Who has dumped their ARC for regular shocks? Recommendations please... | Page 5 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Who has dumped their ARC for regular shocks? Recommendations please...

I purchased this truck new in '96. It always rode lower than any other Explorer I pulled up alongside. Even when I had the ARC on it rode low and soft. When new it was like driving a Caddy or a Lincoln. Gradually, over the years that disappeared.

The only time the truck rose is when I put some weight in the back or in 4WD; and then it was only about an inch.

I had no idea what to expect with the conversion kit from Strutmasters. I've also coupled the new shocks with four new tires - P235/75R15's. All other major parts on the truck are original, i.e., rear springs, shackles, exhaust system, etc. Spent a lot of time in SoCal and Nevada, so I'm guessing that the no snow, no salted roads, mostly dry air was good for the vehicle.

I am very happy with ride and the new height. As shown the rear went up quite a bit. The front only about an inch. The ride is better than I remember when it was new.

Thanks this is good to hear. I have a 2001 so the ARC is just in the rear. The front of my Explorer sits pretty darn high and the rear sags pretty good now.

I'm hoping the strutmaster suspension levels out the rear for me. I'm not sure what shocks to replace the old front ones with since those are normal shocks, not ARC.
 



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Dam u guys like spending money go to the freaking parts store grab some energy suspension bushings and sway bar links get the Monroe shocks with the coilover rears I carry over 500 ibs in the back all the time tow over 8000 ibs often in my monoleaf 97 sport with about 80000 miles on this setup with no prob it handles like its on rails or maybe u guys just like fancy expencive stuff lmao
 






Or maybe we expect a better ride with an EMPTY vehicle.
500 lbs on rear might "soften" any bumps in the road, but sure doesn't help with city gas mileage.
Also towing 8000 lbs has zero relevance to the suspension issue.
 






It rides the same empty or with my tools in the back. Gas mileage sucks I have 4.10s. And the amount of weight I have towed (with no damage) shows how stable the ass end is and that the mounts as long as they are not rotton take way more abuse than most people will ever put them through. Oh and I have tried bilstines and Rancho and kyb and a few others and they dont last as long dont handle as much weight and rust faster and cost more.
 






Oh btw im not sayin those products are junk im just the kind of guy who isn't worried about who's name is on my parts or how flashy they are. I try to shop in old parts places that dont sell alot of stickers and plastic do dads. I like fleet quality heavy duty stuff u know plain wrapper good solid stuff. I work on alot of older fords and wrecked stuff and have also worked in the parts world and know quality stuff .
 






ive got a bit of an update...

I have replaced the stock rear endlinks with MOOG's. That was a couple of weeks ago. thing got a little better... just a little.

I then decided before i get the upgraded swaybar from EE or the Timbren product, I should tackle the 5th Shock

Old installed
img_09211.jpg


Old uncompressed
img_1032.jpg


Old compressed
img_1033.jpg


Yes this was stock, and completely shot... and let me say this for everyone...

THAT 5th SHOCK MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE... REPEAT... BIG DIFFERENCE.

Those that say that when they removed it it didnt make any difference is because theirs was shot just like mine. I'm quite certain that you should not be able to compress the shock by hand and have it not uncompress on its own. Replace the 5th shock with new and you will see. Also, I forked out a little more on a Bilstein... if you are gonna do it, do it right. I know other people have posted that they are happy with lesser shocks, but I've got a lot of weight so I want to beef up pretty much everything.
 






The new shock...
img_1030.jpg


Installed
img_1034.jpg


I actually got a little pissy with my mechanic cuz he got his dirty paws on it... lol.
 






Well done, I too could tell the difference when I installed the 5th shock.

BTW, be nice to the guy who installed it, that thing is hell to compress and line up the bolts at the same time. It is a very strong shock.
 






The trick was to compress the shock first. We loosely bolted the top in first. Then compresses the shock as much as possible with a bar resting on the leaf...pushing up on the bottom of the shock compressing it (make sense?). Then as the shock was decompressing we lined it up with the bottom shock mount and let it feed itself in while decompressing. The tricky part was feeding the bolt through while it was decompressing as there was only a small window of time. Took a couple tries, but we had it up and down of the hoist in probably 15 minutes tops.
 












I would say... it feels tighter in the rear (insert crude joke here). it seems to have made things a little more stable in the back when going over bumps on the road etc. There is less sway and bounce from side to side going over bumps and dips at slow speeds. The truck feels more solid, like its one piece where as before it felt like different parts of the truck wanted to do different things all at the same time when driving over bumps and rough roads. Best I can explain it.

Ive still got a small ways to go, and now that i'm getting the rear straightened out, the weak area is seeming to shift to the front lol...
 






If you wonder how "tight" your Explorer is, stand at the back wheel and push the truck away. Push it like you would a child in a swing, wait for the truck to come back to you and push it again.

The back end should not move side to side, ideally. That movement is all due to the lack of control provided by leaf springs.

The 5th shock greatly reduces that amount of side to side movement.

My Mark VII has a worn out rear suspension(CA bushings), and it moves way to much, just from worn bushings. That is a handling, and safety issue.

Keep the 5th shock in place, it helps.
 






If you wonder how "tight" your Explorer is, stand at the back wheel and push the truck away. Push it like you would a child in a swing, wait for the truck to come back to you and push it again.

The back end should not move side to side, ideally. That movement is all due to the lack of control provided by leaf springs.

The 5th shock greatly reduces that amount of side to side movement.

My Mark VII has a worn out rear suspension(CA bushings), and it moves way to much, just from worn bushings. That is a handling, and safety issue.

Keep the 5th shock in place, it helps.

Oh yeah, I definitely replacing my worn out 5th shock (118k miles), I just like to hear how it actually effects each ride characteristic.

I'm now just debating whether or not to get the Monroe or Bilstien 5th shock...
 






Unless you do a lot of hard driving into corners, the Monroe shock would probably do fine.
 






Repeat.
Those cute little bump stop bags will help with normal driving load capacity, minor in handling compared to an anti-sway bar.
The EE sway bar will make a huge improvement in handling, nothing else will be close. Keeping the bushings and other parts in good shape is the next step.
 






I'm now just debating whether or not to get the Monroe or Bilstien 5th shock...

My logic was, I didn't want to question it, and find out I was wrong... ive got weight, and even if you pack people around... I'd recommend the extra dough on the Bilstien...
 






Oh yeah, I definitely replacing my worn out 5th shock (118k miles), I just like to hear how it actually effects each ride characteristic.

I'm now just debating whether or not to get the Monroe or Bilstien 5th shock...

Just one datapoint, but I swapped out my ~90k mile 5th shock for a Monroe. A few months later the thing was leaking and making noises. Decided to replace with Bilstein to match the other four shocks. HUGE difference in build quality and performance! Save for the Bilstein and have no regrets...

BK
 






There you go.
 






Just one datapoint, but I swapped out my ~90k mile 5th shock for a Monroe. A few months later the thing was leaking and making noises. Decided to replace with Bilstein to match the other four shocks. HUGE difference in build quality and performance! Save for the Bilstein and have no regrets...

BK

Sold. Thanks.
 



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Just one datapoint, but I swapped out my ~90k mile 5th shock for a Monroe. A few months later the thing was leaking and making noises. Decided to replace with Bilstein to match the other four shocks. HUGE difference in build quality and performance! Save for the Bilstein and have no regrets...

BK

You've got Bilstiens all around, then...? did you have the ARC system before? How are the Bilstiens?

Details please!

Cheers!
 






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