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What Have You Done To Your Explorer ST Today
- Thread starter TNSmokee
- Start date
Did some things.
First, The OCD Plug's A/B/D pillar PPF wraps went on. I did an acceptable-good job on the B/D pillars, but the contours of the A pillar really exposed my complete and total lack of skill. Going to have to look at fixing some of the bubbles that got left there. I'm still somewhat on the fence about how needed these are, but my opinion on that will probably sway based on how they look after a few trips through a car wash. They're definitely a cleaner black and if they keep the pillars from looking scratched, that's a win.
Next, opened up the front bumper/grille to install the Emblem City black on black Ford badge. Despite the poor lighting here, it looks great. I'll get another shot sometime this week, probably.
Some notes about that install:
- I only popped loose the passenger side and center portion of the bumper. That left me enough room to get my arm in there holding a 10mm socket and unscrew the badge. I'm a pretty big dude with big dude arms (humble brag), so if I can get in there, I'm sure most people can do it this way. My arm took a little damage in the form of some imprints having the bumper press into it, but it seemed easier than popping loose the other side.
- The 10mm bolts you access behind the wheel well liner weren't that difficult to get off from an "OMG, why are these so tight?" POV, but they were a huge PITA for someone who doesn't have a universal joint for his sockets. Like I said, big dude trying to do this relatively quickly, so leaving the wheels on and getting a wrench up there was a tight squeeze and I could only turn the bolt about a quarter turn at a time. VERY thankful they weren't super tight.
- The only thing I broke this time was the little pinch clip between the 10mm bolts. No big deal.
- In retrospect, I think the way to do it is Unbroken's "drill the studs off from the outside then VHB tape the new badge on", unless you're taking the bumper off for an intercooler install or something already. The badge is plastic, so weighs just about nothing and should be fine with tape.
First, The OCD Plug's A/B/D pillar PPF wraps went on. I did an acceptable-good job on the B/D pillars, but the contours of the A pillar really exposed my complete and total lack of skill. Going to have to look at fixing some of the bubbles that got left there. I'm still somewhat on the fence about how needed these are, but my opinion on that will probably sway based on how they look after a few trips through a car wash. They're definitely a cleaner black and if they keep the pillars from looking scratched, that's a win.
Next, opened up the front bumper/grille to install the Emblem City black on black Ford badge. Despite the poor lighting here, it looks great. I'll get another shot sometime this week, probably.
Some notes about that install:
- I only popped loose the passenger side and center portion of the bumper. That left me enough room to get my arm in there holding a 10mm socket and unscrew the badge. I'm a pretty big dude with big dude arms (humble brag), so if I can get in there, I'm sure most people can do it this way. My arm took a little damage in the form of some imprints having the bumper press into it, but it seemed easier than popping loose the other side.
- The 10mm bolts you access behind the wheel well liner weren't that difficult to get off from an "OMG, why are these so tight?" POV, but they were a huge PITA for someone who doesn't have a universal joint for his sockets. Like I said, big dude trying to do this relatively quickly, so leaving the wheels on and getting a wrench up there was a tight squeeze and I could only turn the bolt about a quarter turn at a time. VERY thankful they weren't super tight.
- The only thing I broke this time was the little pinch clip between the 10mm bolts. No big deal.
- In retrospect, I think the way to do it is Unbroken's "drill the studs off from the outside then VHB tape the new badge on", unless you're taking the bumper off for an intercooler install or something already. The badge is plastic, so weighs just about nothing and should be fine with tape.
- Messages
- 790
- Reactions
- 408
- Points
- 82
- Location
- East Freetown, MA
- Vehicle
- 2020 Explorer ST, Silver Spruce Metalic
Lmao!
You got my point.
Bravo! 
So you’ll trust holding the family jewels in some foreign brand but would spend a lot more cash on an ornament.
Just messing with ya but as I mentioned, it’s a biotch to find usa made.
Decades ago, I road Harleys, ran with a lot of harden hd heads.
Buy America was their chant! I had many brands and you’d be surprised how much foreign crap was under the label. HD included.
We had guys that would put their bikes in back of pickups rather than drive long distances. They absolutely hated me when I pointed out the hypocrisy. Preach American while you put your bike in the back of a Toyota.
My hard headed bro-in-law was pist. He had a red and black HD softail. I had a Honda Shadow with same colors, just reversed. He blew his stack because that my back seat said Made In USA.
I think you get my point. You can run but cannot not hide and if we don’t get rid of this libtard administration, this country is doomed.
In the mean time, support the little guy while we still have them.
You got my point.
Bravo! 
So you’ll trust holding the family jewels in some foreign brand but would spend a lot more cash on an ornament.
Just messing with ya but as I mentioned, it’s a biotch to find usa made.
Decades ago, I road Harleys, ran with a lot of harden hd heads.
Buy America was their chant! I had many brands and you’d be surprised how much foreign crap was under the label. HD included.
We had guys that would put their bikes in back of pickups rather than drive long distances. They absolutely hated me when I pointed out the hypocrisy. Preach American while you put your bike in the back of a Toyota.
My hard headed bro-in-law was pist. He had a red and black HD softail. I had a Honda Shadow with same colors, just reversed. He blew his stack because that my back seat said Made In USA.
I think you get my point. You can run but cannot not hide and if we don’t get rid of this libtard administration, this country is doomed.
In the mean time, support the little guy while we still have them.
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2
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- Messages
- 790
- Reactions
- 408
- Points
- 82
- Location
- East Freetown, MA
- Vehicle
- 2020 Explorer ST, Silver Spruce Metalic
Lmao!
You got my point. Bravo!
So you’ll trust holding the family jewels in some foreign brand but would spend a lot more cash on an ornament.
Just messing with ya but as I mentioned, it’s a biotch to find usa made.
Decades ago, I road Harleys, ran with a lot of harden hd heads.
Buy America was their chant! I had many brands and you’d be surprised how much foreign crap was under the label. HD included.
We had guys that would put their bikes in back of pickups rather than drive long distances. They absolutely hated me when I pointed out the hypocrisy. Preach American while you put your bike in the back of a Toyota.
My hard headed bro-in-law was pist. He had a red and black HD softail. I had a Honda Shadow with same colors, just reversed. He blew his stack because that my back seat said Made In USA.
I think you get my point. You can run but cannot not hide and if we don’t get rid of this libtard administration, this country is doomed.
In the mean time, support the little guy while we still have them.
You got my point.
Bravo! So you’ll trust holding the family jewels in some foreign brand but would spend a lot more cash on an ornament.
Just messing with ya but as I mentioned, it’s a biotch to find usa made.
Decades ago, I road Harleys, ran with a lot of harden hd heads.
Buy America was their chant! I had many brands and you’d be surprised how much foreign crap was under the label. HD included.
We had guys that would put their bikes in back of pickups rather than drive long distances. They absolutely hated me when I pointed out the hypocrisy. Preach American while you put your bike in the back of a Toyota.
My hard headed bro-in-law was pist. He had a red and black HD softail. I had a Honda Shadow with same colors, just reversed. He blew his stack because that my back seat said Made In USA.
I think you get my point. You can run but cannot not hide and if we don’t get rid of this libtard administration, this country is doomed.
In the mean time, support the little guy while we still have them.
I do draw the line with anything with the American flag on it. If I am buying it with our flag on it, it better be made here.
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Did rear diff lube change to some Amsoil 75W-110 gear lube. Then installed the Steeda Rear diff brace. Such a nice looking beefy piece. I'm sure it does its job well. Install wasn't the most fun thing in the world threading the little blocks that get slipped up into the subframe. Now that I have done it next time I remove/reinstall for the next diff fluid interval it will be easier/faster!
- Messages
- 790
- Reactions
- 408
- Points
- 82
- Location
- East Freetown, MA
- Vehicle
- 2020 Explorer ST, Silver Spruce Metalic
