Wharton NJ, Easy Trail Ride 1/29/11

[sk1er17]

Cool stuff Matt. I really wanna take that hill on. Not sure I can do it with my open diffs...

When're you gettin your junk lifted? I know your trucks don't stay stock for more than 10-15 minutes after you buy them. :

Lol you know me all too well. The commander already has a 2" spacer lift on it (I know... that's how they should look from the factory so you probably thought it was stock). There aren't any good suspension lifts on the market.... superlift makes a 4" kit but its grossly overpriced and isn't very reliable for offroading. As you can see that thing is friggin impressive off-road as-is... so I'm going to get a complete skid plate kit to protect it due to minimal ground clearance, some longer shocks + sway bar discos + limiting straps to get as much flex as safely possible and call it a day (then "accessorize.... roof rack/front grill with winch/etc)

Money's tight, especially with another baby on the way.... so ill just be doing skid plates this summer. The rest of the stuff will be added slowly over a long period of time.

 

[Paraphoe]

Congrats on the second kid. Truck does look stock - haha. I'm not sure i believe you regarding mods and not getting bigger tires, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[dreddog47]

Cool stuff Matt. I really wanna take that hill on. Not sure I can do it with my open diffs...

When're you gettin your junk lifted? I know your trucks don't stay stock for more than 10-15 minutes after you buy them. :

I think you could, it just might take you a few tries like me

 

[tgreene92]

i think you can make it up that hill, dreddog did in the bronco with open diffs, yea hes got 35s but hopefully by the time we get back there again it wont be as slick, and explorerguy was darn close and he was the first to hit when it was still covered in snow. theres a few other ways up that hill, the route your seeing is the most challenging so of course everybody hits that. i gave it a shot with no success at all, gunna hit a different way up it next time.

 

[Blee1099]

I think we need to see some broken body panels, mirrors broken off on trips.. I demand Don do that trail backwards.. lol

 

[dreddog47]

I think we need to see some broken body panels, mirrors broken off on trips.. I demand Don do that trail backwards.. lol

my headlight caught on fire, are you not entertained!?!

 

[tgreene92]

im down right amazed there wasnt more carnage, especially with the low lying trees and that hill. I see more damage every weekend with half as many trucks as we had, and don did that trail forwards, backwards, and sideways lol.

 

[dreddog47]

I think the whole point of the " fun run for people that dont want to break stuff " was so people dont break stuff

 

[tgreene92]

yea it was supposed to be an easy trail ride, which for me it definitely was. And there's a difference between breaking stuff and cosmetic damage. you cant go out to Wharton without getting some scratches or losing a light or a mirror even, i don't really count that as "breaking stuff" just cosmetic damage like i said. breaking stuff to me is dropping rods through oil pans or stripping your ring and pinion, which i see from my friends a lot out in Wharton, I'm not as crazy as them though so fortunately that kinda stuff never happens to me.

 

[explorerguy89]

haha in definitely did it sideways way to much and wasnt to good at it =p mirror still works fine and still doesnt jiggle at high speeds (even at 80mph+) which is definitely awesome soo im ready to give that hill hell next time haha

 

[dreddog47]

haha in definitely did it sideways way to much and wasnt to good at it =p mirror still works fine and still doesnt jiggle at high speeds (even at 80mph+) which is definitely awesome soo im ready to give that hill hell next time haha

You need some better tires bad, those RT/S's up front have GOT to go! Worst....tire....ever

Theres a guy on the bronco forum selling 6 31" x 10.5 x R15 BFG A/T KO's for like 100 dollars, 80 for 5 i believe. 4 of em have 1/4 tread, the other two are spares

 

[explorerguy89]

id take the 2 spares

 

[tgreene92]

ive got a set of 33" dakota at's you can have for cheap, 60% tread if you can find a way to fit em. ive also got two, 235/75 cooper discoverer ht's 85% tread, ill let those go cheap too, not sure what size you had up front. and i may be gettin rid of my 31's come tax return if the government gives me enough back.

 

[Paraphoe]

What're you lookin to move to, Tom? 32s?

 

[tgreene92]

yea not sure, im really up in the air, i could clear 32s now. but i def want to go bigger, maybe a body lift and 33's cuz i have the tires. ive also been considering the superlift up front, i found the front of the kit for like 600 bucks on some website and i could do the rear cheap with a mix of springs and shackles or something, also pricing an SAS for ***** and giggles. it all depends on my tax return and what kind of hours ill be getting at work.

 

[Paraphoe]

I'd love to do the superlift, too. Drop the body lift down to 1 or 2 inches and go with 35s.

 

[sk1er17]

I'd love to do the superlift, too. Drop the body lift down to 1 or 2 inches and go with 35s.

Some fiberglass fenders and you can fit 35s now

 

[Paraphoe]

Some fiberglass fenders and you can fit 35s now

Trust me, I know. I studied your truck enough back in the day. Haha

 

[explorerguy89]

3?'s for you how much are those fenders you had? ease of install? and where the poo do i get =p

 

[sk1er17]

WOW!!!!! Holy crap I just went to the website so i could post the link for where to get them from... check out the Explorer in the pictures

http://www.mcneilracinginc.com/off-road-fiberglass/Ford/Explorer/95-00_2dr/index.htm#

Total after shipping was around $350. Install isn't hard. A dremel makes it a lot easier since some of the bolt holes needed to be enlarged.