My Maine 2014 STX Build
12-04-2014, 09:58 AM
#1
My Maine 2014 STX Build
At the start of October I sat down with my salesman and wanted to get a new vehicle, my previous saturn sl2 was in rough shape and i didnt want to put anymore money into it. I looked at a couple pre owned certified trucks but they were all priced at 23k give or take a couple g's. then the technician in the bay next to me said something about our dealer plan and the price being only a little more so i had him run my numbers on a new truck. he came back with the keys to a 2014 and told me to shut up and buy it. I agreed. 2014 stx sport package, 5.0, 3.55's, select shift, tow, sport comes with 20's a black interior and black running boards, yada yada yada. MSRP was 41,895. my price was 28,131. traded the saturn in for 500 plus a 1500 rebate, 1500 for financing through ford, and a couple others for 500. needless to say a put some money down on it, got the price to where i want it at ford credit rating and bought it. best part is, ford gave me 8 percent interest. i qualify for 2.65 at my local credit union. which means when i refinance im well below what i expect to pay for a new truck and i got 1500 almost for free. just have to make three payments to ford on it.
Its finally come down to putting everything on the truck that I bought. After I get the little bit of drone tuned out i believe im mostly done Fuc@#$ with the truck for a long while. However I did want to update and write a couple reviews on what I have done to it to help others out.
The first thing I did which many seem to do was a tint, which i outsourced to a company called Sunstoppers in South Portland. Guy was phenomenal, tine came out perfect, i went with 35% front which is legal limit and 15% rears. Truck is a lot more enjoyable during the day with a sense of privacy and there is still plenty of light left at night when backing up. Along with the tint I had another thread asking about rear window graphic and who has done them and how the hold up.
https://www.f150forum.com/f38/rear-w...c-wrap-278525/
I went ahead and ordered this http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Flag-Prairie-Gold-Stone-Rear-Window-Graphic-Decal-Truck-/121035901989?hash=item1c2e4d4c25&vxp=mtrthis was installed at the same time as the tint. I didnt want to have to deal with either sense i would be looking at it for the rest of the time i owned the truck.
As for the window graphic the perforated sticker i was told are a pain in the *** to install and usually only last about 2 years untill they fade, then its just peel and reapply a new one. as for how it looks; man i think its one of the best features on the truck. here are some random photos i took of it, you will still see it on the truck with photos of everything else i did.
Also note these are great pics for the truck pre level
Its finally come down to putting everything on the truck that I bought. After I get the little bit of drone tuned out i believe im mostly done Fuc@#$ with the truck for a long while. However I did want to update and write a couple reviews on what I have done to it to help others out.
The first thing I did which many seem to do was a tint, which i outsourced to a company called Sunstoppers in South Portland. Guy was phenomenal, tine came out perfect, i went with 35% front which is legal limit and 15% rears. Truck is a lot more enjoyable during the day with a sense of privacy and there is still plenty of light left at night when backing up. Along with the tint I had another thread asking about rear window graphic and who has done them and how the hold up.
https://www.f150forum.com/f38/rear-w...c-wrap-278525/
I went ahead and ordered this http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Flag-Prairie-Gold-Stone-Rear-Window-Graphic-Decal-Truck-/121035901989?hash=item1c2e4d4c25&vxp=mtrthis was installed at the same time as the tint. I didnt want to have to deal with either sense i would be looking at it for the rest of the time i owned the truck.
As for the window graphic the perforated sticker i was told are a pain in the *** to install and usually only last about 2 years untill they fade, then its just peel and reapply a new one. as for how it looks; man i think its one of the best features on the truck. here are some random photos i took of it, you will still see it on the truck with photos of everything else i did.
Also note these are great pics for the truck pre level
Last edited by Knielsen; 12-04-2014 at 10:08 AM.
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Knielsen (12-04-2014)
12-04-2014, 10:10 AM
#4
Next I added auto springs 1.5 spacer. i measured from ground parallel through theford cap on the wheel to the fender. rears were 40.25, front was a little under 38. after install the fronts were at 39.5 which is looks a lot closer than you think.
As for the writeup on how i did it, i had access to a full shop and lift which makes it easier. I opted for a different way than autospring tells you to, removing the lower control arm as they want allows for the possibility of you messing with cast and camber. im a minimalist and dont want to have to mess with anything i dont have to. plus the chance of me getting them back exactly where they should be was minimal.
I started by removing the top three nuts to the strut. Remove front wheels and front calipers remove the bolt from the caliper hose to wheel knuck and support the calipers. pull the line off the iwe, remove the abs sensor wire from the push in tabs along the knuckle and frame, there is a pushpin for it on the fender liner take that down and disconnect it. now remove the 18mm lower nuts for the strut and sway bar link, and the 21mm for the upper balljoint and tie rod. smack both with a hammer to dislodge. now pull the nut off of the axleshaft after romving the cap, 13mm. using either a air hammer or pointed punch striking the dimple in the end of the shaft light to medium will knock it back through the hub. now that its clear, move it to the side, pry down on the LCA and remove the strut.add the spacers to the top of the strut, and reinstall. the only portion of the reinstall that im going to write about is the iwe, which seems to be where most people. including me, seems to mess up. when reinstalling the axleshaft, slide the shaft into the hub, pull down on the UCA and threadthe upper balljoint nut on a little bit. now holding IN on the axle shaft rotate the hub or brake disc untill you feel the shaft fall into the IWE. you will notice all the threads are now exposed, now torque to 30ftlbs and you have just done it without breaking it. I did break mine and i knew it. i could also hear the grinding on the way home, brought it in the next day and was able to cover the iwe under warranty. all is well in the world.
The ride is exactly the same. nothing feels different. any other question i would love to answer,
The first two pictures are my alignment before and after.
then just some general pics of install and it sitting around.
As for the writeup on how i did it, i had access to a full shop and lift which makes it easier. I opted for a different way than autospring tells you to, removing the lower control arm as they want allows for the possibility of you messing with cast and camber. im a minimalist and dont want to have to mess with anything i dont have to. plus the chance of me getting them back exactly where they should be was minimal.
I started by removing the top three nuts to the strut. Remove front wheels and front calipers remove the bolt from the caliper hose to wheel knuck and support the calipers. pull the line off the iwe, remove the abs sensor wire from the push in tabs along the knuckle and frame, there is a pushpin for it on the fender liner take that down and disconnect it. now remove the 18mm lower nuts for the strut and sway bar link, and the 21mm for the upper balljoint and tie rod. smack both with a hammer to dislodge. now pull the nut off of the axleshaft after romving the cap, 13mm. using either a air hammer or pointed punch striking the dimple in the end of the shaft light to medium will knock it back through the hub. now that its clear, move it to the side, pry down on the LCA and remove the strut.add the spacers to the top of the strut, and reinstall. the only portion of the reinstall that im going to write about is the iwe, which seems to be where most people. including me, seems to mess up. when reinstalling the axleshaft, slide the shaft into the hub, pull down on the UCA and threadthe upper balljoint nut on a little bit. now holding IN on the axle shaft rotate the hub or brake disc untill you feel the shaft fall into the IWE. you will notice all the threads are now exposed, now torque to 30ftlbs and you have just done it without breaking it. I did break mine and i knew it. i could also hear the grinding on the way home, brought it in the next day and was able to cover the iwe under warranty. all is well in the world.
The ride is exactly the same. nothing feels different. any other question i would love to answer,
The first two pictures are my alignment before and after.
then just some general pics of install and it sitting around.
Last edited by Knielsen; 12-04-2014 at 10:36 AM.
12-04-2014, 10:10 AM
#5
The last piece to this puzzle i think im going to do for a little while atleast was Solo-Performance's Mr400 4 inch single exhaust. Now this is still sort of a work in progress/ seeing if i like it, i just got it on last night and havent had a lengthy test of the system. Out of the box is PERFECT, everything bubble wrapped and neat, packing in tight. and the steel looks great too. i was a little blown away by the sheer size of it. anyone who says that 4 is too big and eliminates and backpressure i would disagree with, first off you still have your manifold and cats, plus if you look at the gass job superdutys that come with 3.5 inch system. yeah its bigger, yeah its more free flowing but in my short drive i didnt notice any step down in power. as for install its pretty straigh forward. i opted to unbolt the 10mm and remove the hangers with the system and take off with it on the ground. bolt those back on and toss in the new pieces. hardest part is keeping everything lined up while you tighten it all down. i love the flex seal clamps the kit comes with because nothing gets crimped and they can be found at napa if they have to be removed again.
As for the sound. It is very deep and pleasant, yes it IS every loud, but in just the 10 mile drive home the sound seemed to "seat in" if you will and sort of became a deeper tone than a sound. Drone is there though, expecially right out of the box. it was pretty bad actually gave me a headache in just the 2 mile test run i did before bringing back in the shop. loosened the j pipe and knocked the end in about 1-2 inches, leaving about.5 inch still sticking out and that drone seemed to fade right away, there is only the slightest drone in the cab right about 2100 rpm. i still have a little finagling to do but im confident that can be measured out with the jpipe.
Just a little background for the guys who think "well i like loud things maybe this guy is just a *****" I have a 2007 victory kingpin with shotgun pipes on it. i cant leave the neighborhood without everyone getting mad at me, and my friends wont ride ditch side of me, those pipes are LOUD, so when i compare this system its against that bike. everyone else thinks the bike is loud but when you are on it, it seems PERFECT, maybe even too soft.
however on this system anything under 2100 rpms and you get a simple deep tone to it that really cant be much louder than stock. above 1800 and you start grabbing that rumble and above 2500 the system is screaming for attention. in a muscle sort of way. I like it so far but in the back of my mind i am contemplating swapping out for the chambered muffler they have. Time will tell and i will update with that info..
As for the sound. It is very deep and pleasant, yes it IS every loud, but in just the 10 mile drive home the sound seemed to "seat in" if you will and sort of became a deeper tone than a sound. Drone is there though, expecially right out of the box. it was pretty bad actually gave me a headache in just the 2 mile test run i did before bringing back in the shop. loosened the j pipe and knocked the end in about 1-2 inches, leaving about.5 inch still sticking out and that drone seemed to fade right away, there is only the slightest drone in the cab right about 2100 rpm. i still have a little finagling to do but im confident that can be measured out with the jpipe.
Just a little background for the guys who think "well i like loud things maybe this guy is just a *****" I have a 2007 victory kingpin with shotgun pipes on it. i cant leave the neighborhood without everyone getting mad at me, and my friends wont ride ditch side of me, those pipes are LOUD, so when i compare this system its against that bike. everyone else thinks the bike is loud but when you are on it, it seems PERFECT, maybe even too soft.
however on this system anything under 2100 rpms and you get a simple deep tone to it that really cant be much louder than stock. above 1800 and you start grabbing that rumble and above 2500 the system is screaming for attention. in a muscle sort of way. I like it so far but in the back of my mind i am contemplating swapping out for the chambered muffler they have. Time will tell and i will update with that info..
Last edited by Knielsen; 12-04-2014 at 11:00 AM.
12-04-2014, 10:11 AM
#6
To update on the exhaust, got a chance to drive it on the highway this weekend and the noise is just like stock in 6th gear all the way to 70mph, as you start to go about 70 it get louder and louder and its pretty annoying if you cruise at 80, but its not bad at 75. the system seems to have broken in now and has a really deep muscle tone to it while drive. the invasiveness isnt at all bad.
Having said that I was also a passenger in the truck this vehicle (too many drinks makes for a scary ride when you let your significant other drive). any drone that i could hear on the drives side. isnt there on the pass side or in the back for some reason. it sounds totally mellow over there.
I like it and I think Im going to keep the MR400 on it instead of witching to the Mach46
Having said that I was also a passenger in the truck this vehicle (too many drinks makes for a scary ride when you let your significant other drive). any drone that i could hear on the drives side. isnt there on the pass side or in the back for some reason. it sounds totally mellow over there.
I like it and I think Im going to keep the MR400 on it instead of witching to the Mach46
Last edited by Knielsen; 12-08-2014 at 01:27 PM. Reason: update
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12-08-2014, 07:49 PM
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Knielsen (12-09-2014)
12-08-2014, 08:35 PM
#10
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Looks good!
I bought my truck in march and my 1st bill, i paid it off thru my credit union. By my research, the whole 3 payment(90 Day thing) is BY THE DEALER. Once u go 90 days, they won't lose kickback from selling the Ford Loan. So, since April and now is December and ive not been informed by Ford of a penalty.
I bought my truck in march and my 1st bill, i paid it off thru my credit union. By my research, the whole 3 payment(90 Day thing) is BY THE DEALER. Once u go 90 days, they won't lose kickback from selling the Ford Loan. So, since April and now is December and ive not been informed by Ford of a penalty.