The Manik grill guard protects the front end, provides a good, stout mounting position for the Hella driving lamps and looks like it means business.

   There are more choices in the grill guard department than any other. The factors driving our choice were ease of install, black powder coated finish (NO CHROME!) and multi or three piece construction. If the side bars are bent off roading, having them be replaceable without scrapping the whole guard is important.

   This guard from Manik fit all our criteria. Finished in tough, durable black powder coat, it also has replaceable rubber moldings that cover and protect the vertical uprights. The headlight guards are separate pieces so if one gets bent it can be replaced. The guard also has mounting points for two driving lamps. And the Manik guard looks burly.

   Installation requires no drilling. If you've ever tried drilling a bunch of holes in a vehicle frame you know what a bitch it is. In fact Manik prides itself that all of it's accessories are 100% bolt ons and require no drilling or special tools. It took about an hour and a half to install the guard. Instructions were clear and easy to follow, with all required hardware included. You will need a helper to get everything lined up and held in place while the bolts are torqued. A 10 year old will do the job well and cost less in beer bribery than one of your buddies.

   The finished product is gorgeous. The guard looked much better than I thought it would. Most grill guards I have seen do a poor job in following the contours of the truck and look like an ugly afterthought. The Manik fit like a glove and wraps perfectly around the front end, flattering  and enhancing the Expeditions lines.

Ratings:

   Excellent from A-Z, a chimpanzee could install it, and it's appearance exceeded our expectations!

The Manik tube steps require no drilling and mount to existing locations intended for the (gag) OEM running boards..

    After lifting our Expedition to the moon, getting in and out with ease will require a little boost, so it's time to shop for steps. There are many choices here as well. For my tow rigs I prefer hoop type steps. They are clean and uncluttered. But my tow vehicle does zero serious off roading, and hoop steps can easily be hung up on obstacles and ripped off, doing severe body damage.

    The best choice for a rig that will see off road duty is a tube step or nerf bar as they are commonly called. The not only provide a stable surface to climb into your truck, but aid in access to your roof rack. Their best feature is that they wont catch on off road obstacles and will act as sliders across boulders and trees, protecting your rocker sills from expensive damage.

   We also chose Manik for the tube steps as well, they carry the same high quality powder coated finish as our new grill guard and are a perfect match.

   As with all Manik accessories installation cam be accomplished by those with flat line brain function and a pair of Wal-Mart pliers. Well not really, but pretty damn close. The Manik tube steps use the same mounting locations that Ford OEM running boards (Gag) use, so expect installation chores to take all of an hour. It takes more time to open the package and organize your tools and the hardware than it takes to bolt them on!

   Once we had the steps mounted in place getting my lard butt up and into the Expeditions cockpit is as easy as one, two, grrrunt! Man I think it may be time to switch to light beer! Ratings:

   As with Manik's grill guard, reality exceeded our expectations. Fit and finish are perfect, installation a breeze, and appearance is excellent.   

  On to still more goodies...

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