Talk about a frame off...
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Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,669
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From: San Jose, CA
Talk about a frame off...
Another Ford related post started by me in a different FTE forum.
Check it out.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=435988
Ilya
Check it out.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=435988
Ilya
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 1
From: Earth
That's impressive. I had heard they lifted the body off on the newer trucks, but I had never seen it. Good grief, that is insane. It's gotten to the point where the common man can't do his own wrenching.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 369
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From: Rochester, NY, USA
I talked to a local Ford mechanic about this recently when I saw the same thing done to an '04 F-150. They claim that it Ford built their new trucks in a way that it only takes 30 minutes to pull the body off the frame. I guess they have quick disconnects on all the electronics so you just essentially unplug the cab, take out a few bolts, disconnect the steering, and lift up the body. The tranny is fly-by-wire, so there's no linkage to mess with.
It's pretty impressive.
It's pretty impressive.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
From: Rochester, NY, USA
According to the mechanic I talked to, they save 3 hours on a head gasket job by pulling the body off.
I've got a '02 Explorer and I can honelty say that I pray that I never need to change the plugs because I can't even see where they are. They've got the new motors shoe horned in so tight that pulling the body off is probabily the only way to do some of those jobs.
Scary stuff.
I've got a '02 Explorer and I can honelty say that I pray that I never need to change the plugs because I can't even see where they are. They've got the new motors shoe horned in so tight that pulling the body off is probabily the only way to do some of those jobs.
Scary stuff.
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Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,958
Likes: 1
I have not done my 01 explorer (4.0 SOHC) yet, but I was told to remove the passenger side tire and take out the inner fender liner to get to the plugs on that side. Thats bad enough, but to pull the entire body? This is news to me. I guess I will have to go open the hood and look at something newer.
You can still open the hoods?
BTW: What transmission does your explorer have svoom? Some of the newer ones (newer than mine) do not have a transmission dipstick.
You can still open the hoods?
BTW: What transmission does your explorer have svoom? Some of the newer ones (newer than mine) do not have a transmission dipstick.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,190
Likes: 2
From: Riverside, So Cal
WOW! I am impressed and thankful for the technology and improvements of the newer vehicles compared to our trucks. But as a design engineer, it really blows my mind how a vehicle could be designed that needs the body removed to work on the engine! That's just nuts.
Sheesh!
Sheesh!
Roast em' if you got 'em
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 22,000
Likes: 9,897
From: Rio Rancho, NM
I worked as a mechanic for about 15 years at various GM dealerships and always swore that if I ever met one of the engineers I would bust him up side the head! The vehicles sure have come along way though and are engineering marvels, now I'd shake their hands (and then maybe clock them a good one)
My daily driver (company truck) is a 2005 F-150 extended cab, every time I open the hood I giggle a bit to myself and give thanks that now-a-days all I have to do is go to the dealer and say "here, you fix it".
It's not a huge stretch of the imagination to see that it would be easier to lift the bodies off to get to the engines. I worked with one guy who preferred taking the truck beds off to get to fuel tank sending units, he swore it was faster than dropping the tank (I thought he was nuts)
Interesting pics, thanks
Bobby
My daily driver (company truck) is a 2005 F-150 extended cab, every time I open the hood I giggle a bit to myself and give thanks that now-a-days all I have to do is go to the dealer and say "here, you fix it".
It's not a huge stretch of the imagination to see that it would be easier to lift the bodies off to get to the engines. I worked with one guy who preferred taking the truck beds off to get to fuel tank sending units, he swore it was faster than dropping the tank (I thought he was nuts)
Interesting pics, thanks
Bobby
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 895
Likes: 1
From: OK
I have also heard that it is easier to take the cab off to replace the head gaskets on the new SD with the 6.0 PSD. Talk about a nice pay check after that. 
These manufacturer's just have to stuff the motor in underneath the dash. 
Good luck with yours PanelMan. 
hotrod48
These manufacturer's just have to stuff the motor in underneath the dash. Good luck with yours PanelMan. hotrod48
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 369
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From: Rochester, NY, USA
Brain_B,
Ooooooohhhhhhh....Don't even get me started on the transmission!!!!
I've got the 4.6 V8 with the "electronic overdrive" tranny. I'm not sure what the official model is but it's junk none the less. You are correct on the dip stick, or lack there of. The tranny's on the '02 and newer are all fly by wire and have no mechanical connectors to the rest of the vehicle. When you put the truck in gear, it's actually a servo doing it for you. Scary stuff. I'm convinced that there's a little old lady that lives in my tranny becuase there's a huge delay when you put it in gear and a huge delay between shifts. The tranny's are sealed (hence lack of dip stick) becuase any tiny amount of contamination causes major problems. I've complained to the Ford service department a dozen times and their standard answer to me is "that's just the way it is."
Definately not the answer that i'm looking for.
Ooooooohhhhhhh....Don't even get me started on the transmission!!!!
I've got the 4.6 V8 with the "electronic overdrive" tranny. I'm not sure what the official model is but it's junk none the less. You are correct on the dip stick, or lack there of. The tranny's on the '02 and newer are all fly by wire and have no mechanical connectors to the rest of the vehicle. When you put the truck in gear, it's actually a servo doing it for you. Scary stuff. I'm convinced that there's a little old lady that lives in my tranny becuase there's a huge delay when you put it in gear and a huge delay between shifts. The tranny's are sealed (hence lack of dip stick) becuase any tiny amount of contamination causes major problems. I've complained to the Ford service department a dozen times and their standard answer to me is "that's just the way it is."
Definately not the answer that i'm looking for.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 572
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by svooom
Brain_B,
Ooooooohhhhhhh....Don't even get me started on the transmission!!!!
I've got the 4.6 V8 with the "electronic overdrive" tranny. I'm not sure what the official model is but it's junk none the less. You are correct on the dip stick, or lack there of. The tranny's on the '02 and newer are all fly by wire and have no mechanical connectors to the rest of the vehicle. When you put the truck in gear, it's actually a servo doing it for you. Scary stuff. I'm convinced that there's a little old lady that lives in my tranny becuase there's a huge delay when you put it in gear and a huge delay between shifts. The tranny's are sealed (hence lack of dip stick) becuase any tiny amount of contamination causes major problems. I've complained to the Ford service department a dozen times and their standard answer to me is "that's just the way it is."
Definately not the answer that i'm looking for.
Ooooooohhhhhhh....Don't even get me started on the transmission!!!!
I've got the 4.6 V8 with the "electronic overdrive" tranny. I'm not sure what the official model is but it's junk none the less. You are correct on the dip stick, or lack there of. The tranny's on the '02 and newer are all fly by wire and have no mechanical connectors to the rest of the vehicle. When you put the truck in gear, it's actually a servo doing it for you. Scary stuff. I'm convinced that there's a little old lady that lives in my tranny becuase there's a huge delay when you put it in gear and a huge delay between shifts. The tranny's are sealed (hence lack of dip stick) becuase any tiny amount of contamination causes major problems. I've complained to the Ford service department a dozen times and their standard answer to me is "that's just the way it is."
Definately not the answer that i'm looking for.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 3,730
Likes: 13
From: Waynesville, OH
Taking the body off once every 100,000 miles to change plugs, etc. seems pretty reasonable if it saves time and money. It's not like the old days where you have engine maintenance every 1,000 miles or so.