I just wanted to start a thread focusing on modding and building up our EX's on a tight budget, one piece at a time. Don't get me wrong, I love reading about all the wild and elaborate builds, these are what inspire most of us. But this is how "we" do it. I just spent 6 months saving for a 2 inch rear lift. And it was just a 4 inch tapered lift block. Yeah, 6 months. And yes it was needed to level the truck back out because I did the 22210 front springs first. By the way ALL my buddies had 6 months to think of dozens of different ways to mock my "fat assed pre-runner". It went down like this. Saved up some, oops need exhaust studs cause they are almost all broken. Saved up again, damn need a c.o.p. Double damn no I didn't (dialectric grease, get some) Saved up yet again, ARE YOU F#*&ING KIDDING ME, now I need a tire. Then a birthday for kid #2 of 4 (now you know why i'm poor) to include presents, party, bounce house, (yeh spoiled) Then a trip to NY for thanks giving (gas trumps parts) Then low and behold, Summit, shopping cart, order, ship, deliver, install. YESSSSSSSSSSSS OMG THIS IS AMAZING, I LOVE THIS TRUCK. Okay, so lets hear what you went through.

 

I just spent $30 on a new bumper and grill. .......... Nahh I just bondoed my dent on the bumper, painted it, How;s it look? Also painted the stock wheels and left the center cap chrome. I guess you can say im on a budget. The most expensive mode i've done so far is putting led strobe lights on the front.

I know what you mean. I have 5 little ones that require alot. I swear It feels Like every month theirs a birthday party in my family. I make good money but also have expensive bills. Doesnt leave a whole lot for expensive mods right now. Especially right now with the holidays and all. But When income tax comes in, I'll be writing different. I sneak a few buck here and there...She already hid the card.... SHHHHH.....I know where it is...

 

I get to play with my toys once a year as well. Also got 4 kids.

A lot of the time I get mods by scouring Craigslist and Horsetrading guys. Has worked out pretty good to date

 

I picked up my Ex July of '10 and have been trying to save up for '08 + tow mirrors ever since. But like you guys have said, with 4 youngins and a dog, my wife is a stay at home mom(pay stinks, but the benefits ROCK!), things are tight. A 5 star will be next, but I'm sure I'll have to do exhaust studs, possibly a c.o.p, 4x4, or some other unexpected repair. I love this rig though!

 

Dan might I ask what the rear rear bench mod is.

 

I got mine in August 2011, and since have been trying to get her to where I want her to be. Seems there's always something to add or do. So let me see if I can break it down.
2011 bumper paint matched
Converted all interior and exterior lights to LED (other than the headlights)
Changed the grill and head lights to the newer style 2005
New actuators (5)
2011 tow mirrors
Seat covers
Added remotes (didn't have them when I got the truck)
RBP pedals
New GPCM
Big boost intake
Radar detector mount
Walker BTM
DP Tuner
8 new glow plugs
10 gal air tank, Big rig horns, air compressor

I think that's about it, there is a ton more I would like to do. Seems as I cross one thing off the list I add three more. Gotta love it.

 

is your X the one with the LED's inside the headliner?

I saw one somewhere in here and borrowed the idea for my Expy. I have 10 LED's I'm installing into the headliner this week to hopefully get the little ones to be quiet at night...they're always whining about how dark it is back there

my hope is the ambient glow coming from the overhead A/C vents will puddle enough light

 

In the headliner? No, I replaced all the stock bulbs.

 

I am going to try to either extend the rearmost seat right to the drivers side wall, or build a removable extender so I can put 3 child seats or boosters across that seat. It's just too tight as-is. I absolutely hate the way Ford went about "un"gineering that seat and spare tire location, I think I read somewhere that they just used seats from the Expedition line? Having 4 kids ourselves and my wife trucking a friends daughter to and from school, I need more seating space for those space robbing child seats.
By the time I find time to do this, they'll probably be tall enough to sit on the seat itself.

 

Try this instead: Ford Excursion Fourth Row Seat, Ford Excursion Suv Accessories, Ford Excursion fourth Row Seat, Ford Excursion Seventh Row Seat, Ford Excursion Custom Car Seats

 

I didn't have any problems. I've got 6 kids: one in an infant car seat (getting ready to move to a regular child seat), two in child seats (one getting ready to move to a booster), one in a booster and two that don't need child seats anymore. We fit a booster and a regular child seat in that back bench with plenty of room for a passenger between them. The car seat on that side overhangs the bench by a little bit, but not much. (In that sense, I suspect a child in a seat might be a little more comfortable on that side than one without.)

It would be nice if that bench were just a few inches wider, but my only real complaint is the lack of lower anchors in the middle row and the lack of lower anchors and tethers for the back row. (Come to think of it, headrests would be nice in the back row as well.)

We all love it! The kids have all kinds of room they only dreamed of in the Dodge/Plymouth minivans we had before we got the X and there is still room for groceries behind the back row. We also recently took advantage of the fact that for the first time in a few years we have a vehicle with enough room for all of us to take a trip comfortably (with luggage even)!

 

do the 24" wiper mod first, then some gauges or lights, interior mods, the list is endless, thats the best thing about an ex

 

My most recent "mod" was to install a couple of these on the front: Walmart.com: Rain-X 20" Latitude Wiper Blade: Automotive

I cannot BELIEVE I paid that much for wiper blades, but I thought the same thing when my wife bought a jug of the orange Rain-X washer fluid a few winters ago and now I never buy anything else. I'm tired of the joints freezing in the winter causing the blades to leave a huge patch in the middle of the windshield untouched.

Other things planned:

• fix the heater in the driver's seat
• replace the liftgate struts with some that lift it high enough not to have to duck and won't come crashing down on me when it gets cold
• touch up some spots before they have a chance to become rust problems
• scrape and paint as much of the frame as I can reach once the weather warms up/dries up
• paint and install the hitch receiver I bought
• add some auxiliary backup lights

 

I don't have an Ex yet but I want one... or a Super Duty but leaning back toward the Ex again. My Expy was too small yet AGAIN the other day... I'm going to start flying with the USAF as a "flying crew chief" (mechanic that stays with the jet). Flight pay, tax free, hostile fire, family sep, no deployments longer than 2 months (but way more frequent) and per-diem all in addition to my regular pay should add up quick and allow me to get my toy plus mods for it plus some really nice stuff for the wife/kid as well as saving a little (hopefully lol).

 

Installing a hitch into your receiver, to prevent damage to the back of your ex. You never know when somebody behind you isn't paying attention!