Review
My FX4 Flair side has been an awesome truck, the only new vehicle i kept more than 2 years. I bought it new in 06, and drove it until June 21 2017 and would still be driving it except i got t-boned by a semi who ran a red light on that day, luckily they was trying to stop and hit me at only about 20-25 mph. Smacked me right in my drivers door. The truck bumper hit square from the back of the drivers door to the very front of my truck. This truck is solid and if i were in a lesser vehicle, i probably wouldn`t be here today! I`m waiting to see if it can be fixed because i love this truck. I have driven it up the highest rocky mountain passes going places i never ever saw any other trucks or SUV`s, only jeeps which were mostly not stock. They were always telling me on the way up, You Can`t Go There, to which i replied are you gonna lead, follow, or get out of my way. To those who comment about the problem with the spark plugs, yes before i did some research on Youtube, i was worried about the cost of breaking off plugs when changing them. well i didn`t change my plugs until 120,000 miles, and if you follow the procedure i did, you can most likely remove the plugs without breakage as i did successfully. I watched many youtube videos and combined what i thought were the best methods i found there. I will share with you what i did, and i didn`t break even one plug. The first thing i did was buy a $3-$4 can of Berryman B12 chemtool from Wal-mart, and use a whole can every fillup for 4 fill ups to clean all of the carbon off of the plugs, because that is the biggest problem, the carbon buildup almost welds the plugs in, so removing the carbon is the first critical step. After that buy a removal tool just in case you do end up breaking a plug. I bought a used Lisle brand tool, and that is the recommended brand. I got a used one on Ebay for $50, and resold it on Ebay when i was finished and got my money back for it. Then buy some Sea foam deep creep. Next with your engine cold, remove and get the plug wires and coils out of the way. Then fill the plug ports full of the deep creep and let it set overnight, then take a good plug socket and ratchet. To start with loosen the plug just 1/16 of a turn, then re tighten, and each time loosen it just 1/16 a turn more the next time, using the same pattern until the plug finally loosens up and comes right on out easily. I started with the hardest to get to plug just in case one broke, i would have the hardest one done first. You have to be very patient and don`t be too forceful, because the original plugs are a 2 piece plug, whereas the new ones, make sure you get the one place replacements. Follow this procedure and you should have as good a result as i did. Following this procedure, when i removed all of my plugs, there was virtually no carbon at all left on my plugs. When you install your new plugs, a good idea is to put some anti seize on the threads before installing. If you take it to a mechanics shop, they won`t care if they break them off or not, because that`s more money they make, much more $$ I am now waiting to see if my truck is totaled, i hope not, because i was looking into buying a new f-150, but found out the Flair side isn`t even available anymore :( as i am very partial to it, it just looks better in my opinion and there aren`t many around even in the 2006 model. Well, i`ll just have to wait and see if my truck is fixable, i`m also considering taking my Flair side bed which wasn`t damaged and putting it on a new F-150 if it will fit. I believe it is possible, a good friend of mine is a 3rd generation body man, and between him and my imaginative mind, i think we can make it happen. Then i would have a one of a kind truck because for some reason ford has done away with the Flairside, and that is the only disappointment i really have with ford, as i am A TRUE DIEHARD FORD MAN!!! Hmm, well i did get whiplash in my neck and back from the wreck, and if i get a good enough settlement i`m strongly considering a new RAPTOR, that`s a BADD MACHINE :) Go Ford!