Trailmaster '98-'00 update...

[2001ExpSport]

Tank Bar

I would suggest running a second bar underneath it to guard the tbar. You will most likely only get hits from below when the vehicle comes down hard. This way the second bar will take the hit and the damage, not your tbar. You could also use a softer metal, those tbars are pretty hard and snap easy. When I had a minivan, I came off a curb and while coming down I hit my sway bar a snapped that sucker right in two. Now, I know a sway bar and tbar are different and probably different hardness, but it had me thinking when I saw that Ranger. If you can find two tank bars from an army surplus store, those would work great as they are as long as the tbar.

BTW, a tank bar is about the same radius as a tbar and about as long and is used on tanks to change track sections and wheels. It is squared off and pointed at one end, but I don't think that would be a problem.

 

[Tom Wilk]

Ray, I agree with the rest. Get some kind of skid plate, or angle iron or something to build a shield from the front crossmember to the torsion bar mounts, and maybe some braces from the mounts to the frame at a 45 degree angle to strengthen and protect the setup. It's too bad that they couldn't leave the rear mount where it was and just lower the front end, but I imagine that such a setup would have put too much of an angle on the bars.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Well, I think I have enough money to shield the whole thing. What I'm gonna do is run a steel plate from the front crossmember back past the transfercase and sweep the plate up around the T-bars. That way just about everything will be protected. It should be ready to go to the gear shop by the end of the week. I had a few other things made up to make it alittle more trail worthy, like front and rear quick disconnects(you gotta see how my mechanic did this), rock protected rear lower shock mounts. Most of this stuff is adapted from Jeep stuff.

 

[Paul Gagnon]

Originally posted by 2001ExpSport
Ok, that's what I thought. So, if my springs extend farther than my shocks is that ok or am I going to bust a shock? When I put my shackels on, the spring extended about an 1" farther than my shock.

You may not actually break the shock but you will most definately destroy the shock by damaging the piston or seals inside the shock. Depending on how hard you wheel you could notice this failure in as little as one or two difficult trails. I blew my shocks the first time I ran with my swaybars disconnected (1 weekend, 3 three trails). Take the time to measure and install the correct length shocks. It will save you alot of hassle and money in the long run.

 

[GJarrett]

Ray,

I am starting to get real excited for you. When do you think you will have it ALL finished? You're gonna have to take a LOT of pictures and post them when it's all done!

What did they do for your quick disconnects?

 

[leebo]

I kinda wondering about the dissconnects myself.

The best thing I've found is when you buy a new set of shocks...buy them a bit on the large side in the first place. Then there's no chance of them limiting your arc. On top of that any minor mods you do to the suspension will be covered without the purchase of new shocks all the time.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Lee,
The disconnects are for the Sway Bars, not the shocks.
Basicly these are ZJ adjustable sway bar links. He added the U shaped piece of metal with the bolt in the bottom end, then put the pull pin in throught the bottom bushing of the sway bar link. Both the sway bar link and the U shape metal with bolt are over the counter parts at most Jeep suppliers. I originaly wanted the disconnects like Jack Lobdell had on his Explorer, but after trying to put one of those together, I found out that it was a real pain to hook them up. Mark, my mechanic, say this won't be the fastest disconnect, but it will be alot easier to take off and put back on. I will find out soon. If anyone is interested, I can get the part numbers for these 2 items.



This is what it looked like before

This is the new disconnect that is a swivel bushing on the bottom where the pull pin is inserted.

 

[Seth]

While your posting pics. How about some new pictures of your explorer? I can't wait to see what it is going to look like. You have the same year and trim as mine and I want to see what it would look like if I spent the money to do what you did. Thanks.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Seth,
I am purposely not showing what my truck looks like until it is completely finished. Actually the lift was finished awhile ago. I'm not just having a lift put on, but alot of other things that I feel need to be done in order to make this a trail worthy machine. You'll see it pretty soon.

[Edited by Ray Lobato on 09-13-2000 at 06:54 PM]

 

[Seth]

Darn the suspence is killing me. Are you going to be sticking with stock bumpers or going with a bull bar/ custom bumper approach? I haven't really seen any neat custom bumpers for the 95+ explorers and I think because of the more curvy design of the body style there is a lot of potental for something good. Also torsion bars, are you going to be sticking with just stock ford bars? I know there are a couple of companys out there that make "better" bars than fords. Here's one link: http://www.tjmproducts.com.au/series2000.html Sorry for all the questions but i'm just curious Thanks.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Seth,
The front bumper will stay, but I have a Ramsey Serria wrap around winch guard and a Ramsey Platinum 9500 winch. The winch guard looks like a Waag bushguard, well, that's because Waag makes it for Ramsey. I don't know what I'm going to do for the Back. I know what I want, I just don't think I'll have enough money to get it. we'll see.

 

[GJarrett]

Ray,
Have you already put the 35's on? If so, what did it take to clear the back of your front fenderwells?

 

[felsmann]

Ford Parts

Ray I figured you may want to know...

I bought the B Torsion bars, and I'll be putting them on today. I got them at http://www.fordpartsonline.com, very helpful folks, and the prices are much better than any Ford dealer.

Just in case.

 

[98 Xplorer]

Juan,

Thanks, for the tip. I checked prices for the T-Bars last week at a Ford Dealer. Today I called Ford Parts Online and they quoted me a price about half of what the Dealer quoted.

The part numbers they gave me for the bars are:
Left F57Z5B327A
Right F5725B326A

Are these the a correct part numbers for the B Bars?

Alan
98 Xplorer

[Edited by 98 Xplorer on 09-14-2000 at 04:14 PM]

 

[Ray Lobato]

Gerald,
I haven't put the tires on yet, because we still have to move the bumper up. We won't move the bumper up until the winch guard gets here, which should be by the end of this week. What am I saying, nothing has been on schedule so far, so that probably means some time next week. I will tell you that the plastic cover piece behind the wheel will have to go altogether. It's gonna be a tight fit.

Juan,
I already have "B" bars, so I lucked out on that. I'll have to check out that site for other Ford stuff. Thanks

 

[2001ExpSport]

98, yes those are the correct numbers.

B Code
Left F57Z5B327A
Right F5725B326A

D Code
Left F57Z5B327C
Right F5725B326C

[Edited by 2001ExpSport on 09-14-2000 at 08:04 PM]

 

[Tito_146]

Questions Ray.....

Ray:

Please make sure you have all the details, pics and mods done to your explorer. I'm sure many of us will save a lot of time and $$$$ if we follow your install.

One question: May I have the solder of the tbar brackets done and do the rest myself?

Thanks in advance for any answer you may provide.

 

[felsmann]

Quick tip

Ray, just a quick tip. If at all possible, avoid welding the rear Torsion bar cross member, try to keep it as stock as possible. I had to take my truck to the shop to do some warranty work on my clutch (stupid slave cylinder died again), and I had to pay extra labor time because the tranny could not be dropped as easily. Usually they remove the cross member and drop it straight down, that was not the case for me, since my cross member was welded for more rigidity.

Just thought you should know.

 

[2001ExpSport]

Hey Ray, what did you decide on for the torsion bar guards? Get anything fabbed yet?

 

[Ray Lobato]

Tito_146

One question: May I have the solder of the tbar brackets done and do the rest myself?

Tito, pretty much all that needs to be modified is the transmission cross member and the Torsion bar brackets, and you might have to knoch the front crossmember to make the steering slider fit. thereason I had to was my front cross member was pretty beat up and they couldn't get the steering slider to go through it until they straighten it out and knoched it in a few places. The rest you should be able to do yourself. Keep in mind this is only if you have a 95-97 Explorer. If you have a 98-01, you won't have to modify anything.

Juan, We didn't weld the cross member at all, just bolted it together.

2001ExpSport,
The skid plate I had made up starts from in front of the front crossmember and goes back past the tranny then sweeps up in the front and back. The whole front section including the torsion bars are covered up. It probably weights about 50 pounds.