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So I took the plunge and got me a 2000 Ex Limited 4x4 V10 no rust California truck with 136k.
I had a mechanic take a look at it before purchase and he said it was pretty clean. Paint in decent condition, no rips in the leather (though pretty worn) all switches, locks and controls are working. New (?) A/T KO 32" D-Load tires. The issues:
- stock shocks are shot (want to upgrade those anyway!)
- Front left brake rotor is grooved beyond repair and needs to be replaced
- Transmission coolant lines are leaking at the clamps
- steering link at the front is loose and needs to be replaced
I bought it to tow my (new-to-me) 2005 30ft Layton quad-bunk TT with a dry weight of 6440lbs and GVWR of 9460lbs. We will be traveling up over the sierras to Lake Tahoe and Reno from SF at least once or twice a year. Maybe 2-3k miles/ year. I'm a newbie on these big rigs - I'm "upgrading" from a 2011 BMW M3 convertible...
The rear differential tag says L30 on it so I'm assuming its got the 4.30 gear ratio from the factory. Weird, as the VIN lookup explicitly says 3.73.
The price was $4,900. Decent I think, but I had to basically risk my life in the barrios of East Oakland to get the deal done. Didn't feel appropriate to low-ball with dogs behind fences barking in my ear.
I plan to do the following upgrades so that I can tow.
1. new shocks - bilsteins or ranchos?
2. rear sway bar
3. airbags or RAS - not sure which - can I do both? not ready to switch out the leaf suspension due to $ and PITA.
4. New brakes - still need to research this.
5. replace transmission cooler lines - put in a tranny temp gauge?
6. Repair front cross-bar/steering link
7. towing mirrors - need to research this
8. Anti-sway WD hitch - pro-pride, HA seem pricey though
9. Brake controller
Fun upgrades:
a. GPS/Backup Camera/Hitch Camera/DVD head unit (no OEM overhead DVD player in the truck - maybe add an after-market one)
b. LED headlights
c. New floormats
d. re-upholster driver's seat
anyway, I will avail myself of all the great resources on this forum. Really good stuff here. In the meantime, I wanted to ask: how do I hook up a brake controller? is there some kind of harness plug somewhere in the cabin, or do I need to run wires to the back where the receiver hitch and 7-pin are?
Welcome! I'm by far not the most experienced on here, but to answer your explicit question, there is a connector under the dash for the brake controller. When you order the brake controller (I'm partial to the Tekonsha), you order a pigtail specific to your truck. Just plug it in, mount it up, and go.
Other's have very specific desires with regard to shocks. I installed the KYB Monomax on mine and through ~70,000 miles they've done well. I do mostly highway driving. I can tell that they are going bad/getting weak, so they're on the list again.
This place is full of great information (the people seem nice too ...enjoy!
EDIT: I should be more specific. My plug for the brake controller is just above the ODB port, which is located on the right hand side of the drivers seat, just about in line with the go pedal (that's on a 2003 6.0L)
Last edited by EXSwap; 03-23-2017 at 01:55 PM.
Reason: Added detail
From your pictures it looks like something may have been done to the leaf springs already. You may want to take measurements and take a closer look under there, if not check these out.
On the drivers side pillar you will have a tag with information. Look for the axle code from the list below and match up to see what you have for it. It should be a 2 digit code.
Welcome to the family @mojakus, no need to quote upgrade from an M3 'vert, it just IS an upgrade
I'm tagging Tom (@WE3ZS) who is our resident towing guru, towing forum mod, as well as a V10 owner that ONLY tows his small mansion of a trailer. He should be able to set you on the right path regarding your intended setup and outfitting for towing
I have to agree with the previously mentioned statement regarding the leafsprings, it looks a bit taller than the standard stock 4x4. Would be beneficial to check into the spring numbers and such or post them up, you may already have a lift on it of some sort.
Regarding the leaky trans cooler, if you decide to upgrade to the 6.0 cooler which bolts in, just replace the lines then. If you have a proper monitor, you should be able to pull trans temp from the OBD port with the right coding on the reader. Some use TorquePro and a Bluetooth dongle and others use a ScanGauge ii (myself included) to monitor extra parameters.
I'd also caution you to check the production date on the tires. IIRC the KO1's were replaced by the KO2, so you may want to verify those tires are newer than 7-8 years old - especially if you'll be towing frequently.
Otherwise, that's a clean rig for a damn good price - V10 or not. Welcome
I have to agree with the previously mentioned statement regarding the leafsprings, it looks a bit taller than the standard stock 4x4. Would be beneficial to check into the spring numbers and such or post them up, you may already have a lift on it of some sort.
I agree it looks a little lifted - not ideal given 3 kids under 7yrs old.
So, I took a look at the spring codes. Door Tag says springs are "CG"
And the photo below shows serial number YC35 GC R 003 0 - this was taken off the rears. I don't see any airbags or anything special underneath.
First off, Welcome to the EX forum and family! You have found your new online home right here!
Originally Posted by mojakus
So I took the plunge and got me a 2000 Ex Limited 4x4 V10 no rust California truck with 136k.
I had a mechanic take a look at it before purchase and he said it was pretty clean. Paint in decent condition, no rips in the leather (though pretty worn) all switches, locks and controls are working. New (?) A/T KO 32" D-Load tires. The issues:
- stock shocks are shot (want to upgrade those anyway!)
- Front left brake rotor is grooved beyond repair and needs to be replaced
- Transmission coolant lines are leaking at the clamps
- steering link at the front is loose and needs to be replaced
I bought it to tow my (new-to-me) 2005 30ft Layton quad-bunk TT with a dry weight of 6440lbs and GVWR of 9460lbs. We will be traveling up over the sierras to Lake Tahoe and Reno from SF at least once or twice a year. Maybe 2-3k miles/ year. I'm a newbie on these big rigs - I'm "upgrading" from a 2011 BMW M3 convertible... Use that GVWR weight for all of your calculations and plan on 15% of that for tongue weight when setting up the WD hitch. That way you should be good up to the TT's max and even a little nose heavy packing for a longer trip.
The rear differential tag says L30 on it so I'm assuming its got the 4.30 gear ratio from the factory. Weird, as the VIN lookup explicitly says 3.73.
Sure looks like a 4.30 diff tag to me, but check your RPMs at 60 MPH in OD, under 2K will be the more common 3.73 gears and over 2K will show the optional 4.30 that are so much better for towing heavy.
The price was $4,900. Decent I think, but I had to basically risk my life in the barrios of East Oakland to get the deal done. Didn't feel appropriate to low-ball with dogs behind fences barking in my ear.
I plan to do the following upgrades so that I can tow.
1. new shocks - bilsteins or ranchos? Both are very popular around here, as well as a few others. I run the Rancho RS9000XL adjustables and am happy with them.
2. rear sway bar A rear anti-roll bar will make the EX feel more controlled when running unloaded at speed, most folks with them feel that they do also help with the rear stability while towing too. I agree.
3. airbags or RAS - not sure which - can I do both? not ready to switch out the leaf suspension due to $ and PITA. Again, both options are very popular around here. I have air bags on my to-do list currently. I like their instant adjustability and addition load handling.
4. New brakes - still need to research this. The Power Stop brake kits have earned a good rep here with many members. You can even get them in red for a little extra bling!
5. replace transmission cooler lines - put in a tranny temp gauge? As was already mentioned, upgrading to the bigger and better 6.0 trans cooler would be a good way to deal with leaky lines and increase your trans longevity. That being said, the stock V-10 cooler is smaller than the 6.0 one but it does a decent job, the 6.0 is just that much better. I have a new 6.0 cooler awaiting the swap, but I have never had a heat problem with the stock V-10 cooler, just planning for future bigger Western mountain trips. Those bigger mountains are closer to you in Kaliforny, so think about it. And yes, absolutely get some way of monitoring the trans temp while towing! Heat will kill the 4R100, so get a way to keep an eye on that temp. I use a stand alone gauge but most folks are now using OBDII dongles and tablets or phones to track the trans temp and many other parameters live.
6. Repair front cross-bar/steering link Having steering that works properly is a very nice feature.
7. towing mirrors - need to research this I have used the little dog ears like you have now, '05 style towing mirrors and '08+ style towing mirrors. In my opinion the '08s are da bomb! Bigger glass and a much larger lower convex section make them great for keeping tabs on the trailer. Mine are from site sponsor 1AAuto.com, there you will find a vast array of options to choose from with very good quality and customer support.
8. Anti-sway WD hitch - pro-pride, HA seem pricey though For that size trailer mixed with the EX's 137" wheelbase be sure to get a quality WD hitch "built-in" sway control, don't skimp on the hitch! Yes the PP/HA hitches are pricey, but........I LOVE my HA! That I bought used for $650 off craigslist, do some searching, they are out there.
9. Brake controller As mentioned above, the Tekonsha P3 is super popular and very highly regarded, mine does an excellent job. Get the Ford pigtail plug when you buy it and it is a true plug and play installation. The grey plug is up under the dash almost behind the HVAC controls on the dash support bracing, stand on your head and its right there above the gas pedal.
Fun upgrades:
a. GPS/Backup Camera/Hitch Camera/DVD head unit (no OEM overhead DVD player in the truck - maybe add an after-market one)
b. LED headlights
c. New floormats
d. re-upholster driver's seat Theseatshop.com has the new leather and it is as good as the originals, again very popular around here.
anyway, I will avail myself of all the great resources on this forum. Really good stuff here. In the meantime, I wanted to ask: how do I hook up a brake controller? is there some kind of harness plug somewhere in the cabin, or do I need to run wires to the back where the receiver hitch and 7-pin are?
thanks.
As Matt mentioned, check your tire's date codes, if too old consider upgrading to Load Range E tires to better handle the big TT's extra weight. Ds are actually strong enough, but I'm a big fan of overkill (and reliability).
Speaking of tires.......if you are new to TTs please educate yourself on the sorry state of affairs of trailer tires (ST tires), nearly ALL of which are made in very loosely regulated Chinese plants and deliver very poor reliability. Some of the more responsible makers (or at least marketers) are recommending replacement at 3 years of age no matter how few miles on them. Check your dates and condition.
The V-10 can be a very good tow rig for the kind of weight you are pulling, but as with most things, there are improvements to make it better. It looks like you have the better 4.30 towing gears, a big plus, my gear change was the single biggest performance improvement I have made. Do remember though, going with taller tires will reduce that gear ratio in the wrong direction, that's why I went with the deep 4.88s, so my 35"s would only drop it back down to a 4.30-ish effective ratio.
Next would be a nice set of custom tunes from a vendor like site sponsor 5Star Tuning. These guys have invested a huge amount of time and effort in these V-10s/4R100s to get the most out of them. Good tunes make a big improvement in towing heavy.
Next up would be the exhaust, I run headers but they are pricey. Take a look at your Y pipe, if it looks more like a strangled "T" than a Y consider upgrading to a smooth flowing well designed Y pipe, it helps. And maybe a performance muffle of your choosing. Just be aware that the V-10 doesn't sound like anything else on the road and not all mufflers will deliver a pleasing exhaust note. I run an Aeroturbine 3030XL on mine and the tone is good to my ear and it has no drone while towing.
This is my rig.
On the drivers side pillar you will have a tag with information. Look for the axle code from the list below and match up to see what you have for it. It should be a 2 digit code.
Interestingly, no axle code on the doorjamb tag, so I had to look at the tag on the differential itself. I've read a couple of posts mentioning that it is sometimes blank on the door tag....
Those stamped numbers/letters on the springs need a super secret decoder ring to figure out exactly what they are. Your best bet would be to measure from the hub center to the top of the wheelwell arch and compare to the stockers in the thread I linked to above.
Nice looking wagon you have there.
Those stamped numbers/letters on the springs need a super secret decoder ring to figure out exactly what they are. Your best bet would be to measure from the hub center to the top of the wheelwell arch and compare to the stockers in the thread I linked to above.
Nice looking wagon you have there.
Looks like my truck is pretty stock: 24" rear, 22" front - pretty much what the stockers measured in the thread you linked....
I'd also caution you to check the production date on the tires. IIRC the KO1's were replaced by the KO2, so you may want to verify those tires are newer than 7-8 years old - especially if you'll be towing frequently.
Way to take the sheen off it... rear tires are 2015 production year, front tires ... 2007.
Way to take the sheen off it... rear tires are 2015 production year, front tires ... 2007.
I'd honestly rather you be disgruntled with it temporarily than seeing you post a week later about how a tire blowout totaled your new rig. Wouldn't be the first post on here of that nature, just looking out
03-23-2017, 01:08 PM
...enjoy!
You have found your new online home right here! 
