lift questions

[Noved1987]

Ok so i was talking to a guy today and it turns out he used to work for a few different 4x4 shops. hes said he works for beer and i mentioned i wanted to lift my truck. he said i could get 5.5" of lift in the rear just buy putting the axle under the leaf (i have read that here before). but up front we were talking about SAS and he mentioned a jeep front axle and getting rear leafs from another X and putting them in the front.

what else do i need?

he said we could have it done in one weekend once i have all the parts. he listed a few other things but i thought i could remember but now i cant.

Also he has a few pairs of tires that he got when working at the shops from pepole wanting to go bigger he said he only kept the good ones and most are already mounted (most 33-37") he said my pick of them for like $200-250

 

[4x4junkie]

If that was a D30 jeep axle he was mentioning, it's weaker than your stock D35 front axle.

The stock stuff is quite sturdy (much more so than many realize). Depending on what size tires you want and your planned usage, I would probably do the rear axle under the leafs like you said and then just get a Skyjacker suspension kit for the front. If you'll be running a locker up front, also throw a set of the stronger Jeep locking hubs on it too (Warn pt# 37780).

 

[Noved1987]

i will have to buy the axle and parts but labor for beer and $200-250 for tires&wheels

 

[4x4junkie]

Quite a bit more to it than an axle, beer and some rims/tires...

If this is a cost thing, all those parts you'll need will add up to far more than what most suspension kits for your Explorer cost... You'll need new springs, new steering linkage, brackets for mounting the axle, all the hardware needed to mount those brackets and the axle, new gears if the axle doesn't already match your rear, and so on. Also, what do you know about the background of this guy that "works for beer"? (yeah you said he used to work at 4x4 shops, but was it custom suspensions that he worked on? Or did he just install shocks? Or work the cash register?)

If you still want to go through with it, then I'd use a D44 axle at minimum. This way you aren't going backwards in strength. Do all the research you can for yourself as well so you'll be able to tell whether this guy is doing a good job or not (there is tons of info on this site and others about axle swaps if you use the Search).

Good luck on it.

 

[Noved1987]

as for his abilities he used to work for the company i work for now my boss knows his ability and i have seen his work (newer expedition on 37's with a custom lift) he has done some of the cleanest welds i have ever seen.

I currently have 3.27 gears so i will be regearing soon too.

cost i have a u-pull-it yard near me and the charge a flat rate of 120 per axle. i have thought of getting both axles from one vehicle to avoid regearing. Good idea bad???