96EXXLTinCO

I've been lurking around here for a while now. I originally bought this 96 XLT, 4.0L, 5-speed man., 4x4 from a buddy. I was driving a 2001 Mitsubishi eclipse spyder GT, but it broke down. My buddy and his wife had just bought a newer Cherokee and the explorer was just sitting there. So he let me drive it for a while till I got the car fixed. Then I didn't want to let it go. So I gave him $1250 for it. This is pretty much it as I bought it:

started out with some lights under the dash:

Added some sound:

Then came my bday present:

But is looks WAY too small IMO, so off to Cabela's I go with gift cards.....oh btw, the body damage was from my buddy when he still owned it, backed into a gas pump pylon.....anyway, OFF TO CABELA'S:

Bought the extra 22 or so inch extension off the shelf, I think that looks much better, and is way more functional too. Then I added one of these: (yes it says ice, it was a cold day).

Next it was time for a AAL and TT:

Yes the back is still sagging, but I finally pulled the trigger on the leaf spring bushings today (will be here saturday) so I can install the cheap autozone shackles for now. I found a decent set on a 95 at one of my pick and pull yards, but bolts were seized of course and I almost lost a finger trying to get em off, so autozone cheapies it is for now until I get my hands on some 2"x3/8" and fab up my own shackles. Really not looking forward to wrestling those bushings, but I want this part of the lift done. I got a line on some Mickey Thompsons for cheap that I want to get on this thing soon. So I finally took her out on her maiden voyage run to Johnny's Park. I know, not smart, but I went alone. Back in the day I had a 79 Bronco, and then a 90 F-150 that I took up to that trail all the time. Got to one rocky section that I wasn't feeling confident about and it started raining, so I decided it best to get the hell outta dodge. Had a blast and she did well. Here's a few pics from that day:

Ya'll know how much pics never do the steepness any justice:

Found this little spur off the trail that looked fun:

And again, pics never do the steepness any justice, but was steep, and it was loose, just after where I took this, I lost traction and has to turn around. Not a fun task on a steep loose hill, thought we were gonna eat it at one point, but we finally got the nose pointed downhill.

And back home with her first bit of dirt from wheelin on her:

The very next weekend, took a gal out wheelin on a first date, LOL. Tried to hit Pierson park road in Estes, but it's still closed from floods. Headed down to Allenspark and took the ski road quite a ways back, really rocky bumpy trail, constantly getting thrown around, but I can't wait to go back up there and take the trail all the way back. Apparently there was a ski area back in there in the 40's. Was only open a few years and only had 4-5 runs and 2 tow ropes. I dont believe any evidence of it is left. So once we got out of there I attacked Johnny's park from the other end, this time crossing the sketchy rocky area that turned me back before with no problems. We found a spur off the other end of the trail and parked where we could see the lights out east and just hung out for a few hours. I did discover I'm going to need more lights however.........I turned into some pretty sharp turns without being able to see what I was turning into......a little creepy...But we made it out and then next day it was time to delete those running boards. Before:

And after:

Then I went ahead and finally installed a black herc'd grill I came across at the pick and pull:

And that's how she sits right now. I got tons of little things to fix/replace and lots more mods. I hope to have 3" BL and 33's under this time next year. For now, I just want some 31-ish tires on it, and get everything back up to par before waterfowl hunting season.

 

[Starkman]

Heading up Friday for a fun day and Saturday for the race. You should come up and race.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

I bet it's a blast!! But the 96 is gutless with the 4.0L, 31's and stock 3.73's, the new sport is a little zippier but too many other things that would need done first. I checked on those races and I could have sworn it said they were Sunday online? We have been planning on going to watch so apparently it's a good thing I asked. One of us would've been wondering where the hell everyone was at?

 

[Starkman]

There is a race on Sunday too, bare tire classes. No need for power. The ice is very slick and it's about finesse not speed.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Hmmmm. Guess I'll have to see what I get figured out on the general. Got some kinda front end noise. Sounds like a good time to me.

 

[Starkman]

I'm not the only Explorer up there. This guy runs agricultural tires with long studs.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Didn't even make it up there to watch [MENTION=56511]Starkman[/MENTION] how was it? How'd you do? Are you racing the whole season? When's the next one?

This Explorer (the General) has been sitting for a while now. He should be fine for a little bit still, but been working on the new Explorer. Link is in my sig. if you havent seen him yet. Got some more done on it today, that update will come AFTER a shower. Possible news on the horizon however...........an email or two sent tonight may have set some wheels in motion..........................will be exciting if it did!!! We shall see!!

 

[Starkman]

Had a great time, racing against a Mitsu Evo and Audi RS4 so I won't be winning but fun anyway. The next race is in February and I plan on running the rest.

https://www.facebook.com/Our-Gang-Ice-Racing-245144922223353/?fref=ts

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Confirmed the front end noise was the wheel bearing...............again. I had pulled one out of a junk yard last time due to lack of funds and although it lasted 6 months of lots of wheeling, it's making enough sound that I didn't want to drive it down the road much less go wheeling. Had plans to join a group for some snow wheeling, so ran to the yard again for another one (this time because lifts are up in the air on this truck, and the 94). One of my regular yards was a little slimmer on explorers than normal so I didn't have a ton of choices. There was quite a few already stripped or were V8's so spinning a front hub meant spinning the whole driveline and really hard to tell if it was good or not. I finally settled on one out of a low mileage V8 and went for it. IT was a ***** to get it out, and once it was I wasn't real impressed with it. For $15 it would get me through the trip, and a little further at least, plus I was running out of time. Had stops to make at 4wheel parts and O'reily's also, not to mention it had to be done that night. On my way out of the yard I happened to glance in the back of another explorer see a hub already out of the truck and ready to go. I picked it up and spun it, it was solid and quiet as if it was new out of the box. tossed down the questionable one I had off we went. Only bad thing about this one is it only had 2 studs in it. No biggie, I'll pop out 3 of mine and put em in.

Fast forward to installation time. I knocked 3 studs out of the hub I took off and went to put them in the "new to me" hub. It's too big, won't fit. WTH?? Now that I look at it closer, it's a damn 6 lug and it takes smaller studs. So the wheelin trip isn't looking so good now. BUT, I decide to swap tires out with the 94 and just take him for his inaugural run. About killed myself swapping out 2 sets of tires with only 2 OEM P.O.S. jacks and ZERO pneumatic tools for the lugs. If I did this swap any more manually I would have lifted the trucks by hand too.
So throughout the day I could feel my foot goin South (I get gout in one or the other 2-3 times a year) so before loading anything in the truck for the trip I headed in to get some rest. Once I woke up, I was crawling down the hall. No way that foot was pushin a clutch all day. So I missed yet another opportunity to wheel with some other Explorers. All the runs I've been on, I have yet to wheel with another Explorer. So once this foot BS subsides I'll be back working on the General to figure why in the hell I now have no throttle response hardly after upgrading the air filter, and finding some decent sway bar end link bushings (I destroyed a set of Moogs in about 9 months). That's all for now, I'd post a pic of the general back on stock size tires but it just looks ridiculous to me now. The 94 looks a little better though!! I'll get some pics of him in the daylight and post those on his thread.


Oh yea, GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!

 

[gmanpaint]

Dang, what an ordeal there. Take it as a sign that you were not meant to go. The wheeling gods were watching out for you, and kept you home & safe.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Dang, what an ordeal there. Take it as a sign that you were not meant to go. The wheeling gods were watching out for you, and kept you home & safe.

Yea, after seeing pics of the run, I would've struggled quite a bit, and didn't even think of it until later in the day, but I don't have tow points on that thing yet!!! That would've been extra special!! I had em on my list for the junk yard but forgot all about em. I was too focused on the bearing and getting to 4wheel parts and O'reily's. So yes I have to agree, prob better I wasn't there as I would've had everything all snarled up I'm sure!! Hopin like hell to have it ready in time for Moab, and hopefully swing SMOOR as well.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

FINALLY!!! Been screwing around with hood struts since I bought the thing. A couple different sets from the junk yard but always had to continue to use a prop rod I kept next to the drivers' seat. Found a brand new set on an Ex at the junk yard my last time out there on the same explorer I got the wheel bearing/hub off of that was also new. Finally put em on today and the hood stays up!! I know...........but it's the little things sometimes!!

Other than driving him a bit now and then for some errands, haven't done anything on him. All my time and effort has been going into the 94 Sport which is coming along. After radius arm bushings it no longer has any clunks AT ALL on the road now. 1 - 1.5" lift via coil spacer and add a leafs + 31's has it feeling much better and more behaved on the road. Still have to yet to get into some dirt and make all 4 wheels turn, but been doing something or another on it every night. Tonight, plasti-dipping the chrome lights on the roof rack, wheels will follow which will make the eviction of anything remotely chrome complete.............on THAT truck anyway.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Even though I now have a bearing type sound in the front diff, and every damn bushing, tie rod and ball joint needs replaced in the front end, I just cant help myself but to take the General up the trail we now live on. We took both of the Explorers up the trail a few times. He still gets up the hill as good as the 94 sport, but I take it really easy on him. So I can finally say I've been wheeling with another Explorer..............it's our Explorer, but I've now wheeled with another one Got a knock, lifters ticking, and some timing chain noise, but it still runs strong, check engine light is on so I need to hook the computer up to it and see what that's about. Trans won't shift very easy with rev matching a little and he's minus his CB and roof rack with lights which went to the General 2.0 For now the plan is to run him when needed, but he's not the main wheeler rig anymore so he gets plenty of rest. Having dreams of a 2nd gen with a 5.0 lately. Saw a nice mounty with engine, trans, t-case the whole drivetrain rebuilt within the last 60k miles for $3500. Sure got me to thinking...................

 

[Starkman]

It was a good trip last weekend! Post up some pics...

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Was great to wheel with you and Tom finally, and what a trail!!! I will be adding some pics soon, just been swamped lately. I still need to edit together video that I got and post that also. Can't wait to do it again, that was the first time I've wheeled with another Explorer, let alone 2!!

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

Nothing new to report. Still haven't fixed anything, living in Georgetown now, and have been wheeling it multiple times a week with so many trails so close by. Front end is making every noise imaginable, but this thing just keeps going. Over a year of hard wheeling, now at 265k+ miles, and I'm beyond impressed.

Only "possible"news......... 2 MAJOR mods that I've had planned for this thing down the road, may have just got fast racked for this winter. I dont want to spill the beans, and not sure I can make it happen with no where to work on it right now, but one "might" include the number 5, a decimal, and the number 0. Other one would require sourcing a steering gear box......... some things have just sort of fell in my lap over the last week. Not gonna get my hopes up, but sure would be nice, would cure a lot of issues this one is having right now.

 

[timtimtimajim]

A 5.0 swap? And what sounds like the possibility of a SAS? I like the sound of that

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

So a little bit of news.......last week while coming down Mt. Evans Rd. after running cascade and Ute Creeks, I was in 3rd gear and off the gas when outta nowhere it sounds like the trans popped into neutral, the shifter however, didn't move and is still in the 3rd gear slot. I try hitting the clutch a couple times, no change, tried downshifting to 2nd, same thing, 1st, 4th all the same, somehow got 5th to hold and limped into a gas station. It felt fine in the gas station parking lot? So started to head toward home taking it easy. By the time I get home I've got it narrowed down to deccelerating, gear didn't matter. So I'm still not sure if this is a trans or a tcase issue at this point. Well of course I got my arm twisted on thanksgiving to go do a little snow wheeling on trail creek and south spring gulch. I limped it on over there in 2wd, and once it's in 4, you'd never know there was anything wrong. Made it througha few trails in this condition, but on the way home Thursday night after a late night Thanksgiving run up and over Yankee, I took the Downieville exit to air up my tires at the sinclaire. Came to a stop at the end of the exit ramp, put it in first, let out the clutch.............nothing. fiddled with this and that finally got it to go. Aired up my tires, same thing, nada. I found that if I switch to 4lo, then back to 2wd, it would work, but as soon as I decelerated or stopped, nada. Finally at a stop sign about halfway home it was done. No more 2wd no matter what I did. Probably only had 3-4 miles left to home. I said screw it and crawled home in 4lo.

So apparently it was the transfer case.........luckily I have another electric shift in my storage unit that came out of the 94 Sport, the General 2.0 Hopefully there's no issues getting it installed and getting me back on trail.

 

[gmanpaint]

Split the case open. I bet it is just one of the Teflon tips on the shift fork broke or fell off.

The 4405 is a pile of ****. This is a good time to swap in a manual 1354.

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

I'd love to swap in a manual. The one I scored last year I put in our 94 sport, and there's just no funds for another one at the moment. I'm actually going to go pull the shift motor and see if by chance the shift motor isn't getting it all the way into 2wd, other than that, I'll swap it out for the one I took out of the 94 for now. Besides, with the mod I have coming down the pipe hopefully very soon..........I'm going to be needing a 4406

Once it's out (if I do indeed need to take it out) I'll definitely split it and see what's going on. Thanks for the tip Greg!!

 

[96EXXLTinCO]

So I decided to do a little searching on here before braving the cold to lay on the ground and take the shift motor off. Turns out my issue is a really common one with the 4405. the shift rail bores in each side of the case halves get elongated and the fork can no longer hold the planetaries under deceleration. So I didn't even mess with it. going to pick up my other tcase tonight on the way to our winter home in Colorado Springs. Hope to get it changed out in the next day or two and get a few runs in down South. I took out the front driveshaft and unhooked the electrical connections to the CAD relays so I can run this thing in 2lo several miles down the hill so that AAA can haul it to the Springs and we'll be within their 100 mile tow limit.