Auto window mod

[Brian_B]

I do have power windows in the explorer. Not that I use them that much. I go through the bank drive in about twice a month (not that I drive the explorer that often). I never go through a drive up window.

I rarely ever roll a window down it in.

I do really like the power locks with the key fob though. Makes it wasy coming out of the school in the morning hours to see the explorer and get in. The "puddle lights" in the mirrors are a great idea.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I do really like the power locks with the key fob though. Makes it wasy coming out of the school in the morning hours to see the explorer and get in. The "puddle lights" in the mirrors are a great idea.

Now that is one option I wish my truck has.

 

[Skandocious]

Well...
-I'm not crazy about the welded frame.
-I don't like the "cut and welded" cab as opposed to an actual Ford crew cab.
-I don't like the extra weight added to 1/2 ton running gear.
-I don't like the shortbed.

I don't hate the trucks, but at the same time, basically everything that makes them what they are, I'm less than crazy about. I'd rather an extended cab F-150, or a CC F-350, depending on how I planned to use it.

Hmph. Well different strokes for different folks.

-The welded frame doesnt bug me at all because they're some of the cleanest/thickest I've ever seen.
-Cut and welded cab also doesnt bug me because it gives a fun story to tell and adds character to the truck. Also doesn't seem to have any effect on the strength
-Extra weight on the 1/2 ton running gear is definitely a setback, but my truck really gets out of its own way with the 4.10s and the extra mods I've done. And I don't seem to have too much added stress on the drivetrain because I haven't broken any parts due to stress yet. It ain't bad at all.
-Shortbed = a BENEFIT for me. Longbed crew cabs are wayyy too big. This truck is already extremely impractical to drive around and park. If it were a long bed I think I'd get extremely frustrated with having to find huge spots and maneuvering around parking lots.

 

[Brian_B]

I really like it. The lot has no lights at that time of the morning (puddle lights are great!) and I am usually carrying a large bag (books, folders, supplies) or rolling my laptop case with said bag sitting on top of it.


It is a bit more difficult to see the truck, get it unlocked (passenger side), reach over and unlock the drivers door (through the cab), load everything in the passenger side...then go around and get into the truck.

Someday (like that will ever get here), I will install a lock on the drivers side of it too.

 

[Skandocious]

So Brian sent me a PM asking about how they welded the frame of my truck and it got me thinking... "I seem to remember that they put a reinforcement plate on the inside of the frame and tacked it down"

I was right. Perhaps these pics will make you feel a little better about their 'welded frame' job Ian. They used about a 1/4" piece of steel angle iron, the full length of the piece of added frame that they put in, plus a little bit to hang out PAST the welds on the frame. Then tacked it down all over the place

Click the thumbnails to see full size.

 

[atillett]

welded frames are just as strong as solid metal if done right, just think of all the vehicles that have stretched or chopped frames, limos, numerous work trucks, we even had a few of our fire trucks stretched to fit our tanks. I can see if a hack did it, but there are plenty of welders that can attach any thing together.......and do it in a safe way.......and do people really think that only the factory can do this type of things safely.

 

[Brian_B]

Well....that is different. Never seen anything spliced that way.

They welded an angle iron down the frame. I suppose it will hold (has so far), but that is the cheap fast way to splice something.

I did some extremely fast 3D sketches of what I have seen before and pulled a few 2D views off of them. These are rough and not any particular size.

The first sketch shows the frame splice. The second shows the "fish" plate inside of the frame.

Fixed fish plate.

EDIT: In the case of stretching a frame...I would think that once the splices are done at each end...they would box the frame well beyond the splices.

I would love to crawl under a limo sometime and see how they are doing it. Probably nothing like I would do myself or even expect. LOL

 

[Raptor22]

Ehh... huh? You've got a long list?

That rear crank windows is about the only difference between mine and a regular crew cab...

My uncle has an 05 F250 XL or Custom crew cab with crank windows in the back, or maybe even all four doors...

Chintzy...

 

[Brian_B]

I prefer the window cranks. Too much junk to wear out (and it does) with the power window stuff.

Never had a real issue with a crank window on anything I have owned.

 

[Lost]

Well...
-I'm not crazy about the welded frame.
-I don't like the "cut and welded" cab as opposed to an actual Ford crew cab.
-I don't like the extra weight added to 1/2 ton running gear.
-I don't like the shortbed.

I don't hate the trucks, but at the same time, basically everything that makes them what they are, I'm less than crazy about. I'd rather an extended cab F-150, or a CC F-350, depending on how I planned to use it.

To each his own I respect your opinion.

Tell the F350 and up crowd .

They always weld to stretch frames.We had a F350 stretch 8 ft and not reinforced much more than than stock And some haul allot more than couple people.
And in rust belt Allot of trucks have had frame welded on. As well as cut down longbeds to short .

The 1/2 ton running gear will hold up fine.No different that hauling 600lbs + tools all time. Plus a plow on front Way more stress. Just repack front bearings every year like supposed to.

The short bed was offered on later F350 crew cabs.

And although the big C could have did a better job on builds . The ford cab is put together from different panels originally .And the centurion owners have little issues other than paint about cabs.

Some do have power to rear windows.

These truck led to the super crews of today .

I hauled 1000lbs quite often in fire wood on MY 95 cen . The guy who bought mine had a slide in camper (not light ) On it for 10 years till he sold it 3 years ago and frame held up. As did the rest of truck

I'm with you the F350 r better but I don't need The ride, MPG and cost of F350 for 500 + miles week commute.
But have kids in booster seats and the ex cab suck to get in.

Also They fit in regular Garage.

And get around parking lots fine.Unlike the F350 crew longs I have had. Or my F150 sc long bed for that matter .

And they r different . I'll probably build one myself if I dont find one .

 

[john112deere]

To each his own I respect your opinion.

Yeah, it's all about opinion and how you'll use the vehicle- no one is right or wrong.

For me, I'd run around unloaded almost all the time, but on the rare occasions I wanted to load up, the C-150 would be pushing it's limits, hard. (1000 lbs of firewood is not a lot to me, in a half-ton. I hauled over 800 lbs (close to 900, I think) of manure in my little Ranger a couple years back.)

Parking is a moot point because of where I park. Some places, no full-size will fit easily, other places a CC/LB is no problem. Not many in between. (I have parallel parked a CC/LB, too.)

And I'm not saying welded frames are inherently unsafe, or always bad, only that I'd rather not have one, when a step up to a 250/350 gets me an un-welded one and more. Same thing with the 1/2 ton running gear- nothing wrong with it, but if I'm going to be dumping gas into a 351 and parking a CC truck, I'd rather have 3/4 or 1 ton. Worse ride doesn't bother me much- put me in a good seat and I'm happy to bounce around all day. A wrong-shaped seat, and I don't care how smooth the ride is. That's just me and my back, though.


Back to windows...even if the Explorer switch is a no-go, Chris, it seems like you should be able to find a pair of two-step window switches from some 2-door that you could make fit in your door panel. Might be a kind of cool mod. Or add electric windows in the back doors (I know Ford offered crew-cabs with electric back windows in '95, so the parts are out there) if that's something that would be useful to you and use th 4-door Explorer block. (I can't reach the rear-slider in a CC while I'm driving, so I like to be able to crack a back window to let the air flow through better when I'm driving windows-down. I'm too cheap/lazy to actually do it if I had your truck, but I would prefer four electric windows. )

 

[polarbear]

Back to the auto down feature. I had a VW Camper that had auto up and down. worked fine, except for the 1-2 times a year it had to go in and have it's little computer re-programmed. Typical VW chitt.

The Merc and Vic have 'em- I generally consider them more a PITA than a benefit. Makes it hard to crack the damned window. What I really wish we'd go back to is vent windows.

 

[Skandocious]

The more we talk about it, the more I think this mod might start to annoy me. You guys talked me out of it. Lol. That's why these discussions are good

 

[Brian_B]

I too love the vent windows. I swapped the ranger doors to old Bronco II doors on mine...just to get the vent windows.

I miss them on my explorer. The truck has them as well as a cowl vent.

 

[john112deere]

I too love the vent windows. I swapped the ranger doors to old Bronco II doors on mine...just to get the vent windows.

I miss them on my explorer. The truck has them as well as a cowl vent.

Ah...vent windows. Wish I could just swap different doors onto my truck to get 'em.

*They can be nice in the winter, too, if your defroster can't keep up. Direct it to blow air across your windshield and put on your gloves...gets cold (especially since if the defrost won't work you usually don't have any heat at all), but at least you can see.

 

[Brian_B]

Yours is too new for the Bronco II swap.

The doors themselves are the same. You have to cut holes for the door speakers (from the ranger) and trim the ranger door panel around the wing glass (an inch or so-dremels work well for this). Other than that...they are bolt on.

I have a set of gen 2 ranger doors and a set of gen 1 bronco II doors sitting out back. Good glass in them all, but no door panels, locks, or handles.

 

[Raptor22]

Yours is too new for the Bronco II swap.

The doors themselves are the same. You have to cut holes for the door speakers (from the ranger) and trim the ranger door panel around the wing glass (an inch or so-dremels work well for this). Other than that...they are bolt on.

I have a set of gen 2 ranger doors and a set of gen 1 bronco II doors sitting out back. Good glass in them all, but no door panels, locks, or handles.

Couldnt you put a Ranger door panel on a BII door?

And as far as the Halfton crew vs. 1ton Crew debate:

Ive had 37 80lb bags of concrete in the back of my truck before (1.5 tons total), along with numerous loads of dirt and sand, and whatever other heavy shit I put back there...

 

[Brian_B]

Couldnt you put a Ranger door panel on a BII door?

I thought that is what I said?

......and trim the ranger door panel around the wing glass (an inch or so-dremels work well for this)........

 

[Raptor22]

I thought that is what I said?

Oh wow, Im tired brian. I am sorry....

 

[Brian_B]

You had me going there for a minute. I had to read what I typed twice to see if I said it weird or something.

My english is not too good sometimes.

Either way...it was funny.