Jonathan Flores
Member
I just bought my 2001 ST and cant wait to fix it up but I need help. I can't decide what should be my first upgrade. I take the first upgrade very seriously so any and all help is needed in making this decision. Thanks ...
What should be my first upgrade for my 2001 ST?
- Thread starter Jonathan Flores
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Scott Heckler
Well-Known Member
Jonathan - welcome! Don't you know these tracs are addicting and you will spend all your hard earned money on them???!!!!:lol::lol::lol: LOCK UP YOUR WALLET!!!!
It really depends upon what you want to do. Performance, suspension or looks ????? There are soooo many things that you can change. Just look at some of our profiles and you can see all that we have changed.
It really depends upon what you want to do. Performance, suspension or looks ????? There are soooo many things that you can change. Just look at some of our profiles and you can see all that we have changed.
Gary DiPietroSr
Well-Known Member
Shocks are always a good start. Sway bar, intake, tuner. Take your pick.
Paul McDevitt
Active Member
If it has stock shocks on it. Shocks. Choice depends upon whether you offroad or not. Next sway bars, Addco for the front and Explorer Express for the rear. You'll think you're driving a different truck.
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shawn stonbraker 2
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the site and take your pick on which upgrade to do. All the ones mentioned on this site are good. When they aren't, they are posted here pretty quickly. It all depends on what you want, and how much you want to spend. Trust me, money flows around the ST very easily.
Welcome to the site and SportTrac Aholics. I am Rodger and got my latest mod yesterday.
Rear sway bar from Explorer Express, front sway bar end links from AutoZone and rear 1-1/4" wheel spacers from eBay. Then do the shocks. After that do the intake, exhaust and SCT XCalibrator 2 tuner.
Rear sway bar from Explorer Express, front sway bar end links from AutoZone and rear 1-1/4" wheel spacers from eBay. Then do the shocks. After that do the intake, exhaust and SCT XCalibrator 2 tuner.
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Kevin Lang
Well-Known Member
What do the rear spacers do for the trac?
(other than spread the wheels out
(other than spread the wheels out
Kevin, The spacers give the ST about a 2-1/2 wider stance for better handling. I am going on the recommendation of Todd Z & others. Do a site search on "wheel spacers" for more info. According to Todd you need to use the blue lock tight and torque them properly.
Kevin Lang
Well-Known Member
Doesn't the tuner require you to jump up in octane ratings? I thought the main improvement was stepping up compression, which requires more octane, which requires even more than our 60 dollars a fillup at the pump...and we know that it won't give higher gas mileage to offset the cost (even if it did, the right foot would negate it)
Plus the stupidity that the Xcal3 is bonded to one vehicle...makes me wary of using them.
Wheel spacers sound like a good idea though.
Plus the stupidity that the Xcal3 is bonded to one vehicle...makes me wary of using them.
Wheel spacers sound like a good idea though.
Dan Long
Well-Known Member
The Xcal isn't permanently "bonded", it just can only be used on one vehicle at a time. Otherwise, everyone and their brother would just buy one and share it. Its basically like copyright protection on DVD's, although I don't know of anyone that's hacked an Xcal.
Also, you will have a tune custom written for your truck and your mods to get the most out of it. The tuner doesn't raise your compression, it would require physical changes to the motor to do that. They typically modify fuel curves and timing advances, which could possibly require a different octane rating to prevent detonation. The tunes can be written for whatever octane you want to use, so you don't have to increase your fuel cost, although the most power will usually come from a 93 octane tune. On the flip side, you can have an economy oriented tune written to help save fuel.
Also, you will have a tune custom written for your truck and your mods to get the most out of it. The tuner doesn't raise your compression, it would require physical changes to the motor to do that. They typically modify fuel curves and timing advances, which could possibly require a different octane rating to prevent detonation. The tunes can be written for whatever octane you want to use, so you don't have to increase your fuel cost, although the most power will usually come from a 93 octane tune. On the flip side, you can have an economy oriented tune written to help save fuel.
Kevin Palmer
Well-Known Member
Get rid of the OEM shocks and then go for the rear sway bar.
It will be like a new truck...
It will be like a new truck...
Johnny O
Well-Known Member
A 500 cube big-block from John Kaase with an 8-71 blower through the hood.
j/k
j/k
