Maverick the Shop Truck!

[Brian]

The Miata of Trucks is Here....a Ford Maverick. Ordered in November, picked up at dealer today. El Cajon Ford was great, no issues with making the order and we got the purchase done this afternoon in an hour. Turbo, AWD, tow package. This shop truck will replace the 08 Dakota and haul everything from used junkyard transmissions for our higher powered NC that break them once a year, and Miatas to events on our aluminum trailer.

I know these are 'too small' as a truck for many, but for a Miata guy these feel so right to me. As with the Miata, being a small truck yields better handling, lighter feel because it is lighter than typical trucks, etc.

I think the adaptive cruise works better than the one in our Ridgeline. First thing that annoyed is the collision avoidance prebraking, far too sensitive to fun driving, even a garbage can along side of road activated it (will seek to adjust it). Overall as impressed with it on drive home as I was when we test drove one 8 months ago and made the order. Fun for a 'truck' on the road, steering is impressively quick for a truck (the smaller sedan roots come through in a good way). Going to have some fun with suspension and wheels/tires, perhaps brakes too.

[Brian]

First thoughts, do our own springs and sways and exhaust?

ContiSportContact 5 - Size: 235/55R19 on NEW Konig Neoform wheels coming out this Summer.

PLUS 1 from our upgraded Lariat package 18 inch to 19 inch:

NF8950843G 19x8.5 5x108 43 MATTE GREY 73.1 FLOW FORMED 1543 20.48lbs
ContiSportContact 5 - Size: 235/55R19

Really terrible cut and paste, but good enough if you squint to get some idea.

[Brian]

Both Thermal and Magnflow already make an exhaust, only the Magnaflow production is actually complete and in stock so we will start with that.

[Brian]

FIRST MOD! Still under 50 miles and off goes the factory exhaust. The factory exhaust is 2.375 pipe but drawn and crunched in places down to just 2 inches. This Magnaflow is 2.5 inches start to finish with no drawn bends that go under that diameter, which means turbo spool will be better. Sound is very mellow, might be too mellow for some but for a truck this suits me just fine. Typical Magnaflow on tone, that rockwool they use in the packing absorbs more upper frequency and the result is deep and mellow tone, not loud in the slightest.

Stock Ford exhaust pinched to 2 inches.

[Brian]

INSTALLATION NOTES. At a relaxed pace we had this installed in 32 minutes, it's that easy and that includes stopping to take pictures. You do need to cut the factory pipe because doing a 'CAT BACK' exhaust on this truck that is 50 state legal can only be done with a cut of the factory pipe since Ford did not give us a flange after the big converter that is near the front. Ford did a V flange in front of the converter, but not behind it.

When you unbox the Magnaflow, you get this. There was a clamp with hanging rod in our box that is used only for the FWD owners as further noted below.

Here is the stock system installed.

Here is the stock system getting cut off with cutting wheel. The Ford metal pipe is thin wall, this was easy.

Here is the stock system on the ground.

Magnaflow System is 30 pounds, Stock system 36 pounds, weight savings 6 pounds.

[Brian]

IF you have AWD you end up with extra clamp that looks like this, which is for the FWD owners only.

Since the FWD owners don't have all the structure for the rear axles they have a exhaust hanger that is from the body instead of coming off the rear sub assembly. In this photo you see the FWD hanger from the body where you will use that fancy clamp with hanger.

mavFWD.jpg (80.84 KiB) Viewed 45640 times

[njaremka]

Nice. I like the Maverick as a utility vehicle. Looking forward to what you come up with for suspension!

[Brian]

Drove it a bunch last two days, such a fun LITTLE truck. You never forget the size while driving it, that's not a bad thing, it handles like a decently sorted sedan and feels about the same height as a small SUV. It parks easily, it steers quickly, and the turbo motor has plenty of go-go. Some more pics of STOCK HEIGHT with stock wheels before we get to changing the fun bits!

[Brian]

Lowered Maverick

[Brian]

Quick Before and After Lowering