Forgetton Cars: Ford Explorer Sport Trac

"LJ909" (lj909) 01/04/2018 at 11:23 • Filed to: None

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It was kind of funky but had enough of a buyer base that they got 2 gens out of it. Produced from ‘00-’11, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac was exactly what it looked like: an Explorer with a pick up bed. The first gen seen above debuted in February of 2000 as for the ‘01 model year. It was to compete with other weird truck things from early last decade like the Ridgeline and larger Avalanche. Its first year on sale it supposedly had a waiting list of 3 months, surprising when you consider that some at the time thought its fully loaded (for the XLT trim) sticker price of just north of 30 grand was too much for what it was.

Power came from Ford’s “Job 1" Cologne boat anchor V6 that saw duty in other trucks and sadly the Mustang. In this application it made 210 horses and was the only engine option. Surprisingly it could be had with either a 5 speed stick or a 5 speed auto routed to either the rear or 4 wheel drive.

With it being essentially an Explorer with a rear bed, it was all Explorer. Weirdly though the rear tailgate was taken from the F-150 Flareside and the interior was damn near identical to the Ranger in a not good early 00's Ford way:

But it did have some ok looking 2 tone leather seats and side curtain airbags which were a big thing back then.

‘04 Sport Trac Concept

2004 saw a preview of the next gen Sport Trac based on the 4th gen Explorer. It was essentially exactly what the production version looked like when it debuted for 2005 but not as low.

Based on the new 4th gen Explorer, it was completely redesigned and saw even the interior fall more inline with the fact that it is an Explorer. It kept with the rugged aspect of the first gen by still offering a rubber floor, but adding new luxury amenities like a heated windshield and satellite raido.

A new engine option came as well. This gen saw the availability of the 4.6 3 valve modular V8 as an option. It put out 292 much needed horses but was only available with a 6 speed auto. This gen also introduced 4 wheel independent suspension for a better ride.

The interior as well was redesigned and made to look more “luxurious”. TO help with that image, this gen had only 2 trim levels unlike the first gens 4. There were only XLT and Limited for the 2nd gen.

Ford was supposed to answer the performance call of enthusiasts with this Sport Trac Adrenalin for the ‘07 model year, but they backed out at the last minute. It had all the right things going for it too and proably would have sold out.

It was powered by (and would have been in production) Ford’s 390 horse supercharged V8 routed to an awd system through a 6 speed auto.

Outside it showcased special SVT chrome wheels, a front fascia with an aggressive “black chrome” grille and grille surround with matching headlamp bezels, while the rear had unique rectangular exhaust outlets and a lip spoiler on the bed.

Inside red leather seats with thick bolsters would have helped coddle you while you surprised the hell out of a few people at stoplights while “unique” SVT white gauges would have shown you how fast you were going over the speed limit. The Adrenalin was supposed to continue Ford’s performance push that had started with the GT and the reintroduction of the GT500. They wanted it to continue what the Lightning started performance truck wise and was supposedly an answer by enthusiasts that wanted something with performance and utility. But as usual they backed out and gave a stupid Adrenalin package that had some of the show and none of the go.

I was really surprised reading online how many people really liked these. And in some places they still command a premium. I have never encountered one in person though.

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:08

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When I was looking for my first car, I tried to find a cheaper Sport Trac in my area.

I’d still probably buy one.

LJ909 > winterlegacy, here 'till the end 01/04/2018 at 12:11

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Its a solid choice if the Ridgeline is too car like and the Avalanche bed system is too confusing.

punkgoose17 > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:39

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I remember the 1st gen really well, but not the 2nd gen at all.

Ash78, voting early and often > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:41

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I still see these daily, they have a lot more of a following than the regular Explorer. These kept the solid rear axles even after the Exploder had moved to IRS. I remember that hurting the truck in the reviews a bit, but it was still more of a truck than its two-box cousin.

They’re a little tight in the backseat, but still better than a Taco/Frontier.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:44

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I was really disappointed when I learned that the Adrenaline was just an appearance package. Yes you could get the 4.6 V8 in it, but you could also get that in a regular Explorer, and it made whole 295hp. Which by today’s standards is V6, or turbo 4 territory not V8. I think I would have sold and been really cool with the Supercharged 5.4l. I mean Dodge sold the SRT10 Ram just fine.

daender > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:50

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I need those bucket seats in pop’s ‘01 Ranger, as long as I can find them un-powered.

OPPOsaurus WRX > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:50

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I had one. the timing chain ate the plastic guide rails and that was that for that engine. I was driving around with my cousin and he asked me if i got a new truck, I said yea... but since we were driving in it, i was a little confused. He said where is it... he liked to smoke a lot nbut that is how similar the interior of the 04 sport trac was to a 95 explorer.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 12:59

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I see a surprising number of these in the Portland, OR area. I like them and considered it as an option when looking for a used run around vehicle for commuter/home improvement duty.

Don’t really need a truck at all at this point in my life, but still have a soft spot for these as it does offer what I think is a good amount of utility for a non-hauling/construction working/off-roading public, in a not obnoxiously huge package.

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 13:03

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Isn’t the sport trac smaller than the avalanche?

LJ909 > Ash78, voting early and often 01/04/2018 at 13:13

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Thats what it had going for it over the Ridgeline, it was an actual truck underneath. I dont really seem them anymore except one. A guy around the corner from me has a V8 and its always clean as hell. Like detailed and waxed.

LJ909 > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 01/04/2018 at 13:21

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I wish they had gone through with it. How they pushed forward with the GT500 and GT but not this is beyond me.

RT > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 13:26

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So, it’s an Explorer with an even worse interior and it can’t seat as many people?

Not my cup of tea.

LJ909 > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/04/2018 at 13:29

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They were lazy as hell on the interior and it looked dated even when it debuted.

OPPOsaurus WRX > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 13:31

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thats cuz it was, that interior was already 6 yrs

LJ909 > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 01/04/2018 at 13:44

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The bed is just the right inbetween size for some quick Home Depot runs.

horizonsofkhaos > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 13:55

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I have a 2003 Explorer Sport. It’s a goofy vehicle. Lacks any kind of grunt to it. Back seats are just about useless as they’re totally uncomfortable. With those seats up there’s not too much room to put stuff either. Up until a couple days ago it was running good though so I wasn’t too disappointed in it. I think the fuel pump crapped out on me though so now it just makes me sad.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 13:56

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The first generation of SportTrac looks like a Ranger inside because it was a Ranger/2nd gen Explorer under the skin. This wouldn’t have been a bad thing in 1996, but it was particularly galling considering that the 3rd generation Explorer came out around the same time.

My uncle had a second generation SportTrac. He like the utility of the open bed, but he didn’t like (or need) the truck-like underpinnings driving around Staten Island. He would have been better off with a Ridgeline.

LJ909 > winterlegacy, here 'till the end 01/04/2018 at 14:03

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Weirdly while the Avalanche is longer length wise, the Sport Trac’s wheelbase is .5 inches longer.

LJ909 > RT 01/04/2018 at 14:05

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But with a truck bed. Thats the selling point.

LJ909 > horizonsofkhaos 01/04/2018 at 14:12

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Hows your rear suspension? Every Explorer Sport I have seen is always sagging in the back.

RT > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 15:32

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Given the size of the bed and the load capacity though, isn’t it basically like a less practical Ranger?

LJ909 > RT 01/04/2018 at 15:44

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Not necessarily. The Sport Trac can tow more but the load ratings are more on the Ranger but not by much. The Ranger does have the longer bed, but the Spot Trac has 4 real doors and the cargo bed has usable quirks that make it more than just a pick up bed like two-tier storage ability, the hard tonneau cover and three integrated tool and gear bins with drain plugs.

RT > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 15:56

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Thanks, this information made things a lot easier

From what I can see, it’s less useful at carrying stuff than the Ranger (slightly lower load capacity, shorter bed) but better at carrying people.

And it’s less useful at carrying people than the Explorer, but better at carrying stuff. And it can tow nicely, but I’m guessing the Explorer is about the same in that regard?

It’s still got a trump card with the cargo bed features you mentioned. But then there’s the F-150 - it seats, carries and tows more. I can’t see anyone using the Sport Trac as a work truck or a people hauler, so it’s just stuck in the middle - a jack of all stats and master of none (from what I can gather).

LJ909 > RT 01/04/2018 at 16:29

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so it’s just stuck in the middle - a jack of all stats and master of none

This is the perfect analogy and exactly what it is. A perfect example of a gray area car that does neither excels or fails at anything. Its bigger than the Ranger in people carrying ability and gets matched probably by a Supercrew F-150, but worse than both when it comes to the actual truck things that matter, but attempts to make up for those failings by having a factory bed cover and cargo area drains.

OmerCarrothers333 > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 16:40

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I used to really like these. I recently saw one in the wilds of San Diego and it’s a design that has not aged well at all. 

Shift24 > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 19:19

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And again GM did it better. In the era of dirt cheap gas and massive SUVs this fit right in where others like the explorer truck and mini van pickup failed. Came stock with 5.3l v8 and full frame. Then the optional 2500 with 8.1L Big block and independent suspension. It was king of the SUV truck and why it left the explorer truck in it’s dust

LJ909 > Shift24 01/04/2018 at 19:51

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You are right. And it was unique with its Midgate system. But that was also a problem from what I remember with consumers. People found it confusing to operate and I often had to demonstrate to crowds of people at auto shows how it was done. And the ones that did know how to operate it didn’t like physically picking up and storing the rear window glass. It made them feel uncomfortable. Also the gray body cladding wasnt popular either but it was solid if not the best entry in the segment.

ranwhenparked > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 20:11

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When these came out, I kind of wondered if a proper crew cab Ranger might not have been a better idea. Actually forgot that they made them for as long as they did.

LJ909 > ranwhenparked 01/04/2018 at 20:14

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You know, I actually never considered that they should have made a crew cab Ranger instead of this. They made a crew cab Taco. It would have made more sense and we would probably still have the Ranger today if they had.

horizonsofkhaos > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 22:08

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Oh it definitely is. Something I’ve been meaning to look into. I don’t know if it’s the leaf springs or the shock absorbers or whatever else. You may have just lead to me googling things. Down the internet wormhole I go...

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 22:17

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So basically, shorter body, but longer wheelbase. Gotcha.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 23:09

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I’m surprised these died off honestly. I remember seeing plenty when they were new. It was perfect for the guy or girl who just wanted something with a bed but not necessarily a full pickup truck.

Shift24 > LJ909 01/04/2018 at 23:40

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I think as the truck evolved it got better and eventually phased out the gray plastic with 2nd gen. The mid gate system was a good idea and as a kid why I wanted one. But to be honest if you look at the ridgeline or explorer truck they didn’t need it. It make me wonder how many owners actually used it.

Though this was my favorite commercial as a kid.

slipperysallylikespenguins > LJ909 01/05/2018 at 00:02

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So much better.

They just don’t like selling us cool things.

LJ909 > Shift24 01/05/2018 at 00:46

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Yea a mid cycle refresh on the first gen saw the gray siding go away. And then the second gen had it look like a Tahoe/Suburban with a truck bed. The Midgate system was mostly a marketing gimmick but it actually worked in some instances like when you needed to haul something long. How you could hose it out easy too was pretty big and the fact that it hand drain holes helped too.

LJ909 > slipperysallylikespenguins 01/05/2018 at 00:47

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It looks....right but weird at the same time.

horizonsofkhaos > LJ909 01/05/2018 at 15:44

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So after some internet searching it is definitely a common thing like you have noticed. Apparently the leaf springs in the Explorer Sport models are different than what was used in the 4-door Explorer’s and Explorer Sport-Trac’s. Why? I haven’t discovered that just yet. The various forums I read around reccomended swapping the original leaf springs for what was used on the other Explorer’s. They use a 3 or 4 leaf setup while the Sport uses a single leaf. Some people have kinda corrected the issue by using a shock absorber with a spring to help keep the rear ride height correct.

LJ909 > horizonsofkhaos 01/05/2018 at 16:02

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Yea I would take care of that fix asap. Ive seen Explorer Sports like that since I was a kid and its not a good look. Some have even seemed dangerously low in the back.

horizonsofkhaos > LJ909 01/06/2018 at 00:11

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It’ll be on my to do list in the future. Always bugged me but it wasn’t my daily driver so I didn’t stress it that much. I’ve had to drive it pretty regularly of late and now it does bug me.

horizonsofkhaos > LJ909 03/09/2018 at 15:09

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This post actually inspired me to get the rear shocks replaced. Two months later I just got some installed today. The old ones were completely shot. Went with some Monroe Load Adjusting shocks. Height is back to normal for now, I imagine they’ll eventually settle in unless I look into replacing the leafs. So far though I’m happy with it at least.

LJ909 > horizonsofkhaos 03/09/2018 at 15:23

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Good thing you did. Ive seen some that were dangerously low in the back. Its always bugeed me the amount of people that have Sports that are riding around like that.