Tired Leaf Springs

[MountaineerGreen]

Looked under the truck just while ago. No way no how without a wider axle or at least spacers. My inner fenders are bent in from the tires rubbing, and they are only 1.5" from the tires.

This stinks, I don't know what to do.

[carlover]

if you wanna use wheel spacers i can see if the guy who's gonna do mine can make you that upper hoop?? if he can do it for cheap enough you can just pay me and ill pay him for you. All youd have to do is set it up and weld it up.

[MountaineerGreen]

Thanks for the offer. I am not sure if I am ready for the fab work its going to take to do the hoops. CG cleared his hoops since he had a BL, otherwise he would have had to cut into the fender well. Plus, I'd have to weld tabs on the axle and risk the shocks hitting the caliper like Chris's did.


I just checked, my shocks are Rancho RS5227.

Stretched Length: 28.875"
Compress Length: 17.375"
Stroke: 11.5"

Stock shock specs:

Extended length:25.250"
Compressed Length:15.000"
Travel Length:10.250"

So, my shocks are 2" longer than stockies compressed. I think I can make them work, maybe like FROADER said, use the lower sway bar bolt hole.

I am leaning towards the kit I linked to above. The perches are 8" long, 1/4" thick. The longer perch will help with spring wrap. The u bolts are huge and the plate is 3/8" thick. It has shock mounts I can weld on somewhere, maybe on the perches kind of like the superlift kit does. Shipping is only $9, so for $120 for a bullet prof SOA isn't too bad.

[Hokie]

Originally Posted by MountaineerGreen

I wonder how much of an angle shocks can be used at and they still be effective?

I have my factory traction bar tabs on my axle, if I could figure out how to mount them to the frame so they would clear the tire, it may work.

Shoot, make you some brackets or spacers and use the traction bar tabs if you can.

[MountaineerGreen]

Outboard shocks are out for now, I don't have time or resources to make it work. I may address this later on though.

I ordered the 8.8 kit from the link above. I talked to the guy, told him what I was doing, he suggested some different shock mounts than the kit includes, so he substituted them in. I plan to try to weld them to or near the perches, a little lower on the axle, but not below it. That way I can use the shocks I have to save $$.

The plan is to SOA the rear, then after I sell my camper, coilovers in the front to get a little bit more height without the stiffness of cranked bars. And, I get rid of he huge hang up the rear mounts are.

[Hokie]

Originally Posted by MountaineerGreen

The plan is to SOA the rear, then after I sell my camper, coilovers in the front to get a little bit more height without the stiffness of cranked bars. And, I get rid of he huge hang up the rear mounts are.

The way Explorer's should've been made to begin with! I hate the torsion bars

[MountaineerGreen]

I bow to the all knowing FROADER- I am going to mount my shocks on the lower hole of my sway bar mounts. I looked and they will clear my spare like that and work great.

I removed my rear sway bar completely after driving around for 3 days with it disconnected. I really can't tell much difference without it, except for the rear end may be a little "looser" in corners, but I can still drive as fast as I need to through corners.

[FROADER]

Awsome, glad that worked out for you.

[MountaineerGreen]

I shall be SOA'd by this time next Saturday.


Would it be foolish to cut off the lower perch after I got the top one welded on? They seem like they would make a good place to get hung up on

[FROADER]

It's flat on the bottom, so it seems unnecessary IMO. I've never been hung up on mine.

[Hokie]

Originally Posted by FROADER

It's flat on the bottom, so it seems unnecessary IMO. I've never been hung up on mine.

Yeah, I wouldn't take the time to cut 'em off. What're the chances that you get hung up on a rock on the spring hanger, that close to the tire. It would have to be a really weird shaped rock.

Besides, if you leave them on you could go back to SUA should you ever decide to do so.

[MountaineerGreen]

True, True.

I am ready to get it done.

Look at this picture:



Vs This from a few months back:



Even the torsion bars have sagged- the bolts are nearly bottomed out. Coilovers anyone?

[Hokie]

Originally Posted by MountaineerGreen

Even the torsion bars have sagged- the bolts are nearly bottomed out. Coilovers anyone?

Man I would love to get rid of these stupid torsion bars

[MountaineerGreen]

I am looking for a steal of a deal on coilovers now, no luck yet.

[Hokie]

Originally Posted by MountaineerGreen

I am looking for a steal of a deal on coilovers now, no luck yet.

Yeah, I can't justify spending any more money on the Mounty. Honestly I don't know if I'll have it for another 4 years or 8 months.

[FROADER]

No experiece with them, but I haven't seen any bad revies on them yet. Check out radflo. They are pretty cheap for brand new.

[MountaineerGreen]

Originally Posted by FROADER

No experiece with them, but I haven't seen any bad revies on them yet. Check out radflo. They are pretty cheap for brand new.

I checked, the shortest they offer is 8" travel, I need 6.5" to avoid major fabrication. They look like good stuff though.

[MountaineerGreen]

Crap. Look at this:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...threadid=46236

Thats a good idea- I could have just bought perches and different u bolts.

[Hokie]

Originally Posted by MountaineerGreen

Crap. Look at this:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...threadid=46236

Thats a good idea- I could have just bought perches and different u bolts.

Isn't that all you are doing now? Buying perches and new bolts? He welded 'em just like you're going to. Only thing different is he didn't flip his plates.

[MountaineerGreen]

Right, he welded on perches, didn't flip his plate, bought square u bolts.

I am getting a plate, perches, u bolts, doing essentially the same thing, but my plate will be on top and it cost more.

I may have time to cancel my order, I don't believe it has shipped.