Questions about off road mods

[Rody93]

I have a 4 door '95 explorer and its 2WD, and i was wondering is it even worth it lifting it and getting new shocks and such, because i dont know how much off-roading you can do with 2WD. Because i really want to lift my explorer and get bigger tires. Please help with ideas!! Thanks! Here is what my stock ride looks like now----http://members.cardomain.com/rody93

 

[Castees]

There's really two ways to go about it... lift it with new shocks, suspension, gearing, etc for performance, and doing it for looks. You'd be surprised at how much off-roading you CAN do with just a 2WD. You're not going to be getting into really hairy stuff, and don't expect to go rock-crawling any time soon, but it's still possible. Understand that the suspension lift will cost about a grand, and the regearing will cost another grand. So, real question is, how much and what kind of off-roading do you want to do, and how much are you willing to spend to make your rig capable of it.

 

[Numidian]

You could lift it for less the a grand...And the best thing you could do with your 2wd to make it work better would be to regear AND install a locker... gears and a locker should run you less then a grand also...(remember Castees, it's 2wd only one differential)
Generally the pricing goes..
Gears-~$150
Install Kit-~$125
Locker(this depends, could be free(weld up spiders) or you could spend $200 or so on a Lockright or an Aussie locker or you could spend $8-900 on an ARB...I personally would opt for a lockright or an Aussie)
Install-~$200

 

[410Fortune]

well if you want to lift it and put bigger tires on it for looks its not that hard.
If you want to modifiy it for actual off road use you have a couple of choices
Do as the 2wd guys do: Dezertrangers.com
or convert it to 4x4 using a solid axle up front or a complete donor truck. 4x4 rules.

 

[dreamr]

Why?
2wd is great for the streets, and yea a lot of pre runners are 2wd.
2wd is useless in nasty terrain.

I know I'll get flamed for this for there are a couple lifted and built up 2wd's around here. If you want to wheel get a truck that can, or convert yours. If you just want to look cool and say you've got an off road truck (that rarely sees anything rougher than the gravel fire roads), then by all means build your 2wd.

If you plan on turning it pre runner. More power to you an good luck. One thing though. I wouldn't be so much worried about how I am going to lift a pre-runner, but rather how I am going to strengthen everything to soak up the jumps.

 

[ahhjaws]

You'd be surprised where you can go with 2WD and a locker.

 

[dreamr]

I have been all over the Idaho Rockies in a 2wd ford truck. Hell I've watched my dad pull big lifted 4x4's up and out of things they couldn't dream of doing.
When he sold it and bought a 4x4. It walked all over that little 2wd in stock form. I guess the long and short of this is all about the driver though.

Yes a 2wd can perform surprisingly well, but requires much more use of the skinny pedal which breaks stuff, and generally can't compare off road.
If you want 2wd lower it. If you want a truck buy a transfer case.

If 2wd was that capable they would have never created the 4x4.

Besides rather bluntly it's just a silly waste of time to build a 2wd for offroading unless you got plans for 4wd swap and solid axle.
Even if you do, it's a lot wiser to start with a 4x4 and save yourself some time and money.

Me I could probably live with 2wd, but I would feel pretty cheesy lifting it and making it look like something it was not.
Me and a 2x4 would mean lots of performance goodies coming up as well as a X-Spec suspension kit.

 

[410Fortune]

well out in the desert the 2wd guys might have a little something to say about that, purpose built is purpose built........just depends on the kind of "off roading" you plan to do.

I agree however there is no comparison for 2wd vs 4wd, but a 2wd vehicle can be built to do some amazing stuff, just not rock crawling, mud, hills, trails in general, snow, hahahaha
But if you want to go fast in the sand, 2wd can work great, or if you just want a little bit of off road looks to drive on the street (who am I to judge) then 2wd is fine

 

[bipolarbob]

Locker(this depends, could be free(weld up spiders) or you could spend $200 or so on a Lockright or an Aussie locker or you could spend $8-900 on an ARB...I personally would opt for a lockright or an Aussie)
Install-~$200

You can't weld up spiders in the rear. 2wd lifted does not make you a poser.
There are lots out there.

 

[dreamr]

well out in the desert the 2wd guys might have a little something to say about that, purpose built is purpose built........just depends on the kind of "off roading" you plan to do.

I agree however there is no comparison for 2wd vs 4wd, but a 2wd vehicle can be built to do some amazing stuff, just not rock crawling, mud, hills, trails in general, snow, hahahaha
But if you want to go fast in the sand, 2wd can work great, or if you just want a little bit of off road looks to drive on the street (who am I to judge) then 2wd is fine

You said it the way I should have
So much for my politeness this morning.
Maybe I sholud go back to sleep for a bit.

 

[metstalker]

i guess it all about with working with what you have.