New [to me] 1998 XLT, Now I need Answers

[AbbadonTD]

I bought a 1998 Expy XLT with 146K yesterday from a gas station. Drives great, feels good. I used the buying guide as a reference (thanks to all who posted there), and it passed the eye and road test with flying colors. I was wondering where I can get the spec info for My truck.

I am coming from a 1995 F150 XLT, so a similar build as far as I can tell.

What I would like to know is:
How do I tell if I have the Factory tow package. I do have a 7blade on there, but is there a VIN code or something? I tow a 7000lb travel trailer, I should be fine, but I am curious.

When I drove at higher speed (70+) home, any bump made the rear end really jump, is this normal?

I'll post a few pics too, but any advice is welcomed. thanks ahead of time.

 

[AbbadonTD]

I think that may have worked???

 

[Bedrck47]

You can go to ford ETIS and enter your vin number it will give you information as to what was on the expy when built.

Sent you a PM

 

[GAINMOB]

Welcome to the site

 

[Newbs99]

I bought a 1998 Expy XLT with 146K yesterday from a gas station. Drives great, feels good. I used the buying guide as a reference (thanks to all who posted there), and it passed the eye and road test with flying colors. I was wondering where I can get the spec info for My truck.

I am coming from a 1995 F150 XLT, so a similar build as far as I can tell.

What I would like to know is:
How do I tell if I have the Factory tow package. I do have a 7blade on there, but is there a VIN code or something? I tow a 7000lb travel trailer, I should be fine, but I am curious.

When I drove at higher speed (70+) home, any bump made the rear end really jump, is this normal?

I'll post a few pics too, but any advice is welcomed. thanks ahead of time.

Jumping? we have realistically the same truck and at around 60 when you hit a bump, it doesn't get squirrelly at all. You might want to get your rear end checked just to be safe. Also, welcome to the forum!

 

[AbbadonTD]

So after a day (more realistically, my kids went to bed) I have more information.

Do people put the idler pully on in the wrong place all the time? I think mine is in the place for the 4.6, where a lazy mechanic would misread the diagram. Its odd because it can mount in both places...

I do have the "heavy duty towing package" according to the VIN lookup (thanks for that, answered a TON of questions) But it still says for transmission "4EOD(4R100)". How do I figure out which I have? Do I climb up under there and look?

About towing with this truck, should I tow in 2wd as I have in the past? does the AT make a difference? I have the 2/4AWD/4H/4L setup, so does one tow better? The only time I have used 4L to tow in the past was backing up a small hill.
The 7 blade tow connector - does the truck have a brake controller built in?

Thanks in advance again. I will be useful when I do the audio system, that's my playground.

 

[98EXPnSRQ]

If you have the 5.4L then you have the 4R100, which is just the updated version of the E4OD. Download the owners manual from the Ford website and refer to the towing section.

 

[Bedrck47]

You don't have a built in brake controller However you should have the wiring connector for a brake controller already under the dash It should be to the right of the steering column You will need to get a brake controller and the correct wiring adaptor You may also need to check to see if the fuses are installed and any relays that are needed for the trailer tow package

 

[markfrei]

I have a recently purchased 98 Expy 4 X 4 with the 4.6 and HD tow PKG. Mine is also really squirley with just a touch of the steering wheel it will send my wife grabbing for the dash and panic holds. Mine has the original shocks and they are SHOT........ at 115000 miles (imagine that!), soon to be replaced and hopefully solve my problem.

 

[AbbadonTD]

"Mine has the original shocks and they are SHOT"

I thought mine may be too. Are you in an eddie Bauer with the air ride? I am not, and they are the OG motorcrafts, and I am at 147K.

 

[jlo82585]

I have an Eddie Bauer with air ride.... you may as well be driving a school bus... every bump feels like the rear axle just fell off... and the front end feels like you have bricks for springs, there is no give with my air ride.

 

[thenaaks]

My 1998 with 199k and original shocks motorcraft feels great going down the road. Surprisingly great actually. Mine was a family vacation hauler/mom-mobile before i it. Other owners might not have been as gentle on yours. Also, improper front end alignment can wreak havoc on driveability.

 

[AbbadonTD]

It DRIVES fine, its just bounces a lot. I have no real experience in an SUV this size, only in smaller ones (I had a Jeep Cherokee for a long time). It could just be that I am just not accustomed to how it rides, and I just need some time in it.

I am fortunate to have multiple vehicles, so my expy will only drive when its either Snowy (4wd) or towing (trailer or the BIG Rv). With a 6500lb trailer on the back end, its not going to bounce. My other cars are a Dodge grand Caravan and a Kia Rio5, neither is exactly a "school Bus", so it could be that I am just interpreting what I feel, and the truck is fine.

Any good way to "test" shocks? If I do do them, should I do front and rears at the same time, spings, etc? I am not going to lift this (at least not this decade), so any advice out there?

 

[thenaaks]

If you can get the suspension to depress and then release, the truck should come back up and stop. There should be no bouncing after it returns to the original position. If you're getting a lot of bounce after a bump or dip in the road, then your shocks are wore out. Springs only need replaced if they're broken or sagging.

 

[AbbadonTD]

So I am bouncing a little on the way up, but not very much. My wife keeps telling me how great this drives: But she did learn to drive on a manual 1986 Suburban, so she may have better perspective than I do...

This is the easiest I time I ever had installing a brake controller. Wow...

 

[thenaaks]

It is 17-18 years old. If you're still dissatisfied with the bounce, then new shocks won't cost a ton, or be too hard to install. If you're going to be doing heavy towing, it will be money well spent.