One can only lurk so long here. After reading late into the night many nights, my wife & I purchased a 2000 Excursion Limited w/ the 7.3L to haul the 4 soon to be 5 (maybe more later?) kids around. Though minivans are tempting (already have one) I just didn't like how close the kids were sitting to the outside of the vehicle. We've now shook it down for just over 1300 miles and love it, contemplating swapping the minivan for a second one. At this point it's got just over 145K on it. Our mechanic replaced the ball joints (upper & lower), a u-joint & hub bearing. I'll be tackling the sway bar bushings and installing a rear sway-bar myself. It'll mainly be a grocery getter for now, but I have dreams of a TT so we'll see how it goes. The paint needs some work (I'll post before & after pictures, honestly the before ones are too embarrassing without the accompanying after shots.) There are no running boards (pregnant wife LOVES that) and the exhaust had been cut to behind the quarter panel. Here's my TODO list, roughly in the order that I plan on getting it done. Feel free to tell me I know nothing and 5 should be done first, etc, etc, etc. And if I left anything off, let me know too!

0) Fix exhaust (DONE!)
1) Oil change (DONE - we'll be on 5K intervals with Rotella T 15W-40).
2) Fix paint.
3) Running boards (Ordered and will be here Tuesday, not going on until after the paint gets done though.)
4) Front sway bar bushings.
5) Coolant Change with bypass filter. (Plan to do @ 150K)
6) Front & rear axle fluids & transfer case. (Plan to do @ 150K)
7) Rear sway bar. (Hellwig, but not going to be anytime soon.)
8) 6.0L Trans cooler (Not towing anytime soon, so this is wwwaaayyy down the list.)

 

Welcome!! Sounds like you did your research and have it all planned out. This is a great place to hang out a learn all you can. Good bunch of people here.

 

Great first post, welcome to the zoo!

 

My family loves our ex and hopefully yours will too. I say post the pics. I know I'd like to see them.

BTW, smart man to ad the steps. Whatever it takes to keep the pregnant wife happy .

 

Is it a 2wd or 4?

 

4WD... Our winters aren't bad and ever since I first bought a set, I've always used snow tires. However, I was still nervous about a 2WD trying to shove all that weight up a slippery hill. Probably would have been fine as I've read numberous accounts on here of folk's Xs slugging their way through snow in 2WD... Guess I'll never know now, what a shame! Anyway, somebody said post pics anyway, so I will...

The good side:



ROOF RUST 1 & 2 (This will get sanded and rattle canned, when was the last time you actually saw the roof of your X anyway? The roof rack is coming off and getting repainted too.)



This shows the little piece of pipe I had welded in to extend the exhaust out past the quarter panel. It looks like crap, but it only cost us $20. The gentleman that did the work said the muffler is about shot and my wife said she doesn't care if I get rid of the muffler, to quote her "I don't think it can get any louder than it already is."


This is what driving from CT to IN will do to your body molding if the exhaust isn't extended out far enough... Oh well, the hairdryer and I have an appointment to straighten that out the best I can later this week.


And just because it's cute, the soot hasn't been washed off yet and there's a little munchkin's hand print! You will likely need to see the full size picture to be able to notice.