Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Ford Explorer Sport Trac
2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Overview
Manufacturer - Ford Motor Company
Production - 2000-2010
Model years - 2001-2005 / 2007-2010
Assembly - United States: Louisville, Kentucky (Louisville Assembly Plant)
Body and chassis
Class - Pickup truck (Class 1)
Chronology
Successor - Ford Ranger (T6)

The Ford Explorer Sport Trac (also shortened to Ford Sport Trac) is a pickup truck that was manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for the North American market. The first mid-sized pickup truck produced by Ford, the Sport Trac was marketed from the 2001 to the 2010 model years (skipping the 2006 model year). Sized between the Ranger (whose crew cab variants were sold outside of North America) and the F-150, the Sport Trac largely competed against crew-cab variants of the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon, Dodge Dakota, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma.
Produced over two generations, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac shared its chassis and much of its body from the Ford Explorer SUV (with the pickup truck bed designed specifically for the model line). All production was sourced from the Louisville Assembly Plant in Louisville, Kentucky (taking the place of the Ford Ranger).
As Ford developed the fifth-generation Ford Explorer as a unibody crossover for the 2011 model year, the Sport Trac was phased out of the model line, with production ending in October 2010. Closely matching the Sport Trac in size, the fourth-generation Ford Ranger serves the same market function in its SuperCrew four-door crew cab configuration.

First generation (2001-2005)

First generation
Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT
Overview
Production - February 2000-2005
Model years - 2001-2005
Body and chassis
Body style - 4-door pickup truck
Related - Ford Explorer / Mercury Mountaineer / Ford Ranger
Powertrain
Engine - 4.0 L Cologne SOHC V6
Transmission - 5-speed M5OD manual / 5-speed 5R55E automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase - 125.9 in (3,198 mm)
Length - 205.9 in (5,230 mm)
Width - 71.8 in (1,824 mm)
Height - 70.5 in (1,791 mm) / 70.4 in (1,788 mm) (2003 4WD) / 70.1 in (1,781 mm) (2001-02)

Introduced in February 2000 as an early 2001 model, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac was brought to market. While marketed as a variant of the Ford Explorer SUV model line, the Sport Trac was functionally a crew-cab mid-size pickup truck. Slotted in between the Ford Ranger SuperCab (crew-cab Ford Rangers were never marketed in North America) and the F-150 SuperCrew, the Sport Trac became the first mid-size pickup truck produced by Ford. In terms of layout, the Sport Trac was followed by the Chevrolet Avalanche and Honda Ridgeline, both crew cab pickup truck derived from SUVs.
Chassis
The Ford Explorer Sport Trac shares the Ford UN105 platform with the second-generation Ford Explorer. To accommodate for the addition of a pickup bed, the wheelbase of the Explorer Sport Trac was lengthened from 111.6 inches to 125.9 inches (matching the Ford Ranger SuperCab). As with the Ford Explorer and Ford Explorer Sport, rear-wheel drive was standard, with ControlTrac four-wheel drive as an optional powertrain configuration. A 210 hp SOHC 4.0L V6 was the sole engine offering. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, with a five-speed automatic transmission available as an option.
During the 2001 model year, the 4.0L V6 underwent revisions, shifting from an alloy intake manifold to a composite design; the oil filler cap switched locations from the driver side to the passenger side of the engine. For 2002, the chassis was given four-wheel disc brakes (replacing rear drum brakes) with the rear discs being the largest offered on a solid rear axle Explorer (11.83" vs 11.2"). The fuel tank was also enlarged from 20 gallons to 22 gallons.
Body
Built on a lengthened Ford Explorer chassis, the Sport Trac was constructed using parts from three Ford vehicles, with the addition of model-specific pickup truck bed. Sharing the front fascia and fenders with the two-door Explorer Sport, the four-door cab was constructed from the four-door Ford Explorer (with modified rear doors). Designed specifically for the Sport Trac, the 50-inch long pickup bed was constructed entirely of plastic composite material; the tailgate was shared with the Ford F-150 SuperCrew. To add additional load space for the shortened pickup bed, Ford offered a metal load extender to be used with the tailgate. Another option included a removable hard plastic tonneau cover for the pickup bed.
Sharing its interior with the two-door and four-door Explorer (which shared much of its dashboard with the Ranger), the Sport Trac retained the fold-down rear seats of the four-door Explorer to expand storage space. A full rubber floor was standard (as in base-trim pickup trucks), with berber-style carpet floor mats. The Sport Trac was configured with a power-retractable "Breezeway" rear window (a feature last used by Ford on the 1965 Mercury line) in place of a sliding rear window.
During 2002, several changes were made to the exterior badging, with "Explorer" removed from the doors and "Sport Trac" (on the tailgate) changed to chrome, from red/white plastic. In another revision, the B-pillars were changed from black to body-colored. For 2004, the gray bumpers and side skirts were darkened in color; a new option offered body-color bumpers and side skirts.
Trim
In line with the second-generation Ford Explorer four-door, beginning in 2002, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac was offered in a XLS trim level (steel wheels, cloth seats) and an XLT trim level (alloy wheels), and 2003, an XLT Premium trim level (leather seats):
XLS - Included: cloth upholstery, styled-steel rims, air conditioning, an AM/FM stereo with single-CD player and four speakers (60W), power doors and windows with auto drivers side window, and a tachometer.
XLT - Added: automatic transmission, alloy rims, an AM/FM premium stereo with single-CD and cassette players and four premium speakers (80W), keyless entry, speed control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and power mirrors. Leather seats are an option.
XLT Premium - Added: Power driver's seat, rear audio controls with headphone jacks, automatic headlamps, fog lamps, overhead console, and tow hooks (4x4 models only).
Adrenalin Edition - in 2005 Ford also added a few tester models, labeled the Adrenalin Edition. They were a limited-production model which added body colored side moldings, wheels, special interiors with a sport designed leather combinations and unique fabric floor mats, a factory installed plastic bed liner, a Pioneer 500 watt 6-disc CD changer stereo with upgraded speakers and a small subwoofer built in and a unique lighter backing of the instrument cluster (speedometer, tachometer, oil, temperature gauges). A bed extender and fog lights came standard. Special italicized badging on the lower right of the tailgate indicated the special options and appearance package model name of Adrenalin.

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLS
2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT
2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, rear ¾
2003-2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT
2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin Edition
2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin Edition Interior
2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin Edition passenger side

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