nextime

No need to change the hoses to get a good pedal, your hoses are not wore out yet. New pads will not effect the pedal feel cause you are still compressing fluid. I got over 120k on my Windstar with original hoses (had to change the rears for a brake job when I replaced the wheel cylinders) now have 138k on 2 original hoses. When I changed the hoses I did not notice any pedal difference because I regularly flush my Brake fluid. The Explorer has over 100k on it and it still has a hard firm pedal. Brake fluid attracts water and this is why you get the soft pedal. A complete flush from the Master Cylinder to all four tires with fresh new fluid will be a world of difference. I flushed the brakes on the 98 Explorer and my Wife freaked out cause she hit the brakes and it reacted quicker than it used to, she actually locked the seat belt. Stainless steel braided hoses are great for high performance brake systems where you do heavy stop and go high speed breaking, but for an everyday road car it is a useless upgrade because you will never reap the benefits of the hoses unless you change the Pads, Big Oversized Rotors, Multiple Piston Calipers and a High Performance Master Cylinder but then hey you are driving an Edge. It is like putting a racing seat and seat harness in a Pinto with 4 flat tires to drive 5MPH. But hey it is your money.

Seriously awesome job, however I wish you had a 2011 that you did this job to since I would like to do the same on my 2011.

I used them hoses on a Delorean, yes it was a big difference but the hoses I changed were from 1981 so there was no comparison. You feel mushy brakes on a 2008 the hoses will not do any difference, it is just wear in your system you feel. If you want harder brakes do a complete brake fluid flush, just bleeding wont do much of a difference!

That is a good idea to tape one in the car!

I will check this out!

Awesome pics, thank you!

Yeah so I just looked under the hood in my Edge to see if my hands get dirty changing an air filter, yes they get dirty (another Thread). Anyway on my filter box there is a duct that goes to the grille that sucks in the coldest air from in front of the car. May I ask why did you need to change this and use a different approach? Maybe the set-up is different in older years?

It can be possible!

You hit the nail on the head with that quote.

I like the part about Baja racers, we all know they race in severe dusty areas and all run K+N type filters. Also this was taken off a Blog from a K+N rep. http://cars.about.com/b/2006/05/18/can-a-better-air-filter-improve-fuel-economy-well-find-out.htm "David Vespremi(28) I’d like to make myself available for questions and comments on this article. I am the Brand Marketing Director at K&N Engineering, Inc. I am also an automotive enthusiast and published automotive author (”Car Hacks and Mods for Dummies, Yahoo!, and TechTV included) As such, I can help address some of these questions and concerns as both a knowledgeable enthusiast who has used K&N on various project cars well before I worked for the company, and now most recently, as a representative of K&N. I am pleased to have been asked to contribute to this dialogue and appreciate the interest in K&N’s products. I am further grateful to Aaron for taking the opportunity to provide his readers with objective feedback – be it good or bad – about our products. At K&N, we are proud of the fact that we make the World’s Best air filters and intake systems – manufactured in Riverside, California for over 37 years by enthusiasts. To date, over 15 million K&N air filter are in active use worldwide and K&N is one of the few, if not only, companies with a full ISO/SAE filtration lab on site that allows us to continually benchmark our products in every step of the development process. This includes the “three legged stool” of criteria by which we measure our filters’ performance: (1) filtration – the ability to prevent harmful contaminants and particulate matter from getting into the engine (2) flow – the ability to get air to the engine and (3) dirt retention – the ability to perform these over the longest service life possible without a degradation in performance. It is in achieving the “sweet spot” between these three that makes a K&N a K&N. While it is true that there are filters that stop more particulates than K&N, and that there are those that flow more air, as there those that retain more dirt before degrading in performance, it is K&N’s mission to excel not in any one category – but as a compromise of all three – and to do this with a filter that has a service life for the entire life of your car. I should further point out that K&N makes no claims that our products improve fuel efficiency. Even the EPAs mandated numbers for OEMs are just estimates, so any estimated improvements on what is itself an estimate is a bit of reach. What we can conclusively say is that under a Department of Energy Report, a clogged air filter can negatively impact fuel economy by up to 10% and that there is a relatively high number of vehicles on the road using paper filters past a point in which fuel mileage is likely being impacted. By using a K&N (or any new filter) that fuel mileage can be restored. The critical difference and primary point of appeal for a K&N Lifetime filter over the disposable variety is that unlike a paper filter, a K&N Lifetime filter never needs to be replaced. As such, the money and hassle you save with K&N as compared to continually buying and replacing paper filters can be avoided. Further, because over 100 million disposable air filters and their associated packaging end up in landfills in the U.S. alone each year, K&N helps reduce the waste associated with the manufacture, transport, and use of these disposable products. To address the question of why an OEM manufacturer would not be inclined to equip cars with K&N from the factory, one has to look at the business model behind building, selling, and servicing cars. Why do many car manufacturers now offer 10 year 100k warranties? The reason is simple. The cars are well built enough to last that long, but by keeping customers coming back to dealerships for consumables, which includes everything from brake pads and rotors, to spark plugs, to oil changes – and yes – filter changes, the manufacture can build into the target price of every car sold a profit center to subsidize the price of the car. It is no different from how before the days of bagless vacuum cleaners, a vacuum cleaner would be sold with very little profit margin since the bags themselves would need to be continually repurchased, or why coffee machines were once sold with paper filters specific to the shape and size of that machine before the standard switched to lifetime metal filters. It is a form of planned obsolescence, and one that is against the core philosophy of how K&N engineers its products. It is clear that paper automotive filters work are a profit center pure and simple. As it is now, K&N is a large global company selling millions of filters a year. Think of how many more a company like ours could sell if we sold more than one per vehicle. However, our value proposition to the consumer is very different and consumers know that while our filters cost a bit more up front, they have the peace of mind from knowing that they are getting the very best for their cars. To support this, K&N has, of course, been use in Motorsports for many years. This includes Indy Car – every car that crosses the finish line at next week’s Indy 500 will be using a K&N – Champ Car, NHRA, WRC, NASCAR, Baja 500 and 1000, all the way down to the most obscure grassroots forms of motorsports. For those inclined to think that a K&N does not stop dirt, ask a Baja racer some time why they don’t simply elect to use paper filters? Obviously, they must be concerned about the fine silt and dirt getting into their engines in the 1,000 mile desert race. However, I am not here to extol the performance benefits of a factory replacement filter. Yes, it flows more air than a paper filter – those who have seen K&N’s air flow demonstrators (the ones that use the ping pong ball) in retail environments know this to be true. But because it flows more air, or because light is visible through the pleats, doesn’t mean that a K&N doesn’t excel under SAE/ISO tests under our three-legged stool criteria. The reason for this is simple, K&N works on an entirely different physics principle than a paper filter. You see, a paper filter stops dirt by presenting a barrier full of pores that fill up with dirt as it accumulates on the filter’s surface. The fewer unclogged pores remain available, the less air the filter is able to pass through to the engine. This is called surface loading. A K&N filter depth loads, meaning that the particulates are held in suspension by a tacking agent. Since the contaminant particles essentially becomes a magnet for other particles, the particles build up on each other into bigger clumps and the air continues to flow around them through the grid matrix weave of the cotton fibers. This is called depth loading. For those that want performance – a guaranteed increase in horsepower that you can actually feel – K&N offers our performance intake systems. These are significantly more expensive than the Lifetime replacement filters, but their quality and performance are second to none. While our Lifetime filters do outflow paper filters, it is only after eliminating the maze of factory baffles, chambers and plumbing that our Intake Systems provide that an uncompromised increase in performance can be released. I’ll cut this short for now, but I am happy to answer questions here so please feel free to fire away. Thanks, David Vespremi K&N Brand Marketing Directo"

Taken off the K+N site under the FAQ page. I can see why they wont claim any increase in MPG because of way too many variables however they do say it is "theoretically possible for a consumer to experience a mileage increase after installing a K&N air filter or intake system." Directly off K+N FAQ. 1.How will a K&N filter affect my vehicle's fuel economy? There is a relationship between air filter restriction and mileage. The theory behind this is simple, the harder an engine has to work to suck air through the intake tubes and air filter, the more gas gets wasted in the process. Many K&N users report an increase in their fuel economy after beginning to use our air filters, as noted on our testimonial page. However, these experiences do not mean you will also experience a change in your mileage. We certainly understand why it is theoretically possible for a consumer to experience a mileage increase after installing a K&N air filter or intake system, however, we do not go so far as to make a general claim that our air filters and intake systems will provide an increase in mileage. It is virtually impossible to make sweeping and general claims about mileage. Even the EPA fuel rating numbers for new cars are often not representative of the mileage you actually experience. There are many variables that affect mileage such as: tire inflation, the type of fuel, weather, elevation, the speed at which you drive, the gear in which you drive, the speed with which you accelerate, engine maintenance, excessive idling, cruise control, the grade of motor oil you use, and of course, the condition of your air filter. In short, mileage is complicated. K&N filters are less restrictive than disposable paper or synthetic air filters and K&N Intake Systems are less restrictive than the factory installed air path. So K&N filter technology could be an important tool, when combined with other elements, to help keep mileage as high as possible. Oh yeah, there's one more limitation imposed by science. If you take advantage of added power by driving more aggressively, you will reduce mileage. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

Agreed 100%. Ford knows batteries die so that is the safe option. And yes if your fob does eat batteries you should have a spare all of the time, I know I do!

My Edge is a 2011 and has 5500 miles on it. Just for shits and giggles I went out and completely removed the filter and put it back in and my hands were filthy. I bought it new in Oct 2010 so I have owned it 7 months so I dont see how your hands would remain clean after 1 year?

I wont help somebody drive unsafe at any cost so you figure out what sets the TPMS off. When the vehicle is an accident due to tire blow out have fun telling the insurance company why all 4 tires were set improperly.

So your saying for only 5 miles of driving they cant handle a slight rough ride, why didnt they buy a Cadillac then? Geeze they bought a SUV did they expect to float on air for a smooth ride .

Overinflated tires wear out the center of the tread. Under inflated tires wear out the outer tread. Under-inflation or overloading creates excessive heat, can lead to tire failure, which could result in vehicle damage and/or serious injury or death. Proper inflation extends tire life and saves fuel. You just did both of these no no's! I would not to this to my Parents ride.

Well setting the tire pressure wrong will make them wear out faster or wear wrongly and make them dangerous. Didnt they test drive it first?

Yep a dealer will not give you any TSB info unless they perform a TSB, keeps people from getting stuff repaired that does not need to be. If you report a problem and there is a TSB about the issue they will fix it and tell you there was a TSB about it. I just had this with my stock SE radio. Controls were intermittent and would jump from high to low volume. Ford had a TSB about it and I didn't even know till I picked up the car. Now recalls on the other hand they have to let you know.

You must have the cleanest engine on the planet cause my car only has 5500 miles on it and my hands will get dirty. I would not change my air filter and then go eat with my hands.

NO AFTERMARKET, it would have been cheaper to order this option when you bought the Edge. If you need this option you will have to sell or trade it in for a vehicle that has it from the factory. AKIRBY said basically what had to be retrofitted or changed!

You can buy 1 K+N filter and cleaner or 7 bottom line stock type filters. Depending on your driving conditions the stock filters can last from 70,000 (dirty conditions) miles to 210,000 (perfect conditions) miles if all 7 were used. The K+N will still outlast the stock filters. My math is $8.49 for a cheap stock filter and $50.99 for a K+N and the cleaning kit was $13.00 however the cleaning kit will clean approx 20 filters in my experience. 30,000 miles is stock filter replacement if perfect driving conditions are met! So $50.99 + $13.00 = $63.99 K+N 1,000,000 miles or 4 cleanings for 200,000 miles of driving. So $8.49 X 7 = $59.43. 210,000 miles and 7 filters if you are lucky and get the 30,000 miles of driving per filter change. So in the end you are up approx $4.00 by not buying a K+N but you do have to go out and buy and replace filters every 10,000 to 30,000 miles and with the economy I bet you spend well over the price of 1 K+N filter and cleaner by the time you hit the 200,000 mile mark with stock type filters! With the K+N the future investment is done and you will have to clean it 4 times in 200,000 miles. P.S. I bought my first K+N filtercharger cleaning kit in 1995 and still have some left to do at least 1 more filter cleaning. Oh and the cleaning thing is not a pain. Keep the OEM filter and put it back in while you clean the K+N if you need to drive. P.S. When you got over 100k on your Edge I would like to see if your hands dont get dirty changing a stock filter or doing anything under the hood. On any vehicle with high mileage and use you will get your hands dirty. My hands barely get oily changing a K+N they still get dirty changing a stock filter (ever try changing a stock filter on a 1998 3.8 Windstar?), I guess getting my hands dirty doing some work under the hood doesnt bother some of us Men who work on cars!

Some NOS stickers and a big tailpipe would look good too along with a 5 foot wing on the back. These options remind me of Fly paper..... Very tacky.

To do a lift on an Edge involves a lot of suspension reconfiguring. Remember there is no frame so new parts of the suspension will have to be engineered.

I have the Python/Viper, the Ford system totally sucks compared to these. I researched the Ford system VS aftermarket and aftermarket always won. My Python was approx $100 more but I have remote start, over 2000 remote range, dual shock sensors, a remote that lets me know if the car gets broken into, an ability to use a smartphone to call the car to start or check on it, remote liftgate open, turns on deffogger if the temp is below 55' when you remote start. Think of it this way...... Ford Stock add-on alarm = Pinto........ Viper/Python add-on alarm = Ferrari. Also the aftermarket alarms are just a little bit more installed but they do things the stock POS Ford system could never do. Yes I know it is your money but the Ford system is a waste of it.

Trade it in for a F150 if you need a lift.