First Mods
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First Mods
Hey guys, haven't had my truck for too long, as I just got it this past summer. late summer. I've done all necessary tune-ups, such as filters, wires, hoses, plugs, and oil. I'm now starting to think about some mods, engine and/or suspension. What would you recommend be the first 5 or so mods, that aren't insanely expensive?
Engine or suspension or exterior/interior looks.
Engine or suspension or exterior/interior looks.
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Oh my bad I guess I should have done that...
95 F150 4x4 302 E40D Reg Cab, Long Bed.
I tow a tiny bit with this truck, not much tho. I offroad a little bit with it, but then again not much. Not really any goals, just more power, better looks, what have you. And I already have some good tires so not really looking for "bigger tires"
95 F150 4x4 302 E40D Reg Cab, Long Bed.
I tow a tiny bit with this truck, not much tho. I offroad a little bit with it, but then again not much. Not really any goals, just more power, better looks, what have you. And I already have some good tires so not really looking for "bigger tires"
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Belle Mead NJ
Well Id def do some long tubes headers, good exhaust, ill say I nice set of wheels, if you have stock steels. If you have the nice Polished alums id keep them. I have had good luck with doing shift kits to the E4OD, I just dont like how they shift stock. I want a good firm shift. A few more things, might be new headlights parking and corner lights, new grills and bumpers. I have been restoring my F350 and this is how I did it.
Just did Bilstein Shocks tonight and the truck is like a caddy now. They are the best shocks even tho they are pricy.
Just did Bilstein Shocks tonight and the truck is like a caddy now. They are the best shocks even tho they are pricy.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: NC
Ok cool. There's always exhaust work if your interested. A nice free flowing muffler( I prefer Magnaflow style mufflers) would sound good, but power and volume gains will be minimal. Bassani makes a Y-pipe that works with the stock manifolds or aftermarket short tube headers.
Tinted windows look good and help keep some heat out.
A junkyard 460/300 air inlet tube is said to be an improvement.
Electric fans can help put more power to the ground and improve gas milage, but kits designed for our trucks are $450+. There some folk out there are running a Taurus or Mark VIII fan, and they seem to work fine.
If your running stockish sized tire, I would leave the suspension alone for the time being. Throw some new OEM shocks on there if you need to, but otherwise you should be good to go.
I was just throwing some ideas around that I have considered for my '96. There's a lot of options and opinions out there.
Tinted windows look good and help keep some heat out.
A junkyard 460/300 air inlet tube is said to be an improvement.
Electric fans can help put more power to the ground and improve gas milage, but kits designed for our trucks are $450+. There some folk out there are running a Taurus or Mark VIII fan, and they seem to work fine.
If your running stockish sized tire, I would leave the suspension alone for the time being. Throw some new OEM shocks on there if you need to, but otherwise you should be good to go.
I was just throwing some ideas around that I have considered for my '96. There's a lot of options and opinions out there.
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Yup, Mustang I plan on doing an electric fan kit, but now that you gave me two other options(Taurus and Mark VIII fan) maybe I'll look into that. And F350, if you don't mind, where did you get your headlights/ what kind are they?
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1st thing I would look into is a valve body for the tranny. Go to:
PUNISHER valve body holiday special! FREE ship - The National Lightning Owners Club Inc
I had 1 of his VB in my Lightning & it was awesome. Easy to install. Next mod would be exhaust & intake. Long tubes are good but not emission legal. Shorties are legal & would hook to factory y-pipe. K&N makes an FIPK kit for our trucks. Hope that helps.
PUNISHER valve body holiday special! FREE ship - The National Lightning Owners Club Inc
I had 1 of his VB in my Lightning & it was awesome. Easy to install. Next mod would be exhaust & intake. Long tubes are good but not emission legal. Shorties are legal & would hook to factory y-pipe. K&N makes an FIPK kit for our trucks. Hope that helps.
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don't get the k&n junk it won't add any horsepower. i wouldn't even bother with shorties either. i would start with long tubes and 2.5in exhaust, lose all the emissions bull**** get a smog pump bypass pulley, plug the holes in the back of your heads take the coolant hoses off of your throttlebody, long tube headers with a 2.5in collector, 2.5in exhaust, then cam it and put on a set of rollerrockers
i actually like it when people look at my truck and think it is mostly stock as long as i don't open the hood, then i can blow the doors off of their ls1 and get a look at their expression
if i had a current picture of the truck i woud show you but i don't so this will have to do i have shiny wheels from ford that have the rivets in them and a black brushgaurd with two rectangular offroad lights
basically i am saying don't over do it with your exterior, you don't want people to think you are fast, you can't win any money with a 13 second car that looks like it runs 8s
i actually like it when people look at my truck and think it is mostly stock as long as i don't open the hood, then i can blow the doors off of their ls1 and get a look at their expression
if i had a current picture of the truck i woud show you but i don't so this will have to do i have shiny wheels from ford that have the rivets in them and a black brushgaurd with two rectangular offroad lights
basically i am saying don't over do it with your exterior, you don't want people to think you are fast, you can't win any money with a 13 second car that looks like it runs 8s
Posting Guru
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From: Belle Mead NJ
I go right through NJ State DMV with long tubes, no emissions stuff other then the cat, which is on for 1 day every 2 years. Just passed also, with factory cat. I got the lights from ebay, just search 96 Bronco or F150 headlights, and you will see all sorts come up. I wanted smoked, and sware I ordered smoked, but they came clear. It matches good. I just did a LED 3rd brake light, and smoked tail light covers. Just got in a set of drilled and slotted rotors, with ceramic pads.
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don't get the k&n junk it won't add any horsepower. i wouldn't even bother with shorties either. i would start with long tubes and 2.5in exhaust, lose all the emissions bull**** get a smog pump bypass pulley, plug the holes in the back of your heads take the coolant hoses off of your throttlebody, long tube headers with a 2.5in collector, 2.5in exhaust, then cam it and put on a set of rollerrockers
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: St Louis
Most of the emission removal does nothing but "clean up" the engine compartment. In the old days the EGR was a hit n miss thing, but with the eveloution of EFI, the EGR on Gasoline burning engines isnt a noticeable performance change with it on or off. The HEGO sensor, as long as it functions properly, will always keep the ratio at the right spot. EGR and Carbs, I will agree on not mixing, as a carb has to be manually adjusted to be at the right fuel-to-air ratio when the EGR is off vs on.
The AIR system is a sticky point if you are in an emission inspection state, especially an under-hood inspection to make sure the OEM items are in place. It does have its benefits, when working properly, of helping to warm the engine up to operating temp faster where the engine is its most efficient. It is a PITA when it isnt working right...
The basics with these engines is to start with the exhaust and cam first, then the more power you want the more expensive it will get, carb or EFI.
The AIR system is a sticky point if you are in an emission inspection state, especially an under-hood inspection to make sure the OEM items are in place. It does have its benefits, when working properly, of helping to warm the engine up to operating temp faster where the engine is its most efficient. It is a PITA when it isnt working right...
The basics with these engines is to start with the exhaust and cam first, then the more power you want the more expensive it will get, carb or EFI.
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I have never understood the myth of emission controls making the engine lose HP. I have no idea where the OP is from & if his state has testing, that's why I threw out the shorties being emission legal. Have you done any dyno testing to verify the K&N "junk" & shorties aren't worth it? Smog pump might take 2-4 hp to turn it & costs the engine nothing else. Coolant hoses off the TB, why? What about EGR, that is only open at part throttle cruising? The Ford engineers are allot smarter than I, so I'd leave the emission controls alone & look somewhere else for more performance.
you are in the wrong forum
