Just bought a 93 Explorer....
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Just bought a 93 Explorer....
4.0, 5 speed, 2WD. 107K miles. Power everything.
Just wondering what to check out first and look for... any known trouble spots or things to be aware of?
I used to own a 94 Ranger and just loved it, hoping for the same with the Explorer.
Just wondering what to check out first and look for... any known trouble spots or things to be aware of?
I used to own a 94 Ranger and just loved it, hoping for the same with the Explorer.
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Thanks for all the replys. I went over it pretty closely today, found a few little things like door striker bushings missing, and a very dirty K&N air filter. The only non-simple problem I've found is that the ride height is about a 1/4-1/2" lower on the driver side - both front and rear. Is this common?
Not sure if the springs are sagging or ? Are there any ride height adjustments on the Explorer?
Not sure if the springs are sagging or ? Are there any ride height adjustments on the Explorer?
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On an old car like this, it's best to start at all the bushings. the radius arm bushings on mine caused about an inch of rear bumper misalingment. And the twin Ibeam pivot bushings caused enough slop that the truck could not hold an alignement.
Some have raitonalized that a car driven mainly with the the driver as the only occupant will cause the front coil and rear leaf springs to wear and cause a sag...hog wash I say. Look for other more obvious issues.
Some have raitonalized that a car driven mainly with the the driver as the only occupant will cause the front coil and rear leaf springs to wear and cause a sag...hog wash I say. Look for other more obvious issues.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Eastern WA
You have the M5OD tranny; the neoprene shift rail plugs are well known to swell and leak slowly. Over time, the fluid level drops and if undetected, well, you can guess what will happen to the tranny. On that note, check your fluid level immediately and check it from time to time. Or better yet, fix what Ford didn't by installing brass plugs or small soft plugs. An alternative is to replace them with new neoprene plugs from Ford (and the problem eventually comes back) or remove them, clean them up real well, and reinstall with permatex black (a semi permanent fix). As for the slight sag, this is normally an indication that it had just the driver in it most of the time. Unless the sag is highly visible, I wouldn't bother with it. If it bothers you, you might consider swapping the rear springs side-to-side.
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MrSki:
I checked the radius arm bushings and they looked very good - in fact I'm guessing they've been replaced already. However I didn't take a good look at the I-beam bushings yet.
CowboyBilly9mile:
I did check the tranny fluid and fortunately it was full and no sign of leaks - but tell me more about the shift rail plugs - where are these located on the transmission? I'll may want to replace them just to head off future problems.
If the ride height problem is caused by spring sag - wouldn't swapping the springs just move the problem to the other side of the truck?
I checked the radius arm bushings and they looked very good - in fact I'm guessing they've been replaced already. However I didn't take a good look at the I-beam bushings yet.
CowboyBilly9mile:
I did check the tranny fluid and fortunately it was full and no sign of leaks - but tell me more about the shift rail plugs - where are these located on the transmission? I'll may want to replace them just to head off future problems.
If the ride height problem is caused by spring sag - wouldn't swapping the springs just move the problem to the other side of the truck?
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From: Eastern WA
Shift rail plugs are on the top of the tranny, near the shift plate, on a vertical face, and pointing towards the rear of the vehicle.
Swapping springs will move the sag you noted to the other side. But if you drive alone a lot, you will now be working the spring that once wasn't seeing as much load. And like I noted, it doesn't sound like you have much of a sag; too bad I don't have ride height specs for this vehicle as it would be nice to see them and compare to what you've got.
Swapping springs will move the sag you noted to the other side. But if you drive alone a lot, you will now be working the spring that once wasn't seeing as much load. And like I noted, it doesn't sound like you have much of a sag; too bad I don't have ride height specs for this vehicle as it would be nice to see them and compare to what you've got.