Beach Excursion
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Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Central North Carolina
Beach Excursion
Howdy Folks,
Long time reader, first time post-er.
I have a 2001 V10 Limited Excursion and I would like some tips to make it beach camping friendly. I plan to leave the kids at home and camp with the wifey in the back of the Ex.
Last year was my first time to the Outer Banks in NC with my father-in-law on his slide in camper. Boy-oh-boy was it fun!
I have seen one or two post with folks putting bedding in the back of the Ex, but I am looking for even more tips&tricks for making it an excellent storage/sleeping vehicle.
I plan to put a cargo carrier on the front with fishing poles and large cooler for fish and bait. A cargo carrier on the back for food/drinks coolers that will be cleared off when parked for a step and place to put on boots for getting in and out of Ex.
Thanks for your support, I have been a long time fan of Ford-trucks and find it to be a very valuable resource.
Long time reader, first time post-er.
I have a 2001 V10 Limited Excursion and I would like some tips to make it beach camping friendly. I plan to leave the kids at home and camp with the wifey in the back of the Ex.
Last year was my first time to the Outer Banks in NC with my father-in-law on his slide in camper. Boy-oh-boy was it fun!
I have seen one or two post with folks putting bedding in the back of the Ex, but I am looking for even more tips&tricks for making it an excellent storage/sleeping vehicle.
I plan to put a cargo carrier on the front with fishing poles and large cooler for fish and bait. A cargo carrier on the back for food/drinks coolers that will be cleared off when parked for a step and place to put on boots for getting in and out of Ex.
Thanks for your support, I have been a long time fan of Ford-trucks and find it to be a very valuable resource.
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Central Tx.
WELCOME to the world of XXX's 
As you mentioned, for $20 you can buy a double air mattress at wall-mart that fits perfectly, However it takes the entire back of the truck leaving no room for anything else. If you want to open the doors a lot or leave them open you might want to look into the inter light mod as to manually switch them on or off....
As you mentioned, for $20 you can buy a double air mattress at wall-mart that fits perfectly, However it takes the entire back of the truck leaving no room for anything else. If you want to open the doors a lot or leave them open you might want to look into the inter light mod as to manually switch them on or off....
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Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Central North Carolina
Thanks harley4jcs - Some manual light controls would be good, I was thinking of mounting some LED lights to the front or back of the truck with a switch for night fishing.
I thought a full size air mattress would fit, but haven't actually tired it yet. I saw some guy build a base that had storage underneath, looks like a good idea just have to put some work into it.
I thought a full size air mattress would fit, but haven't actually tired it yet. I saw some guy build a base that had storage underneath, looks like a good idea just have to put some work into it.
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Central Tx.
A full & a double are the same thing 
If you build a platform over the wheels you could use a queen but you will be limiting the use of the X severely. If you can really do some off road / sandy beach driving the 1st on my list would be flotation tires and a locker or LS of some kind to get at least 3 tires involved & 4 would be even better !!
If you build a platform over the wheels you could use a queen but you will be limiting the use of the X severely. If you can really do some off road / sandy beach driving the 1st on my list would be flotation tires and a locker or LS of some kind to get at least 3 tires involved & 4 would be even better !!
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Central Tx.
I went through this very same thing starting in 2011 and again in 2012. I've owned my 2001 2wd 7.3 Excursion since new and while it's been a VERY capable vehicle which has served my needs, I ALWAYS felt it was missing one thing: Four-Wheel-Drive.
The long and short of it: 4wd is like having a gun, you'd much rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. There simply TOO MANY times where having 4wd would've been nice and would've saved my hind end.
Case in point:
CASE IT POINT !!! At the beach you want at lease 3 wheel drive & 4 is moe better
PS: this is not me but in another current thread I just looked at LOL
The long and short of it: 4wd is like having a gun, you'd much rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. There simply TOO MANY times where having 4wd would've been nice and would've saved my hind end.
Case in point:
CASE IT POINT !!! At the beach you want at lease 3 wheel drive & 4 is moe better
PS: this is not me but in another current thread I just looked at LOL
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From: Central North Carolina
Beautiful pic! Just need a guy in the background drinking a beer saying "yep its stuck alright"!
The 4x4 works on my truck but I haven't worked it hard. I'm sure when I head out on the beach I will find something to repair or replace
What do you mean by building a platform would be "limiting the use of the X severely"?
The 4x4 works on my truck but I haven't worked it hard. I'm sure when I head out on the beach I will find something to repair or replace
What do you mean by building a platform would be "limiting the use of the X severely"?
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Central Tx.
Factory 4x4 at BEST is 1 tire up front & in some situations 2 in the back. I own (3) 2000 X's & everyone of them has an open rear end. SO the are 2WDs one in the front & one in the back
EVEN the 1 4.30 I've got . I did not read the only thing you want to use the X for is sleeping at the beach so that's why I said you would be limiting it's use if you do much more than throw a full 
size air mattress in the back. IF YOU really plan to built out the back JUST FOR sleeping remove the middle seats as well. You'll drop close to 250LB's & gain a lot of storage as well. I have only the front buckets in my work X 
EVEN the 1 4.30 I've got . I did not read the only thing you want to use the X for is sleeping at the beach so that's why I said you would be limiting it's use if you do much more than throw a full size air mattress in the back. IF YOU really plan to built out the back JUST FOR sleeping remove the middle seats as well. You'll drop close to 250LB's & gain a lot of storage as well. I have only the front buckets in my work X
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Central Va
My rig has spent its share of time on the sands down there, my advice if you plan on staying in the truck, build a platform to store things under(flip up access panels or slide outs), drop a queen airbed on it(the wife will thank you) and keep your needed things in containers in the front seat or under the truck when you're sleeping. We've done this for 5-6 days with no issues, picked rubbermaid containers just big enough to slide under the truck, and stayed as cheap as possible at the park campground.
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Joined: Feb 2015
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From: Central North Carolina
Thanks bcrewcaptain - About how tall can the platform be? I was thinking a platform + air mattress might be too close to the ceiling and I might need to use some sort of foam pad instead of air mattress.
Do you have pictures of your rig to share?
Also - I am not too sure what to do with my small'ish camping grill and table. I don't really want to keep the grill in the Ex as it might smell it up too much. I need to find some cleaver way to mount it to the cargo carriers.
What part of the outer banks do you visit? The only place I have been is South Core Banks/Cape Lookout area.
Do you have pictures of your rig to share?
Also - I am not too sure what to do with my small'ish camping grill and table. I don't really want to keep the grill in the Ex as it might smell it up too much. I need to find some cleaver way to mount it to the cargo carriers.
What part of the outer banks do you visit? The only place I have been is South Core Banks/Cape Lookout area.
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From: Rothesay, New Brunswick
Check out the setup in Exploring_NH's Ex. It is a couple pics down in the first post. His is up on a cot/platform/something and there is still plenty of room.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ex-lifted.html
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ex-lifted.html
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From: Central North Carolina
Oh yeah, lots of beach driving, camping, and good time at South Core Banks and Cape Look Out. My family always uses Davis Shore Ferry (Davis Shore Ferry Service Home - Ferry to Cape Lookout National Seashore) and spends a week or more ruff'n it camping at Cape Look Out.
You can find more info at Cape Lookout National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)
There are a few other beaches you can drive and camp, but I am not failmair with them.
You can find more info at Cape Lookout National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service)
There are a few other beaches you can drive and camp, but I am not failmair with them.
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 609
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From: Central Va
You can't camp on the beach, but several of the park campgrounds are just on the other side of the dunes. I typically stay down at Hatteras, better fishing, and farther away from tourist trap central.
I don't think I have any recent pics, but I'll see what I can dig up for sure.
I don't think I have any recent pics, but I'll see what I can dig up for sure.