99 Explorer update

[Earl43P]

At the very least, MHughes165 will appreciate this:

I bought this 99 EB Explorer 4.0 SOHC Auto 4wd from Mike's workplace, cheap, back in November. Mike had it posted on TRS Trucks For Sale board with photos.

Tow Dollied it home from NJ with my 3.0 Ranger. Exp had issues, but I figured I'd wrench on it till I worked out all the problems. Didn't happen that way.

Daughter needed wheels in WV (think snow and windy, hilly roads) to haul her kids. So, I gets it another transfer case (thanks RBoyer!) and slap it in, fill it with ATF and go. Drives nice. Fixed enough cats and dogs (listed below)

No dome lights (new lamps and some contacts needed brightened)
Pwr mirrors inop (fuse blown)
Various lamps inop (tail, marker, etc)
CEL on, replaced intake seals and DTR
PDL problems (PS F is still inop)
PS headlamp, new adjuster
New tires
Random overheating (found old thermostat chunks blocking housing)
rear bumper bent

to pass inspection and drove it north less than a month after I got it. She beat on it from mid-Dec through Spring and I "checked on it" whenever we visited. Fixed various things while I was up there.

I still get pissy when I think about the condition it was in when I gave it to her. Tsk, tsk. The rear driveshaft fell off in a Bob Evans parking lot a couple months ago. "Use a Ford Headbolts tool" to gorilla torque those 12pt 12mm Driveshaft bolts and lots of Loc-Tite. Don't rely on your helper when he's been drinking while you work either. A tire tool wedged in the U-Joint provides leverage, hint, hint.

So, she calls and asks if I think the Explorer will make it south (yes) and proceeds to move to our house a couple weeks ago, with her two children. BONUS, less trips north!!!! Kids 24/7!

So, as ever, I give it the once over on arrival and it's still making coolant disappear, but at a very slow rate. I'll continue to monitor that, no visible leaks. Tires are good, holding pressure well (tire guy REALLY cleaned the rims' bead areas well at my insistence), all is well, just needs an oil change.

So, I take it on vacation loaded to the gills, two bicycles on the roof, two cases of tools on the backseat floor, and the entire rear area behind the front seats fully packed with groceries, coolers, luggage etc. but I can still see in the rearview mirror. Oh, I put new pads and rotors on the front the day before we left (fixed the badly pulsating pedal).

8 hrs. and 4 torrential downpours later, we gets to Hunting Island, SC for a week of bliss, then watch my #2 son graduate bootcamp. My wife, daughter and grandkids went in the 08 Rav4, lightly loaded.

19.1 avg. mpg. on the round trip, not using the trip computer - I actually did the math each fillup. I'm impressed because I spent most of the dry driving in excess of 75 mph on I95. One bike has a plastic childseat, horribly spoiling any aerodynamics. The speed limiter kicks in just as it passes 98 mph by the way. It acts differently than my Ranger, but it may be the Auto vs. Manual Trans that makes the Ranger's limiter so dramatically different.

Anyway, it seems that this JY Explorer (no offense Mike, I know they are a "Dealer" too) lives on. I plan to fix the Seat Heat one of these days, or at least "look into it". The power leather seats are a joy. The instrument panel needs a lamp at the 60 mph position, so I'm thinking about a color change and LEDs.

I had one heck of a time getting the rear bumper back on straight, by myself (it was hit in the rear and bent the brackets).

I had fun with the intake seals (Change the thermostat while the intake is out - you'll see why on the SOHC).

Don't gorilla-tighten the DTR mount bolts or the Trans shifter linkage big nut or it'll make the shift lever hard to move (did you get yours fixed Rob?). Find the happy medium.

The only reason I'm writing all this is about last night. She left our home (alone, no kids) for a quick night trip to NJ to see some friends. 2 deer ran out in front of her and she swerved and missed them (BRAKE, DON'T SWERVE - EVER!!!!). The Explorer, now up on two wheels, was recovered, briefly, slammed back down onto all 4 tires, screeching sideways off the road, she over-corrects (really still out of control) and gets it up on the OTHER two wheels off the road surface now, somehow saves it, hits a berm and it slams back down onto all 4tires again. She continues north and arrives safely.

I had the worst feeling all morning until she reported her safe arrival. I specifically asked her to call and tell us she arrived, but she failed to do so (got there after midnight) until this morning.

Personally, I think it's a "Southern" truck now and resented going back to NJ.

 

[Area 52]

Earl:
Replace the front sway bar with an Addco as soon as possible with some beefy Bilsteins. I bought a 98 Explorer new. Third day of ownership and I'm on the freeway in the second lane. A lady gets on the freeway and moves from the slow lane to the second lane. Only thing is, she was a half car length short and cut me off. I reacted by split second look to left rear, jerked the wheel left and couldn't believe the reaction of the Explorer. I did a slight correction to the right and the right side wheels came off the ground until gravity took over. The lady never looked, slowed down...nuttin'. I went home and cleaned my shorts and ordered the sway bar and Bilsteins. Made a world of difference.

 

[Earl43P]

So, I'm guessing the new Addco swaybar added some body roll?

I can't imagine making it any stiffer, this thing stays flatter in hard turns than my 00Ranger with new KYBs. I know it needs LBJs, I just haven't gotten them done yet, she's always driving it!

I doubt I'll do any more than that to it. IMO, she needs to "NEVER SWERVE FOR ANIMALS in the roadway". Brake all you want, just don't veer, drive right through it.

Appreciate the firsthand experience input though.


EDIT: I drove it to the store at lunchtime. I was exactly wrong: The RANGER corners flatter than the Explorer, and noticeably so. It's not a wallowing dog, but it definately could use more roll stability. It's funny, but I haven't driven this thing much, other than last week's heavily loaded trip to SC. Anyway, it sure has some room for improvement. It feels like the front tires are plowing when you corner hard. Like roll them tires off the bead-plowing and they are aired up at 35 psi.

I'll throw $20 worth of end links and poly bushings at it when I change the LBJs.