We needed a tow rig to tow our Jeeps and planning to tow across country to Moab pulling a 2 car trailer. Wanted something comfortable, big, powerful, efficient and daily useful. The 2000 Excursion Limited 7.3L diesel 4WD auto seemed to fit the bill exactly.
Bought a used rig from NJ which came from IL and MI. 147k, clean body, runs, starts, no rust. Went to get PA safety inspection and found out it needs front and rear brakes, rotors, calipers, shocks, drag link and ball joints. About what to be expected. Apparently other states do not have yearly vehicle safety inspections otherwise these things would have been fixed in the past. Lesson learned. I will only buy a used vehicle from PA with a recent safety inspection sticker.
Plan is to make is to make it more comfortable, reliable, more efficient as far as power and economy. Don't need or want a high HP tow rig. Just need to hitch pull a 2 car trailer about 12,000 pounds.
PLAN-
-Ordered all the parts need to pass the safety inspection. Moog ball joints, drag link, RockAuto Centric premium rotors, semi metallic pads, rebuilt calipers, new brake lines, bilstein shocks.
-Get everything installed and get it safety inspected as well as getting the radiator/coolant flushed and alignment
-Change oil filter and oil, change fuel filter.
-Interior- new replacement leather seat bottoms and arm rests, weathertech front floor mats, husky 2nd seat floor mats, XM adapter, fix cup holder, sub woofer
-Exterior- running boards, new power heated mirrors(driver's side broken), grill and headlight upgrade, 20" LED light bar mounted in the bumper, Duratrac 275-75 16 tires
Now for the Good Stuff-
Drivetrain- Mag-Hytec rear diff cover and new oil, stock front cover and oil change
Transmission- Mag-Hytec trans pan and trans flush, (Banks trans controller)-not, Dorman 6.0L oil cooler, +JW Valve Body
Engine- We believe in the 'get it in and get it out' approach and (stock tune)-not, +BD 6 selectable with PHP tunes
Banks Ram Air intake, aFe air inlet silicone tube, aFe BladeRunner Air Intake Manifold, Banks Intercooler, Banks 4" exhaust with power elbow, (Banks Big Head wastegate actuator)-not needed, +HPx, +HPOP, +AIH plug
Gauges- EGT, boost, and +trans temp
So far this is the plan. We want to make it more reliable and powerful while being more efficient. Don't need a tuner or bigger turbo for this tow rig.
Any other ideas or suggestions?
Bought a used rig from NJ which came from IL and MI. 147k, clean body, runs, starts, no rust. Went to get PA safety inspection and found out it needs front and rear brakes, rotors, calipers, shocks, drag link and ball joints. About what to be expected. Apparently other states do not have yearly vehicle safety inspections otherwise these things would have been fixed in the past. Lesson learned. I will only buy a used vehicle from PA with a recent safety inspection sticker.
Plan is to make is to make it more comfortable, reliable, more efficient as far as power and economy. Don't need or want a high HP tow rig. Just need to hitch pull a 2 car trailer about 12,000 pounds.
PLAN-
-Ordered all the parts need to pass the safety inspection. Moog ball joints, drag link, RockAuto Centric premium rotors, semi metallic pads, rebuilt calipers, new brake lines, bilstein shocks.
-Get everything installed and get it safety inspected as well as getting the radiator/coolant flushed and alignment
-Change oil filter and oil, change fuel filter.
-Interior- new replacement leather seat bottoms and arm rests, weathertech front floor mats, husky 2nd seat floor mats, XM adapter, fix cup holder, sub woofer
-Exterior- running boards, new power heated mirrors(driver's side broken), grill and headlight upgrade, 20" LED light bar mounted in the bumper, Duratrac 275-75 16 tires
Now for the Good Stuff-
Drivetrain- Mag-Hytec rear diff cover and new oil, stock front cover and oil change
Transmission- Mag-Hytec trans pan and trans flush, (Banks trans controller)-not, Dorman 6.0L oil cooler, +JW Valve Body
Engine- We believe in the 'get it in and get it out' approach and (stock tune)-not, +BD 6 selectable with PHP tunes
Banks Ram Air intake, aFe air inlet silicone tube, aFe BladeRunner Air Intake Manifold, Banks Intercooler, Banks 4" exhaust with power elbow, (Banks Big Head wastegate actuator)-not needed, +HPx, +HPOP, +AIH plug
Gauges- EGT, boost, and +trans temp
So far this is the plan. We want to make it more reliable and powerful while being more efficient. Don't need a tuner or bigger turbo for this tow rig.
Any other ideas or suggestions?