New To Full Size Fun: Ford Expedition

JAFJO

New member
So it all started some years ago with an FJ40, then along came my Son and the FJ had to go. Once I was back on my feet again I managed to some how go through about 6 IH Scout's then made my way to a TJ which I found to be a ton of fun but was way too limited for my now 4 person one dog family. Sold the Jeep about a month ago and bought an 03' XLT Epedition a few days ago. I've been on the site for a while but didn't feel like I was taking too much away from it due to the Jeep's limitations.

With that said I've been searching around here, do to Ford's choice name of Expedition searching for them is a bit of an issue.

First off I quit wheeling my rig a year ago or more due to time although camping has been more of a topic of interest now that the kids are more interested. While keeping it a daily driver and wanting to use all the comfort functions it has I'd like to see what others have done as far as storage and lighting.

I'm a decent enough fabricator and have stayed plenty busy doing it for others. Before I dive into my own project I'd like to see some ideas. Please throw some my way.

Here are a few projects.
http://s853.photobucket.com/home/JAFJO

Some of the pictures are more add on fluff than anything while others are quite sturdy and meant to be abused. I need to update some pictures of my new roof racks. My early designs were/are pretty simple while my later stuff has a little more style. Of course when I cator to customers I build what they want to a point and style=mo money.

Again any pointers besides the obvious would be great. I know, running boards, ifs, car like ride etc etc. But anything else would be great. Thanks!
 

Xjaddiction

Observer
This is me too! I just bought a Ford Expedition '03 EB 4x4, with the 5.4L. I've had a bunch of Jeeps, and recently had a complete hub fail on my 5.9L grand cherokee. Just got off the interstate, and the wheel and brakes on the pass side came completely off. This sent me down a steep embankment and nearly flipped the jeep over endo style. My wife came to the scene of the accident as two tow trucks removed it from the abyse. The trooper standing there with my wife and I told me how lucky I was that the hub separation didn't happenon the interstate. Then he said the magic words... "I've never seen anyone survive that type of mechanical failure at interstate speeds"... Needless to say, my wife was through with the Jeeps. Besides, I needed something bigger for my work, and haulin' kids and my 6000 lb boat. EXPEDITION!!!

So after owning her for two months, I started to rethink my ides of not changing anything stock. Well the air ride system is in need of replacement, and found a company that provides a three inch lift with all new struts to erase the problematic air ride system. I'm going to run 33-35" BFG AT KO's on her, with an 18" rim. I'm not afraid of a sawzall, and need to come up with some sort of flare for the expi. I really don't want to do a body lift, but a two inch may find it's way on there. I just really don't want the thing to be too tall. Still have garages to enter at the hospitals I go to.

So... That's the start... two weekend ago my b-in-law borrowed the expi, and had an interstate accident... yes, my luck sucks with vehicles for the first time in my life... I've never had so much trouble. Accident ripped rear bumper off and d-side tail light out... so, I've been talking to a fabricator about making a rear tire carrier bumper for the expi. Luckily no sheet metal involved in the accident, and after a quick search on ebay, had a new tail light shipped for 35 bucks.

So, the build begins, I'm hopeless when it comes to leaving a vehicle alone. It will be expedition style, as my needs are haulin' kids, boat, and camping now. I also have a winter pop-up camper project to do.

I'll be watching this thread to see what you come up with. If your making a rear and front bumper for your rig, I might be interested in the same for my expi.

Let the build begin!
 
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TheGuyJones

Observer
Definitely will watch this as I have an '05 XLT. I really want to do the readylift 3/2 lift, put on something around a 34" or 35" all-terrain, make a front and rear bumper (with tire carrier), sliders and a roof rack (possibly with an RTT). Won't be able to do anything in the near future as it is our only vehicle (luckily work is like 3 miles away and the wife stays home with the 3 kids). Once we get another vehicle, I hope to get going on this. Just planning and getting ideas for now.
 

JAFJO

New member
I'm going to have to take it slow myself. Part of my issue is I work full time at a regular job and do all my fabrication on the side for people. I stay booked about 2 weeks out at a time so my rig is always last. My rear bumper/tire carrier tooke me 6 months to complete and install, the same project for a customer would have been done in a week. This project of front and rear bumpers with a winch plate and grille guard was a 10 day turn around.
P1000798.jpg


Here is where I'm lucky though, a friend of mine owns a fab shop and works full time at it. I wired his 8x12 plasma table and he ows me some table time so I'm looking for some cad drawings of front and rear plate style bumpers. I've not found any yet so I may have to start learning myself.

Wranglers are easy, I've done a ton. I did one Grand Cherokee out of tube, it turned out pretty nice but it's not my style. Customers are king and I will build what they want within reason. Here is Curtis' rig.
P1000558.jpg


So it comes down to this. I have a tube bender with 1 3/4" 240* die, a 1 1/4" 240* die and a 1" square 110* die, a new Miller 211 welder, a hand held Plasma and I have a Plasma table available to me. With all that said I need time and ideas.
 

jackflash

Observer
The Ford Expedition is a good platform for overland travel. At least I think it is. I have a 98 XLT 4X4 with a 5.4L and it has taken us everywhere we have wanted to go so far. Mine doesn't have the Air Ride Suspension, so I don't really know much about that. However I can fit a 285/75-17 with no lift and they don't rub. I have been running the BFG ATs and think they are nice.

Stock the Expedition has: 8.8 Front Diff, 9.75 Rear Diff and a Fully boxed frame.

Mine looks pretty much stock, as I don't have a front or rear bumper and no lift. Throw some nice components on there though and you'll have a stock looking rig that will go just about anywhere.

The Offroad Component List:
285/75-17 BFG ATs
4.10 Gears Front and Rear
Detroit TrueTrac LS Front and Rear (I think this is the best LS you can buy)
Rock Sliders
Warn Hidden Winch

If you are looking for a front or rear bumper, the best ones I could find are at the link below.

http://www.kenmtnac.com/Ford.html

We have taken ours on multiple trips to Colorado and New Mexico. I took out the rear seats out and built a sleeping platform with storage. Worked out nice, sorry don't have any pictures of it though.

When you start building yours out, make sure you post it. I would really like to see what you do. There was another guy on here that was doing a SAS on his, but he hasn't post anything in awhile.
 

jackflash

Observer
Pictures

Wolfcreek Pass Colorado



Near Pagosa Springs Colorado



Cinnamon Pass Colorado



Can't Remember Name Pass Colorado



Engineer Pass Colorado

 

JAFJO

New member
I do all my work off of Craigslist and I hate to say it but here are some local guys that are selling on there too. And what I hate to say even more is I think I'm going to call them and see if we can't put our heads together.

http://spokane.craigslist.org/pts/2115985996.html

I like the looks of some of there stuff, between what they do and what I can do I think we could come up with something pretty cool.
 

JAFJO

New member
Also I'm not super interested in making this thing too big (at least at first). As far as leveling kits go is it just a 2" up front?

I'm thinking about taking the 2nd row center seat out for to make it easy to get in and out of the 3rd row. I'm thinking about replacing it with a mini "roof rack" style bin that sits as hi as the seats do when they're in the fully collapsed position. With a few tabs on the top edge a thin piece of ply could be dropped in to maintain a sleeping area while giving easy access to small storage bin.

All ideas that come and go as I sit here watching Disney channel with the kids. I HAVE to think about something other than that.

Jackflash, jealous already. This spring/summer I'll be hitting some roads over in Idaho with similar views. We're lucky over here to have Moon Pass that leads us to the Hiawatha trail system. Google it, amazing bike trail with an equally amazing drive to get there.
 

lllateralus

Observer
Just thought i'd chime in here and say that I JUST traded in our 1999 Expedition EB 4X4 5.4 liter with 120K miles and that thing took me and my kids EVERYWHERE... we did some major back country exploring in northern Arizona with that thing. It was an EXCELLENT truck and will be missed.
Just to note, this Expedition went from 50K miles to 120K towing 2 different 21 foot toy haulers many many times (LOADED), a flat bed trailer with a large full sized off road race truck many times, towed a Lexus from Cali to Arizona, etc...

Aside from a one fuel pump and normal maintenance, it was a hard worker and never skipped a beat.



P1000397.jpg


P1000305-1.jpg
 

lllateralus

Observer
Jackflash,

I ran many different tire sizes on that Expo during my 3+ years with it, but in those pictures, the tires were 305/75-17 Goodyear wrangler MTR's.

I had the torsion bars cranked up about 2" from day one with no rubbing. (I might have trimmed a bit, cant remember)

In those pictures, the rear was stock. I did end up installing a 1" spacer to level the rear end though.

The torsions were cranked up like that for 3 years with no issues with CV boots, no sagging, etc. That truck was a champ.
 

jackflash

Observer
That's what I was thinking, but I wasn't to sure. Your Expedition sure did look nice. We beat on ours pretty hard but it's still runs like a top. We haven't had any major problems with it, besides the giant dent in the drivers door done by a very large rock. However, that was mainly my fault.
 

JAFJO

New member
Took the Expy on a trip this weekend from Spokane to Helena Montana. It was about 15* when we left home, as we made it past Garrison Junction it hit -13*F. Amazing how it chilled the ol Ford down, had to turn up the heat for all 6 of us to stay warm.

I had dropped an K&N filter in before I left, that tank got me 11.2 mpg in town. Not was I was looking for, hoped for 13ish.

In short it was a good trip, however my MPG's sucked big time. I had 4 adults, and 2 kids, 6 pieces of luggage and lots of other misc items. I got a whopping 13.2 mpg. I was shocked at how bad it was.

Once in Helena I got the bright idea to check my tire pressure, all tires at least 5lbs low so I took care of that. Before I left I added some STP FI cleaner and gassed her up. I stopped in Missoula and gassed up, made it to 14ish then drove it the rest of the way home. I gassed up today and hit 15.1! The temps went up to the hi 20's in some areas but stayed in single digits most of the time.

I've never traveled so far is such cold weather. Will cold weather like that effect my overall MPG? I knew a rig this size wouldn't be easy on gas but I had hoped for 17-18 or so. I kept it around 70mph on the way over, roads sucked on the way back so I stayed around 60-65 but used 4wd much much more.

Didn't mean to turn this into a mpg complaint forum but I could use some advise. I've heard rhumor of an air box mod that still pulls air out of the fender area. I'm off to look for it, thanks for hanging in there and reading all the way.
 

ki4iwd

Adventurer
i just started a 97 expedition build hope to have it ready for summer travel.looking for tires at this time haven't found what i'm looking for yet it has 31's on it now thinking about 33 ????? who knows what i will end up with
 

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