kythri
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- October 20, 2003
- Messages
- 328
- Reaction score
- 15
- City, State
- Lebanon, OR
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1999 XLT
Well, this sucks.
I just got done with the Superlift install on my '99 XLT last weekend, and got the new wheels/tires (15x8 Cragar Series 397/Soft 8's with 33x12.5x15 BFG All-Terrains) installed.
A brief test drive had the new rubber snapping at the running boards and the inner bumper.
As it was late on Sunday, and I had to get to work, the Explorer got parked in my shop until today.
I got the running boards and the front bumper removed, and took it out for a quick test drive, something beyond the acreage out back.
I quickly noticed an odd dopplering whine coming from the front end, and I think that it's the CV shafts, being at too high of an angle.
Why are they too high?
Well, when I first bought the Explorer, it was mostly unmodified, riding on the stock P235-75R15 tires.
The front end was riding a bit higher than the back, either due to spring-sag, or possibly the torsion bars had been cranked slightly up, as it was towed behind an RV (the frame-mounted hardware is still there).
After joining this forum, and learning about the Warrior lift shackles and the torsion twist bit, I purchased a set of WAR-353's and installed them. This brought the rear-height even with the front, so I didn't adjust the torsion bars at all. I bought some 31x10.5x15 Wildcat mud tires from Schwab's, and called it good.
Well, that was in early 2004. It's now 2008, the Explorer has wanted some new tires for a while, and I wanted it higher - enter Superlift.
Installed the lift, and decided to keep the Warrior shackles instead of putting the stock shackles back in. The Warrior's are big, burly, hefty chunks of metal, and the stockers look like crap.
With everything installed, the 4" lift turned into about a 6" lift in the back because of the shackles. I cranked the torsion bars up to even it out, and it looks fantastic.
Sadly, I'm going to have to sacrifice the looks, because even if the stress caused by the angle of the shafts wasn't bad for them, the sound is obnoxious.
I just can't bring myself to re-install the stock shackles, though, and wanted to know if anyone knows of a stock-height replacement? I suppose I could take one of the Warrior's and one of the stockers into a local fab and get someone to custom build me something, but I was kinda hoping something already exists that I can just order.
This board has always come through for me before, don't let me down now!
I just got done with the Superlift install on my '99 XLT last weekend, and got the new wheels/tires (15x8 Cragar Series 397/Soft 8's with 33x12.5x15 BFG All-Terrains) installed.
A brief test drive had the new rubber snapping at the running boards and the inner bumper.
As it was late on Sunday, and I had to get to work, the Explorer got parked in my shop until today.
I got the running boards and the front bumper removed, and took it out for a quick test drive, something beyond the acreage out back.
I quickly noticed an odd dopplering whine coming from the front end, and I think that it's the CV shafts, being at too high of an angle.
Why are they too high?
Well, when I first bought the Explorer, it was mostly unmodified, riding on the stock P235-75R15 tires.
The front end was riding a bit higher than the back, either due to spring-sag, or possibly the torsion bars had been cranked slightly up, as it was towed behind an RV (the frame-mounted hardware is still there).
After joining this forum, and learning about the Warrior lift shackles and the torsion twist bit, I purchased a set of WAR-353's and installed them. This brought the rear-height even with the front, so I didn't adjust the torsion bars at all. I bought some 31x10.5x15 Wildcat mud tires from Schwab's, and called it good.
Well, that was in early 2004. It's now 2008, the Explorer has wanted some new tires for a while, and I wanted it higher - enter Superlift.
Installed the lift, and decided to keep the Warrior shackles instead of putting the stock shackles back in. The Warrior's are big, burly, hefty chunks of metal, and the stockers look like crap.
With everything installed, the 4" lift turned into about a 6" lift in the back because of the shackles. I cranked the torsion bars up to even it out, and it looks fantastic.
Sadly, I'm going to have to sacrifice the looks, because even if the stress caused by the angle of the shafts wasn't bad for them, the sound is obnoxious.
I just can't bring myself to re-install the stock shackles, though, and wanted to know if anyone knows of a stock-height replacement? I suppose I could take one of the Warrior's and one of the stockers into a local fab and get someone to custom build me something, but I was kinda hoping something already exists that I can just order.
This board has always come through for me before, don't let me down now!
