What is the biggest lift for the explorer?

[86caprirs]

I have searched on the internet and have come up with 2.5" or 4". Is there a 5.5" or 6" lift? Who makes it?

Thanks

 

[jd4242]

Skyjacker and superlift both make a SOA 5.5 lift

 

[86caprirs]

Now are these kits good for offroad use? We just play arround and do alot of mud holes.
SOA is spring over axle? Sounds like an easy lift to do.

 

[KPSquared]

With any abuse, the superlift brackets tend to break, but for what you are describing, they'll do just fine. I was going to gusset mine before I installed, but got excited... I plan to pull them and weld them up eventually (probably when they break)

The biggest limit to the TTB suspension is flex, there are a few ways to overcome that but they are not cheap. If you were going to wheel hard, a solid axle swap is probably your best option up front.

The rear is just putting new spring pads on top of the axle...easy as pie...as long as you can weld.

 

[4x4junkie]

The biggest limit to the TTB suspension is flex, there are a few ways to overcome that but they are not cheap. If you were going to wheel hard, a solid axle swap is probably your best option up front.

.

Flex isn't a limit of the TTB suspension, it's of the suspension lift you're putting on it (namely, the stiff coils). A solid axle won't help much if you used the same stiff coils on it.
The way around this is to swap the coils for something better, which isn't expensive in the least, although some steering corrections beyond the too-short drop arm that comes with a lift will of course be needed to use flexier coils successfully.

To the OP:
Skyjacker makes probably the best kits available at the moment, I'd be looking at theirs if you'll be wheeling it much. Skyjacker's coils are slightly softer than most too, which will help some with flex. They still are a bit stiff for some uses such as rockcrawling though, but should do well pretty much everywhere else (such as just playing around in mud holes).

 

[KPSquared]

I guess I could have been more specific. Most of the off-the-shelf kits really limit flex. There are mods you can do, such as softer springs etc, but then the steering starts to bind. Custom steering (either a modified K or swingset) can get costly. By the time you figure out how to get your TTB to REALLY flex (like for rock crawling) you still have a D35... It just seems like why not put the cash into a HP44 and you'll be further ahead. I don't know many guys with an SAS that wish they had gone for a flexy TTB...but I have read a ton of posts of guys with a flexy TTB wishing they had done a proper SAS.

4x4junkie is totally right though. It's mostly the crap coils that come with these kits (like my superlift). He's managed to make his B2flex pretty good.

I kinda want to make my TTB flexy just cause it's unique (but can be a weak point)

For what you describe, you're probably gonna be happy with any off the shelf kit (Superlift and Skyjacker)

Just make sure you get at least the FA600 pitman arm. Bumpsteer sucks.

 

[unclemeat]

I am repeating others here (GLFredrick) but the practical limitations of the TTB are shocks, sway bars and brake line. I completely agree that superlift 5.5-inchs are way too stiff and the drop pitman arm is not long enough.

But it appears to me that for inexpensive suspension flex GLFredrick seems to have figured out a cheap solution to wheel travel on TTB. You can search and find his techniques. I have not tried them, but they seem reasonable.

 

[86caprirs]

Cool. Thanks for the info guys

We do alot of trail stuff then when we find a mud hole we usually try to see what we can do. We stay away from the rock crawling just because more damage occurs with that compared to mud.

I like the idea of the gussets. I have a 95 F-150 with a Tuff Country 6" lift. I went with the extended radius arms that eliminated the drop down bracket and extended moved the piviot point of the arms back 15". I love it but when I am wheeling with Jeeps and I get stuck....well I am screwed with a heavy rig like my F-150. So the next choice was to go FS Bronco or and Explorer/Ranger. The Explorer I can keep my stuff dryer on the inside and it is a little lighter since I probably would remove stuff to loose a little weight.

 

[4x4junkie]

Don't be fooled that the Explorer is light lol, they're pretty heavy for their size at around 4200-4300lbs (not much under that of the FS Bronco). A Bronco II is significantly lighter (about 3600-3700) and would compare more favorably with a Wrangler Jeep, although it's axles usually leave something to be desired (Explorer axles are nearly bolt-in swaps into a BII though outside of a little welding on the rear for the spring perches).

I guess I could have been more specific. Most of the off-the-shelf kits really limit flex. There are mods you can do, such as softer springs etc, but then the steering starts to bind. Custom steering (either a modified K or swingset) can get costly. By the time you figure out how to get your TTB to REALLY flex (like for rock crawling) you still have a D35... It just seems like why not put the cash into a HP44 and you'll be further ahead. I don't know many guys with an SAS that wish they had gone for a flexy TTB...but I have read a ton of posts of guys with a flexy TTB wishing they had done a proper SAS.

The D35 (with Jeep hubs on it) is already easily 95% of the D44's strength... If you're gonna go through all the work of a swap, why not use a D60?

I won't argue that there were some that still wanted the straight axle after messing around with their TTB. What I've seen though is that it usually was premature. Nearly every single one of them never actually finished doing what's needed for the TTB to work correctly, most often not bothering to fix the steering properly (often as stupid-simple as putting on that FA600 drop arm alone). You do that and (with a decent set of springs) it gets pretty darn close to everything a straight axle is, and then some (such as blasting around at speed in the desert). The small number that still have to swap because they were actually breaking stuff, usually end up swapping to a D60. Unfortunately many of them waste a bunch of $$$ on D44s in the middle there before realizing the 60 was what they should've done originally when they continue to break stuff on the D44 (can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen too, even with alloy shafts). I always try to tell people this, but too often it seems they don't listen

 

[KPSquared]

I guess guys that are wheeling a 44 hard are snapping shafts almost as often as the TTB 35. I guess a 60 woulkd be the best bet. How have the shafts in your B2 held up? I'm probablly gonna stick with my TTB and learn how to make it flex. It's kinda unique and that's why I don't have a Heep in the first place. Thabks for the good info. So, saving me some research, what's my best coil option to replace my Superstiff 5.5" coils? Planning on a plate bumper and winch. Sticking with the 4.0 for now but with all my gear I'll be around 5000lbs I think.

 

[jd4242]

I heard that superlift coils flex more than the skyjacker.if it was me I would just pony up enough for the 5.5 james duff kit,best kit around or atleast use there extended radius arms.I have jd arms with superlift coils and it flexes plenty,my shocks hold me up now.

 

[86caprirs]

Well I did have a 74 EB with a 351w and a D44 in the front. I broke an axle on the first trip out to play. But the EB axles are alot smaller than a FB Bronco from 78-79.

 

[4x4junkie]

Skyjacker's 6" coils are definitely softer than Superlift's (415PPI vs. 460 or so for SL 5.5"). However like I mentioned it's still a bit stiff if you want to do much crawling.
Deaver Superflex coils sold for early Broncos seems like the best match for an Explorer to me (300PPI). Some modification to your mounts will be needed to get them installed though.

I guess guys that are wheeling a 44 hard are snapping shafts almost as often as the TTB 35. I guess a 60 woulkd be the best bet. How have the shafts in your B2 held up? I'm probablly gonna stick with my TTB and learn how to make it flex. It's kinda unique and that's why I don't have a Heep in the first place. Thabks for the good info. So, saving me some research, what's my best coil option to replace my Superstiff 5.5" coils? Planning on a plate bumper and winch. Sticking with the 4.0 for now but with all my gear I'll be around 5000lbs I think.

My D35 has been good for quite some time now. I broke a shaft romping on it when the axle was still under my Ranger, which (being I was ignorant at the time) led me to a D44 swap on that back in '97. I broke 3 more shafts almost right after the swap. What finally fixed the issue for me was switching to the newer Spicer 5-760x u-joints and using full-circle retaining clips around the u-joint caps, which I now run on both my 35 and the 44 (being a little older and knowing my limits is probably helping some as well). Once past this point however, the cost of putting decent quality upgraded shafts into a 44 tends to run the same as just getting the 60 (and still wouldn't be as strong), and is why I'd just skip the 44 altogether.

 

[86caprirs]

This is all good info guys. Thanks

 

[unclemeat]

This is the thread I was talking about.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237302

 

[oneguyssky]

However big you want to go!

I have aftermarket and home built suspension lift on mine. Total of 10 3/4" front, 10 1/2 back with 3" body lift. I cruise the highway daily and hit the back roads a lot and it works for me.

 

[86caprirs]

A 10" + lift. WOW.

 

[93 x]

they make an 8 inch lift for the ranger i saw it awhile back its a bit pricey though (1200) so maybe SOA then 2 inch block (or new leafs)

 

[86caprirs]

Spring over seems easy to do on the rear. Just being able to match the front lift so the truck sits right and not nose down.

 

[4x4junkie]

they make an 8 inch lift for the ranger i saw it awhile back its a bit pricey though (1200) so maybe SOA then 2 inch block (or new leafs)

Your steering linkage geometry will be downright horrid with that much lift though. Be prepared to do some fabricating on a custom steering linkage if you go that high (the drop pitman arm it comes with is the same one mentioned above (#FA600), which isn't quite correct for even a 6" lift).

IMO, it's better to stick with a lower amount of lift on the suspension, and then use a body lift for any additional lift. If that's still not enough for you tires, then some fender trimming should be in order (or a SAS...).