What Have You Done To Your Explorer ST Today

[bhunted1]

The strut tower brace is 100% cosmetic. That’s why the OEM is so flimsy.


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Whatever you say. Not starting this argument again. Felt a big difference handling turns.
Enuff said!


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[BrooseDaMoose]

Whatever you say. Not starting this argument again. Felt a big difference handling turns.
Enuff said!


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LOL No argument! Facts are facts. Do the research and find out where the actual bracing is.

 

[Caster]

Whatever you say. Not starting this argument again. Felt a big difference handling turns.
Enuff said!


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The old PLACEBO effect.. It gets a lot of people.

 

[JADE97]

Got the '25 back from getting ceramic coated and window tint.

 

[23 Explorer ST]

Got the '25 back from getting ceramic coated and window tint.

Pics or it never happened! LOL


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[Cdubya]

LOL No argument! Facts are facts. Do the research and find out where the actual bracing is.

Where are the facts? It's all guesswork! Sure the firewall is close but how stiff is it really? it's a sheet of steel. I'd say a stiff strut brace can't hurt.... it's just not a mod you can definitely say made a huge difference--and that's true for most cars.

 

[BrooseDaMoose]

Where are the facts? It's a guesswork! Sure the firewall is close but how stiff is it really? it's a sheet of steel. I'd say a stiff strut brace can't hurt.... it's just not a mod you can definitely say made a huge difference--and that's true for most cars.

The facts can be found online if you do the research. I heard the same thing when I swapped out mine with the Steeda brace so I looked into it and the bracing is behind the firewall, not the firewall itself. I’m sure if you measured the amount of flex between the OEM, an aftermarket and no brace you would see some data but it’s not enough that you’re gonna feel it.


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[JADE97]

Pics or it never happened! LOL


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[Cdubya]

The facts can be found online if you do the research. I heard the same thing when I swapped out mine with the Steeda brace so I looked into it and the bracing is behind the firewall, not the firewall itself.

Here is a salvage pic with all the guts removed. It's all guesswork and opinion whether a brace between the strut towers could possibly help or is completely cosmetic. I personally think it would help and certainly wouldn't hurt.

 

[23 Explorer ST]

View attachment 26608

Sweet looking ride!


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[hfrog355]

I cleaned a dropped dish of cranberry sauce off my Tux Mats. Great floor liners FTW!

 

[SoySauceSoakedSaltine]

I cleaned a dropped dish of cranberry sauce off my Tux Mats. Great floor liners FTW!

Since I'm not a huge fan of cranberry sauce that's a win. Id be laughing my butt off but my wife would be crying all night lol She has a unhealthy obsession for cranberry sauce.

 

[Caster]

I stick with the classic cranberry sauce that comes out shaped like the can!

 

[BrooseDaMoose]

I stick with the classic cranberry sauce that comes out shaped like the can!

That’s my favorite kind! And it’s gotta be Ocean Spray cranberry sauce. The jellied kind without the whole berries in it.


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[BrooseDaMoose]

View attachment 26618
Here is a salvage pic with all the guts removed. It's all guesswork and opinion whether a brace between the strut towers could possibly help or is completely cosmetic. I personally think it would help and certainly wouldn't hurt.

I may be wrong, but from what I understand there are tubular support bars (missing from your picture) which actually support the strut towers. I’ll try to find the front end blow-out that shows them. If I’m wrong, then I’d like to know it and see the reason why so I can learn and don’t pass on wrong information.


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[Cdubya]

I may be wrong, but from what I understand there are tubular support bars (missing from your picture) which actually support the strut towers. I’ll try to find the front end blow-out that shows them. If I’m wrong, then I’d like to know it and see the reason why so I can learn and don’t pass on wrong information.

There ARE angled braces from the strut towers to the center of the firewall. The strut bar completes the triangulation which geometrically makes it very stiff if your strut bar is likewise stiff. To me, looking at the firewall and support structures, there is a lot of weight-saving trade-offs going on. I do not brush off positive feedback from a good stiff strut brace like the aFe or the Steeda. If you have a stiffer suspension, like Steeda lowering springs, and like to take aggressive corners, you probably will notice an improvement. If you don't think it improves handling, by all means don't even bother running a strut tower brace--the engine bay looks much cleaner without one and you'll save a little weight.

Edit: just wanted to update with a pic of what we are talking about here. This pic is of the PIU, which is the highest performing trim of the explorer and one that happens to care the least about cosmetic bling.

 

[BrooseDaMoose]

Yes, I read that and I agree with it. That's why I said if you were to measure the differences you would see some data. I guess it was because I said "100% cosmetic" that was wrong so, I'll take that back. I'll say it's mostly cosmetic. But I still say that your not going to "feel" the difference by changing it. At least I never felt a diffrence when I put on mine. I believe if it were meant to be an actual structual support piece they would have made it out of tubular steel instead of stamped sheetmetal. If you think it's worth the money then that's cool. Everyone has a right to their own opinion. I'm just going by everything I read about this, what most say and my own experience. If Im wrong, I'm wrong. But then so are a lot of other people! Let's agree to disagree and get back to the topic.

Edit: That is the image I was looking for. I see your point about the strut bar completing the triangulation. You still have to wonder how much support the OEM bar is providing and why they made it so flimsy.

 

[Sporter421]

I got a Red 21 ST a little over a week ago. Only had 13,000 miles on it and not a scratch or scuff in site, very clean. Front windows and top of windshield were already tinted, bonus for me. Came with all of the ford all weather mats. Over the past week I’ve swapped out the license plate, rear blinker and reverse bulbs with LED and put in a Husky cargo liner. Also bought a separate pet liner to use when the pup has to get in. TODAY I replaced the passenger side rear light cluster cover(side pice that snaps into the side of the taillight) that I broken when swapping out the bulbs.

I purchased over Black Friday/cyber Monday sales but have not done yet, ford splash guards, redline hood struts, black gorilla locking lug nuts, silicone plate frame(still waiting for my plates to come in),anti glare screen protector, metal ST pedal covers, jack pad adapters and black out emblem overlays.

Still waiting to be delivered, timberline skid plate and fen fab ecu cover. Torn on but leaning on doing a very light tint lamin-x on the fog lights and reverse/blinker section of the taillights. Toying with doing the black ford emblems but not sure I wanna tackle that, will see how I feel about the overlay first. Keep flipping back and forth on running boards and rain guards so holding off for now and leaning no all together. Torn on blacking out the ST emblems(bought with the ford overlays) but have a feeling I will want to after I black out the ford emblems and do the fog light/tail light tint.

I also initially purchased an awr diff brace(mine is a 3 bolt) but canceled after reading a Facebook post of a denied warranty claim for a diff leak and they had this brace installed. I did get the extended warranty so decided to ask my service center about it and did not get a straight answer even asking if I had them install it. They just said they it wasn’t necessary after the recall and I should save the $250 the brace costs. They did say they would have to show it caused any problem I did have and they try to work with owners to avoid that. So since this is a family car technically, right now I am mostly going looks and trying to decide what I like to make it mine. Also going anything protective. She is fun to drive so I do plan on doing the ford tune in the spring my service department gave me the thumbs up for warranty wise and will revisit the brace then. Even if it’s “not needed” I will feel better if it’s allowed and won’t mess with the warranty.

Sorry for the long winded post but been really enjoying these forums and all the great stuff I see people doing to these trucks. Maybe one day I’ll get into performance mods and tunes. Gotta get a good detail and ceramic coating. I can do it but it is too cold here in Jersey for that lol.

 

[Houston Speed Freaks]

Did a few things. Replaced my front brake pads; had Powerstop Z23 and put in Z26.

Installed the rear LED kit from Houston Speed Freaks. I previously had some other LEDs for the license plate and reverse light, but stock incandescent then signal. These HSF bulbs blow those out of the water! Great bulbs at a great Black Friday price.

Also installed some floppy paddle extensions because I felt like wasting $40.
View attachment 20894

Thank you for the support I’m glad you’re happy with them

 

[Blue Beast]

I got a Red 21 ST a little over a week ago. Only had 13,000 miles on it and not a scratch or scuff in site, very clean. Front windows and top of windshield were already tinted, bonus for me. Came with all of the ford all weather mats. Over the past week I’ve swapped out the license plate, rear blinker and reverse bulbs with LED and put in a Husky cargo liner. Also bought a separate pet liner to use when the pup has to get in. TODAY I replaced the passenger side rear light cluster cover(side pice that snaps into the side of the taillight) that I broken when swapping out the bulbs.

I purchased over Black Friday/cyber Monday sales but have not done yet, ford splash guards, redline hood struts, black gorilla locking lug nuts, silicone plate frame(still waiting for my plates to come in),anti glare screen protector, metal ST pedal covers, jack pad adapters and black out emblem overlays.

Still waiting to be delivered, timberline skid plate and fen fab ecu cover. Torn on but leaning on doing a very light tint lamin-x on the fog lights and reverse/blinker section of the taillights. Toying with doing the black ford emblems but not sure I wanna tackle that, will see how I feel about the overlay first. Keep flipping back and forth on running boards and rain guards so holding off for now and leaning no all together. Torn on blacking out the ST emblems(bought with the ford overlays) but have a feeling I will want to after I black out the ford emblems and do the fog light/tail light tint.

I also initially purchased an awr diff brace(mine is a 3 bolt) but canceled after reading a Facebook post of a denied warranty claim for a diff leak and they had this brace installed. I did get the extended warranty so decided to ask my service center about it and did not get a straight answer even asking if I had them install it. They just said they it wasn’t necessary after the recall and I should save the $250 the brace costs. They did say they would have to show it caused any problem I did have and they try to work with owners to avoid that. So since this is a family car technically, right now I am mostly going looks and trying to decide what I like to make it mine. Also going anything protective. She is fun to drive so I do plan on doing the ford tune in the spring my service department gave me the thumbs up for warranty wise and will revisit the brace then. Even if it’s “not needed” I will feel better if it’s allowed and won’t mess with the warranty.

Sorry for the long winded post but been really enjoying these forums and all the great stuff I see people doing to these trucks. Maybe one day I’ll get into performance mods and tunes. Gotta get a good detail and ceramic coating. I can do it but it is too cold here in Jersey for that lol.

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy