My 2000 5.4l Eddie Bauer 4x4

[poorboy1964]

I hate power flushing but i wonder if you have a blockage or restriction somewhere? Maybe a slight kink in a line? sucks I'm not sure where I'd go from here

 

[Russ Vance]

Whew! I just finished reading your entire thread, and I am impressed with all you have poured into your truck, both time and money. I just picked mine up last weekend, so I've mostly worked on cleaning out dog hair and trying to minimize the smell of wet dog/cigarette smoke...not a great combo I must say. Mechanically, she's pretty sound, although my muffler looks a lot like yours before you bought the clamp, so that will be my first priority. I did the cd changer delete today. Also the rear window driver's side hinge was missing the gasket that goes between the hinge and the glass, so every bump caused a loud rattle. I tried to find one online but apparently hen's teeth are much more common, so I dug into my fly tying materials and found a piece of black closed cell foam the right thickness and made my own gasket...no more rattle!

Unfortunately for me, unlike Colorado, Iowa seems to have a never ending supply of salt, which is liberally applied to our roads, so my rocker panels are crap. That will be my summer project. Otherwise, I'm in pretty good shape mechanically. The interior, while relatively filthy, isn't too bad except for the redneck repair job to the dash/radio surround. Apparently while installing an aftermarket stereo, some nimrod pried the plastic off and wrecked the tabs that hold it on. They had an easy solution though...drywall screws! Well, the plastic does stay put and doesn't rattle. The exposed screw heads and cracks in the dash they created don't do much for me though. May have to pay the local wrecking yards a visit one of these days.

Anyway, I wanted to compliment you on all the upgrades to your Expedition and especially on documenting them so well here.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Thanks! I occasionally read through it as well and remember a few things or what I was thinking at the time.

Since yours in from Iowa, you should also take a look at the rear trailing arms. Those are known rust magnets- even mine are looking a little rusty and are on the radar for replacement, especially since mine may go offroad. You can get OE-type replacements (stamped steel) or tubular ones (I've seen 2 options: expensive from PMT and reasonable on Amazon).

That's too bad about the screws in the dash. My local wrecking yard has a nice selection of 1st gens.

 

[Russ Vance]

I'll check those out. Thanks. I haven't checked out our yards yet. I'm pretty sure I'll need to replace the running boards in addition to the rocker panels, but finding some that aren't just as rusty as mine around here might be a challenge. The plastic stuff might be easier. Rust is a constant issue here. I have had good luck with most of my vehicles by simply washing off the salt any time we get a warm enough day here. It costs $7 to run through the car wash at Fleet Farm that blasts the underside as well as the top. For me, that's cheap insurance. Apparently the previous owner of my Expy was more concerned with the top side, although the frame looks surprisingly decent.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Resoldered the odometer- again.

Also replaced the PCV valve.

 

[D_L_Masterson]

I used a Magic Eraser and water. You can find them in the cleaning supply aisle at your grocery store. Then I hit everything with some leather conditioner.

Best I found as a detailor and cheap. Warm water with Dawn and a 00 steel wool. Looks brand new in minutes. Just my 6 cents lol.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I added some LED strip lights under the hood.



Super bright. I'm a little concerned about how well the provided foam double sided sticky tape will hold up to the heat being located right above the radiator. I guess time will tell.

But I need to figure out a switch. I thought I was being smart by tapping into the power for the factory underhood light- but the strip lights remained on with the hood shut. I didn't notice until I was shutting the hood that the factory light flickers as the hood is closed and I figured there must be a position (angle) based switch in the light housing.

 

[Good as Gold]

Some are like a mercury switch. Not sure what type is on these hoods.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I just finished up the Daniel Stern headlight rewire.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

It works! It's not dark enough to try them out. I know someone that also did it and says his lights are really bright. I'm glad all the wiring is hidden underneath that removeable plastic piece above the radiator.

I bought the relay kit back in October and finally got around to doing it.

 

[ams2737]

Pics of this most recent mod would be great. I've been following this thread since you first started it. Keep up the great work.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Pics of this most recent mod would be great. I've been following this thread since you first started it. Keep up the great work.

Honestly, there's not much to take a picture of. Imagine a bunch of 12 and 10 gauge wires and a couple relays.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I finally got around to adding some cargo tie downs in the cargo area.

I ordered 2 sets of these:
http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Ratch...stems/Anchor-Point-Tie-Down-Kit-8pc-w-2-Track

I was originally going to go with a couple 4 foot tracks. And while the adjustability of the track would be nice, the extra cost just wasn't worth it.

I added the 8 L-track tie downs and 4 2nd gen Explorer tie downs.


I hid 2 L-tracks and 2 Explorer tie downs under the carpet:


The extra length of each screw was ground down:


These clips are removeable when I don't need them:


I used to have my junk in some milk crates pushed up against the back seats. Now I have it secured and still accessible from the open tailgate:

 

[hartsemperfi]

I just finished up the Daniel Stern headlight rewire.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

It works! It's not dark enough to try them out. I know someone that also did it and says his lights are really bright. I'm glad all the wiring is hidden underneath that removeable plastic piece above the radiator.

I bought the relay kit back in October and finally got around to doing it.

I just skimmed through this but lemme ask your still using the original headlight switch for switching purposes or are you running a new switch?

 

[ExplorerTom]

I just skimmed through this but lemme ask your still using the original headlight switch for switching purposes or are you running a new switch?

Factory switch. All the switch does now is turn the relay on. The point of doing the rewire is to run thick gauge wire for all the high power stuff.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Lately I've been noticing a popping noise from the left front. Tonight I finally jacked up that wheel and I put my pick-ax under the tire (makes a great fulcrum). There's a ton of play in the lower ball joint. Ordered a new lower control arm. I know I could get the ball joint itself for significantly less than the whole control arm- but the new control arm come with new frame bushings as well (which could be bought for significantly less as well.....). But now it's a simple remove and replace. No fighting with 209,000 mile stuck bushings, no ball joint presses. All I need is a torsion bar unloading tool.

Passenger side is still nice and tight.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I did the ball joint test the other day (jack up the control arm and lift just the tire with something) and saw a ton of play in the lower ball joint. I bought a new lower control arm, which may or may not have been a great idea........

With the old ball joint still installed, it was tough to see just how bad it was. But with it off and the boot removed....... Yowzers!


It was dry. The grease zerk on top had come off (or was never installed?) and I could look down into the joint. And lots of play up and down even by hand.

Getting the arm out. That was a chore. I was able to separate the torsion bar from the torsion key, but it did not want to come out of the control arm. And the sway bar link was frozen and had to be cut off. But the arm actually came out fairly easy- with the torsion bar still attached.

I spent some time torching the control arm but I figured there's so much metal, it's tough to actually get any meaningful heat into it with the torch I have. Lots of PB Blaster was sprayed on it. I used an old socket held with a pair of channel locks on the end of the torsion bar and hit it with my BFH. Nothing. I decided that since this arm was trash anyway, I'd take the Sawzall and see if I could cut into the arm at the hex and relieve that clamping force. I didn't get all the way through it, but I got close.


I went back to the BFH method and started seeing progress. Eventually it popped out.

The old arm:


The sway bar end link:

You can see how the outer sleeve has become one with the inner bolt.

Reinstalling was fairly straight forward. But I did need to clearance the sides of the bump stop and bottom of the shock attachment to fit the new control arm. My grinder made pretty easy work of it. I used anti-seize on the torsion bar ends just in case I'm ever back in there doing this again.

The bushings at the frame pivot point were still good shape. Buying the whole arm probably was not the best choice financially. Oh well.

I've still got a fair amount of torsion bar adjuster bolt sticking out. I don't think I'll need new keys for the amount of lift I want to do.

On road impressions are great. I never thought the front end felt bad when hitting bumps, but now it feels very solid. Even driving around with a half connected sway bar is barely noticeable.

 

[ExplorerTom]

So after a week of driving around with no sway bar connected, the ride honestly wasn't too bad. "Supple" is about the best way to describe it. It wasn't quite as responsive though and I think it rolled pretty good.

I ordered some Energy Suspension replacements that also included the sway bar bushings.


I had to cut out the passenger side link as well:


The sway bar bushings came out easy and are the same size as the old bushings.



The result is pretty amazing. Now the steering is really responsive. And going over bumps at an angle seems tighter than before.

Not bad for about $35.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I know my trailing arms aren't nearly as bad as some that I've seen, but I figured if I was offroad, I didn't want my sorta rusty arms to fail at the wrong time.

I ordered new arm from Supreme Suspension. Their prices are more reasonable compared to PMT.

The overall project........ while not "hard" some of the bolts were much more of a PITA than others. The left upper bolt needs to be cut off because the gas tank is in the way. I think my impact gun needs to be replaced.

Factory on the bottom:



Factory on the right:




Getting the new links lined up took a little bit of creative rigging. The right side went in pretty easy but the left side I needed to use the factory tire jack to push the axle back enough to line the bolt holes up.



The initial test drive is favorable. It's not a night and day difference but it seems tight and responsive. And the piece of mind of not having those rusty pieces back there is nice.

 

[poorboy1964]

Nice I have looked at the supreme stuff lift blocks and keys these look well made.
Did they come with new bolts?

 

[ExplorerTom]

They did but i reused the stock hardware. The stuff they sent was grade 8.8 and the stock stuff is 10.9.

The stuff is pretty well made.