Info needed on alternator upgrade for a 2007 Ford Expedition

[Jim202]

Looking to see what the options are for a larger alternator for a 2007 Ford Expedition with a V8.

Anyone have any first hand experience in doing this?

Jim

[john9912]

Always used Leece Neville / Prestolite for this type of application. Have had good experience with them. They provided necessary replacement brackets if needed. I would contact them for specifics.

[N4KVE]

A few years ago when I worked in the parts dept for a local Chevy dealer, the FHP was having trouble with dead batteries in their 01 Z-28 patrol cars. It was discovered that the alternators weren't strong enough for their use. I called the local alternator rebuild shop, & they told me they could change the guts in the factory alternators to supply up to 180 amps. They did this all the time for the kids with Camaros & huge stereo amplifiers. This way, everything stays stock, except for the alternator itself. Chevrolet, in it's infinate wisdom came up with a different fix. They supplied a different alternator, mounting brackets, belt & wiring harness to be installed in these Camaros. It worked well but there is a big problem with that. While we, the installing dealer knew of this modification, other dealers might not. Every part looked up for these cars needs the VIN # inputed & the computor searches the database of which part #'s the cars were built with. When someone needs a belt, or alternator or bracket etc, the computor will tell the partsman the part # of the belt the car was built with, not the one it was upgraded to a few years later. The parts computor has no idea of the upgrade. Yeah if that car comes back to the dealer that did the upgrade, someone might remember, but what happens when the cars get sold at auction & the owner is Bob Smith, not the FHP. They will keep handing him the belt the car was designed to have, not the upgraded one. My point in all this is to visit your local starter/alternator shop where the owner has a brain. Try to see if he can change the guts in the factory alternator to keep everything else stock. I'm sure there are lots of guys driving Z-28's in Florida that can't get the correct belt or alternator & can't figure out why. GARY N4KVE

[VehicleSolutions]

I use and recommend these.

http://www.ohiogen.com/