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  #1  
Old 06-07-2013, 02:34 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default My 03 FX4 Level II!

well, since my truck wont be staying exactly 'stock' i guess i should maybe make a build thread!

#1. when i bought it::



this is exactly how it came to me other than i removed and got rid of the TrailFX plastic drop-in bedliner. it already had a body lift on it but otherwise it was essentially stock. went to Elkton MD for it and shelled out 11K for it with 64K on the clock.





not long after i got it, i put it to work. i use this truck for nearly everything. i heat with wood over the winters so i use it for a wood hauler and i also use this thing as my contractor buggy hauling OSB, 2x4's, siding...just about anything!!

when it came to me, it was missing the front tow hooks so i tracked down a pair and bought them, best part is they were already modified for a 3" body lift so it was a bolt-in affair. also, it didnt have a front skid plate so i made one up out of .80" stainless steel. i also went ahead and shortened up the factory transfer case skid plate. it always seemed to me that it hung way too low.

Now for some of the good stuff to follow!!

----------

as promised, some of the good mods!!



Expo OHC!! i painted the bezel a nickel/silver to match the radio bezel in my truck. turned out pretty good i suppose. i have not wired it up yet though.



and there it is...a twin-stick truck with a body lift retaining the factory shift boots and bezel!! if there is enough interest in this, i may take it all apart and do a how-to type of write up on it. my trans. shifter does have an extension on it BUT the transfer case shifter does NOT. it was kind of a PITA to accomplish but i'm glad i stuck with it and put the extra effort into it.





i also started working on some steel bumpers for it. this is the back bumper basically finished with the exception of the brackets to bolt it to the frame. it retains a stock appearance and even uses the factory license plate lights! i'm also working on a front bumper as well, but that one is proving to be a bit more challenging that i had anticipated.



and here it is currently! i added some 06+ mirrors, an aluminum diamond plate toolbox, some rhino-lining in the bed tweaked my torsion bars to level it all out and most recently picked up an OEM Ford bed extender along with the hardware and mounted it all up!

probably by the end of the year i will need new tires on my truck. (along with new front lower ball joints and an alignment) i will probably opt for some 32x11.50R15 BFG All-Terrains but am still a bit undecided. what ever it ends up being, they will be on my factory Alcoa's!
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03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift

Last edited by LGHTNG02GT; 06-07-2013 at 04:55 PM.
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  #2  
Old 06-22-2013, 12:57 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

here is an update! i spent the last week fighting with my exhaust. it had a stock tail pipe on it and at full drop the shackle/leaf spring sat down on it and it usually wouldnt stay clamped up at the muffler. i re-worked a tail pipe for it and it fits as good as its gonna get with a body lift.

now for some pictures! i got the hardware kit for the bed extender. not much to it and it was done in roughly 20 minutes



the extender itself was $25. i had another $25 in the hardware kit then.



^These i am super excited for! browsing the good 'ole CL, i came across these, BFG M/T in the KM1 tread pattern! they have easily 3/4 tread and i got 'em for $300! now they are kinda big...a 33x12.50 and i do plan to run them on my alcoa's. i have seen this done before with both the a/t and the m/t so i figure i will give it a whirl.

and it looks like i may be due for shocks. i replaced my bilsteins last year (one was blown out, the other leaking and on its way out on the rear) dumbest choice ever was ProComp ES1000. basically should have just welded a bar in for the shock. i am leaning towards bilsteins again. the 4600 like it would have has stock because it really did ride nice with them. also thinking of ditching the front sway bar.
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03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift
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  #3  
Old 06-22-2013, 01:02 PM
ford4thot ford4thot is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Nice truck great progress
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  #4  
Old 06-22-2013, 01:17 PM
djfllmn djfllmn is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

dude...clean your interior...that's fucking disgusting
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  #5  
Old 06-22-2013, 03:28 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ford4thot View Post
Nice truck great progress
thanks! may have thrown my bumpers on the back burner for the year. i need to get at undercoating this thing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by djfllmn View Post
dude...clean your interior...that's fucking disgusting
it gets used is all i can really say. every day...for everything
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03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift
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  #6  
Old 06-22-2013, 04:08 PM
dutch9mm dutch9mm is offline
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Default

What's the difference between the levels? What makes a truck level 1 over level 2 or 3.

suck it Martians
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  #7  
Old 06-22-2013, 04:23 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Quote:
Originally Posted by dutch9mm View Post
What's the difference between the levels? What makes a truck level 1 over level 2 or 3.

suck it Martians
there were just regular FX4's then the FX4 Level II's. most of it is appearance stuff and a few things are functional.
the Level II's had different front tow hooks, a rear tow hook, the forged alcoa rims, came stock with 31x10.50 BFG a/t's, bilstein shocks, 4.10 gearing with a torsen limited slip, 3 skid plates underneath, different seats, silver gauge cluster and by far my favorite part is a manual shift transfer case.
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03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift
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  #8  
Old 06-22-2013, 04:32 PM
djfllmn djfllmn is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

the silver cluster was an option on all XLT rangers in 03 only...my Level 1 FX4 had one and ive seen XLTs with them as well
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  #9  
Old 06-28-2013, 03:03 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!



took off my front sway bar. drove it all week back and fourth to work...noticed an increase in ride comfort at the cost of a bit more sway/body roll but its not unbearable. i'm sure some of it was magnified by the fact that i have a body lift as well. i plan to keep the thing off though.

got a good 2nd coat of bed liner on my bed rails/caps today and also blacked out the panel behind my grille opening. what a difference! i dont have any pictures of the last two accomplishments though, the rain chased me inside for the rest of the day.
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03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift
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  #10  
Old 06-30-2013, 05:45 AM
RayZorback RayZorback is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

sub'd cuz I have the same truck in black. '03 FX4LII, dual sticks FTW!
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  #11  
Old 06-30-2013, 06:13 AM
ranger024x4 ranger024x4 is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

you should sell me the alcoas and 31's lol
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  #12  
Old 06-30-2013, 01:32 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Quote:
Originally Posted by RayZorback View Post
sub'd cuz I have the same truck in black. '03 FX4LII, dual sticks FTW!
i had seen you were looking for a while (WTB ad in the classifieds!) you picked up a good truck for sure! i knew when i went ranger hunting, the one for the long haul had to be a twin stick Level II.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ranger024x4 View Post
you should sell me the alcoas and 31's lol
i gave it some thought of selling them...but i just cant bring myself to do it. i know ideally i would be better off with a 15x8 of some kind to run these 33x12.50's. its a tough decision lol.
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03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift
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  #13  
Old 06-30-2013, 02:08 PM
Fordzilla80 Fordzilla80 is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Manual Transfer Case, IH Farmall front plate, Oxford White, 33's.

You get brownie points for all of those.

Nice truck!
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  #14  
Old 06-30-2013, 02:37 PM
LGHTNG02GT LGHTNG02GT is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fordzilla80 View Post
Manual Transfer Case, IH Farmall front plate, Oxford White, 33's.

You get brownie points for all of those.

Nice truck!
haha thanks!! i'm from a small~ish farm town in central PA. if it ain't red, leave it in the shed! a little back story (even though it will remind me of how much of an idiot i can be) i used to have a 1975 IH Scout II. that was my 1st truck i ever bought. got it for $500. the foolishness in me won over and i sold it a few years ago. dumb dumb dumb, i wish i still had that thing. tough as nails and would go anywhere!
__________________
03 FX4 Level II Born 9/6/2002.
SOHC 4.0/M5OD/BW1354M/31 spline 8.8 w/Torsen limited slip/33" BFG M/T's on factory Alcoa's/3" Body Lift
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  #15  
Old 06-30-2013, 04:03 PM
Fordzilla80 Fordzilla80 is offline
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Default Re: My 03 FX4 Level II!

Quote:
Originally Posted by LGHTNG02GT View Post
haha thanks!! i'm from a small~ish farm town in central PA. if it ain't red, leave it in the shed! a little back story (even though it will remind me of how much of an idiot i can be) i used to have a 1975 IH Scout II. that was my 1st truck i ever bought. got it for $500. the foolishness in me won over and i sold it a few years ago. dumb dumb dumb, i wish i still had that thing. tough as nails and would go anywhere!
Man that really sucks. My Grandpa was a Farmall collector. He had at least 18 Farmall tractors when he passed away. Now my dad has 3 of them, and I'm not sure what happened to the rest of them.

Farmalls (or anything from IH) are hard to find down here, but I hope one day I can find myself an F20, F30, Cub, or M.
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