Long-Travel Suspension

[BislamJoe]

[EDIT: I'm bumping this thread back up - it's got a lot of good information in it.]

I need longer legs on my truck. I don't want to lift it, at least not much. I'm thinking about the Duff 2.5" but if I can get the travel I want without lifting, that's how I'll do it. I'm keeping the TTB, and none of you solid-axle guys can change my mind on that. I'm going for travel, not articulation. I've thought about having coils and leaf packs made by National Spring, finding some drop brackets giving a 2" lift, beefing those up in an unabashed display of pure redneckedness, then fabbing dual shocks for the front, and topping it off with dual rear shocks. For the dual rear shocks, is there any way to mount them both behind the axle? I'm thinking of a dual fuel tank conversion, moving my muffler to the spare tire hole, mounting the spare on the roof or rear bumper. I'm also planning a V8 conversion. Any thoughts?

 

[Clint]

u mind tellin me the diff between articulation and wheel travel............u really can't have one without the other

duff makes a good kit and if u don't want to go to high u can't beat 2 1/2 inches but u should probably go with the duff kit minus the coils and get some made by national for lift of about 3 1/2 inches of lift with a 300-350 pound spring rate(don't worry with this spring rate you will settle at 2.5-3") and then to allow the tires to travel without tasteing your wheel well look into a set of perrys fenders at www.perrysfabnfiber.com. for the rear i would go for the zimm spring mod and some warrior shackles to allow the spring to flatten out more.....then u should have a great flexible rig.....while your at it buy the dual shock kit from duff

 

[Randall]

One question about the Zimm mod. I assume that you leave all of the explorer's original leaves with the stock clamps attached, is the extra ranger leaf left loose? Or do you clamp them together somehow while on the street and unbind them for offroad? Or is it just clamped in with the rest of the Explorer leaves permanently?

 

[BislamJoe]

articulation is like rock-crawling wheel movement. with a solid axle, for example, one wheel reaches down as the other remains still, but the body/frame lowers itself relative to the stationary wheel. By travel i mean simple vertical travel of individual wheels.

 

[Clint]

***** my springs aren't clamped(that's what gives it so much flex the spring seperation) but i do have a ubolt welded to the load spring so the springs won't misalign.........Joe i understand the definition but u still can't have one without the other ...if u have good functional wheel travel if u have good articulation but anyway what are u planning on doing suspension whise

 

[Randall]

Do you have a pic of the welded area? since you ride with the leaves loose at all times, how does it handle on the road? Is it bouncy as hell or what?

 

[CHH777]

I'd like to see a pic too. When I do some hard wheeling my overload springs twist inward and the driver side hits the gas tank skid plate.

 

[FROADER]

You should take out the overload springs in the first place. Those are limiting some of your travel right there. It will also ride a little better on the road too with them out.

 

[Clint]

i can't remove mine i still tow a boat and other stuff

 

[BislamJoe]

i don't rockcrawl, i'm looking for the kind of performance you see in desert racers and prerunners. i don't exactly desert run, but i tend to approach off-road trails with tactics best described as "stupid-crazy-redneck-fast" and enjoy high-speed off-road races over large open fields. i'm avoiding lift to keep my c.o.g. as low as i can. i'm willing to trim as much as i need to, including moving things around in the fenderwell, so tire clearance is only a concern at full-lock. i want to run at least 33's, maybe 35's if that won't be too much trouble. i figured wheel spacers would help solve the full-lock rub problem, but i read in another thread that they put a lot of stress on your drivetrain. are there any other ways to increase my front track width without a solid axle? i can swap in a full-width or slightly narrowed axle in the rear; i'll probably go ahead and step up to a 9-inch if that becomes necessary.

 

[CHH777]

Fender,

I had them removed at one point but the rear began to sag. I have a Navajo which only has two rear leafs plus the overload. Do 91-94 Explorer Sports have a 4-leaf spring pack?

 

[sirhk100]

There are a couple of Fab shops around SoCal that can make widened TTB for up front. Some are widened by as much as 4" per side. Running those along with fiberglass flared fenders and extended radius arms and you'll have a lot of travel with no clearance issues.

 

[FROADER]

BislamJoe-
I think I have the lowest X on this site with 35s. I too drive as fast as my X will let me whenever I get the chance. It actually doesn't go fast enough for me. I chased for Bob Gordon for a couple years. Anyway, I don't think you're going to get 35s on your truck without lifting it, unless you are ready to cut your inner wells completely away and if you're going to tub the back. You can't really cut too much in the back unless you tub it back there. Eventually, mine will have 4 link int he rear with a 9" and widend about 3 or 4 inches per side in the front. I'm looking to be done with everything in about 2 years.

CHH77-
I'm not sure about the leaf pack in the Sport

CMartin91-
I hear ya

 

[CHH777]

Fender,

Did you put any flares on the back to match your front fenders?

 

[BislamJoe]

that's what i was thinking - a widened TTB with long radius arms. you have a website for any of those shops? or better yet, a way to get plans or something to do it myself or have it done locally. i know the Zimmermans built radius arms, so i'm planning to build mine as well. i also thought about swapping in a Dana 44, Dana 44HD or Dana 50 TTB from a full-size f-truck. I'm not sure how tough that would be though. as for the rear, is a full-width 9-inch a tough swap? would a full-width 8.8 be easier?

 

[Pendarus]

Try Baja Concepts in San Diego.


www.bajaconcepts.com

They carry a full line of Explorer 4X4 mods for prerunning.

 

[Clint]

ok i get what your saying u want wheel travel but a stiff wheel travel "no sway"have u checked out camburg www.camburg.com go under what's new and look under xtreme explorer .....the full width 8.8 isn't going to be any easier than a 9 so go with a 9 or leave it alone ....sorry guys i don't have a pic

 

[sirhk100]

Also check

McNeil Racing

Perry can also do it!

AutoFab

 

[tdavis]

Originally posted by CHH777
Fender,

I had them removed at one point but the rear began to sag. I have a Navajo which only has two rear leafs plus the overload. Do 91-94 Explorer Sports have a 4-leaf spring pack?

yes. and 4door leaf packs fit on a 2dr.

I know. I've got EMU on mine now. And they was made for a 4door.

 

[BislamJoe]

Thanks guys! I've e-mailed Camburg to see if I can get widened TTB parts. Probably 4" per side should do it, right? to clear 33's at full lock at least? I'm still listening to any suggestions you guys can throw at me, just try to remember, I'm going kinda for the low-rider with big-honking tires! lol