Ford Explorer Owners
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URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25155
Printed Date: November-15-2024 at 6:57pm
Topic: Ford Explorer Owners
Posted By: OverMyHead
Subject: Ford Explorer Owners
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 1:00am
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Might have a chance to pick up a well cared for 2002 Ford explorer with 120,000 miles from a family member, it would replace my 2000 Dakota with 205,000 miles. Should I go for it? I have very few specifics, like engine, 4wd...., but will get more. Are there any questions/concerns with these I should address? ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Replies:
Posted By: ononewheel
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 3:14am
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I have owned several and worked on many, here is what I can tell you. Look at the suspension, specifically the front end. They tend to eat ball joints. They are not too expensive on that year, but if you are paying the labor, it can be expensive. And like the other post lately, front end bearings and sway bar links. They are cheap parts to fix so don't let that scare you. Most of them I saw, warped rotors a few miles down the road, especially if they towed much. I always put mid grade pads on to help this, stay away from the ceramics. Remember about the tires too, most of them have to have the same tire brand, size and tread depth on all four tires. It probably won't compete against your dakota for gas mileage, all mine were pigs at 14-17 if I remember right. And when it starts to not shift right, it probably is the 1-2nd shift solenoid. Mine never went but I saw many that did. I personally think they are quite good as far as maintenance goes if it was treated right. If it is a 4.6 I see them at 265K regularly. Hope that helps. |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 3:26am
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Thanks Seth, The vehicle is about 3 hours south of me, but I know it was well cared for. I dont know if it is a six or an eight cylinder, but either has at least 35 more horses than my Dakota which I could really use for towing. Can I put a heavier premium rotors on? My Dakota only gets about 17 mpg, they claim the explorer got 22 in its prime. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 9:18am
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the only real problems ive seen are the band will snap in the trans, far and few in between though, and i belive it holds the 2nd gear drum ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: mdvalant
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 1:11pm
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I have a 97 5.0 AWD that still looks and drives really nice. 180k on it with nothing major done other than the upper/lower ball joints, oil changes, rear shackle kit to lose the sagging in the back end. We also have an 06 with 130k, nothing done to it either other than oil changes, new tires, brakes, the usual. I love them both, I really don't want my old one to kick the bucket any time soon.  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5009 - '90 Ski (sold) http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5479 - '00 Sport Mississippi River - Bellevue, IA |
Posted By: ononewheel
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 5:45pm
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Yeah, they really are good vehicles for the intended job. I did not mean to say many things go wrong, because you could get far worse. Sometimes I think people do not understand they are 4x4 or AWD, and that simply means there are more things to go wrong, but as a whole I would recommend one anytime. Some parts guys here will give the input on premium rotors, I just don't recall that option. I think they warped sometimes just because the soccer moms drove them like a Taurus and not a heavy 4x4. I have an account at two parts stores, and can do rotors and pads in under an hour so I have always just replaced them as needed. Turn them, and expect them to warp quickly. I guess I didn't realize the dakota got that kind of mileage. 22 in the prime for the explorer sounds about right, but I think you will actually see around 15-16ish depending on your driving style. Got to be better than the Dakota. There I said it. 
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Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 8:55pm
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Mike, those look very well cared for, good to hear they are taking good care of you. Seth, I didn't think you were knocking them, I was looking for honest evaluations and that is what I got. other than the rotors it sounds like about what I have seen with the dakota. I can deal with that. Thanks guys (Eric too). ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 10:02pm
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Dave, All I can add to the equation here is we, stamp all of the frame components for the Explorer as well as the cross members for the 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton Ford chassis. Man, they are real HD!!! Our 1000 ton press is really taking the "tire carrier" to the limit (lots of deep forming) The difference between the different ton chassis is the gauge thickness of the metal. The cross members on the 1 ton is close to .250" !! ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: 67425ks
Date Posted: March-09-2012 at 10:31pm
| We used to pull the mastercraft to the lake with a 5.0 exploder all the time without incident. From what I can remember the only maintenance I did on it aside from the regular were radius arm bushings and something else in the front end that I can't for the life of me remember. Another plus to having an exploder is that ford made about a gozillian exploders/mountaineers/rangers, so parts new and used are pretty fair. |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-07-2012 at 11:47am
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Picking it up today, 210 hp, 6 cyl, 4wd from a VIN search. Should do the trick but I will miss having a pick up. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: davidg
Date Posted: April-07-2012 at 11:58am
| Congrats on the new vehicle! We have a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer w/ ~125K miles on it. This is the sister vehicle to the Ford Explorer. Runs like a pickle-seeder (good)! We have the 4.6 V8 in it. The only big issue we have had is that something in the front differential broke a few years back, and it would bind up during hard turns at slow speeds. Tow's the Southwind very well too. |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-08-2012 at 2:36am
She is home, Runs like a top but I have a few issues to sort out. The power window circuit is out But I can not find the power windows listed under any of the 96 fuses and relays. The tailgate also will not open electronically or manually. I also have an ABS light on.  I was able to pick up a two inch reciever that mounts below the factory 1 1/4 for $25 on craigs list. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: April-08-2012 at 10:28am
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i do remember replacing the drivers side main window switches, they wear out, maybe a dirty sensor on the ABS thing ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-08-2012 at 11:32am
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Thanks Eric, the ABS will have to be somebody else, Would the window switch take out the whole system? Nothing works from any door. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: April-08-2012 at 11:53am
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yes, but check all of your power supplies first and make sure you are getting power to the main switch which would be the driver side switch..i have replaced my share of those switches so it likely the cause...the switch does have the solid state in it making all of the commands... i will pull the panel and throw 12 volts to the window motor if possible to eliminte the motor being the problem, but its very unlikely that all 4 motors are bad....use the water theory, it helps ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-08-2012 at 12:27pm
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Investigating showed the tailgate lock and latch were working fine. Something had spilled on the tailgate weather strip and "glued" it shut. A little motivating force took care of it. Looked up the window circuit online and found the fuse, but it was good. I will have to take apart the door and get out the meter. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-16-2012 at 3:21am
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Eric, If you are still watching this one, I am working on the power window issue, There is power to the switch, and a used switch I tried had no effect. I am getting infinite resistance between all the non power pins attached to the switch, and a good ground. This tells me I have a broken ground wire. Can I pull another ground to the switch from the inside of the door somewhere , or should I pull it back under the dash? I got into all data through the library and found the same thing. It had me do an ohm test on one of the pins and said if under 5 ohms replace the switch, if over 5 repair circuit 1205. Further research says 1205 is the ground. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: April-16-2012 at 8:36am
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you may have to pull a ground because of the door hinges, i ran into a bad ground on a fuel pump a couple months back, replaced the pump (it was due anyways on the Chevy) but it was a ground troubleshoot it with a jumper ground before you pull the ground ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-16-2012 at 11:32am
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Good Plan, Thanks Eric. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: April-16-2012 at 10:54pm
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Eric, I ran a very temporary jumper (jumper cable with a big upholstery pin in its jaws) from the negative battery to the ground wire in the back of the switch connector, and the widows went up and down. Wooo Hoooo! Now I just need to find time to pull and solder in a permanent one. Thanks for your help. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |