

[Juggernaut31]

Okay guys, ur not gonna believe this, LOL. i sold my explorer, shortly after my last post. (4/9/13), i then bought a v-8 4.6 thunderbird, and did a huge makeover on it. (It was originally an all white car)

I then sold said t-bird, and bought a 2005, Gran Am, that was like brand new. I am now trading that grand am, to the guy that bought my explorer, so i can get my explorer back. i miss it.... go figure.
My wife is ready to commit me rofl!!!

 

[Juggernaut31]

Well it is Official!! i got my Explorer back this weekend. other than the name missing from the front window, and me doing a good cleaning/polishing on it. it is back, how it left. Now i can continue with my mods. so very happy to have it back.
I was at the local PNP this weekend. i was looking for a part for a trailblazer i am working on for a friend. i saw TWO Explorers with over 300,000 miles on them. i was checking on another gauge cluster from a V-8, because the little gear behind mine broke, and the odometer stopped working. I was trying to find one with close to the same mileage as mine, 149,000 miles, any who, the one with the top miles, was
384,000 miles. gotta love these things.
This coming weekend, i am doing another oil change (first since i got it back) with all Synthetic fluids.

 

[Juggernaut31]

Yesterday i ordered a billet chrome grill insert. hopefully it will arrive by the weekend.

 

[Juggernaut31]

This weekend, i changed out the front lower valance. I got the valance from a 99 model, with fog lights. i got the valance and lights of course. I took apart the front and rear bumpers, polished all the chrome, and painted the (Tan kinda rose tinted) plastic trim that most of the EXs' came with, Black. I also painted the body colored side molding with chrome insert Black, and left the chrome chrome. The existing fog lights i had in the last pics of it were then moved back, and seperated further, (pics coming soon).
I also checked UPS, and my new chrome billet grill insert is slated for delivery today. if it get here before i get home, i will be installing it after work, if it comes later, then tomorrow after work.
I also got a small lincoln welder this weekend. now i just have to get a welding helmet, gloves, etc. etc.

 

[Juggernaut31]

and as i promised, Pics.
I meant to take another pic of the front before i started, but there are some above, you can see.

So i started disassembly.

as i was installing the lower valance, i also painted all the tupperware on it, from that strange tan/rose color, to black. here is the front with new painted trim and valance. notice 4 fog lights now in front!

here is the side after painting side trim as well.

and a new shot of the rear after trim paint.

AND FINALLY!!! the new chrome billet grille insert!

Crappy phone pics, but there they are.

 

[pbnj22]

Looks nice! what audio equipment are you using?

 

[Juggernaut31]

Sony Head Unit, all 4 Sony 3 way speakers in the doors, 2 super tweeters mounted in the lower doors, 560 watt Power Acoustic Amp. and a 8" kicker in the plastic factory location box, that EB models came with. i have it in this thread where i found one, and installed the sub. when i sold this EX i left the speakers and old head unit in there. when i bought it back, it was still in there, (had only been about 3 months i think), so i put the new head unit and amp in this past weekend.

 

[pbnj22]

What kind of sony head unit? double din? single? pics of it?

i have aftermarket single din one with a "pocket" underneath to fill the gap.. i want to get a double din dvd navi one but not sure if its going to look silly or not.

Are you running your speakers and tweeter off head unit or separate amp?

 

[Juggernaut31]

It is a single din, with the pocket above mine. within the next couple of months i do want to do a single din, with a flip up screen. My EX is used for trips, so having a dvd, with 5.1 surround would be nice. The door speakers and tweeters are run off the 55x4 Sony head unit, and of course sub, off the amp. sounds really nice. not a boom box by any means, but i don't like those anyway. just clean, crisp, music, with enough lows, to sound like an orchestra.
It makes my old school rock sound good.

 

[Juggernaut31]

Okay, finally some new stuff to announce. i added a 12" sub to the rear of my explorer with a quick disconnect. so when i am around home, i have both the 8" Kicker, and the 12 Lightning audio sub. when we go on trips, where we like the room, or i need to p/u something to carry home etc, i reach under the rear seat, just pull the disconnect apart, and remove the 12" for plenty of cargo room.
and here is a pic of it.

 

[Juggernaut31]

Also, Built a new roof rack this weekend. I started out with a small CAR TOP roof carrier, because i needed the curves for the top and bottom. so this is what i started with

I then cut it all apart, and started the basic frame.

A few more pieces, and more welding... All the rest of the frame was made with 3/4" square tubing. Not shown in this is the addition of all the rest of the inner support bars. I used 3/4" round tubing for the inside supports. when i take it off to finish it, i will get pics of the inside of it.

and then the "almost finished" results. i still have a bit more finishing on it, and a couple more coats of paint, but i was able to build it as large as i wanted it, since most of the safari racks i have seen, seem small on these large 4 door Explorers.

This is designed to be a useful, (and used) rack. when we go on vacation, luggage will be stored up top, allowing plenty of room inside. Coming up in just a couple more weeks, will be a new light bar, and 4 6" lights, to finish off the top. (the light bar and lights are for my birthday) I am also considering re-installing the longer Torsion bar bolts, i showed earlier in the posts, to level the front with the rear. Even though i sold the EX, i kept the bolts. and now that i have it back, i am fixing it up my way.

STAY TUNED!!

 

[Juggernaut31]

Well i just ordered my new light bar, and 4 - 6.5" offroad lights for the top.

 

[Juggernaut31]

This weekend, i hooked up the factory fog lights, and moved my add on driving lights farther apart, pics of that later. In preperation of my upcoming light bar and lights, i also re-lifted my front end 1-3/4 inches. i now have 7 inches of top clearance in the FRONT!

And here it is after the lift, it no longer has a rear to front rake. it sit level

whatta ya think??

 

[Juggernaut31]

Well my light bar came in yesterday, along with my MAF adapter for my cold air intake i am setting up. i assembled the bar and lights last night, looks great. this weekend, i will be installing it and wiring it all up. and hopefully have time left to get the CAI done.

 

[Campoli]

I'm firing to see the light bar installed what you pay for it