Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Ford Excursion Maintenance and Repair

1…5681011

Comments

  • nukefordnukeford Member Posts: 4
    I have an 01 Diesel Excursion with 134K on it. I took it in for a trnas filter and was told the fluid was very dirty/brown and there were alot of shavings on the magnet. I have never towed anything and the filter was changed before. The dealer recommended a flush so I can monitor the fluid color for a couple of weeks but I have heard that they cause more problems than they fix. Anyone have any insight on the transmission flushing or know of any specific trans problems in the 01?
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    Simple one here(I think),truck is 2000 exc. ,V-10, etc., do I have to tear the whole front of the dash off to be able to replace bad inst. gage lights or is there an easier way ? And there is a squeal(from under the hood) that gets louder when its wet or damp outside but will go away if weather is warm and dry(I think), I know I should change the serp. belt, but has anyone had problems w/ the tensioner squealing like this or is it usually just the belt, and if anyone knows, how much would dealer charge for a new tensioner ?? On the subject of brakes, I replaced pads and all hardware in front brakes,unfortunately 1 guide pin in each caliper was frozen, was able to break 1 free but other snapped off on me so I tried drilling it out with minimal success, now I think maybe one or both calipers are applying pressure unevenly(have not checked yet) because when you apply brakes there is a "shuddering" and at times its very bad, if you let off the brakes for a second and then hit them again it seems to smooth out somewhat but I know there is something wrong and don't want to wait too long to fix it, I'm guessing the dealer wants $200(+) for a caliper, does anyone know if you can get quality parts for a decent price somewhere else ??
    And what the price might be for new calipers and possibly slotted and/or drilled/dimpled rotors ?? Thanks for any help in advance and I'm sure glad this site is here, GOOOO EXCURSIONS!!!!
  • midwestmoemidwestmoe Member Posts: 1
    we replaced both batteries on our 6.0L deisel and then had problems with it not starting 1 out of 15 starts. The batteries were dead. Ford dealer couldn't find a problem and it stopped for a month and then did it again so we changed the alternator. two day later it did it again. now it has been fine for two days, any suggestions as to the problem. My father in law had a idea of maybe the starter but at this point we are guessing. Has anyone had this before or a suggestion as to the problem.
  • fphilli1fphilli1 Member Posts: 30
    I have a 2001 7.3L 4X4 and have had two problems with starting. The crank position sensor was bad, (very common & Ford had a arecall for this issue) and I blew #30 fuse. I hope this helps.......
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    Posted message in March about "shuddering " brakes, I pulled them apart and every thing looks okay. Cleaned and put back together, shuddering still happens and might even be worse now. When I was checking out all the steering linkage to see if I can see a possible cause, I pulled on a long bar that is on the rear side of the front axle(I think its a stabilizer bar, can someone please confirm), the bar is about 1 3/4" to 2" in diameter, its straight section is about 3 feet long and its bent about 90(+) degrees at each end and the ends are about 1 foot long after the bend, the bar ends are attached to the bottom end of a connecting rod(?) on each side and the connecting rods are bolted through the frame at the top end. The straight section of the stabilizing bar is attached with 2 brackets that are on the back side of the leaf spring/axle brackets, there are bushings in the stabilizer bar brackets that I think may need replacing. I can move the bar back and forth by hand a little(1/4 - 1/2"+) and the bar moves up and down in the passenger side bushing(about 1/16"+/-) if you bounce the vehicle up and down by hand. Could this be causing the "shuddering"? and is it a stabilizer bar? and should the bar move like that? Vehicle is 2000 Limited,4 wd,V-10, gas engine. Thanks for your help in advance.
  • fphilli1fphilli1 Member Posts: 30
    Daddy,
    Yes it is the front stab. bar. I have a 2001 Excursion with 140k on it. I have had the same brake problem twice. It is warped rotors. I have had them replaced twice. There is a lot of chatter on this web site about brake shudder and some guys swear that rotors that have been treated with cyrogenics ( liquid nitrogen) have fixed the issue. I have also heard it does not. I did put upgraded rotors, pads and front calipers on this time and I have the best brakes I have ever had since I got the truck new. Good luck.
  • heater1951heater1951 Member Posts: 2
    i have a 2005 excursion with bad rotor..
    i have been told by MANDERBACH FORD in temple PA

    you do not cut rotor, must be replaced.. so i did and still they warp
    now i wonder what they will do cause i am taking my excursion to an other dealer HMMMMMM care to bet ????? my excursion is diesel
  • idgolfjunkieidgolfjunkie Member Posts: 15
    I've posted on this subject before and will be happy to do so again. I have a 2000 excursion (7.3) and had all the problems with brake cavetation that everyone else has. My brother in law owns a repair shop and he turned them a couple of times before they were too wore for more. So I bought a complete set of rotors and pads from a company on ebay for 299.00, had them installed NO MORE PROBLEM. They weren't cryogenically frozen to my knowledge, just drilled and slotted. I have not touched the brakes in over 50,000 miles, and the thing hasn't shimmied once. The problem appears to be that ford put 1/2 ton brakes on an 8000+ lb SUV (no wonder they need bailed out). Anyway that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    fphilli1- thanks for stabilizer bar confirmation, as I think this is the cause of "thumping" I hear under front passenger floorboard at times, will replace bushings and hope sound goes away. Cannot afford "cryo" rotors(too expensive), what upgraded rotors and calipers did you put on? (I'm guessing you've had no problems since then) How long ago did you change them?? Thanx !!
    heater1951- Please post what next dealer says/does. Thanx!!
    idgolfjunkie- I've read your previous postings, seems "cryo" rotors work for some people but I cannot afford them, I've actually found slotted/dimple drilled for slightly less than stock ones from dealer(am only replacing fronts). Were your rotors drilled all the way through or "dimple" drilled ? Thanx !! I like to discuss/learn about this truck. Anyone know how to remove the stock radio/cd player, it looks like there are 2 small holes on each side of radio, does that have to do with removal ?? Thanks all for your postings and help, will check back once or twice a week for any replies, good luck to all and lets continue to help one another, thanks again ;)
  • fphilli1fphilli1 Member Posts: 30
    Sorry this took so long to get back with you. I do not know what kind of upgraded rotors they put on but they seem to have done the trick. Time will tell as I only have about 9,000 on them with no issues. About the radio there is a special tool that you put into the holes and the radio comes right out. If you are thinking about new tones it might be just as cheap to go to Best Buy and have them install a whole system for you. Good luck......
  • twtcadtwtcad Member Posts: 13
    re: rotors

    I have an '03 Limited w/ 4x4 & 7.3l and I purchased mine with 45k+/- on it back in July of 2005. Within the first few months of owning it I replaced the rotors argumentatively not knowing about the warping issue, but because I know it was a big truck and I had warping issues on my Suburban. Both vehicles I had purchased a set of 4 slotted and dimpled rotors off ebay and have been extremely please. Both trucks had huge improvements in stopping, well that with good tires. I only ran Michelin's on the Suburban and on the Excursion except I'm trying the Toyo Open Country now and I am very please with them. Sorry, off topic......my X now has 120k on it w/ 75k on the new rotors and not one issue! At first I use Hawk pads, but now I'm using Raybestos heavy duty and I would not change a thing! I would not stress paying a fortune for rotors, I do not remember what I paid but they were very reasonable. If you buy off Ebay, just make sure you check out their feedback and make sure you get dimpled, not drilled thru. Drilling thru weekends the rotor and you do not want one to explode under the X's heavy weight while braking hard.

    re: Radio......fphilli1 is correct, those 4 holes are for a 2 piece tool. If you Best Buy has competent installers have them do it. They did just fine installing an Alpine for me, but totally fubarred installed the Alpine Flip Down TV.............

    Good Luck!
  • 45cal4545cal45 Member Posts: 3
    Break Pads

    I have the same problem with my back breaks they shutter when I start to stop. Let me know if anyone answers.

    Thanks
    Tom
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    fphilli1,heater1951,idgolfjunkie,twtcad,45cal45-- I've decided to replace caliper mounting brackets first(very soon) and if I still have "shuddering" then I'll replace rotors w/ dimple-drilled/slotted rotors(because of everyone else's input on these), if shuddering stops I'll replace rotors next time I do brakes, but I will keep you all updated on results. Thank you all again for your input !! Now - regarding the radio removal question(attn: 45cal45), I am not replacing the radio,I am trying to get to the instrument cluster lights and I peeked at a manual at a parts store and the manual says there is a screw in the cavity that holds the radio on the bottom so you have to remove the radio to get to 1 screw so you can remove screw to get the front dash off(I thought that was a stupid place for FORD to hide a screw) but anyway, do I have to buy the tool (from dealer???)to remove the radio, to remove a screw, to remove the dash, to get to the instrument cluster lights ??? WOW, that was a long question huh? Thanks for all replies/help in advance,
    PS- anyone ever have a tab from rear defroster grid come loose from the window??
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    Okay,discussed w/ the wife(her truck) and I'm now going to replace rotors first and see if the "shuddering" stops(if not the caliper brackets are next), have ordered the front set of "slotted/dimple-drilled" rotors from brakeperformance.com for $232 (+/-), has a lifetime warranty against warping, also comes w/ free set of semi-metallic pads and free shipping, at least for now. I'm going to install these next week and see if problem still exists. Two things- Anyone have input on brand and type(i.e.- ceramic or semi) of front brake pads seem to work best in comparison of ceramic and semi-metallic?? and in owners manual the torque for these lug nuts is supposed to be 100 ft/lbs, which I've gone by many times, but in my opinion it seems like they should be tighter !! Any input out there (about this and last few postings by me)?? Thanks for all input in advance!! I'll be checking daily for any replies, will keep all of you updated regarding results :)
  • napabluenapablue Member Posts: 3
    Y'all can do what you want. I'd unload the excursion. I went to Target one day, from inside smelled an electrical fire. When I went outside, the FD was foaming my excursion (and the suv next to mine). My excursion caught fire and burned to the ground. No kidding.

    Seems there was a recall 2/08 when I was in california (live in texas). NEVER got the recall. result is they catch on fire (because of cruise control). The FD inspector told me that the week before a poor soul lost his house because the excursion caught fire hours after he'd parked it IN HIS GARAGE. HE LOST HIS HOUSE.

    NO KIDDING. Unload the piece of junk before it burns your house down.
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    I'm contemplating buying an Excursion. I'm wondering the pro's and con's of purchasing an '05 Gas V10 with 50k miles to an '01 7.3L Diesel with 105k miles. I'm not to into Diesels but the better gas mileage is appealing. I'm more concerned about the overall maintenance of the Diesel to the Gas version. I don't do any towing so the towing power is of no relevance. I only drive about 10k miles a year so would it be more beneficial to get the gas one with 50k or the diesel one with 105k. Any opinions of longevity and maintenance of the gas to the diesel? Thanks.
  • pfteryl1pfteryl1 Member Posts: 12
    gas for sure...particularly with the low anticipated useage. what are you paying for the gas v10?
  • fphilli1fphilli1 Member Posts: 30
    I have had a 2001 Diesel Limited 4X4 since I bought it new in 2001. I love it and drive it every day. We do however use the power to pull trailers. I am currious as to why you want such a big truck if you do not plan on using it? I the price of diesel here in Michigan is more that regular fuel most of the time. I do not understand this because they have to refine diesel before they turn it into regular fuel. It is a bunch of Michigan political b.s. if you ask me. Any way If you are only going to drive it 10K per year and do not plan on pulling anything I would not suggest an Excursion at all. If you just love the truck as I do then get the gas V-10. Good luck.......
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    Im not totally sure of your question but the only place I've actually looked for diesel was last night and diesel was 50 cents higher. I was thinking gas for convenience but my buddy put into my head the diesel, his father and him both have diesel dodges and love them. I bought his old gas Dodge and he regretted that he didn't buy a diesel for the longevity of them. I'm just afraid of dealing with maintenance of diesel and finding an actual mechanic I can trust to work on diesel compared to gas. But supposedly the diesel would last longer than the gas one but if I figure I could get a gas one with 50k miles. I could drive it for a while before I move onto my next vehicle. But in the long run the diesel would probably last longer than the gas but I don't want to be dealing with any weird maintenance issues. The math we came up with was if you average 19mgp Diesel and 11mpg Gas and with Diesel being 50 cents more per gallon you would save on average $422 on gas. But where my friend lives in Nor CA the diesel is cheaper I live in Phx and i've only checked out one gas station so obviously the numbers will be off but that is a good basis number so in the long run the diesel the gas saved from the diesel would pay for it's price but maintenance?
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the info. We have 5 people in our family with possible plans for more on the way and we drive an expedition and a dodge ram now but the expedition has no storage space whatsoever so I was looking at the Excursion to hopefully consolidate the truck and the expedition into one car. I don't like the look of the surburbans. I do like the newer version surburbans '07s and up and the new expedition EL but at the moment they are too expensive for us to afford. The Excursions are sweet looking and will hold the family and all our stuff for Camping and trips from Phx to Oklahoma but for day to day use my big concern is the gas to diesel engines for gpm and maintenance. How is the AC for Diesel's do they take a while to get going, with living in Phoenix the car will reach 120 degrees plus everyday for at least 3 months so I don't want to be waiting for the diesel to fire up to get the ac going. Can you remote start a diesel like a gas vehicle. That way the AC is already blowing before we get into it.
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    Could people post me their average mileage they get preferably not with towing taken into account and could you post what engine and the year you have as well and if it is a 4x2 or a 4x4. How much of a difference in power and MPG for the V8 to the V10 Gas engines. Thanks.
  • readordiereadordie Member Posts: 2
    My 2005 Diesel 6.0 Power stroke get 19 to 20 MPG on the freeway if I keep it under 65 mph. In the city, I average 15.5 MPG. Love the car.
  • readordiereadordie Member Posts: 2
    What is the trick to changing out the front pads? How do you get the 2 push pins to stay on the disks while installing the disks? Any suggestion will be tremendously appreciated.

    Trying to save couple hundred dollars by doing it myself in this economic times.
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    I think you must be referring to the "guide pins" (at least thats what I call them), these pins sit in bushings inside the caliper mounting brackets and once you've unbolted the caliper they should stay in place(the caliper bolts go through the caliper housing and screw into these pins correct??). Let me know if this is what you are talking about.
  • twtcadtwtcad Member Posts: 13
    I have an '03 X w/ the 7.3l and 4x4. We rarely tow anything and we bought it for the diesel and 6 kids; yep every seat is full. Two car seats in the back row and two teenagers and we all fit comfortably! (5,6,10,11,14 & 16) We can all go to the grocery store and all the groceries can fit in the back. We just went to Vero Beach for the weekend and everything fit, no external storage! Now for week long trips we use one of those sears cargo carriers. But it is a real pain, we before the next big trip I will be getting one of those hitch mount storage boxes. (any suggestions?) One big advantage with the diesel is you can run Biodiesel or WVO (waist veggie oil) I personally run a blend of about 10-14 gal of diesel and the rest WVO and I get about the same mileage as straight diesel. Around town taking it easy I get around 13mpg and on a trip I get around 15mpg if I keep it around 70mph. Daily driving I get between 550 & 600 miles per tank, just depends on how much idling we do. If you do not need it, stay away from the 4x4.......it kills your mpg! But I love my truck and this is my first diesel and it is the first of many more. As a matter of fact, I'm looking for a f250 to replace my honda accord! This truck is way better than my previous suburban! Good Luck!
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for the info. It's very much appreciated.
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    twtcad. Awesome. Thanks for your post as well. With our expedition we bought one of those add on trailers to stick into our hitch as well. There not bad. We bought ours for like 80 bucks or something at Bass Pro Shops. Nothing is enclosed in it we bought a set of bungee chords to tie everything down we don't stack it very high but it gives a little more space. Be careful when you have it on and your not carrying anything. Had a lady ram us in the drive through and hit the trailer. It did fine since it was drive thru speeed, and she was in a car no less. I'm leaning towards a diesel for the mpg and the longevity of them. Thanks for the advice on the 4x4 as well. I'm thinking about bypassing that as well hopefully will get even better mileage.
  • twtcadtwtcad Member Posts: 13
    You are very welcome! Some more info..........'03 was a model change for the engine; every diesel x before 03 is a 7.3l and after '03 is a 6.0 and '03 is a mix. The 7.3l is the tried and true workhorse for Ford. Some people say the 6.0 was a bad mistake. I say if you are not towing anything you should be fine w/ the 6.0 and you will get better gas mileage especially w/ 2wd. Also, don't be afraid of diesel maintenance as they are basically the same as gas; you change the fluids, belts, brakes, filters, ect......I've put about 75k on mine and the only things I've done to it is fluids, filters brakes (slotted, dimpled rotors) alternator, both batteries and Ranchero shocks. I am planning on replacing the exhaust this summer to a 4" free flow from the turbo back, this should help out the mpg a little. Oh I should mention I also have a superchips programmer on my truck set to performance which adds about a 100hp and makes a huge difference in throttle response and upped my mpg about 2mpg.
  • nukefordnukeford Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2001 Excursion 7.3 and I usually get about 15 MPG with a mix of highway and city. My diesel has about 150,000 on it and I just took it on a trip to Florida. We had nine people packed in with a loaded carrier in the back. I got 17-18.5 MPG at 70MPH.
    I have found that the main factor in my gas mileage is temperature. I can usually count on 1-1.5 less MPG in the winter. I have a 2000 F250 diesel that I ran on the highway. The truck ran its best in the summer when it was over 90 degrees. The truck has 302K on it and is going pretty strong (power train). I never did anything to it except change the oil and trans fluid. cant say much about the V10.
    For that year and make, with that kind of mileage, it is probably getting close to ball joints and shocks. I think the heavier diesel is slightly less efficient with tirewear. The oil changes will cost you more but with 10K a year that would not be a big problem. FYI--that year of Ford has a tendency to have power door lock issues and "door ajar". I am also starting to get some minor paint peeling. The biggest problem with the diesels
    is they last so long you tend to think you have more problems than you really do.
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    twtcad. Thanks again. Yeah through my research I've found the year of the engine changes. I have a buddy who is a diesel freak and I've been trying to get a hold of him for a couple of days. I presume if I go diesel he will have some options to boost the mpg even more, im sure the aforementioned "superchip" will come into play. But buying a diesel and leaving it as stock I think will still get better gas mileage than my 4x4 '01 Ram. So that will be nice. From what I've found in my area my two best diesel options at the moment are a '00 7.3 4x4 with 105k for $16k and the other is an '04 6.0 with 60k miles for $17k. Would you take the tried and true 7.3 with 105k or the 6.0 with 60k. How is your AC. I live in Phoenix so it's an absolute must it's like oxygen in the summer time around here. Thanks again.
  • lance17lance17 Member Posts: 8
    nukeford. Thanks for your info as well and thanks for the heads up of possible problems areas at that mileage. I have noticed the posts about the door ajar and door lock problems. We just had the door lock problem on our '01 Expedition as well. I guess they run in the family. I've rethought my mileage now that the Excursion would be the primary family car I will probably put 15k-20k miles on it per year as a safe ballpark estimate. The misses has a corolla we will run to the ground but to tow the family around the "X" will be it as long as we have room to park it. Giving the money I will be saving on gas going with the diesel and the longevity of it I think the oil changes wont be that big of a deal. I do my own oil changes at the moment on my dodge don't like the goons and the quick lube place spilling oil all over my stuff and stripping my bolt. I shall have to see if I can manage the diesel oil change. I do like your last sentence about the longevity of the diesel they last so long you think you have more problems than you actually do. That is a good one to remember. Thanks for all the help.
  • twtcadtwtcad Member Posts: 13
    If you are not towing anything or rarely (small items) then I would go w/ the '04 especially if it is 2wd. You will get a lot better mpg and their are a lot you can do to up it, air intake, exhaust, computer chip, ect.........There are some great Ford forums that go over all this stiff. As far as oil changes..........same as a gasser. I use Royal Purple synthetic and can get 15k out of one change. I buy 4 gallons of oil (one extra for topping off) and change my filter once or twice in that time period. It usually cost me $100 and I can go the year. It cost me more to use Rotella and change every 3k plus time. The AC; well I live in Central Florida w/ the high humidity and I feel the same way " it's an absolute must it's like oxygen in the summer time around here." and we have not not one issue with ours. It's also nice have dual air.......sometimes it can take a few miles to get it cool enough, but we really don't have any complaints! I think most of the issues people are having with these are the earlier one, (knock on wood) my '03 has not had a single issue! If you do purchase one, the first thing I would do unless they are new is replace all 4 rotors w/ slotted/dimple aftermarket one's; you will not be sorry. Then I would do a tuner of some sort; just do some research on which one and you will never look back at the improvement! Good luck! Todd
  • sparkloadsparkload Member Posts: 2
    I have peeling paint and cracked paint around most of the windows and what size lift do i need for me to put 18" wheels and 38.5 tires or 18"wheels and 36.5 tires??? The truck is black in color and is always hand washed as it does fit around here in the washes. Anyone have radio problems like it trying to play too loud but the sound is not really turned up??? Thanx.
  • agoodwinagoodwin Member Posts: 16
    Hello Sparkload,
    I had Ford repaint my Ex. and I cost me out of pocket $75.00. I have a 2004 Ex. Eddie Bauer, white with light copper trim. Mine was peeling on the roof by the top of the windshield and along the side (top) and front bumper. I'm not sure if Ford will do anything for you with the problems they are facing now. But it may be worth a try. Good luck!
    About the lift, you may be able to get away with a 2" but I would say a 4" is what you would have to put on your Ex. to clear that size of wheel and tire.
    C/ya Andrew
  • wjtinatlwjtinatl Member Posts: 50
    Just sold my '02 V-10 4x4 Limited with 88k miles. Almost cried as the new owner drove off, but don't really need that big a vehicle anymore. I can tell you this; my truck was in the AutoTrader for less than 24 hours, had three calls on it and a buyer who offered my asking price ($12.3k) sight unseen. The Ex was immaculate and well maintained, but I was surprised at the demand for it, now that gas is on it's way back up. Guess I left a grand or two on the table, given the response. I bought the Ex used with 25k on it in 2004 and can say without hesitation that it's about as bulletproof as any mechanical item can be. Brakes are a weak point, but easily fixed with just about any aftermarket rotor (I used NAPA, 20k+ with no warping). Outside of brakes however, change the oil at 5k and tranny fluid every 30k and these things will run forever. My brother has a '01 V10 4x4 with 150k and has likewise had little go wrong, and he is very hard on a truck. Compared with a Suburban, the Ex is head and shoulders a better vehicle for any type of towing or heavy use. Two previous Suburbans both rode a bit nicer than the Ex (they were 1500's) but ate transmissions like waffles and the brake were even weaker points than the Ford. Misc. A/C, power accessories and trim issues turned me off from the GM products. My V-10 averaged about 12 mpg, a bit better on the highway if you keep it below 75 mph. Above 75, it's like trying to push a barn down the highway and gas mileage plummets. I truly loved the truck and hope one day to find another in nice shape if my needs change. A word of caution, the Excursion is quite a bit bulkier than a Suburban or Expedition and drives as such. If your usage is mostly inner city in a large metro area, beware it doesn't fit in some parking garages and regular parking spaces. But if you need heavy duty.... nothing like the Excursion! Would love to see Ford bring it back on the greatly improved Super Duty platform.
  • roosmamaroosmama Member Posts: 28
    I know what you mean about the Big 'X's. If I could get a brand new one I would be all over it, but with today's economy I can't see it happening. I have a 2000 V10 with only 140,000 km on it. Everytime I take it for a service the dealer asks if I want to get rid of it. They have people looking for them.
  • tzimmermanntzimmermann Member Posts: 6
    I have looked but never found slotted, dimpled rotors, only slotted, drilled? I have looked on ebay.

    I am looking for people with experience with just drilled rotors, slotted and drilled and slotted and dimpled.

    Thanks
  • heater1951heater1951 Member Posts: 2
    I also Have A 2005 Excursion with bad ROTORS.. Seems ever 7 to 10 ,00 mile they have to be replaced.. I was told by ford dealer you do not cut rotors on a Excursion.. they heat up to fast.... FORD has a ploblem and will not own up to it.. was told the new For super duty trucks have a better brake for somereason HMMMMMMMM
  • pfteryl1pfteryl1 Member Posts: 12
    You can take a very light cut on the rotors...just enough to clean them up. I have frozen Rotors" that still only get about 7-10k miles then begin to warp and chatter. They'll take three very light cuts so you can get 30k from them.
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    OK- new rotors and pads have been on wife's ex for about 1 1/2 months and "shuddering" has not come back, wife says brakes are handling very well. I ordered "dimple-drilled and slotted(black finish)" from "brakeperformance.com" and it cost slightly less than stock rotors from dealer for the front set,the shipping was free, no sales tax and a set of new front pads were included for free as long as you "checked" the box when ordering. I've got to say I'm very pleased with them so far, I hope this input helps others. Now I need to know if it is possible to get the tool that is needed to remove the stock radio at stores like pep boys or auto zone,etc. or can I only get it at the dealer? I need to remove the radio so that I can get the front of the dash off (screw is hidden under radio) to get access to the instrument cluster lights, to replace them. Anyone bought this tool ? Cost?? Thanks in advance :shades:
  • jerm_n_lanzjerm_n_lanz Member Posts: 1
    I was just searching the net to find some good info regarding excursions repair help when I found this site. I didn't realize how wide spread the problems are. I have the "shuddering" while breaking.

    My husband replaced the brake pads and said he needed to replace the rotors as well. All the info on here is very helpful. After he replaced them, a clinking started (right after his day off - of coarse!) and finally made a snap noise yesterday. The steering seemed kind off pulling to the side like I had no steering capability at all and then would work again. Weird. As soon as my husband got home he took the tire, brakes, and rotor off. There was this flat "c" shaped metal piece that fell out of the rotor. The only thing we can think of is that was has been causing the clinking noise. The whole hub seemed very loose and shaky. Maybe moving back & forth as mucha s 1". Should it move that much? I don't ever remember seeing a hub move like that. We parked it :-( but want to get it back on the road asap. We are considering replacing the hub and/or bearings. Has anyone else had this problem? I'd love to hear about what you've tried. Thanks!

    Everyone's comments seem to say they replaced the bearings but never why? So another questions to throw out there would be why did you try that/
  • daddy818daddy818 Member Posts: 18
    Can anyone tell me where the "cabin air filter" is located in the ex?? Thanks!! Attn: jerm & lanz That 1" of play, in my opinion, is way too much play for a hub. How thick was that C-shaped metal piece that fell out of the rotor and how big in diameter is the piece? Also you refer to bearings in the rotor, on my wifes (and on many others) the rotors are "knock off" rotors which do not have bearings, could you explain with more detail if possible. I think everyone has taken the summer off from this "excursion page" (except me) !! Ok, now that I think about it, I'm talking about an ex w/ 4 wheel drive, I don't know if they even came in 2 wheel drive, if so that would explain the bearings in the (front) rotors, but does the "piece" even look like it was part of the bearing?
  • mechtechnicmechtechnic Member Posts: 1
    I bet you half these complaints in here for warped brake rotors are because the lug nuts are not being hand tightened to specification with a torque wrench. If there is any drastic variation in foot pounds of torque that each lug nut is tightened to it will cause the rotor to warp. It's simple thermal dynamics - metal expands when it gets hot, if it expands non-uniformly there can be warpage. That goes for any brake rotor on any vehicle unless otherwise specified (yes you too Honda owners out there). Your average mechanic may not know about this and may or may not care enough to take the time to do it right, usually they just use the old impact gun and hammer on the lug nuts till they won't tighten anymore or use a torque stick (still questionable). The only real way to know it's being done right is to go back after repairs have been done and loosen the lug nuts one at a time and retighten them yourself with a $20 torque stick from Walmart.

    COME TO THINK OF IT, many of the problems talked about on this sight are probably more from poor quality repairs made from mechanics that did not do a thorough job than from Ford.
  • pfteryl1pfteryl1 Member Posts: 12
    Torqueing the nuts properly is correct. However it is not the answer in this case. I've been tightening nuts properly for years on every car I've ever owned. Only my Excursion has continually had the warpage problem, with or without cryogenically treated rotors. My rotors last for 5-10,000 miles before beginning to chatter when hot. My simple treatment is to remove the rotors...take an absolute minmal cut on the lathe and reinstall. They're good for another 5-10,000 miles. The entire process takes an hour. I suspect that somehow, a lack of sufficient cooling airflow over the rotors when underway may be contributing to the problem. I'm retired now. My service operations did 25-40,000 brake jobs a year. The identical rotors are used on certain Ford trucks without the excessive warpage. The Excursion is substantially heavier than the trucks using the same rotors.
  • excursionfamexcursionfam Member Posts: 1
    My driver's side back window just fell out as well! I had NO idea this would happen, but apparently, it's more common than I thought--especially in the Excursion. We haven't asked our dealer to fix it, but the auto body repair guy said that once the window is delaminated, you can't use that window anymore! I think it's ridiculous that a window just falls off (and it scratched my pain!) What can we do???
  • bionutbionut Member Posts: 9
    I found your post while researching similar problems online. I have '02 7.3dsl with 115K miles with exact same problems (and a few more!) that have come on gradually. Most were already bad when we bought it 40K miles ago. Automatic headlights was last thing to quit a few weeks ago. Worked intermittently for several months and finally quit completely. We plan to keep the vehicle indefinitely, so would like to have things working.

    Just wondering if you got yours fixed and what it took?

    Tx, BN
  • idgolfjunkieidgolfjunkie Member Posts: 15
    I have a 00 ex w/ 7.3L, I have owned it since it was new and now has 215,000. I've had most of problems and EVERYONE has brakes issues. I have a friend that says Ford put 1/2 ton brakes on the heaviest SUV every built. I replaced all the rotors and pads 60,000 miles ago and they have never shuttered once. I just had new tires installed and the service guy told me that I still have about 1/2 the pad left? I purchased all four rotors and pads for 299.00 on ebay from brakelabs and have been thrilled. Yeah, the thing has a lousy electrical system, but the rest of the rig is awesome. I bought mine in Feb 00, since then I have replaced the altenator, rotors and pads, rebuilt the entire front end, and 3 sets of batteries. I had the glow plugs changed at 210,000 just because it was getting a little slow starting and winter is getting close. Since owning my ex for the past 9 1/2 years I have always wondered why GM and Chrysler never built an SUV with a diesel in it. Good luck to all of you.
  • green_monstergreen_monster Member Posts: 2
    I just put a new radio into my car and replaced the OEM model. I got a harness from Crutchfield and all appears to work. Now I get a the theft light blinking. I can start the car. Is there any solution to this?
  • EXfloresEXflores Member Posts: 3
    :sick:
    i had just replaced the fuel pump and im getting 30psi not sure if thats right... ...i already replaced the oxygen sensors so i dont know if that could still be it... i drive on the freeway constantly .. when i get about 10 minutes on the freeway the revolutions will go all the way down and it will just be in idle just enough for the motor to not turn off, even though the its in drive and im stomping on the gas... then ill have to turn it off and on again for it to work another 10 minutes... anyone know on what i can do? think its an electrical wiring problem?
  • EXfloresEXflores Member Posts: 3
    the theft light always blinked on mine i think thats just normal
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles