20250213_123159.jpg
0 hits | 121.61 KB | Posted: 2/13/25
Many of the parts I'm swapping came from this JY donor.
(Posted in: Spare Parts)

Cluster15.jpg
0 hits | 56.79 KB | Posted: 2/14/25
Turns out the 15 cluster won't work in my 16.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
(Posted in: Spare Parts)

NWatk12X.jpg
0 hits | 82.65 KB | Posted: 5/9/25
Another junker 12 XLT
(Posted in: Spare Parts)

DomeLEDs.jpg
0 hits | 51.25 KB | Posted: 9/10/25
LED Dome Lamps
(Posted in: Spare Parts)

RoofHoles01.jpg
0 hits | 123.45 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
PIUs don't have luggage racks (which would make a great place to mount police lights without the paint damage caused by common light bars), and the antenna farm was removed without much effort to plug the holes. Surprisingly, only the rear center hol...
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofRack04.jpg
0 hits | 129.2 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
This '15 Ltd. was T-boned in the RHR door, so its roof rack was OK.

So were its front heated/cooled seats, its center console/shifter, its hitch receiver, and a few other parts.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofRack08.jpg
0 hits | 115.29 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
Because the factory drain holes are blocked by factory foam seals, several of the bolts were submerged & rusty, requiring extra effort to get the rack off. I destroyed this carbide burr, but I got the rack. I found replacement bolts in my junkpile at...
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

JYparts250214.jpg
0 hits | 105.89 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
First thing was a thorough cleaning & inspection.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofRack03.jpg
0 hits | 108.97 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
The PIU has a short plastic filler bolted at the front, and then flexible rubber fillers held in by double-sided foam tape. Fortunately, after cleaning all that out, I found the factory just puts some filler in the luggage rack holes, so they were ea...
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofRack35.jpg
0 hits | 130.66 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
It was very quick & easy to install.

Now, for those antenna holes...
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles11.jpg
0 hits | 87.1 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
This cheap duct tape has been on here long enough for the backing to separate from the adhesive & fibers more easily than from the paint.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles14.jpg
0 hits | 123.68 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
The tape was applied over the remains of a self-adhesive foam gasket.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles21.jpg
0 hits | 120.35 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
Some 3M Adhesive Remover and a sharpened SpitzNagel (pointy fingernail) plastic scraping tool eventually removed everything with minimal damage to the paint.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles46.jpg
0 hits | 133.22 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
Some 3M Adhesive Remover and a sharpened SpitzNagel (pointy fingernail) plastic scraping tool eventually removed everything with minimal damage to the paint.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles24.jpg
0 hits | 126.06 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
All the residue came up with paper towels, soap & water, and a little brake cleaner. But the paint/clearcoat has a permanent fog where the adhesive was.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles49.jpg
0 hits | 116.54 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
These caps are sold for Ford Transit Connect van roofs, so I thought they'd be good here. Unfortunately, they're much smaller than I expected. But with a generous bead of UltraBlack, they cover 4 of the 5 holes.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles37.jpg
0 hits | 126.05 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
After the sealant cured, the excess comes off fairly easily with the same SpitzNagel.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles59.jpg
0 hits | 90.49 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
This rubber plug barely fit into the 1 larger hole, but it still got sealed down.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles75.jpg
0 hits | 128.49 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
After all the sealant was cured, each hole was tested for several minutes.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles78.jpg
0 hits | 95.49 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
None of them leaked, so after some wiring mods, the headliner can go back in.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

RoofHoles64.jpg
0 hits | 122.83 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
There were a couple more holes than needed, so they were filled with some extra butyl sealant.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

Xbars.jpg
0 hits | 89.01 KB | Posted: 3/19/25
This cheap copy set of crossbars is for '11-15 Explorer roof racks. The poor instructions show the steel nuts inserted wrong, so I had to flip them. And the rear bar was too long, so I had to bandsaw it & re-drill a screw hole. But they look OK.
(Posted in: Roof Rack & Holes)

BodyLHR.jpg
0 hits | 128.15 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
Most PIUs don't have hitch receivers, so it will be added. Aftermarket receivers hang low and don't use as many bolts and don't include a PnP harness, so a factory set is preferred.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

BumpR16d.jpg
0 hits | 127.64 KB | Posted: 3/12/25
The rear bumper cover comes off surprisingly quickly & easily, exposing the plain rear bumper bar, which is attached by only 2 nuts & 2 bolts.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

BumpR16f.jpg
0 hits | 123.79 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
Both muffler hangers also come off since the receiver bolts into those holes, too.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

BumpR16p.jpg
0 hits | 81.16 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
While the cover was off, a break in the energy-absorber was hot-stapled.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Hrns16a.jpg
0 hits | 106.04 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
Though not originally equipped, the harness is ready for the receiver wiring, which plugs in on the right side.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr15b.jpg
0 hits | 115.61 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
This receiver came from a '15 Explorer Ltd. that was T-boned on the right, so this was undamaged and fit easily.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr15e.jpg
0 hits | 112.83 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
Some of the body holes didn't have bolts, so oil is needed for threads to be cut during the first installation.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr15f.jpg
0 hits | 104.22 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
With some effort, the harness can be threaded between the absorber & cover. This one also has parking sensors & a RKE antenna, but not a liftgate sensor.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr15k.jpg
0 hits | 109.48 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
The 7-pin plug uses the modern standard USCAR connector, which allows easy swapping to other shapes of trailer connector. The 4-pin is a common rubber receptacle that fits a steel slot welded to the receiver.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr15n.jpg
0 hits | 117.05 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
The original lower valance can't go back - it would be pushed out in the middle by the receiver. But its red reflectors can be transferred to the receiver valance.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr16Val.jpg
0 hits | 92.81 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
This cheap copy valance was washed with Dawn & PurplePower, rinsed with warm water, sun-dried for a few minutes, then painted with 8oz of DupliColor EBUN01007 Universal Black.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr16Val12.jpg
0 hits | 68.5 KB | Posted: 3/13/25
The valance simply snaps into place along the top, with about 9 pushpins along the bottom. The reflectors also snap in easily.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr16Cvr2.jpg
0 hits | 127.96 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
The cover was prepped the same way, but sprayed with satin black Fusion.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Recvr16Cvr5.jpg
0 hits | 104.05 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
The cover snaps in very easily, so I'm concerned that it may fall out. I'm considering adding magnets to it.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

Drawbar.jpg
0 hits | 120.55 KB | Posted: 6/5/25
The last piece is a locking adjustable Aluminum draw bar with 2 & 2-5/16 balls.
(Posted in: Hitch Receiver)

ChairPUI-RHF6.jpg
0 hits | 131.62 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
After finding a '15 Explorer Limited in a local JY with good-looking cooled memory seats and carpet, the basic chairs & plastic flooring came out.
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

Seats15a.jpg
0 hits | 132.72 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
To get the JY seats' rear bolts out, it's necessary to drive their horizontal motors fully forward, and their rear height motors up. The quickest way to do that was to unplug the motors' connectors and use a 12V cordless tool battery.
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

Seats15c.jpg
0 hits | 134.25 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
They hit the limestone gravel in the JY a few times, but those white marks will wash off easily. In addition to the seats, the '15 Ex.Ltd. also surrendered its floor console & shifter, roof rack, carpet, lower B-pillar covers, and hitch receiver with...
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

Carpet.jpg
0 hits | 52.55 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
The JY carpets were submerged in rain, so after letting them dry a few weeks, they were beaten out, vacuumed, and installed. The rear was butchered by the person who got the back seats, but that just made it easier to fit with the police cargo floor....
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

Seats15.jpg
0 hits | 30.68 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
The DSM controls memory for itself, the column, the pedals, & the mirrors. So eventually, I might add those and wire it all up. In the meantime, I'll probably just put 3 buttons on the driver's chair for Set, M1, & M2. Getting the heating & cooling t...
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

Pass05.jpg
0 hits | 116.35 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
To make its assembly easier, the floor console was installed before the chairs. It wiring and the driver's seat position wiring are underway...
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

C311-300.jpg
0 hits | 56.64 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
Instead of cutting the dozen wires from the '16 driver's floor connector to splice into the '15s, the pins were simply transferred, leaving the '16 wires intact. 2 power & 2 ground wires from the '15 connectors were soldered into the driver wires to ...
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)

Seats15HVAC.jpg
0 hits | 70.16 KB | Posted: 3/16/25
I haven't decided yet how to control the DCSM, but I may look for something that can connect directly to it instead of passing through 2 networks.
(Posted in: HVAC Seats)