This page is to show some "Do-It-Yourself" projects. (This is the way I do/did them; people with remarks or advice on how I did these things - please keep them to yourself. Disclaimer: Any damage to your automobile or you will not be of my responsiblity and you are doing the following opinions at your own risk. Thank you)

Body Lift Gap Guards:

This is what stock gap guards look like after the body lift:

This is what they can look like after you make some new ones:

Front:

Rear:

They are very easy to make. All you need is pond lining (found at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.), plastic rivets (for the rear only), pencil, scissors, tape measure, and common sense. Basically all you do is add your body lift length to the bottom of the gap guards and then cut it out and put holes in the lining where the rivets will go and then rivet it to the fender well. Easily done. The rear is the hardest, but it isn't too bad. You will need a drill for the rear for a few points.

Detailing Your Engine:

There are tons of websites out there that can show you how to detail your engine, what projects to use, cautions, and all types of stuff. All you need for this is some type of automotive degreaser (i.e. Simple Green, Mean Green). They can be found at any auto store. You will also need the following: plastic grocery bags, surran wrap, rubber bands, and a type of dressing (the shiny stuff) that will be safe on plastics. The degreaser will NOT give you a shiny look. All it does it clean.

What To Do:

First you will need to cover up any major electrical components. Depending on what you have (car-wise) you may need to cover up more or less things. For the late model Explorers, you will want to cover up your coil packs and your alternator. Some say that you do not have to cover these things, but I've seen people come into my shop and have problems with their ignition systems after detailing their engines. To cover the coil packs, I put a piece of surran wrap over the packs and placed a rubber band around it all to keep it covered and somewhat water-proof. The alternator; I used a grocery bag around that. If you have any type of "Open-air" induction system, you will want to cover this up as well.

Now, after all that is secure, you will need to spray your engine down with water. I recommend you use a nozzle with an adjustable setting head. This will allow you to choose a softer spray. Spray only for a short amount of time; just allow everything to get wet. No need for over kill.

After the engine is wet, spray down the engine with the automotive degreaser. Let it sit NO LONGER than 10 minutes. Anything longer may result in cracking. DO NOT allow the degreaser to dry. After the recommened time has passed, remove the degreaser by spraying gently again with the hose. Be sure to take your time and get everything. If you need to, if the engine is not as clean as preferred, use a brush to break loose any other particles.

After you have washed the degreaser off the surface, allow the engine to sit and COMPLETELY dry. I would recommend doing this in the evening and allowing the engine to sit for atleast 6-8 hours. I would also recommend the usage of a air compressor or a leaf-blower. Use the air to blow out any water that is stand still. This will ensure a dry engine (less chance of electrical problems).

Once the engine is completely dry, spray your choice of dressing onto the plastic pieces for a shiny look. This is only an optional step. After letting the dressing sit for 1-2 minutes, wipe any excess off.

You're done. Take a look and admire. Hope the "projects" will be helpful. Good luck and be careful.

WARNINGS: Do not detail the engine while hot (this will crack the engine block or heads and will result in a costly fix). Do not allow degreaser to dry.

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