Prerunner/weekend toy Explorer

I have a thread up in modified 95-01 Explorers, but since mine is mainly off-road I figured it would be more suitable to have a thread in here.

What I am working with

97 2wd Explorer 4 door with 5.0L V-8

Front suspension: 14" Wheel travel

Modified LCA to accept a 1" uniball as the outer pivot then boxed in accordingly. Custom UCA with 7/8" heim as outter pivot and 3/4" heim on frame pivots. Fabtech lift spindle tapped out for the heim and drilled knuckle for a 7/8" on the outter tie rod as well. Fox twin tube bypass shocks as well as a 2.0 body air shock per side assist the stock torsions with spring rate. Fox hydraulic bump stop off of the UCA

Rear suspension: 18" wheel travel

62" race leaf springs by Deaver with custom 12" long shackles. 18x2.5 triple bypasses by Fox though the wheel wells.

Other:

Baker 8" front fenders with FIberwerx 8 " fiber glass rear panels. Front and rear bumpers with a 2" rollcage threaded throughout still in the making. Fullsize axle out back with 4.56 gears and a L/S. 35x12.50 BFG Baja TAs and some Pro comp rims to hit the ground running.

 

[mounty71]

Looking awesome Dan!

 

[danwaters]

Fenders core support and grill mounted. Had to pick up some dzeus fasteners before mounting the hood. Oh yeah, getting the new exhaust bent up in the morning and the new trans cooler is mount right in front of the radiator.

 

[danwaters]

Got the bare essentials done in order to take it out to glamis this Easter weekend to test her out and break everything in. Made 100 mile plus run to the river that feeds Lake Martinez, from Glamis on Saturday for a nice new trans break in. Front end did amazing. I immediately had to crank in the rear compression almost all the way even though we re-valved them almost double what they were before. Easter Sunday pic and 3/4 throttle canal road run vid....

http://youtu.be/3hn_XPKCV5o

 

[Tbars4]

..Nice video..You should enter this months contest..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=351599

 

[danwaters]

Thanks. How did you remote link that? And what contest?

 

[danwaters]

A couple pics of the front end done and a few from our run over Easter
Driver side suspension

New lower exhaust and trans/a arm crossmember

trailer

Run to Lake Martinez from Glamis, Imperial Sand dunes

 

[danwaters]

Got around to a new bumper on the Explorer. Just have to cut the ends of the main tube off where i like them and cap it and its ready to paint.

 

[DB_1]

Looks awesome You gonna make it to Huckfest at Pismo next month?

 

[danwaters]

Probably not. Have one more Ocotillo trip next month planed then were going to 4 link the rear.

 

[wht2wd50]

Holy **** what a ride....kuto to you my friend for bringing my dreams true..

 

[FROADER]

That bumper is simple, effective and good looking. Nice work, Dan!

Any tabs for lights or are you good with what you have on the roof?

 

[danwaters]

Thanks. I wanted to keep it simple yet effective. I was going to continue to run my 3 HIDs on the bumper but its much closer to the grill no so I'm thinking a 30" Rigid LED light bar. The roof lights are for the distance and the bumper needs to illuminate the immediate surroundings.

 

[danwaters]

started on the new center console. Still have to mount race radio, switch panel, fuse panel, intercom system and batt switch and its done. On to 4 link after that.

 

[section525]

Lookin great, Dan!

 

[Tbars4]

..It's hard to tell from the picture but what is that center console made of?

..Glassed, vinyl, metal? It looks sharp..

 

[danwaters]

Its aluminum, and thanks. Its getting there.

 

[danwaters]

Been a little lazy on updates recently cause I bought a new tow pig for the exploder but we got the roof of the cage all finished and gusseted. Mounted race radio and intercom system as well as sealing up the holes in the dash with new bezels around the gps etc. Cutting out trailing arms for the 4 link soon. No explorer but heres the new truck

 

[FROADER]

The rolled bead in the console is *****in'.

The new rig looks almost exactly like a buddy's of mine. He's got the power steps though, and his name is Dan.

Looking forward to more pics.

 

[Keeper0311]

You've got a great Explorer man! Lots of great stuff to learn from this thread.

 

[explorinitup]

EVERYTIME I SEE I FALL IN LOVE :notworthy