How to: 1.5" body lift for less than $50

[HiImBrian]

Welded some bolts to the center discs to keep them from spinning. Worked quite well. The only other problem I ran into was that my bolts didn't match what everyone else used. B, C, D, E were all the same size and I used 120mm on all of them. The 130s worked but I couldn't reuse any original bolts except A and one of those was bent so I had to replace it. Other than that, lift went ok and its done. I have an odd problem though, since the lift when I stop at a red light my idle will drop a couple hundred rpms then jump up a few hundred then die. Did I pull something loose?

This happened to me at the post office yesterday.... I just wrote it off as my ex being temperamental....

Time to crawl back under the hood....

 

[Dignan]

About this throttle thing..... I have been able to drive it just fine with feathering the throttle when I stop, so basically I just need to adjust the throttle so that it doesn't drop too low, right? Well I popped the hood to see if I could adjust it or if I put a bind on the cable when I lifted it. I found that I have the drive-by-wire throttle cable. It has plenty of slack so it wasn't binding. According to my Haynes manual, the drive-by-wire throttle cable isn't adjustable. Is that true? I didn't look at it too close, but I would think that it would have to be possible.

 

[Ronin8002]

About this throttle thing..... I have been able to drive it just fine with feathering the throttle when I stop, so basically I just need to adjust the throttle so that it doesn't drop too low, right? Well I popped the hood to see if I could adjust it or if I put a bind on the cable when I lifted it. I found that I have the drive-by-wire throttle cable. It has plenty of slack so it wasn't binding. According to my Haynes manual, the drive-by-wire throttle cable isn't adjustable. Is that true? I didn't look at it too close, but I would think that it would have to be possible.

If you have Drive By Wire, the throttle is controlled by a little motor actuator connected directly to the throttle body. Anything going to it is simply an electrical wire. Nothing to adjust as far as I know.

 

[Dignan]

There is a cable going from the actuator to the throttle, so I would think that is adjustable. I'll look at it some more tomorrow. I can't look now because I am in school.

 

[hunter61533]

okay i have a dumb question.... so if i am interested in a 3" lift.. couldnt i just buy the blocks and just instal them the same way you guys are doing it but just get longer bolts? if not.. is there a easy way to do a 3 " lift?

 

[Ronin8002]

okay i have a dumb question.... so if i am interested in a 3" lift.. couldnt i just buy the blocks and just instal them the same way you guys are doing it but just get longer bolts? if not.. is there a easy way to do a 3 " lift?

Here's how to do the 3" lift. It's a little more involved because there are front bumper brackets, a steering shaft extension, and some rear bumper modification.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219234

 

[Dignan]

There is a cable going from the actuator to the throttle, so I would think that is adjustable. I'll look at it some more tomorrow. I can't look now because I am in school.

I guess that I do not have drive-by-wire. I looked at the gas pedal to see if it was adjustable from that end and found that it was connected to a cable that goes through the firewall and continues to the throttle. So I guess the actuator I was looking at is likely cruise control.

So, based on the cable I am looking at that is connected to the gas pedal, there is an adjusting screw on the throttle end, but it is just a small threaded rod. There is no bolt head or screw head. It is in there pretty tight, so I can't use pliers without royally screwing the threads. Is there an easy way to turn that? Anyone know of a thread that shows this adjustment so I don't have to distract from this lift thread? I'm not sure if the issue is connected to my lift because the cable is not binding or stressed from the lift, but it started happening as soon as I lifted it.

 

[Dignan]

Did a little more searching on this forum and it sounds like messing with that set screw is a bad idea. From reading the experiences of others, it sounds like the best place to start is cleaning the IAC. I followed the directions in a thread on this forum (link).

Since I am not the only one following this thread that has had this problem, I will post one more update as to whether or not this solved the problem after I drive for a couple of days and then hopefully I can stop hijacking this thread.

 

[Dignan]

Since I am not the only one following this thread that has had this problem, I will post one more update as to whether or not this solved the problem after I drive for a couple of days and then hopefully I can stop hijacking this thread.

It didn't help.

 

[HiImBrian]

It didn't help.

Dislike.

 

[rangermidtn]

As anybody tried just a 1" body lift?

 

[Ronin8002]

Not that I've seen yet. Give it a try and tell us how it works out!

 

[rangermidtn]

Not that I've seen yet. Give it a try and tell us how it works out!

I may do that. I found some 1x3 pucks for 1$ a piece. Well change of plans, I ordered my 3"pucks and bolts, will be doing the 1.5" lift.

 

[Kazer]

thought i'd add a few pics of the steering shaft and lower fan shroud for reference...

 

[86cisco]

Kazer are you doing the 3" BL to yours?

 

[Kazer]

Naa, i'm going to help another member on here with the 1.5" and took these pics to help him get things disassembled and ready

 

[auto_x5.0]

Ok, I just bought a 2002 explorer yesterday. I have come to find out that in my town there's alot of stock 3rd gen explorers....not cool, my Mustang is unique and my ex will be also. Does anybody have pretty much 360* pics of a 1.5 lift with 265/75/16? That will be what Im going with for a little extra height.
-thanks, Austin

 

[MGG]

Naa, i'm going to help another member on here with the 1.5" and took these pics to help him get things disassembled and ready

Notes:

The pics helped. The steering linkage screw I took out lined back up after the lift with just a little finnagling. Looks like it moved just a bit.

I trimmed the lower part of the fan shroud. But after jamming it back in there I ended up breaking both sides apart. Its attached again but it just doesnt meet back up top with the upper shroud.

Definately a 2 person job. And soak the bolts very well before even messing with anything. Also a propane torch made the job easier. Had to heat about half the nuts and bolts to get them to break free.

The front bumper went back on very easy with no modifications. I had a prob with the rear bumper. I just couldnt stretch it far enough to lock in on both sides. Ended up busting the lower clips attached to the body on the passenger side. I also ended up trimming with a sawzall bout an inch off both bottom corners of the bumper. After that I was able to get both sides locked in even with the busted clip on the one side. Then was able to put the plastic pins back in on top.

Thanks again Steve, I'll admit he did the grunt work!

I will work on a before/after pic

 

[ExplorerKing01]

finally did my body lift on the ex on Friday it took about 5 hours to install it. the thing that helped the most for me was an impact wrench. it made taking the front bold off a lot easier. it looks really good ill take some pictures tomorrow. but after installing the lift i have been having some strange sounds coming from under the explorer mainly in the rear part of the ex. has anyone had anything like this happen to them so i could figure out what it is.

 

[Kazer]

Notes:

The pics helped. The steering linkage screw I took out lined back up after the lift with just a little finnagling. Looks like it moved just a bit.

I trimmed the lower part of the fan shroud. But after jamming it back in there I ended up breaking both sides apart. Its attached again but it just doesnt meet back up top with the upper shroud.

Definately a 2 person job. And soak the bolts very well before even messing with anything. Also a propane torch made the job easier. Had to heat about half the nuts and bolts to get them to break free.

The front bumper went back on very easy with no modifications. I had a prob with the rear bumper. I just couldnt stretch it far enough to lock in on both sides. Ended up busting the lower clips attached to the body on the passenger side. I also ended up trimming with a sawzall bout an inch off both bottom corners of the bumper. After that I was able to get both sides locked in even with the busted clip on the one side. Then was able to put the plastic pins back in on top.

Thanks again Steve, I'll admit he did the grunt work!

I will work on a before/after pic

Looking forward to pictures Mickey! When my friend first helped me with my bodylift he did most of the grunt work too, lol