Chris GTO TT Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Well I sold my spec.B and picked up this 07 Explorer, 4x4, 4.6L V8, 6spd 6R60 with 92k. The goal is to use it to give some towing/hauling capability we didn't have before with 2 Subarus and a Miata. With the main goal of being able to tow the Miata to track days. The plan for now is to do some baseline maintenance, plugs (praying they don't break in two), fuel filter, air filter, and a transmission service. It is no spec.B or LGT, but it's nice to have 300ft-lbs of torque and not have to worry about the #4 ring land IMG_20160802_181748 by christobal65, on Flickr 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 Successfully removed the windshield banner tint today. Now I can see out the windshield without ducking! 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 If you plan on doing the Trans fluid change yourself, it's a lot of fun! They are notorious for transmission issues and most notably, the trans cooler going bad and mixing with coolant inside the radiator, which ruins the trans. I have seen it so many times that I'd recommend changing the radiator if it doesn't look like it has already been done. Keep an eye on the rear springs if they are factory, they have a 100% chance of breaking. I'm not a Ford fan but that model Explorer does ride nicely. Good luck with your purchase! I'd be happy to help you with it via PM if you have any questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 Interesting, most of the stuff I've read on the 6R60 says it's one of ford's best transmissions. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 It's probably one of the most rebuilt transmissions out there. You already know about the plugs, but I typically see them when they are blown out of the cylinder (when it's obviously too late). Definitely get that stuff taken care of and you will have a happy, long lasting Explorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsunami Posted August 11, 2016 Share Posted August 11, 2016 I've been thinking about getting an SUV for towing. What made you decide on the Explorer vs a Toyota 4runner v8 or other similar SUV's on the market? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 11, 2016 Author Share Posted August 11, 2016 I've been thinking about getting an SUV for towing. What made you decide on the Explorer vs a Toyota 4runner v8 or other similar SUV's on the market? Mostly the nearly $10k price difference between a similar miles Tundra/Sequoia. Additionally I really like the size of the 06-10 explorer. To stay a similar size in a Tundra/Sequoia you're looking at a first generation and miles/condition of those trucks seemed to be less than stellar. Chevy never really built a SUV with similar capacity as the last V8 Explorers and the Durango is a massive hunk of junk. I wanted a tow rating of 6500-7000lbs in as small as a vehicle I could safely get away with. The reality is I won't tow often and I will have to park it all the time. I'm fine with having to drive a little slower while towing, CA speed limit for towing is 55mph, if it means the rest of the time it's easier to drive. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Interesting, most of the stuff I've read on the 6R60 says it's one of ford's best transmissions. Not saying much considering the trans issues the previous exploders had. Ford has always had transmission issues in SUVs/Trucks. That being said they are good bang for buck. Even with a new trans they are cheaper than the Toyotas etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsunami Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Mostly the nearly $10k price difference between a similar miles Tundra/Sequoia. Additionally I really like the size of the 06-10 explorer. To stay a similar size in a Tundra/Sequoia you're looking at a first generation and miles/condition of those trucks seemed to be less than stellar. Chevy never really built a SUV with similar capacity as the last V8 Explorers and the Durango is a massive hunk of junk. I wanted a tow rating of 6500-7000lbs in as small as a vehicle I could safely get away with. The reality is I won't tow often and I will have to park it all the time. I'm fine with having to drive a little slower while towing, CA speed limit for towing is 55mph, if it means the rest of the time it's easier to drive. The 4th gen V8 4unners are similar sized with the explorer with a 7500lb tow rating. I have seen those explorers for several thousand cheaper than the Toyotas though. Most 4th gen 4runners in the $6-10k range usually have over 200,000 miles but they seem to be reliable still. I'll have to do more research I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 Not saying much considering the trans issues the previous exploders had. Ford has always had transmission issues in SUVs/Trucks. That being said they are good bang for buck. Even with a new trans they are cheaper than the Toyotas etc.Some of that is over blown and some of it is due to misuse and neglect from the owner. Yes the A4LD wasn't a great transmission, but I suspect owners not locking the transmission out of OD when it Ford recommended it led to the transmission failing faster than it would have normally. We used a 1st generation Explorer to tow a 22ft ski boat for years with limited issues. Again my research on the 6R60 6spd indicates it's a good unit as long as you keep it cool and change the fluid at about half of Ford's recommended interval. The 4th gen V8 4unners are similar sized with the explorer with a 7500lb tow rating. I have seen those explorers for several thousand cheaper than the Toyotas though. Most 4th gen 4runners in the $6-10k range usually have over 200,000 miles but they seem to be reliable still. I'll have to do more research I suppose. I don't know what prices are out there but here in CA a decent V8 4Runner starts at $10-13k, but if you want a i-VVT equipped one with the 5spd and less then 150k miles you better be willing to spend $17-21k. I actually liked the idea of a 4Runner because they have better off road capabilities, but I realized I probably would not take it off road any worse than something I'd do with the Outback. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Interesting, most of the stuff I've read on the 6R60 says it's one of ford's best transmissions. That is probably accurate given the low bar set by previous ford transmissions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Some of that is over blown and some of it is due to misuse and neglect from the owner. Yes the A4LD wasn't a great transmission, but I suspect owners not locking the transmission out of OD when it Ford recommended it led to the transmission failing faster than it would have normally. We used a 1st generation Explorer to tow a 22ft ski boat for years with limited issues. Again my research on the 6R60 6spd indicates it's a good unit as long as you keep it cool and change the fluid at about half of Ford's recommended interval. My moms Mercury Mountaineer couldn't handle pulling a 2,000lbs pop up a dozen or so times a year for 3 years without the trans going. Literally the only thing it towed. Granted she did buy it used with like 10k miles on it. Then when they bought their new hard wall camper they bought an expedition. It couldn't handle towing a 4500lbs camper a dozen or so times a year for 3 years. When I took my Dakota to Accurate transmissions to have the shifting issues looked at they told me the only thing more common than a Durango/Dakota trans needing replacement is a exploder trans needing replacement. I hope that 6 speed is much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 My moms Mercury Mountaineer couldn't handle pulling a 2,000lbs pop up a dozen or so times a year for 3 years without the trans going. Literally the only thing it towed. Granted she did buy it used with like 10k miles on it. Then when they bought their new hard wall camper they bought an expedition. It couldn't handle towing a 4500lbs camper a dozen or so times a year for 3 years. When I took my Dakota to Accurate transmissions to have the shifting issues looked at they told me the only thing more common than a Durango/Dakota trans needing replacement is a exploder trans needing replacement. I hope that 6 speed is much better. Hahaha I'm sorry but your full of crap claiming an explorer (vehicle based on an explorer) can't tow a 2000lb pop-up. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 That's a real life experience. The trans went before 100k, only thing it ever towed was a pop up since 10-15k miles. On the other hand my aunts 01 explorer went to 180k before she sold it. She never towed, never had a major component break as far as I know. Take it for what it is though, some guy on the intertron giving you information about an SUV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 I get that, but I've learned to take these types of anecdotes with a grain of salt. There are just too many different factors which cannot be accounted for, from vehicle configuration to varying definitions of "towing well." Even if we just look at vehicle configuration and use the 2016 F150 and throw out the non turbo V6s you can by an F150 SAE rated to tow as little as 7600lbs and as much as 12,000lbs. What happens all too often is someone buys a truck (typically used) wanting to tow a trailer they just take whatever truck is in their price range not knowing whether or not it has the correct packages/equipment to tow anywhere near the advertised capacity, but they think their truck can tow that much. Now you have someone with a truck rated to tow about 7600lbs dragging a trailer with a GVW closer to 10,000lbs. Now this person complains the engine is revving way too much, barely does 45 up a 5% grade and the transmission blew out. Of course this was their real world experience, but it comes from not understanding what equipment they have to have to really tow versus what they own. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Correct. My truck is rated to tow 8900lbs. I don't really like towing more than 5klbs with it if were taking a trip and driving for a few hundred miles+ at freeway speeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Plenty of ford transmissions bit the bullet without ever towing anything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Towing anything causes a lot of stress on a vehicle. I would not risk it on a vehicle with known transmission problems but that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 Towing anything causes a lot of stress on a vehicle. I would not risk it on a vehicle with known transmission problems but that's just me. So don't tow anything with a GM, Dodge or Ford? What are you basing your claims on? I'm skeptical to believe you simply because one of 'issues' you said this year explorer has isn't even possible. 3V 4.6/5.4's don't have the problem where the plugs back out. All of my research I can easily find say the 6R60/6R80 rarely have mechanical failures not related to over heating. Usually they have solenoid/electric gremlins related to over heating the fluid and not changing it often enough. Turbochargers put a lot of extra stress on cars I wouldn't recommend it especially ones with known ringland issues... 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 They dont!? :lol: You really need to do better research. The 5.4 blow the plugs ALL THE TIME. You say it isn't possible is the most far fetched thing I've ever seen on this forum. We just had an Expedition with the 5.4 in the shop on Thursday....for blowing out a spark plug and destroying the coil. I have not seen the spark plug problem on a 4.0 but the 4.6 and 5.4 definitely have that problem. You are basing information on what you read on the internet. I am basing my information on real life experiences with the said vehicles. I told you about a few of the problems they are notorious for having so you know what to look for prior to buying one. You could very well pay another professional for their opinion but I chose to do it as a courtesy. I really do not care what you spend your money on because it's your money. All I'm trying to do is help you out and look out for your best interests. I'm not getting paid for this shit so do whatever the hell makes you happy. Do yourself a favor and find a more reliable website to gather your information about the vehicle you are looking to purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 On a side note, you can easily overheat any transmission no matter the condition of the fluid. The primary way of overheating a transmission....towing. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 They dont!? :lol: You really need to do better research. The 5.4 blow the plugs ALL THE TIME. You say it isn't possible is the most far fetched thing I've ever seen on this forum. We just had an Expedition with the 5.4 in the shop on Thursday....for blowing out a spark plug and destroying the coil. I have not seen the spark plug problem on a 4.0 but the 4.6 and 5.4 definitely have that problem. You are basing information on what you read on the internet. I am basing my information on real life experiences with the said vehicles. I told you about a few of the problems they are notorious for having so you know what to look for prior to buying one. You could very well pay another professional for their opinion but I chose to do it as a courtesy. I really do not care what you spend your money on because it's your money. All I'm trying to do is help you out and look out for your best interests. I'm not getting paid for this shit so do whatever the hell makes you happy. Do yourself a favor and find a more reliable website to gather your information about the vehicle you are looking to purchase. I'm glad you don't work on my cars since you clearly don't know the difference between a 2V and a 3V motor. V2 5.4 and 4.6 motors are known for blowing plugs out, 3V (built prior to 11/07) are known to have their plugs stick in the head and break. 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 My mistake, I didn't see the part about you stating it was a 3v motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris GTO TT Posted August 14, 2016 Author Share Posted August 14, 2016 2003 Baja 5MT 2016 Outback 2.5i Premium w/Eyesight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08SpecB_DE Posted August 14, 2016 Share Posted August 14, 2016 Whatever bro, good luck with your purchase. Change the radiator if it has not already been done or you will be buying a transmission sooner than you think. Especially since you plan on towing and it's already approaching 100k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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