Completed Project - Great Pumpkin Solid Axle Swap 1993 Ford Explorer XL Rick Horwitz | Page 5 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Completed Project Great Pumpkin Solid Axle Swap 1993 Ford Explorer XL Rick Horwitz

Use this prefix for completed projects that are not "How to" articles or threads asking for help.
My solid axle swap went through two phases of construction. The first utilized Trailmaster 4" coil springs and Rancho 9000 shocks. The setup was a 5 link, that is 4 links plus a panhard bar. The coil spring was allowed to fall way from it's upper mount and was kept in line by a piece of tubular steel which also served as a bump stop.

The axle is a Dana 44 High Pinion design from a '79 Bronco. The axle was shortened for this application. I do not have the measurements. All of the fabrication work was done by FST in Phoenix

Here are photos from Phase 1:
dana44_5.jpg


dana44_11.jpg


dana44_crossmem.jpg


dana44_15.jpg


dana44_21.jpg


pumpkin_springdroop.jpg


rickramp2.jpg


Main drawback to this design was the noise and sloppiness that occured when the coil spring fell away from the top mount. Everyone I wheeled with had to get used to the BANG when the coil popped back in place.

5.JPG
 



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I like the 9" rear, Should I use the 44 up front. Like I said they are from a 76 bronco and dont know if they are too short or just right (willing to use small wheel spacers if needed) I only want to run 33's on a 10' wide wheel max maybe 32's on a 8" wheel and dont want to go too high just 3" susp. and cut out wheel wells if I can find fender flares or modify ones from a similar truck it is a 4 door Explorer (any ideas troopers are TOUGH here and even tougher in New England where 3" lift is the most you can use) I want to stay with a coil spring set up and I am on a budget. Any ideas or should I just lift the stock unit and use the TTB with drop down brackets.Thanks for the input.
 



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well you got alot of option i would use the 9" rear and i would get the 4" leaf sprang from like super lift with that 4" sprang under to sprang over well be like 91/2 " to 10" of lift you then can get 36s under it . if you want to go big. look in threads to see how some of the explorer people did theres sas

Download firefox, enjoy the built in spell checker.
 












Ok I have read all about your SAS which is awesome by the way. Now i want to know about the 98 front end. how hard was that.
 






You need a 2nd gen the header panel for the grill to attach to. Other than that, a few small brackets need to be made to attach the fenders to the body.
 






Rick that is a truly awesome explorer. I wish my 94' were like that.
 












So how much money do you have invested into the great pumpkin?
 






So how much money do you have invested into the great pumpkin?

Thats like asking someone's age. It just isn't done :) But, even if it was done, I doubt anyone actually knows "what" they spent throughout the years.

~Mark
 






Yeah i agree with that, I have had my ex for like 4 months and i have no clue what i have spent but i know i have spent a lot... XD
 


















They make anything custom.
 






I shot a video today showing the Pumpkin as it sits 23 years after I purchased it brand new :D



The photo below is the oldest photo I have of my Explorer. Unfortunately I never grabbed a shot of it straight off the showroom floor :(
 

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How does your hood latch? Is it just using the hood pins? Or did you keep the latching mechanism as well?
 






How does your hood latch? Is it just using the hood pins? Or did you keep the latching mechanism as well?

Yes, just the hood pins.
 






Any updates or changes on this thing?
 






Any updates or changes on this thing?

The latest update was a vacuum pump for the power brakes which I can kick on if the engine stalls while climbing a steep hill.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...m-pump-xtra-reservoir-for-the-pumpkin.445189/

Other than that, no changes since the Rock Jock 60 went in a few years ago.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...adder-bar-pumpkin-on-the-upgrade-path.343079/

Sadly it only gets out to wheel a couple times a year these days.
 






i seen the 60 in the video and was like, "Oh Damn!" which prompted my asking. lol

When are you coming back out to TH?
 



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When are you coming back out to TH?


Most likely October for our Fall run. I was just thinking about that. I need to set dates.
 






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