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Going along and fixing the small stuff on the new to me Ex that you will have on a 20yr old vehicle. Fixed the loose column shifter handle. The 2 torx bolts at the bottom of the shifter shaft were loose. I will probably put replacing the shaft bushings on my list too, but tightening the bolts made a world of difference.
Also replaced the old headlights with new ones from Rockauto. Got them adjusted last night. Much better. It gets pretty dark out in the country. Here are the before and after pics.
They are on the list...just not sure exactly where on the list. I'm planning on hooking up to get the WDH dialed in and will tow around the area some. Depending on how the stock mirrors do will depend on how soon they are replaced.
I pulled our old TH home with the stock paddle mirrors like yours, couldn't see hardly anything in them. I bought and installed period correct tow mirrors before I pulled it again, vast improvement. Then a few years later I upgraded to the '08 style tow mirrors and like them even more. If the TT is 8' wide I wouldn't be comfortable using the little mirrors.
I pulled our old TH home with the stock paddle mirrors like yours, couldn't see hardly anything in them. I bought and installed period correct tow mirrors before I pulled it again, vast improvement. Then a few years later I upgraded to the '08 style tow mirrors and like them even more. If the TT is 8' wide I wouldn't be comfortable using the little mirrors.
Mine has heated power mirrors. I was looking at some of the tow mirror option on RockAuto. I was hoping they would be plug-n-play with my current controls. Did you have to make any wiring adjustments when you upgraded yours?
No extra wiring for mine. My '05 came with power adjust and heated paddle mirrors, I now have 1AAuto's '08 tow mirrors with power adjust, heat, running and turn lights, they were 100% plug and play.
No extra wiring for mine. My '05 came with power adjust and heated paddle mirrors, I now have 1AAuto's '08 tow mirrors with power adjust, heat, running and turn lights, they were 100% plug and play.
I don't think that factory lighted mirrors were an option in '00, so your setup may not be full function plug and play for the lights if you choose them.
The A-1 Auto Trail Ridge 08+ style mirrors are FANTASTIC! I have the one complete with power folding, and if you don't think you will ever use power folding, think harder. Every time I park in a lot with vehicles on either side, people tend to push your mirrors to pass by. Not to mention car washes, street sweeping days, etc.... Wiring is pretty straight forward. They only list the Excursion & F-250 from 2002 but the 2001 with the power mirrors with turn signals have everything except the running lights. Pretty straight forward.
I don't think that factory lighted mirrors were an option in '00, so your setup may not be full function plug and play for the lights if you choose them.
I think you are correct, on my 01, I had the tow mirrors minus the lights, I replaced with the same Ford OE with lights, of which I had to wire into the proper circuits, main body harness at firewall near E brake pedal.
Got no problem with paddle mirrors personally but I don't pull TTs. Only a Grady White boat and misc utility stuff. Know more than one person who has had mirror impacts with other trucks, mailboxes, etc. Unless you gotta absolutely have, then mickey mouse mirrors work. Otherwise they are just in the way and create more wind noise.
I think you are correct, on my 01, I had the tow mirrors minus the lights, I replaced with the same Ford OE with lights, of which I had to wire into the proper circuits, main body harness at firewall near E brake pedal.
I am probably just gonna go with the heated electric ones that are plug and play. They are manual telescoping and folding.
Got no problem with paddle mirrors personally but I don't pull TTs. Only a Grady White boat and misc utility stuff. Know more than one person who has had mirror impacts with other trucks, mailboxes, etc. Unless you gotta absolutely have, then mickey mouse mirrors work. Otherwise they are just in the way and create more wind noise.
If the stock ones work okay, then the tow ones will move down the to-do list quite a bit. The Ex was purchased specifically to tow our camper hat we will be taking out quite a bit, so modding it to make towing less stressful would be worth it.
Towing is an art unto itself. You either get it or you don't. I have a friend with a Duramax pickup who is much better than I am. The X is not the ideal tow vehicle. Visibility is limited to start with. Fifth wheels are the way to go if you get serious about it. Otherwise it's just experience and judgement. Mirrors will not make or break you. Most useful for driving in traffic. I don't try to make many lane changes while towing. Setting up in a campground or RV park essentially requires a spotter or camera(s). Mirrors don't measure distance. Good luck.
Towing is an art unto itself. You either get it or you don't. I have a friend with a Duramax pickup who is much better than I am. The X is not the ideal tow vehicle. Visibility is limited to start with. Fifth wheels are the way to go if you get serious about it. Otherwise it's just experience and judgement. Mirrors will not make or break you. Most useful for driving in traffic. I don't try to make many lane changes while towing. Setting up in a campground or RV park essentially requires a spotter or camera(s). Mirrors don't measure distance. Good luck.
I know 5th wheels tow a lot better with a truck, but not really an option for us. There are 5 of us, plus 3 dogs. That's not gonna work with a truck. We needed a larger bunkhouse camper and a SUV to tow it for the room. Excursion is the only one that fit the bill.
Towing doesn't bother me much. My old setup was an '88 E-250 IDI and a 30ft Dutchman. Never had an issue with it.
