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Old 02-18-2012, 05:38 PM   #81
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It is easy to screw up aluminum heads. If the plugs are not changed correctly they will come out. Fords of that era were a lot more sensitive about how the plugs were changed. I was lucky to get one where the plugs had not been changed. I am not saying Ford was wise in only putting 4 threads in an aluminum head.

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Old 02-18-2012, 06:00 PM   #82
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Everyone,

I apologize if I seemed harsh earlier. I was going to PM you, Perry, but figured it was better to just broadcast it to everyone. I didn't mean to seem too hard, and am sorry if I did.

If I had an Excursion that had never done this, I wouldn't have been so passionate about it. As my luck goes, I must have gotten a lemon Well, I laugh about it now anyway....

The truth is, the Excursion was one whale of a nice vehicle! I really liked it! Mine was a Limited and had the third row suit; must have taken 20 cows to provide all the leather for that bad boy. It had a rockin' stereo, dual climate controls, heated seats, was about unstoppable in snow, and it did tow nicely. Before I got my Airstream (and then later on my Avion) I borrowed my dad's Terry (white stick built box...) 26 footer with slide out to see if we'd like RVing. The Ex pulled that thing like it wasn't back there.

I also got really good gas mileage with it. If I drove normally, I could get 16mpg with it. If I really really watched it and took it easy, I could do a little better than 17mpg. My old '86 Suburban that the Ex replaced was lucky to ever see 15mpg... I got 10.5 towing with it.

It was one nice truck. And, I would have forgiven FoMoCo if they'd treated me right. Everybody builds a car once in a while that has problems. What really set me off was the way Ford treated me. Now, my one buddy who is a Ford Man through and through said it was that dealership, not Ford itself, that hosed me. Maybe he was right. I had bought my Thunderbird SC from the same dealership and they treated me right on it, even when it needed some maintenance work under warranty (I still have my old SC and drive it daily...I've had the car for 18 years....).

What really got my goat was that it blew up on me three hours from home on our way to Disney World for a surprise vacation for my five year old daughter. The guys at the Ford dealership there (Richmond, VA) were really cool. They said they were sure it'd be covered under my extended warranty, and further, being only 348 miles beyond bumper to bumper, it should be covered. They offered to give me an Econoline van to run down to FL with and I could pick up the Ex on the way back a week later and all would be well. BUT....I called the warranty service before letting the Ford dealer there have it, and they told me it was NOT covered until after an adjuster looked at it. So I bagged the vacation. We got another plug and coil pack stuck in it enough to get it home. Once I took it back to my local Ford dealer, they managed to wreck what was left of the threads pulling it apart for the adjuster. The adjuster guy told me "...forget it. I've seen a hundred of these things do this. It's a known defect. We won't cover it." That's when I realized that my "extended powertrain warranty" was not through Ford, as they had led me to believe, but rather through some third party outfit. After a couple of weeks of haggling, I wound up hauling the thing home on a flat bed dirt track race car trailer behind my dad's diesel Ram. I bent the race car trailer's frame in the process because it was made for a 3000lb car and not a 7000lb monster. But anyway, I ordered the kit from Timesert and fixed the car myself.

And, the truth it, it was fixed right, proper, and permanently. I probably should have just done the Timesert fix on all ten cylinders (mine blew the passenger side one, second from the rear....) and the car would have been fine for years to come. But I was so mad at the way Ford treated me that I traded it on a Dodge diesel crew cab and have been driving the Mopar ever since. The guy that bought my Ex from the dealership I traded it to...drove it for many years with no problems. Yep, I can be a hothead sometimes

So again, sorry if I seemed too harsh. If I had an Ex and it had never done any of this evil, I'd be wondering about the guys badmouthing them too. It's just that I got hosed more by Ford on this one than any other car in my life. And I've had quite a few Ford's.... Well anyway, every maker has their ups and downs. I would consider buying another Ford...if they sent me an apology letter and a big discount coupon for my troubles

Take care and see ya on the road!
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Old 02-18-2012, 06:13 PM   #83
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Many years ago I had a 1990 Nissan 4 cyl. pickup with a similar problem. The most rear plug never blew out; it would get loose. When I changed plugs, some broke taking them out. Late in the truck's life with me I couldn't get it out either. I tightened it down too much. So I'd change three of them and the truck was going well at 145,000 miles when I sold it. It did have a minor rod knock for about 20,000 miles. It really was a great truck. We did a lot of 4 wheeling in it and driving through deep Colorado snows. It never got stuck. I don't think I spent more than $400 on it. My next truck was a Toyota and we've bought Toyotas ever since.

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Old 02-18-2012, 06:45 PM   #84
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My understanding is that in an effort to reduce heat buildup in the rotors, manufacturers started making them thinner believing the heat would radiate faster. This seems logical, perhaps so logical that they didn't test the theory. I have been told it didn't work (rotors warped sooner) and they are going back to thicker rotors. But some companies don't change very fast and still may have thin rotors.

Our rotors warped last year and we replaced them with thicker ones.

Gene
Well, sorta. Thinner doesn't dissipate heat better, more mass does. The manufacturers made them thinner to reduce unsprung rotating mass to gain fuel economy...but you are absolutely right...it didn't work too well. they warped due to heat in some cases, but most pulsated not due to heating, but they were so light that if the lugs were not torqued absolutely equally, the rotor would not be "flat". The resulting unequal contact with the inner and outer pads as the rotor rotated eventually caused a thickness variation in the rotor and pulsation of the pedal followed.

All mfrs, fell victim to this philosophy. Thank goodness the trend has gone back to meaty rotors and drums, where appropriate over the last 10 years or so. Mileage increases are found elsewhere. Sometimes simple physics will not be cheated!
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Old 02-18-2012, 06:48 PM   #85
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No plug worries on a diesel.....

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Old 02-18-2012, 06:58 PM   #86
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So the later V10 gasser in the Excursion is a solid engine? A 2005 with leather, power everything is cheaper than a 2008 Tundra. I'd also have to purchase a nice color matched cap for the Tundra.

Running number on gas. 20,000 miles a years at $5 a gallon. 50% time towing. Excursion at 10mpg towing / 10 mpg not. Tundra 10.5 towing, 14 not. Excursion = $10,000 in gas a year. Tundra = $8333. $1667 in favor of the Tundra.
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Old 02-18-2012, 07:01 PM   #87
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There are a lot of factors that determine how good your brakes are and how long they last. Rotor thickness is a factor but other things like manufacturing techniques and uniformity of the castings can be a big factor. Also the diameter of the rotor is a factor. Usually larger is better because you have more mechanical advantage and more surface area. The size and number of pistons is important. A bad design would be a single piston caliper which creates hot spots on the pads and rotors. The larger the pistons and the more of them there are the better brakes you are going to have. If the rotors are too big and heavy the ride quality suffers because of unsprung weight. Same goes for the calipers they are heavy as well. If you don't change your brake fluid the boiling point goes down and the fluid can boil when you are descending a mountain, at that point, you have NO BRAKES at all. I have never had this happen on a car or truck but I have done it on a motorcycle before. All I can say, is find a forum for the truck you are looking at and spend some time there. I see cars all the time and some of them have little tiny rotors and I bet they wear out real fast. Those are the kinds of cars I walk away from.

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Old 02-18-2012, 07:07 PM   #88
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Well I paid $7k for my Excursion and a new truck is about $40k. Yeah if both trucks are free the Tundra is the way to go. Now take that $33k and see how many miles you can put on the Excursion or F250/F350 with a V10. My Excursion is a PIG on gas but it was cheap and it is easy to maintain. If you are not a good mechanic then it may not be a good deal for you.

Perry


Quote:
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So the later V10 gasser in the Excursion is a solid engine? A 2005 with leather, power everything is cheaper than a 2008 Tundra. I'd also have to purchase a nice color matched cap for the Tundra.

Running number on gas. 20,000 miles a years at $5 a gallon. 50% time towing. Excursion at 10mpg towing / 10 mpg not. Tundra 10.5 towing, 14 not. Excursion = $10,000 in gas a year. Tundra = $8333. $1667 in favor of the Tundra.
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Old 02-18-2012, 07:13 PM   #89
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Well I paid $7k for my Excursion and a new truck is about $40k. Yeah if both trucks are free the Tundra is the way to go. Now take that $33k and see how many miles you can put on the Excursion or F250/F350 with a V10. My Excursion is a PIG on gas but it was cheap and it is easy to maintain. If you are not a good mechanic then it may not be a good deal for you.

Perry
How many miles can I put on the V10? What type of things would one look out for? I can wrench when needed, but I don't want to bring many tools and work on it in parking lots.

This one has 77k and at $20k I could be loan free pretty quick,

2005 Ford Excursion Limited in Hartford, CT- 7790764 at carmax.com
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Old 02-18-2012, 07:17 PM   #90
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Personally I like that a lot better than a Tundra. Nothing against Toyota...it's just a different kind of vehicle.

I got as high as 17mpg running empty with mine. I doubt the Tundra would do much better.

The only problem I ever had with mine was the plug issue, but Ford says they totally corrected that in '03. Other than that, I just changed the oil and drove it. It really did pull a trailer nicely. You'd hardly notice your 25 footer at all behind it.

I think that looks like a really nice truck
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Old 02-18-2012, 07:30 PM   #91
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You probably want the factory tow package. This has the extending mirrors, more cooling for the transmission, and usually a lower geared axel. Whatever you buy, ask for a carfax on it. That truck looks pretty clean but I think it is a little on the high side at least in the south. In VT that maybe a different story. I have heard of V10's running 300,000 miles or more. THere is a ford Excursion forum at

Excursion - King of SUVs - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

I would spend some time there before you buy and go look at some of them.

Perry
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Old 02-18-2012, 07:57 PM   #92
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You probably want the factory tow package. This has the extending mirrors, more cooling for the transmission, and usually a lower geared axel. Whatever you buy, ask for a carfax on it. That truck looks pretty clean but I think it is a little on the high side at least in the south. In VT that maybe a different story. I have heard of V10's running 300,000 miles or more. THere is a ford Excursion forum at

Excursion - King of SUVs - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

I would spend some time there before you buy and go look at some of them.

Perry
I was just browsing that other forum. The 2005 doesn't appear to have extending mirrors. Does that mean it does not have the tow package? (The features section mentions having it)
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Old 02-18-2012, 08:47 PM   #93
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No plug worries on a diesel.....

Shane
Maybe not, but you have bigger problems.

Blown Fuel injector 2011 6.7 F-350 - Ford Powerstroke Diesel Forum

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Old 02-18-2012, 09:04 PM   #94
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No sir I don't.

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Old 02-18-2012, 09:34 PM   #95
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Do we really need these heavy duty trucks to pull an Airstream, if that is the only reason for having it. Another 'streamer just towed her small Airstream across country in winter weather with a VW Jetta.

Timmaah is needs this thing to double as a daily driver, his only transportation. If he can't figure how to lighten his load for full-timing, then that's where the advice should be directed. Not to bigger truck$.

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Old 02-18-2012, 09:41 PM   #96
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Do we really need these heavy duty trucks to pull an Airstream, if that is the only reason for having it. Another 'streamer just towed her small Airstream across country in winter weather with a VW Jetta.

Timmaah is needs this thing to double as a daily driver, his only transportation. If he can't figure how to lighten his load for full-timing, then that's where the advice should be directed. Not to bigger truck$.

doug k
Nope not needed...but smart,IMO.

Mileage,longevity,and longer lasting suspension.

I use mine as a daily driver also for my business..no downside for me.

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Old 02-18-2012, 09:46 PM   #97
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Shane, it is smart for you, dumb for some others.

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Old 02-18-2012, 09:50 PM   #98
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Might be smart for others also....that's why we are hearing both sides.

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Old 02-18-2012, 09:59 PM   #99
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diesel hands down

new Ford is pretty much way to go. If money is issue the Tundra will work and maybe getting some stiffer shocks would help out. Tundra is sexy, TRD package is not that much upgrade. Bilsteins, stiffer springs,arb type rear axle on old tacomas not sure on tundra. I would be tempted to put Rancho 9000's on that adjust manual. Stiffer setting along with stiff side wall tires like bfg KO's will do wonders
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Old 02-18-2012, 11:37 PM   #100
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Wow! 100 threads on TVs! How many hundreds of years of experience pulling trailers of all kinds, with all sorts of TVs? And still no "right answer."

Seems to me it comes down to asking more questions about your needs - miles per year towing vs running bareback; storage; comfort; how are your backs and knees? You are embarking on many different experiences - there is no "one size fits all" but you are going to be hooking up, backing into and out of tight spots - wheelbase and overall geometry can play an important role in maneuverability.

It seems to me that one can seldom have too much horsepower nor brakes, until it adversely affects the unladen ride. Airstreams were designed originally to be pulled behind the family car, and mountain passes were to be taken slowly and the view enjoyed. Sure you can drag your AS up and over real fast, but you'll shake things loose, develop cracks, beat up the TV and its passengers. This is supposed to be enjoyable. Don't overthink the situation. Buy the best you can afford, which implies used, but not used up. Pack like you're loading an airplane.
Take your own trip. If you are cozy staying hooked up, whether in a campground or boondocking, your emphasis will be on the towing capability. But if you're going to leave the trailer and yo-yo around for a few days before moving on, then you might prefer a TV you can readily park on a city street, and not feel you're manuvering a locomotive through a small town.

FWIW - I have towed a wide variety of combinations, but have never full-timed. We regularly drive about 5 hours (200 to 250 miles) between two or three night stays. We can yo-yo out and see the sights in all directions and then move along. My wife is no truck driver, but handles our rig as well or better on the highway than I do, though I'm generally tasked with hills, trailer park maneuvering, and hooking up. We have pulled all sorts of rigs with a 2003 Suburban 1500 with a full trailer brake and WD hitch package. The platform is so steady I was surprised when I studied the serial # and found it wasn't a 3/4 ton. Interior access is easy with all those doors, so we can store a lot of gear which is essential, but not needed often.

The one absolute statement I will leave you with is that most GVW specs leave you in a situation without a whole lot of reserve capacity. That is what will enable you to maintain control when you blow a tire going too fast down a curvy hill. That reserve is what will save your lives when everything goes to stink. A 25 footer is probably shorter than most single full timers live in, so buy a TV that can handle an upgrade if you and your wife really enjoy your new life-style. I wish you well. jsutro
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