Off Road performance gains

[Thelt]

I was wondering how much benefit one would gain from a lift on an Explorer. You can already put 265s on a stock Explorer. To go to 285s you need about 6 inches of lift. Seems like doing 2 or 3 inches of lift is more for looks than anything. I suppose it helps your break over angle but your minimum ground clearance is not going to change except with bigger tires.

Is there something I am missing?

 

[Xenowolf]

Id say its for show.. but I'm more of an on-road guy.. Lowering and putting nice street tires is my plan of action.

Raising it also keeps you from bottoming out i suppose...

Theres a number of reasons and I'm sure some offroad guy will fill you in

 

[Layinhp]

you can fit 33's with 6" lift


not putting the RB spacers down at all but it severly limits the susp travel there basicaly isnt any on the downside of the susp travel so there always seems to be a wheel in the air and if you dont have limitedslip you could get stuck pretty easy


With a susp lift with either RB spacers or new struts it wont take much abuse and anyone whos pulled there susp apart on these explorers should agree they are not ment for much offroading.

If you plan to offroad it id just do a bodylift and stuff the wheelwells with an agressive tire and have a LS rear end

 

[techieman33]

People thought the 2nd gens weren't very capable too. But after a while people started to figure things out and make them go places no one though ever possible. The 3rd gens are finally starting to get some attention and I think in the next couple of years some big improvements will be made.

 

[rhauf]

I have 31" BFG at's on mine (1993) and it's stock height. tires do not rub.

have seen 33's fit on a '91 with 4" of lift. required slight fender trimming to prevent rubbing though.

 

[techieman33]

I have 31" BFG at's on mine (1993) and it's stock height. tires do not rub.

have seen 33's fit on a '91 with 4" of lift. required slight fender trimming to prevent rubbing though.

You can't compare 1st gens and 3rd gens, they're 2 totally different vehicles.

 

[rhauf]

You can't compare 1st gens and 3rd gens, they're 2 totally different vehicles.

Oh fair enough. its late and i wasn't paying attention

 

[JCUZ]

I was wondering how much benefit one would gain from a lift on an Explorer. You can already put 265s on a stock Explorer. To go to 285s you need about 6 inches of lift. Seems like doing 2 or 3 inches of lift is more for looks than anything. I suppose it helps your break over angle but your minimum ground clearance is not going to change except with bigger tires.

Is there something I am missing?

Minimum ground clearance does change by heaps. The diffs etc are attached to the frame, so the further you get the frame away from the ground, the more clearance you'll have.

 

[Thelt]

Minimum ground clearance does change by heaps. The diffs etc are attached to the frame, so the further you get the frame away from the ground, the more clearance you'll have.

The control arms are what I seem to drag most of the time.

 

[thepotroast]

You don't need to have 6" of lift for 33's (285's).

You can either run a 3" body lift and trim the front fenders a little bit (front tires will rub after 50% turn on AT tires. You can then add 2" RB spacers for 5" total lift, to completely clear 33's (285's).

Right now I am running 285's on a 3" body lift on my 03, waiting for my RB spacers to come in. It drives just fine, just can't turn 100%. If I didn't have the RB lift coming in, I would just trim the front fender wells a little bit to clear all the way.

 

[conig]

to me your sacrificing droop, and traction is as important to me as ground clearance.

my 3rd gen got stuck in my yard just because it flexed out enough with an open diff.........yeah I was pissed. :thumbdwn:

 

[JCUZ]

The control arms are what I seem to drag most of the time.

Yep, they're always going to be low, but lifted body one way or another should clear most hurdles. Sounds like you need LSD or air lockers.

 

[86EXPLORER86]

I was wondering how much benefit one would gain from a lift on an Explorer. You can already put 265s on a stock Explorer. To go to 285s you need about 6 inches of lift. Seems like doing 2 or 3 inches of lift is more for looks than anything. I suppose it helps your break over angle but your minimum ground clearance is not going to change except with bigger tires.

Is there something I am missing?

I only have 3inch up front with the BTF control arms and uniball set up up front stk rear and tuck 33's

 

[86EXPLORER86]

The control arms are what I seem to drag most of the time.

take care of the drag or any issue that the old upper control arms had there are 100% the way to go when you are using any lift kit option.

 

[xplorerguru]

take care of the drag or any issue that the old upper control arms had there are 100% the way to go when you are using any lift kit option.[/QUOTE]

UM last i looked the[B] lower arms drag[/B]!!!!!!!!! [B][COLOR="DarkRed"]NOT the uppers[/COLOR][/B]

and its the rears that are the worse.

 

[86EXPLORER86]

UM last i looked the lower arms drag!!!!!!!!! NOT the uppers

and its the rears that are the worse.

not to sure how they are dragging if we are not extending the lower arm as well as the top how are you planning on lifting, and keeping wheels straight ?

 

[xplorerguru]

not to sure how they are dragging if we are not extending the lower arm as well as the top how are you planning on lifting, and keeping wheels straight ?

Dude you do not know what your talking about. i have roadbullys 2.25 spacer lift and the lower as well as the upper arms are aming down, which creates the lower arms to drag in sany/muddy terrain. the wheels stay straight with a wheel alignment, DUH!!!!

 

[bigone65]

well if you put 33 or 35 inch tires you will get the clearance i am waithing on my rb and pa 883 kit then we will see maybe some triming stock rubber only 29 inch do the math boy!

PS.33 WILL GIVE YOU 2 INCHES 35 WILL GIVE YOU 3 ON LOWER ARMS AND PLEASE REMEMBER HUMER'S HAVE INDEPENDENT SUSPENSIONS ALSO.

 

[jutgin]

I was wondering how much benefit one would gain from a lift on an Explorer. You can already put 265s on a stock Explorer. To go to 285s you need about 6 inches of lift. Seems like doing 2 or 3 inches of lift is more for looks than anything. I suppose it helps your break over angle but your minimum ground clearance is not going to change except with bigger tires.

Is there something I am missing?

Wow there is a bunch of crazy talk on here.
Thelt, I thought you had some lift on?
You definitely dont need 6"s of lift for 285's. They are 1" taller than 265's.
Any suspension lift you do will raise your clearance.
Also something that will help you offroad alot is a locker. Even if you're dragging the locker will keep traction and pull through. Aussie and powertrax are cheap options.

 

[IZwack]

PLEASE REMEMBER HUMER'S HAVE INDEPENDENT SUSPENSIONS ALSO.

Yes but an H1 has a Portal box at the hub and a Torsen in the differential.