1998 Explorer XLT Lift.

[etdavenport]

Hello!! I am new here and I have poked around a bit but as with all other forums, using key words to find exactly what your looking for never helps as much as simply reasking the same old questions again exactly to your needs!

So here is my question, that I am sure some of you have answered 20 times already! thank you in advance.

My uncle recently gave me a 1998 Ford Explorer XLT. I have yet to see it to examine it but I was wondering if I could lift it easily wihtou purchasing $1000 lift kits I can build myself.

Question 1.

Does the 98 have torsion bars or coils? I have heard that it all changes right at the 98 mark, but which is it for the 98?

If it is coils, can I simply make strut and spring spacers like I do for my sidekicks and add 3 inches and a 3" body lift and call it good?

If it is torsion bars, what then? the 2" the torsion/shackle trick gets isnt enough and I really do not want to ride around on a suspension with maxed out torsion bars....Can I simply mod a bracket for the bars and lower it or what?

Again, i have not seen this vehicle yet and I was just wondering what I may need to do to lift it. If it is easily lift able I will keep it, if not, its hitting craigslist.

Also, that kind of tires can i get with a 6" lift and what kind of gears do I need for say 35" tires. Thats what I would like to end up at. My sidekick runs 33"s so i want to go bigger than that, or again, not worth keeping to me.

Im not looking for links to spendy lift kits here either please. What I am after are the tricks and tips I need to build a lift for this truck that will get me 33"-35" tires underneath it. Am I wrong for thinking this can be done at all? If so let me know so i can just throw this thing on the craigslist. If it can be done all the help i can get would be nice. I build Sammy's so If it is anything similar just let me know. ultimately when the vehicle arrives i will know for sure, just wanted a heads up. Im impatient and cant wait until I see it, In reality Ill probably go crawl under the first explorer i see lol =]

Thanks guys!

 

[Brandon96]

Use the search button, brahh!!
BOOM, done, and done. <<links

All 2nd gen, 95-01 Explorers were torsion barred up front. If your trying to run 35's, be prepared to cut away lots of fender!

Welcome to the Forums

 

[etdavenport]

Use the search button, brahh
BOOM, done. <<link

All 2nd gen, 95-01 Explorers were torsion barred up front. If your trying to run 35's, be prepared to cut away lots of fender!

Welcome to the Forums

Search button doesn't do it, all those links are for exactly what I specifically said I wasn't looking for, Expensive kits... and torsion tweaking. thanks anyway...

Does that mean all you can do is tweak the torsion bars and remove fender? Sounds like Id better just sell this thing. I have made plenty of lifts, but If I cant get away with lifting a vehicle without changing the entire front driveling, i dont want to do it. Not for an old ford anyway.

 

[Brandon96]

If your doing a free lift, yeah.

You can crank the torsion bars 2 inches, throw in some old F150 leaf springs in the back for 2in, then do a $150 3" body lift for a total of 5" and it'll get you over a set of 33's no problem.

 

[etdavenport]

If your doing a free lift, yeah.

You can crank the torsion bars 2 inches, throw in some old F150 leaf springs in the back for 2in, then do a $150 3" body lift for a total of 5" and it'll get you over a set of 33's no problem.

Ouch. Guess that's better than nothing. Bet it rides like hell that way though. It already has adjustable air shocks in the back. Sounds like a plan though.

What does this thing lose with 33"s? What kind of gears would I need to return it to normal? I got a guy that sets thirds for $70 if i can find em cheap in a junkyard, its worth it for me.

also will this work with 12.5 inch tires? I got a set of 33"x12.5r15 mud terrains on one fo my sammys that would be worth swapping if they aren't to wide

 

[Brandon96]

Depends on what your doing with it..

3.73's will be fine if you don't tow and do a ton of highway driving.
4.10's, which I use, will bring it back to the stock ratio (assuming you have 3.73's and stock tires) and do very well on the road, and well in most off road conditions
4.56's and 4.88's are for the more serious off roaders, and which seems to be what a lot of guys use with 33's for crawling.

 

[Jason c]

Just out of curiosity, with the TT lift in the front, is there enough adjustment to correct the camber?

 

[ahodges]

Just out of curiosity, with the TT lift in the front, is there enough adjustment to correct the camber?

If you do the torsion bar twist then yes there is plenty of adjustment left.

Personally I wouldn't use any less than 4.10 gears with 33's. I would go with 4.56's if it was me. I changed my gearing from 3.55 to 3.73 using 30.5" tires and that bearly brought it back to stock. I wish I would have done the 4.10's the first time.

 

[Jason c]

If you do the torsion bar twist then yes there is plenty of adjustment left.

Thanks.

 

[topher1069]

cheap lifts

anyone have any ideas for a "junkyard" lift?

 

[Jason c]

anyone have any ideas for a "junkyard" lift?

Never lifted a junkyard before.

Post #4 on this thread:

If your doing a free lift, yeah.

You can crank the torsion bars 2 inches, throw in some old F150 leaf springs in the back for 2in, then do a $150 3" body lift for a total of 5" and it'll get you over a set of 33's no problem.

You could also get a set of these instead: http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info.php/products_id/6362 for the back. The front is free.

 

[topher1069]

Hmmm they look very easy to make

 

[topher1069]

And does it matter what year f150 they are from