Ride Height Adjustment Procedure (Front & Rear, Explorer AWD 4X4-97)

I am new in this forum and not an expert.
I could not find here complete references about (How to do Ride Height Accurately for Stock Vehicles only.)
Guys, You can find bellow the details which will be good for who are looking for this as well as a reference in discussion.
==> How I can make my ride comfortable as much as possible, within recommended height settings. (Which height would be ideal...So Please comment with your experiences. Thanks.


Front Adjustment Procedure:

1: Drive the vehicle onto Space Saver Lift or to plane surface. (Avoid uneven ground surface which will cause incorrect readings.)
2: Jounce the vehicle's front and rear suspension to normalize the vehicle static ride height.
3: Measure the distance between the (A) front suspension lower arm bushing center bolt and (B) Space Saver Lift/ground surface, Record the measurement.


4: Measure the distance between the (A) front suspension lower arm (lowest point, just before lower ball joint) and (B) Space Saver Lift/ground surface, Record the measurement.


5: Subtract measurement (A) from measurement (B) for ride height.


6: When performing an alignment check only, the ride height should be between the specifications.
7: The ride height, after new parts have been installed, should be between the specifications.


8: Adjust the torsion bars (height) as necessary by tightening or loosening the torsion bar adjusting bolt.
=>Tighten the torsion bar adjusting bolt to increase the torque or raise the height.
=>Loosen the torsion bar adjusting bolt to decrease the torque or lower the height.


REAR Height Checking Procedure:

Side-to-side vehicle lean should be verified by measuring the fender lip-to-ground dimension before beginning diagnosis and repairs. Normal acceptable limits are:
=> Maximum of 16 mm (5/8 inch) variance between left and right front wheel lips to ground.
=> Maximum of 19 mm (3/4 inch) variance between left and right rear wheel lips to ground.

1: Place the vehicle on a flat, smooth surface.
2: Inspect the vehicle for any heavy add-ons that may cause excessive weight on any corner of the vehicle.
2a: In cases where the excess weight is a snow plow, a rear tailgate lift, etc., the vehicle must be diagnosed with the equipment in place.
2b: Measure corner weights if necessary.
2c: Vehicle fuel tanks should be full and the vehicle empty of cargo such as tools, equipment or debris in the pickup box or rear body section.
2d: Vehicle must be sitting on the wheels and tires and not a hoist, jack or jackstands.
3: Check all wheels and tires:
3a: Wheels must be the same size and design, right and left side on each axle.
3b: Wheels size and design, tire size and tire design should be as indicated on the Vehicle Certification Label.
3c: Check air pressure and inflate.
4: Check the front and rear suspension. (Note the front torsion bars have different base part numbers on the left and right sides.) Make sure the same spring is on the left/right rear. Verify that the left and right torsion bars are installed on the correct side. The rear springs have the part number stamped on the bottom just behind the U-bolt attachment.
5: Jounce the vehicle's front and rear suspension to normalize the vehicle static ride height.
6: Measure the height of the right and left fender lip openings for both front (dimension A) and rear (dimension B).


7: Calculate the side-to-side differences for each dimension. If these differences are greater than 16 mm (5/8 inch) between left or right front and/or 19 mm (3/4 inch) between left and right rear, adjustment can be performed following the Ride Height procedure in this section.

Here, I am looking for experts..
1: How to check rear leaf spring is OK....even rear height looks OK...?
After all we can not just blame Shock Absorbers..there could be problem in Leaf Spring which can effects on ride control and suspension as well.
Please advise, I did all suspension overhaul with all 4 brand new shock absorbers, Complete upper arm with upper and lower ball joints...but my ride still stiff and harsh...How to make it OK...
Waiting experts comments...and thanks again.

What shocks you have installed and what tires you have make more of a difference. I have now Monroe Sensatrac on front and KYB Gas-A-Just on rear - this way better than original OEM. Why different? I did have Sensatrac on rear and felt a little too "mushy", so I switched.

Of course, the type of leafs on rear makes a difference too - the lower is their rating best they ride with an empty vehicle. Also, the four leaf spring have better ride than three leaf spring.
Ford leafs by code.

Thanks SoNic67,
First, I have to add some more information about my ride.
I have 2 door explorer 4.0 SOHC AWD. and it has Expedition Logo on back of it and same on my friend's similar model ride has too. So it is "Explorer Expedition" 97.
Some says it is Expedition Trim..I don't know it in depth.
So, coming back to the point.
It is with single leaf springs on back.
What you recommend...Single Leaf or 3, 4 Leaf Springs?
I have ACDELCO shocks in front and back...this is what I got in my place and with no choice.
Tires are Michelin 265X70X16.
I am adding pictures of my ride to make it shorter, how it looks like. Never mind about angle of pictures as these were in my computer so..saving time.


Please advise about your recommendations and I will try it as I do all this in my friend's workshop which do not cost me too much.

First, look what code is your rear leaf and front tosion bars: http://www.huskyspring.com/Ford-Leaf-Spring-Lookup-by-Spring-Code_c_853.html
One of the easyest mods to improve the ride is to replace the single leaf with progressive multileaf ones. Shocks (monotube high pressure ones or at least multi-valving low pressure) are another fairly easy mod - if you can get them.

And lastly - it's a truck! It will not ride like a car

PS: The only single leaf that acts like a multileaf is the full tapered one. It is almost impossible to find a suplier for them anymore, are expensive and require special tooling to be made.

Thanks, i am going to check everything tomorrow as you described and will let you know.
I have also the option to get a pair of multileaf springs from scrap yard as I found many trucks there but only thing is, all those are 4 door not 2 door and all with 4 leafs.
What you suggest should i try one of those or is there any part# to choose.?
I just have changed all tires today with P275/70/R16 Michelin TLX and found amazing change, ride is now with way batter road control as well as a bit smoother.
I give you example of front suspension....I feel it hard when I push the truck down from front and it does not show too much flexibility comparatively I found in one of the trucks in scrap yard which was very soft when I pushed that down from front.
What you say about it...can we guess anything this way??

As I said the original tires are hard. BUT... they are better than those Michelin if you do any off-roading.

The front torsion bars have also different codes - some are harder, some softer. Sticker on door shows that too.
And about leafs - if you have the code, you can look up the load capacity from the link above and match that with what 4 leaf you need.

PS: ACDELCO has monotube shocks too. Didn't hear about them till now, but are listed as their "premium" model. Should be better than OE:

ABSORBER ASM,RR SHK
Part Number: 540-5051
Product Notes:
Premium MonoTube Rear Shock Absorber
Exc adj susp

Click to expand...

ABSORBER KIT,FRT SHK
Part Number: 540-5050
Product Notes:
Premium MonoTube Front Shock Absorber Kit
Exc adj susp

Click to expand...

Sorry, I was away from ride for 2 days so could not check and reply in time.
I checked it today, my Explorer has spring code D L
What I got with your provided references that code L is for rear mono-leaf springs and code D is for torsion bar..is it?
Please, help me to choose Leaf springs and Torsion bar by code..Which code should i try..as I want my ride softest...
What i found about torsion bar codes A, B, D, F, H, L, 1, 2 (How to check which one is softer or harder) What is your recommendation.?
I found code F is harder and code L is softer in leaf springs as in my explorer so should I go for the same code (L) in multi-leaf? What you suggest..?
Thanks for helping me.
I contacted local dealer about shocks too. (ACDelco, monotube) It is available, but I want to make leaf spring and torsion bar replacement first and then for shock absorbers, hope you will be agree with me.

just get any explorer multi leaf springs, even heard f150 leafs work too. why will fit no problem the rating doesnt matter from what i hear on the leafs just stay away from the mono leaf

Code "L" looks like is the better full taper mono leaf. My opinion is that even a multi leaf "F" (the "softest") will be similar with what you have so it might be a waste of money. But I never tried it. The guys here that changed the mono leafs and felt improvement, had maybe not tapered ones, don't know. Sure, if you have a "donor" vehicle in a junkyard nearby, you can try.
Look at the leafs thickness - is not thinner on the ends than the middle?

For front you can go lower, but will require readjustment of height and that is not easy. And it might solve nothing - the front is loaded by engine weight. Torsion bar will be "twisted" more with the lower one (to keep the same ride height with your engine weight), ending in final with the same "stifness" like the higher one, that would be "twisted" less.

Just replace the shocks first - they can be replaced independent of springs and is an easy think to do by yourself.

Thanks for all details.
I checked in junk yard today.. and found following codes in most of the trucks.
1: Code: BF (1997 Ford Explorer 4 Door..multi-leaf) Without Air Suspension System.
2: Code: LH (1997 Ford Explorer 4 Door..multi-leaf) With Air Suspension System.
It could be a lose of money, agree with you. I will get one set from above at $120 (Torsion Bars+Leaf Springs.)
Since it is not costly so..I want to give it a try. which set you recommend?
What I realized after looking at both vehicles heights that, explorer with Air Suspension system was lower than other. (Is this due to nonworking air suspension system..? If it is then, it means those would be the softest and not good for the truck without air suspension system...Right??)
Code BF is for explorer without air suspension system and could be better for my vehicle.
Here I need to be sure that, Code BF is softer than Code DL.....Is this?
I shall change shocks too but after I get through this..I want this before because...sometime time I feel there is no suspension in front..(very hard)..What a possible change a shock absorber can make in this situation? Once the torsion bar is changed with softer one then further suspension response can be observed related to shock absorber. Agree or Not..?
Thanks.

@ ramren16
Thanks for the info...I have given details here what I found and looking for suggestions with code details.
I was wondering if I can make a combination out of two different vehicle codes.
Like a Torsion Bar Code H from a explorer with air suspension system and Leaf spring Code F from a explorer without Air Suspension system.
Does it make any sense or I am just out of my mind...!!
my ride is with Code DL suspension..which is just terrible.
@SoNic67...Am I getting mad or can give it a try too?

I hope that you have the tires inflated with the pressure marked on the door?



For stiffness:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=179522

I normally keep 35PSI. I think type of tire also matters.
And thanks for the thread link, I got another with long discussion on T bars too.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71967&page=1
I really don't understand why there is no simple answer by Ford about all this. Guys there discussed their own opinions and some references but still no one came out with clear statements since everybody has his own issue regarding face lift up, due to load of winch and so on but I think very few want this ride to be soft for normal on road drive and without any extra load on it.
There is not much difference between B and D T bars.
Tomorrow I am going back to yard to take the dimensions and will update with details of Code with Diameter of T bar, whatever I could find. So, I need to carry some tools and vernier caliper with me.;-)

from everything i have foud out spring code for springs dont really matter you have mono or multi leaf take your pick. as far as torson bars 1, 2, A, B, D, F, H, L. 1 being the stiffest. any of these leafs and torson bars will work with your X and they can be had from any X you find parts from air ride doesnt matter.

I thought looong about the front torsion bars too and my oppinion is that due to the fact that the front is loaded with the engine, "softer" bars will have to be "twisted" more to acheive same height - basically they need to provide the same upforce as the thicker ones. So they won't do any good since the resulting "travel" of the wheel on bumps will remain the same (same resisting force).
The only mod on front that will bring more comfort will need to give larger "travel" (less force). That is done only with coils IMO.
Front is not designed for extra load (big loads like plows) - that's why there are al kinds of "helper coil overs, load carying bumpers, for that app. So the torsion bars might be sized just for the engine and frame size.
I was contemplating of adding some kind of "softer" stops on front (rubber/air/small springs) and lessen the torsion of the bars accordingly, so the frame is supported maily by those bumps (on small deviations). On larger deviations, the torsion bars would take the extra load...

The rear is different because is designed to be able to carry the extra load that can be attached on bumper, loaded in bay. Therefore, on rear, stronger springs/leafs than necessary for an empty car are fitted from design.

And yes, tires (and tire pressure) can make a big difference on small bumps (like the higway joints). Not too much on bigger bumps.

Completely agree with you, but still want to give it a try.

Here are the details of different T-bars, whatever I could find in yard.

Code B: 27.30 mm
Code L: 25.10 mm
Code D: 27.55 mm
Code 1: 29.88 mm

I took above readings with digital vernier caliper but still count error of +/- 0.1 mm, there could be dust or something although I cleaned the bars before taking the readings.
I completely destroyed my jeans and T-Shirt in this process, you know to go under the trucks in junk yard..
Yes, the Code 1 is the stiffest, and not much difference in Code B and Code D.

I have chosen T-Bar "L" and Leaf spring "F" (What you say...?)

"F" leaf is the best you can get for soften the ride. That's what I have on my Eddie Bower.

For the "T-bar" I don't know if will make any difference. I guess it's up to you to experiment and tell the results

I am runnig the tires at 32 PSI - and it is was difference to 35 PSI. The small bumps where really harder.

So, I could manage only replacement of rear Leaf Springs today due to busy time in workshop.
You know..It's Fantastic. Ride is with 100% better results considering rear suspension. I believe it's gonna be OK when tomorrow T-Bars also changed with height adjustment and alignment as well.
I shall update you once I get all this done.
Thanks for staying with me.

Glad that those "F" leafs helped...

So..I changed T-Bars today...I would say it is 75% better than before.
I can clearly feel the difference in driving than before. Truck is now with super road control and do not get out of control on uneven tracks as it was happening before.
I give the example, I crossed almost 7" high Road speed breaker at 25-35km/h and went through softly and got same results after several same attempts.
Only one thing which making me a little worry.
=> I could get max ride height of 3" through torsion bar adjustment bolt by following recommended height adjustment procedure.
=> Do I need to arrange different type of Keys for Torsion bar???