Not sure what to do with my ST

[obie]

As the title says, I'm not sure what to do with it.

I've been working on restoring and heavily modifying my 98 Explorer, but I just recently bought an 03 Sport Trac. Which shares the same suspension as the second gen Explorers...

So I have a 4" Superlift kit. I have all the brackets for a coilover conversion. I have the Fox racing shocks and Eibach springs. I have an RCI skid plate. I have a Dixon Bros HD Clevis steering kit. I have heavy duty outer tie rod ends and upper control arms. I have a Ramsey 5K winch. I have heavy duty u-bolt skid plates from Brian1, as well as some bar pin eliminators coming in for the rear shocks. I'm also trying to get an 8.8 pinion skid plate to protect the driveshaft and pinion yoke. I still have my Warrior 153 shackles too, if I just want to do a TT/Shackle lift.

The only things I would need are the ST specific poly body mount bushings and 3" body lift kit, new LCAs, a new grille guard, and some tail light guards (if I can even find some, haha) and fender flares (if I can even find some, haha). I also don't know if 15 inch wheels fit, since my factory wheels are 16s with 255/70s. I already have 33x12.5R15s, with Black Rock Defender 905 15x8s with 3.75" backspacing. I'd also like to get another second gen Daystar master bushing kit so I can replace the in-frame shackle bushings.

The thing is, I certainly don't have enough money to buy all those parts again. And I really, really, really love my second gen and want to drive it again soon. So I'm in a bind. I have a feeling that by the time I have the money to modify my ST (unless I do an SAS/SOA) that quite a few of these are going to be discontinued or no longer available.

I also want to go through and do some baseline maintenance. Trans flush, axle oil change, brake fluid change, power steering fluid change, coolant flush, fuel filter, air filter, undercoating, replace shocks and front sway bar links, maybe brakes, just some simple things. So that's more money in parts.

So what do you guys think? This ST (aside from the paint) is in much better shape than my Ex was before the resto. So I don't want to really tear it up with heavy offroading until it gets paid off and a bit older. My other Ex is being rebuilt from the ground up to be an IFS monster, but I could always postpone it for a few more years and do a Dana 44/SOA and run it that way. Though then I start running up massive storage fees if I don't get the body back on at least and out of their shop.

 

[BigGreenV10]

I say SAS it and sell me the lift oh yeah everyone wins. If only I could afford the 2500 lift I would be sporting.

 

[obie]

Haha, if I were to SAS anything, it'll be the 98 Ex. I originally planned to do it to this one, but it's just too nice to take it through heavy offroading that requires a solid axle. That said, I still want a Raptor more than anything, haha.

I just finished going through the full front and rear inventories of my 98 Ex Superlift kit (K494) and the ST Superlift kit (K496) and found some major differences in parts. I don't think the kit I have right now is going to work, and I really don't want to spend two grand on another one.

So for the moment, I think I'm just going to save up for new body mount and suspension bushings, new front end components, body lift, and a Go Rhino grille guard. I'd rather do slight trimming to fit 33s than ruin the ride with a torsion twist. Hated that on my other Ex. I'll also swap over the RCI skid plate, and most likely the u bolt skids too. I'll order another set from Brian1. Once the 98 gets closer to completion, I can order whatever I cannibalize from it for this. And for now I'll keep the stock wheels, and if I need to I can temporarily run spacers for more clearance. I don't think 1.25" will hurt much of the front end components.

 

[LONO100]

check out the "show off your sport trac" thread. you should get an idea or two.

 

[OffTrac]

I'd say your planned maintenance and body lift with 33s would have you satisfied. It's not hard to make these unique with a little lift and bigger tires. Keep it clean and well maintained and you'll stay inn love with this truck.

 

[BigGreenV10]

Hey can't blame me for trying sometimes people do crazy things and give away thousand of dollars in parts to a stranger. Can't remember one time it has happened to me so I will keep asking and hey you never know.

 

[2TimingTom]

I'd say your planned maintenance and body lift with 33s would have you satisfied. It's not hard to make these unique with a little lift and bigger tires. Keep it clean and well maintained and you'll stay inn love with this truck.

+1

Keep the ST mild and go wild on the '98.

 

[obie]

+1

Keep the ST mild and go wild on the '98.

Yeah, I'm thinking that's what I'm gonna do. I'll eventually do coilovers for stock height with 5" travel shocks and 10" coil springs, but I don't have the money for another Superlift kit. I'll also probably get another Dixon Bros LCA crossmember stiffener for them too. And maybe some Gibson stainless headers and a Gibson side swept exhaust too later on, but that'll probably be it. God I hope that's it, I really am spending way too much, haha

It just kinda sucks that so much is discontinued, because I'd love to have either the Bushwacker pocket flares, or the EGR flares, actual steel tail light guards, etc. Maybe I'll save up some money and offer ridiculous WTB prices on the ST board, haha. Too bad I couldn't be in the position I am now ten years ago, but ten years ago I was still in high school. Oh well, there are always cool new vehicles coming out to modify that I can buy right after parts get discontinued for them

Today is a fun day though, I'm getting a brake line repaired and then when I get it home, I'm ripping the stock air dam out and installing my RCI skid plate. Tomorrow I'll do the Rancho shocks after I get new hardware, and then it's time to save up for a secret project... Something I'm very excited about

 

[OffTrac]

There's EGR flares for sale on the mysporttrac.com swap and sell.

 

[BigGreenV10]

They are sold or so I was told I have asked about them

 

[obie]

Ooooh, thanks to 4 Wheel Parts sales and free shipping stuff going on right now, I just saved $55 on parts, and probably another $25 or so on shipping.

Just bought the PA body lift kit, gap guards, and Daystar poly body mount bushings

Now I just gotta find out if the wheels and tires I already have for the other Ex are gonna fit.

 

[OffTrac]

You don't really need gap guards as the stock liners are huge. I haven't seen anyone use them but would be interested to see what they look like. I can't picture what they would cover that isn't already.

 

[obie]

Oh really? I guess I just assumed all the BL Tracs I saw had the gap guards with them. Well, I'll be sure to post pictures with and without after everything is installed.

It'll be awhile before I install it though, I have to get a stripped down Explorer frame out of my garage first, haha

 

[obie]

Just got it home from the shop, they told me the following:

No brake leaks anywhere - so no clue why my fluid level was different
Front rotors were found cut to under spec, so those will need replaced. I was gonna do that anyways before I put bigger tires on
Broken off bolt head on front diff cover - no leak from it though
Front pinion seal slowly weeping, damn crybaby

I figure I'll do everything but the broken diff cover bolt at the 90K; that I'll do when I rebuild the front end for the bigger tires. Won't be much to drop the axle once the control arms and knuckle are off.

Also, we test fitted the 33x12.5R15 Goodyear Duratracs and Black Rock Defender 905 15x8 3.75" backspacing wheels and had at least 3/8" to 1/2" of clearance past the caliper, so zero issues there. Tire cleared the knuckle fine, and fits in the fender well perfect. May need to do slight trimming for full lock and full stuff, but at least that will only be on the fender inner liner. Guess I'm gonna be stealing these from the other Ex.

I apologize for the crappy last picture, but you can see how far out that tire sticks from the wheel well. I'm gonna need to at least do some flexy flares or something, otherwise I'm gonna be kicking up rocks like crazy.

 

[BigGreenV10]

I never used the gap guards didn't think it needed them but if you already have them the back might look a little better as the plastic bed you can see it in the wheel well doesn't look bed but covered would be better.

 

[obie]

RCI Skidplate installed:

So nice to work on a truck that isn't seized with rust. Didn't need any penetrant to remove the air dam, or the driver's sway bar link. Everything came out like butter. Though I do have to grab the hardware bag I forgot at the body shop tomorrow so I can drill and install the other two bolts for it. But two bolts should hold it together for driving to and from work. I'm not gonna be slamming it into any parking spot curbs.

Tomorrow comes the shocks, new front and rear sway bar links, and removing the step boards. Won't be much, but at least I'm getting to work on something I can drive instead of something taking up my entire garage, haha.

 

[obie]

So I guess I wrote out a whole post, and then closed the tab without posting it. So I'll keep this one shorter. Felt like pulling the step boards today.

Looking tiny next to my brother's 04 Ram 5.7:

Looking bigger when it's on its own:

I am wondering how much that skidplate will help when it seems like I'd rip the entire front fascia off before hitting it, but I'm guessing with the body lift that it'll be a bit better. Might be better once I get a grille guard on there too. Think I'll go with the Aries one though.

Oh, and just a quick tip for anyone who reads this and takes their step boards off in the future: Remove the bottom two bolts on each bracket first before removing the top bolt. This keeps the clip nuts from digging into the sheet metal so much. I also recommend thoroughly cleaning where the brackets mounted and then spraying everything with undercoating oil to keep future rust from occurring and get all the crap that sits in there out. I like Amsoil HD metal protectant.

Ok, I guess that wasn't short and was pretty much everything I thought I posted earlier

 

[obie]

Today's a great day! Final payment made for the Torque Monster Headers for the 98 and they'll ship tomorrow, and today I finished drilling and tapping for the last two bolts for the skid plate. And yesterday I got all four shocks and three of the sway bar links replaced in what is record time for me for a truck in the rust belt. 98 took 8 hours for shocks and sway bar links, the 97 F150 took four hours just for shocks, and last night I got four shocks, three sway bar links, and all four wheels installed and torqued in three hours. Loooooooove working on a rust free truck.

I should get the last front sway bar link tomorrow. Rock Auto sent me both, but one was missing a washer and the sleeved nut so I had to get another sent out. The fronts are the really nice Moog ones with the hex support shaft and white poly bushings. Rebuilt the sway bar links off the 98 with Superlift polyurethane bushings and new Raybestos bolts. With everything settled in the ride is firmed up but still very nice, and it handles corners noticeably better.

I also got my wheels over to the tire shop right before they closed, so those will get mounted and balanced and installed tomorrow. I'm putting the 33s on before the body lift so I can check how the suspension is going to hold up and identify any problems, just in case I need to rebuild stuff. I figure it would look awful if I had the body lift on there and then had to switch back to stock tires until it was fixed. This way, I'll make sure everything is solid before doing the new bushings and body lift. All that should be here Tuesday, so that gives me a long weekend to test it out.

I am thinking it's gonna look pretty "chollo" for a while though, with tires that stick out three inches past the fender and no lift, haha. Maybe I can just do a TT/Shackle real quick, since I still have my Warriors sitting out from the 98s old beginner lift. Replacing four bolts on this thing should only take four minutes! So jealous of you southerners who get to have vehicles like this all the time.

 

[frankcal]

Looks nice so far can't wait to see it with the new tires. Was wondering if you're thinking of sellin the brackets for the running boards since you room em off? Mine are badly bent and rattle and would buy em off you if you're not gonna use em anymore.

 

[obie]

Are the running boards the same as on Sports? If you wanna PM me your e-mail, I'll send a picture of the brackets tomorrow and you can see if they match up to about what yours are. I've never been a fan of stock running boards and if this thing ever gets replacements, they'll be wide rock sliders bolted directly to the frame.