J_C
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- July 30, 2009
- Messages
- 6,103
- Reaction score
- 2,226
- City, State
- Florence, KY
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1998 XLT 4WD 4.0L SOHC
Thinking of getting rid of my '98. Last 3 repairs I did to it, front right brake line, door boot wiring from the footwell, and even merely unplugging the parking brake switch connector, were painful. Think the parking brake switch connector was the straw that broke the camel's back. Normally it would have been very easy to do that, with nothing in the way.
I've had back/neck problems for a while now, which keep getting aggravated when I work under it or in funny positions, and so I'm not keeping up with my '98's needs, and it keeps rusting!
Frame is intact but recently I noticed one of the cab-frame mounts disintegrated.
That was sort of the plan all along, subject the '98 to the worst of winter, saving my '14 from that because I know it won't last the same 25+ years of winters without a frame. It worked, the '14 is in great condition.
I buy parts for the '98, and they sit. Doing essential things to keep it running and safe, but the hole in my rear cargo area is still there (temporary plastic bag patch in place so I don't get water ingress or CO poisoning), the cat-back exhaust is still sitting in the corner of the garage, and new fog lamps, as well as leaf spring shackles and IDK how much longer I'd call the original shackles, "safe" since they're looking a bit crusty.
Heh, within the last ~5K miles, new tires, alternator, shocks, lower shock mount plates & U-bolts, hubs, calipers, brake hard and soft lines, and too many other little things to remember. Granted that's over a span of a few years but it seems like it is just a lot of effort to DIY for how few miles I'm putting on it, and cost prohibitive to have someone else do the work, and I never trust someone else doing the work anyway!
I sort of regret not getting it undercoated on a regular basis but that wouldn't have saved the exhaust. The hole in the cargo area, I can patch better without spending a lot of time under it. I ought to get both of those things done just to make it more sellable. Maybe I'll get one more winter out of it before moving on. The heat still works!
#ihaterust
I've had back/neck problems for a while now, which keep getting aggravated when I work under it or in funny positions, and so I'm not keeping up with my '98's needs, and it keeps rusting!
Frame is intact but recently I noticed one of the cab-frame mounts disintegrated.That was sort of the plan all along, subject the '98 to the worst of winter, saving my '14 from that because I know it won't last the same 25+ years of winters without a frame. It worked, the '14 is in great condition.
I buy parts for the '98, and they sit. Doing essential things to keep it running and safe, but the hole in my rear cargo area is still there (temporary plastic bag patch in place so I don't get water ingress or CO poisoning), the cat-back exhaust is still sitting in the corner of the garage, and new fog lamps, as well as leaf spring shackles and IDK how much longer I'd call the original shackles, "safe" since they're looking a bit crusty.
Heh, within the last ~5K miles, new tires, alternator, shocks, lower shock mount plates & U-bolts, hubs, calipers, brake hard and soft lines, and too many other little things to remember. Granted that's over a span of a few years but it seems like it is just a lot of effort to DIY for how few miles I'm putting on it, and cost prohibitive to have someone else do the work, and I never trust someone else doing the work anyway!
I sort of regret not getting it undercoated on a regular basis but that wouldn't have saved the exhaust. The hole in the cargo area, I can patch better without spending a lot of time under it. I ought to get both of those things done just to make it more sellable. Maybe I'll get one more winter out of it before moving on. The heat still works!
#ihaterust
