ibeam settup

[92bodydropped]

please no negative comments but i have a 92 4x4 ex and i was wondering if you could put a 2wd front ibeam on instead of having the TTB? please help
-thanks

 

[FIND]

Yes you can convert a 4wd explorer to 2wd. Use the search button to find threads detailing how.

 

[92bodydropped]

please no negative comments but i have a 92 4x4 ex and i was wondering if you could put a 2wd front ibeam on instead of having the TTB? please help
-thanks

sorry i didnt go into detail but i was wondering if you can just swap a 2wd beam setup instead of the 4wd TTB?

 

[FIND]

No. TTB stands for Twin Traction Beam. 4wd TTB is the same kind of beam setup as you have on a 2wd. 2wd uses a TTB as well. Look under your vehicle. The differential is attached to the beams and the axle travels through them. If you want to swap to 2wd beams, you need to swap out all the 4wd hardware.

You really should try reading through this forum a bit. You would be amazed at how much information you can find when you get past the clutter.

 

[DeRocha]

As the others have indicated you are the only one that knows what exactly you are trying to do, so searching will yield the information you are looking for. Searching for the opposite "Convert 2wd to 4wd" should yield reciprocal results.

But to answer your basic question:

If you plan on leaving the Transmission and T-case alone, you would need to get the entire 2wd beam setup from a donor vehicle (Beams, Knuckle/Spindle, Springs, AND most importantly the Beam Mounting brackets to the frame).
2w and 4w use different brackets to connect to the frame. These brackets are riveted to the frame so may take some effort getting them off.

 

[Baddecision93]

I believe you've asked this before and were told that your most cost effective option is going to be sell the 4x4 and buy a 2WD.

I know you said that there's a loan on this car but seriously, it can't be worth more than $3,000 max. Even that's probably stretching it.
Take the money you are going to spend on making this one 2WD (don't kid yourself, it won't be cheap) and pay this off.

I have mildly modified my 4x4 and hit $3,000 in parts very easy. Going from 4x4 to 2WD is going to cost a good amount of money. Pay it off and sell it, then buy a 2 wheel drive from someone else, maybe even a forum guy.
Maybe a forum guy would want to trade you? 95% of guys are going to want a 4x4 over a 2WD.

 

[tweakedlogic]

I have mentioned this before, but keep your eyes on craig'slist. I see Xs with blown trannys and motors all the time for $400 and up. Get one of those and either drop you motor and tranny in it or swap the suspension. Be patient and you might even find one your body color.

 

[DeRocha]

Baddecision93 was astute to point out you have been asking similar questions in various other threads. From reading through your posts you indicate you're only 16yrs old and couldn't swap/trade your 4x4 Explorer for a 2x4 model (which most people where suggesting you do) because you couldn't afford to pay off the vehicle to obtain the title. That raises some RED flags. If you don't have the $$ to pay off your ride then you definitely shouldn't be "Messing" around with lifting/dropping it unless you know what you're doing. Aside from the obvious safety issues screwing something up could be a costly mistake in terms of having to pay someone to fix it, or risk it sitting on blocks for months while you pay its loan each month.

 

[tweakedlogic]

you definitely shouldn't be "messing" around with lifting/dropping it unless you know what you're doing.

+1

 

[92bodydropped]

As the others have indicated you are the only one that knows what exactly you are trying to do, so searching will yield the information you are looking for. Searching for the opposite "Convert 2wd to 4wd" should yield reciprocal results.

But to answer your basic question:

If you plan on leaving the Transmission and T-case alone, you would need to get the entire 2wd beam setup from a donor vehicle (Beams, Knuckle/Spindle, Springs, AND most importantly the Beam Mounting brackets to the frame).
2w and 4w use different brackets to connect to the frame. These brackets are riveted to the frame so may take some effort getting them off.

thanks and i know i was going to the junk yard and they were gonna pull everything i need for $170 they were going to try to pull it all in one piece so i can just roll it under and bolt it up if possible

 

[Maniak]

I don't know if it will matter, but the axle pivot bracket on the driver side mounts differently between 2wd and 4wd vehicles. Different spot on the frame/cross member.

~Mark

 

[tweakedlogic]

thanks and i know i was going to the junk yard and they were gonna pull everything i need for $170 they were going to try to pull it all in one piece so i can just roll it under and bolt it up if possible

Was I this stubborn when i was 16?

You realize these trucks have IFS? It will not be one piece. I know from my experience this last week on my own truck that removing and installing IFS suspensions is not simple. Not to mention the special tools and knowledge you likely don't possess. Given your experience level, you likely don't have the knowledge to pull this off with out a map of how everything goes back on.

If you are hell bent on doing this, you have a higher chance of success if you yourself remove from the donor vehicle. Furthermore, i would recommend that before you do that, you remove the front suspension from your truck. That way you can bring home your new one and bolt it one while everything is fresh in your mind and you have the experience of two removals.

By the way, the tie rods are different as well. so you will have to remove everything from the pit-man arm. I'm not sure about the arm and steering box itself. You will of course need an alignment.

Then there are costs like the brake rotors, brake pads, You should put in new bearings. Hope your junkyard calipers aren't locked up. There will of course be unexpected expenses. Bad bushings that need to be replaced and the like.

If your going to all of this trouble, you might as well swap in front from the 97 Ranger with the dual piston brakes. But like everybody else has said. Just drive it. They are reliable trucks, you never know when you will need 4WD. And as a forum members sig says "99% of the world is unpaved, it just makes sense to own a four wheel drive".
You will gain nothing by lowering this truck (if you succeed). Looks are not everything. Just look at Pamela Anderson. A shell of a person that looks worse after all the mods. Granted she has more miles than your truck, but still.

I know you think this is the right thing to do. but your wrong. It's ok to be wrong. Your 16. you will be wrong thousands of times before your 18. It's alright to admit your ideas are crazy brained. Sixteen year olds think with their dick. Hell, I still think with my dick and I'm more than twice your age. But, the difference is I have 20 more years of my dick getting my in trouble, so now I can tell (some times) when to not listen.

In this case, you should not listen. Just wait to do this mod in 4 years. If you still feel the same way, I'll box up all my tools and come help.

Instead, consider this option. Take the money you were planning on spending on this swap, then double or triple it, because that is more accurate estimate. Now take that money and buy a bad ass stereo. 2 12s, 6.5s in the doors, 500w sub and 150 watt mids and highs. You will get more enjoyment from that than you will avoiding every minor dip and crack in the road.

Don't do it!

 

[Ageman]

Well said

Was I this stubborn when i was 16?

You realize these trucks have IFS? It will not be one piece. I know from just swapping ring gears removing and installing IFS suspensions is not simple. Not to mention the special tools and knowledge you likely don't possess. Being 16, you likely don't have the experience to pull this off with out a map of how it went on.

If you are hell bent on doing this, you have a higher chance of success if you yourself remove from the donor vehicle. Furthermore i would recommend that before you do that, you remove the front suspension from your truck. That way you can bring home your new one and bolt it one while everything is fresh in your mind and you have the experience of two removals.

By the way, the tie rods are different as well. so you will have to remove everything from the pit-man arm. I'm not sure about the arm and steering box itself. You will of course need an alignment.

Then there costs like the brake rotors, brake pads, You should put in new bearings. Hope your junkyard calipers aren't locked up. There will of course be unexpected expenses. Bad bushings that need to be replaced and the like.

If your going to all of this trouble, you might as well swap in front from the 97 Ranger with the dual piston brakes. But like everybody else has said. Just drive it. They are reliable trucks, you never know when you will need 4WD. And as a forum members sig says "99% of the world is unpaved, it just makes sense to own a four wheel drive".
You will gain nothing by lowering this truck (if you succeed). Looks are not everything. Just look at Pamela Anderson. A shell of a person that looks worse after all the mods. Granted she has more miles than your truck, but still.

I know you think this is the right thing to do. but your wrong. It's ok to be wrong. Your 16. you will be wrong thousands of times before your 18. It's alright to admit your ideas are crazy brained. Sixteen year olds think with their dick. Hell, I still think with my dick and I'm more than twice your age. But, the difference is I have 20 more years of my dick getting my in trouble, so now I can tell (some times) when to not listen.

In this case, you should not listen. Just wait to do this mod in 4 years. If you still feel the same way, I'll box up all my tools and come help.

Instead, consider this option. Take the money you were planning on spending on this swap, then double or triple it, because that is more accurate estimate. Now take that money and buy a bad ass stereo. 2 12s, 6.5s in the doors, 500w sub and 150 watt mids and highs. You will get more enjoyment from that than you will avoiding every minor dip and crack in the road.

Don't do it!

 

[FIND]

If you get those junkyard parts..... and let's assume you get the whole front suspension including tie rods, brakes, the works. Everything you need including the correct cross member, pivot bracket.... yeah, everything

You will almost certainly need to swap wheel bearings, wheel seals, rotors, pads, and brake soft lines. If you are unlucky, you will also need to reman or replace your calipers. You have a 50-50 chance of needing new balljoints on this front end and you are going to need an alignment. $170 sounds good.... until you realize that it will probably cost you twice that much or more, maybe much more. Some of those things, are not the kind of thing for a person to do themselves without experience. Heck, I wouldn't even tell a person to change wheel bearings themselves if they don't have at least a little experience working on cars and can understand the procedures. Don't forget bleeding those brakes. That is a quart of brake fluid on top of your costs. Do you know how to do that? Do you have someone who can help? If you don't bleed them properly, the first time you start driving will be the last time that explorer is standing still until it hits something expensive.

What kind of tools do you have? Do you have another $20 for the proper socket for the nut on the hub? How about BIG wrenches, how are you stocked on those? Those radius arms aren't gonna remove themselves.... What about getting that cross-member off? Ok, let's say you just change brackets. How are you planning on getting the old one off? Can you leave your vehicle out of service for as long as it is going to take you to do this swap? I could do that much easily in a day, but the weather is getting worse, I'm going to assume you don't have a good place to work on it, and you are not an experienced mechanic. PLUS, needing parts that you probably won't find out you need until after you have it put together are going to cost you in delays.

Sure, taking it all off as one assembly so you can just roll it under and bolt it up in one piece sounds good, but it is rarely that easy and never that cheap.

 

[DeRocha]

92bodydropped, Please do not take any of the above post negatively. We are all Explorer enthusiasts and trying to help the best that we can. Everyone suggesting you not do this is because of sparse information you posted such as:

• You don't have alot of $$ to spend
• There's a loan on the vehicle
• You don't know how to do the job
• You haven't indicated what level of mechanical knowledge you possess
• Your only 16yrs old

Now if you said something like the following I'm sure you'd get more people saying go for it :

I'm only 16yrs old and plan on working on this project with my Dad, uncle or Friend who is a Mechanical whiz. They have all the tools and knowledge to do this swap. They are going to work with me so I can learn how to do the job correctly. Once its done I'll post up pictures of my slammed ride and you'll see how sweet it came out.