Been wanting to put some LED lights in for the license plate bulbs so finally got around to that. Took me FOUR days!
Day one... took off the two plastic screw/clips that hold the light lenses in place, removed the old bulbs, and set everything including the screw driver on the bumper. I didn't have the LED bulbs yet but was planning on getting them in the morning.
Day two... decided to go to the beach! So I put the light project on hold. Drove out to the beach, had some amazing fish and chips (tuna) at the Bowpicker in Astoria. Upon returning to my car... I saw a screw driver sitting on the rear bumper. DAMN!! Totally forgot I had put everything back there! Both lenses were gone, never to be seen again!
While I was there I decided to take the Expedition onto the beach by Ft Stevens and drove down towards Seaside. I've driven this strip of the beach many times and there are a couple of places where people have driven up and down from the banks and I've wondered what it would take to get up there. Thought I should try it but was pretty sure I couldn't make it. However... I saw an older gen Toyota Land Cruiser get a run at one and he make it up so figured I'd give it a shot!
I put her in 4 low and went for it. Got about 3/4 of the way up and bogged down in the sand. Backed down and tried again with a little more of a run, but I was in 4 low so it wasn't THAT much more of a run. Didn't get much further before getting bogged down again. But I noticed that the brakes were hard to push, as if the power steering wasn't working so I figured the traction control was getting in my way by cutting power. Backed back down, pushed and held down the advanctrac button until it chimed, put it in 4 hi for a bit more speed, was able to keep RPMs up and I drove right up!! What a world of difference!
Reminded me of last winter when I was trying to get out of my neighborhood in a foot and a half of snow. I could only get so far before bogging down just like in the sand. After several attempts I finally decided to try disabling advanctrac. I drove right out. Wasn't 100% sure if it was that or if it was just that last attempt but now I'm convinced it was the traction control that was holding me back.
That night I ordered two replacement light lenses and LED bulbs from Amazon. Had prime so I had them by Tuesday.
Day 4... put them on.
