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What's that funny thing hanging off of the frame?

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Old Feb 10, 2007 | 11:02 PM
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What's that funny thing hanging off of the frame?

I recently purchased a low mileage 2000 X with a 7.3 PSD and 4 wheel drive. We had it on a lift today and there's a funny looking thing hanging down from the center of the cross member under the transmission. It looks like 4 cast steel roughly rectangular pieces attached to two pieces of 1/4" steel that are bent to form a pedestal.

Do any of you fine folks have any idea what this thing is and what it does?

Thanks.

Bill J.
 

Last edited by whjco; Feb 10, 2007 at 11:04 PM. Reason: text
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Old Feb 10, 2007 | 11:21 PM
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Check out the link below.


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...-attached.html


It means you have a male truck.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 12:59 AM
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Here goes the jokes again.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 08:33 AM
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I climbed underneath yesterday and found that my 00 had the hanger as well. I smacked it with a hammer and the truck didn't flinch... kind of expected a little jump, or a v10 "Oui" or something.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Jones02SportTrac
I climbed underneath yesterday and found that my 00 had the hanger as well. I smacked it with a hammer and the truck didn't flinch... kind of expected a little jump, or a v10 "Oui" or something.
I knew a guy that made money off people kicking him in the nuts and not hurting. I actually lost $20 to him. Kicked him and he was normal and still did a 100 yard dash.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by whjco
I recently purchased a low mileage 2000 X with a 7.3 PSD and 4 wheel drive. We had it on a lift today and there's a funny looking thing hanging down from the center of the cross member under the transmission. It looks like 4 cast steel roughly rectangular pieces attached to two pieces of 1/4" steel that are bent to form a pedestal.

Do any of you fine folks have any idea what this thing is and what it does?

Thanks.

Bill J.
IIRC, it is to dampen the vibrations from the truck.

It is for guys mostly. Women may prefer it to vibrate a little more.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 11:21 AM
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It's a government mandated "roll over prevention" counter weight. The NHTSA felt that a lot of Excursion owners would install lift kits, raising the CG and the possibility of a roll over.
Michael
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 11:39 AM
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Look at it carefully. It increases the drag coefficient of the truck. That makes it use more fuel. Big oil doesn't want you to cut back on fuel usage so they bribed Ford to put it in. Also, when the CIA or FBI wants to track you, they will remove it and install one of their own that looks like yours but has a transmitter to pinpoint your position, record your conversations and figure out your underwear size if you wear underwear or if you are cleanly shaven "down there".
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 03:50 PM
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Okay guys, thanks for all the good advice! I guess I'll just take it over to the local Ford truck garage and pay them an $850 service charge to tell me what the darned thing is!

That leads to the next question. If it turns out that it really is a set of truck 'nads, do I need to buy them anything for cold weather? Or will they just pull up into the frame by themselves????

Inquiring minds want to know.

Bill J.
Okay, okay! I'll buy the vibration damper story!
 
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Old Feb 11, 2007 | 05:16 PM
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by aklim
IIRC, it is to dampen the vibrations from the truck.

It is for guys mostly. Women may prefer it to vibrate a little more.
Yup,, changes the frequency of harmonics to stop vibration.

But for women,, don't know about weather it is for them or not,, so must be male truck.?
 
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Old Feb 12, 2007 | 11:54 PM
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My 2003PSD has two appendages, one on the x-member under the rear diff. and one under the transmission---maybe its attached twins. Actually, they're very reminiscent of body vibration dampners I had on a 1962 Lincoln Cont. 4dr convertible. We called them bongos. there was one under each of the four corners to supposedly dampen vibrations in the large open unbraced seating area.
 
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Old Feb 13, 2007 | 12:30 AM
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Hmmm. My Expy doesnt have one I guess its a sissy compared to the mighty Ex. But then again it is smaller...
 
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Old Feb 13, 2007 | 07:33 AM
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Originally Posted by Greenscobie86
But then again it is smaller...
Try talking dirty to it and rubbing it real fast with a good wax and a soft cloth.
 
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Old Feb 13, 2007 | 02:58 PM
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But when you drive through REALLY cold water,,,,, does it pull up into the frame?
Nope, so you know it's tough!! Not even ice could make the Ex's nads shrink,,,,, gee howd they do that?!! Lord take the pain, but leave the swelling!
 
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