Need 2nd Gen Superlift Info/Photo ASAP!

Photo needed, or info if you know for sure...

I broke my lefthand frame at the rear torsion bar holder bracket where the tranny crossmember bolts to the frame:



You can see the break just to the left of the torsion adjuster bolt and the resulting tranny crossmember drop of about 3". My plan to take care of this is to buy a Superlift; by using the Superlift drop brackets to hold the torsion adjuster, hopefully I won't need to worry about refabbing the break. However, I don't know if the Superlift drop brackets bolt onto the section that broke off, or just bolts onto the outside part and bypasses the break. If the Superlift bolts onto the part that broke off, my plan obviously won't work. I need a clear photo showing the Superlift drop bracket install; or positive, knowledgeable confirmation that this will work before I spend the $$$$ ordering the lift kit.

I will still have to fix the break so that I have a tranny crossmember support but that will not require near the strength of handling the torsion pressure, so I'm comfortable with that. I am NOT comfortable with merely having the break re-welded, using it again to hold the torsion stress, and then waiting for the weld to fail again while out on the trail in BFE several states away from home.

I need this info ASAP because my source for the lift has a special discount that expires next week and I really need to order it today if at all possible.... besides, I still drive this every week so I'm sort of in a "911" situation right now. I'm working weekends now but next weekend is free and so will be my only chance to do this job so I'm under the gun timewise.

To keep this thread on track I'll explain my reasoning so I don't have to wade through an extra dozen replies suggesting I turn this into an SAS thread and etc.

I don't have the money for an SAS. My welding skills are not up to par for that, I'm having trouble finding someone in my area I trust with that, and I still use Herc as a DD and don't have the luxury of the months of time my Explorer will be out of commission in someone's shop while an SAS is being done.

My eventual option that I am very interested in is the do the RCD conversion on the Superlift that will alleviate the need for worrying about the rear brackets at all, but that will cost more money and time than I have right now so that will be a future mod once the Superlift is on and I can start driving this thing again.

But for right now, I've got to get this thing back on the road in the next week or so ASAP, so my choice money and timewise seems to be a weekend Superlift install.

I need to know where those rear Superlift brackets bolt on to though.... can anyone answer that question for me?

Today (before the supplier closes) hopefully

...Superlift info and pics as requested...

...I hope these help you out...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1212709&postcount=26

#2
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133899

Thanks tbars. I was also able to contact MountaineerGreen and found one of his old threads that had a good photo of the lift.



The rear torsion drop brackets are the ones just below the front drop brackets at the top of the photo and it looks like they do indeed bolt onto the inboard section of the torsion adjuster mount: so my break prevents me from using the lift kit dropbrackets.

I wonder.... could I buy Superlift components separately, use the money I'd save by not purchasing the entire kit, then use that money to buy the RCD bracket components, and install a hybrid Superlift/RCD setup that way? :scratch:

..On the first gens I know people order individual pieces, or at least you were able too..One thing though, does Skyjacker make parts for your year??? The reason I ask is some people will buy Skyjacker parts for the high stress areas, and run superlift on the rest...Just me thinking out loud...

GJarrett said:

Thanks tbars. I was also able to contact MountaineerGreen and found one of his old threads that had a good photo of the lift.

The rear torsion drop brackets are the ones just below the front drop brackets at the top of the photo and it looks like they do indeed bolt onto the inboard section of the torsion adjuster mount: so my break prevents me from using the lift kit dropbrackets.

I wonder.... could I buy Superlift components separately, use the money I'd save by not purchasing the entire kit, then use that money to buy the RCD bracket components, and install a hybrid Superlift/RCD setup that way? :scratch:

Click to expand...

The "hybrid" is the way to go, IMO. I was going to suggest that when I talked to you earlier, but I was running out of signal.

Summit has most of the parts available individually by part number, I called them a while back. Most were around $50 ea.

Here is a better picture for you also.

Thanks for the info Time to look at Summit now.....

FYI: Summit does not list the parts online- you have to call and they can look them up. The part numbers on the install sheet are what you will need.

I know someone who has a pair of knuckles he may sell- I can check if you want.

One more picture- it shows the mounting even better-

MountaineerGreen said:

I know someone who has a pair of knuckles he may sell- I can check if you want.

Click to expand...

Thanks Evan, but it has occurred to me that I'll need everything in the entire kit except those two parts. I might as well buy the whole kit at the discount. I didn't get it done yesterday so I'll have to take care of it tomorrow. And for reasons I'm sure you'll understand I prefer to buy something like a lift kit new, not used

Now I have to go back to that RCD/Superlift thread and try to make sense of it. I've already spent a few hours of my life wading through the gazillion pages of it once... now it's time to do it again and take some notes this time around.

Yeah- the RCD/Superlift thread is a mess- conflicting info, it confuses me. If I ever get to do it, I'll do a proper write up and explain it all clearly.

The knuckles I know of are new, not ever used.

so whats happened with all this?

Well I missed my weekend opportunity so Herc is still out of commission.

It occurred to me that since my problem is the torsion bar that doesn't necessarily equal a lift. I just ordered the bracketry from an RCD kit and will install those RCD brackets to ditch the torsion bars and figure out if I can find a coilover shock with compressed/extended lengths that will work. The RCD brackets are on backorder and it will be a couple of weeks before I get them.

Once I get the brackets, if I find out that no coilover will be short enough to work, then I'll go ahead and have to buy the Superlift and go that route. Money is real tight right now and my Explorer's A//C is also out of commission so I'm looking at shelling out a lot of money I don't have right now if I have to buy not only the RCD brackets, coilover shocks, and the A/C repair cost, but also a Superlift.

We'll see. I'm pretty upset right now. I've got a really fun boat that had problems last year so I didn't get to use it much at all, and now that the boat is ready to go and it's summertime boating season, now my tow vehicle is broke down. I'm in a real hurry to get this fixed but I can easily see where it could be a whole month or more before I get going again

so you ordered the ones that mount to the lower a arm, and is there a shock hoop as well? do you have all the part #'s? sorry im considering doing this and want to shadow this.

sometimes in life we need weight to get traction, and move forward. im sorry that there is so much happening right now for ya.. but it will all work out. i will keep you in my prayers

The part numbers are on the thread

http://explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186393

Unfortunately it's a gazillion pg thread but the part numbers are on the first post, and there's a couple more parts needed that someone noticed about on pg 2 of the thread. The uppers don't look like hoops to me but rather like mini-towers.