01 sport trac lift 2wd

[01sporttracc]

I'm looking to lift my sport trac and throw some 33x12.50 with 18x9 inch wheels on there. I was thinking 3in body and tt but i'm not sure if the wheels will cause any problems with turning so is there anything else that i need to do?

 

[OffTrac]

No way, another Dublin ST owner! Welcome to the forum.

Seen me around?

Search for Lono's threads for fitting 33s without a body lift. A body lift and slight torsion twist will fill 33s with just a little trimming. Your wheel backspacing will need to be in the 3.75" to 4.25" range.

285/75R16s will fit easier than a 12.5" wide 33 but both can be done. You still will need to do a little non-cosmetic trimming to fit a 12.5" wide, though.

 

[01sporttracc]

yeah man you're always parked at home depot. i've been meaning to ask what you did to yours. thanks for the info

 

[OffTrac]

3" body lift, 1.75" torsion twist, add a leaf, 35x12.5 KM2 on 17x8 Pro Comp Rock Crawlers with 4.25" backspace

 

[01sporttracc]

So if I do what you did I could run 35s? How much cutting would I need to do and on what?

 

[JohnnyO]

Most aftermarket 16" and up wheels have a GM-type offset (even if they have a Ford bolt pattern) with too much backspace and you may need spacers so that the tires don't rub. If OffTrac has 17's with 4.25" BS, that's the best I've ever seen on 17's.

 

[shooterdude199]

35's are quite a heavy tire. The meatiness could take a toll on your wheel bearings. It can be done just expect to change those along with ball joints. 33's also take a toll as well. I changed my bearings around a year after I got the tires along with the ball joints. Other than that though you're good

 

[shooterdude199]

To add though it's mostly because of the torsion twist that kills the ball joints but the tires that kill the wheel bearings

 

[01sporttracc]

so i'm thinking 3 inch body, add a leaf or 2 inch shackles, 2 inch torsion twist with 35 mud grapplers and 18x8.5 or 18x9 xd hoss

 

[01sporttracc]

with wheel spacers

 

[OffTrac]

So if I do what you did I could run 35s? How much cutting would I need to do and on what?

Search for my thread 35" KM2s Installed. I show the necessary trimming.

Since you're 2wd, you could also do a 3" spindle lift along with a body lift and fit 35s even easier than I did. That would give you a full inch or more lift than I have and you wouldn't need to trim as much.

If OffTrac has 17's with 4.25" BS, that's the best I've ever seen on 17's.

I did a lot of searching to get that backspacing. AFAIK, this is the only 17x8 or 17x9 with 4.0" or 4.25" backspacing, which is where I was trying to keep it.

Just know that the lower the backspacing, the more trimming you'll have to do toward the outside of the wheel well, increasing chances for cosmetic trimming. The higher the backspacing, the more you'll need to trim inside the wheel well but it won't be cosmetic. AFAIK, the highest backspacing proven to work is mine with 4.25". The lowest I've seen with 35s is 3.75". I don't remember what 01STrunner's backspacing is but I think it is somewhere between those.

I don't know how common those backspacing are in 18" wheels but I'd keep the width at either 8" or 9" to keep the tire taller instead of wider. Then, of course, stay with 3.75" and 4.25" backspacing.

Shooterdudes, right. You'll have more wear on the ball joints and bearings. I've had 35s for a full 8 months now and haven't had to replace anything yet, but I expect that I will. It's just a part of the maintenance and cost of running 35s, IMO. I completely rebuilt the front suspension including the steering rack right before going to 35s, so I'm on all new and fresh stuff. I'll be getting new tires in the next couple months and will do a full checkup and refresh anything needing attention. So far no problems, though...knock on wood.

 

[OffTrac]

Do not use spacers on the front with 35s. Catastrophic failure would be almost a guarantee. I have 1.5" spacers on the rear but the rear 8.8 solid is a lot stronger than the D35 independent suspension. This is why it's so important to find wheels with the proper backspacing when running large tires on the IFS. You really cannot safely run spacers on the front with 35s.

I recommend add a leaf over shackles since I've had both and like the added strength of the add a leaf (and cheaper to boot). I did have a little more lift with the shackles, though. I just don't like how they were flattening my leaf pack. I am considering adding a long add a leaf soon.

 

[LONO100]

go with aal in the back for lift, ive been running the warrior shackles for a year with 33"s and my leaf springs are starting to show a slight bend in them. for the front, being that youre 2wd like myself, a TT will give you enough lift to easily get some 33"s under there with some trimming while 35"s will need more trimming. DONT RUN spacers up front like offtrac said, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. it would be easier and more economical to find wheels with the proper back spacing to clear your suspension parts. im running 15" wheels with 4.25" back spacing, and after the trimming, the only rubbing im getting is on the front sway bar at full lock.

ive been thinking of going to 35"s on my next tire purchase, but the weight issues, and the extra load on the brakes have kept me from going all in on it. offtrac is good because he doesnt use his trac on the freeway too much, but a lot of times im taking my rig into bay area freeways and so im iffy on going to 35"s. once you go to 33"s and up, be prepared to change out a lot of suspension parts too. im ready to do my ball joints just a year after my 33"s getting put on, which is actually longer than i thought it would be.

oh yeah, if youre going 2wd and lift with nice meaty tires dont forget to save up for a locker! you will get all of your moneys worth and then some off road once you get the lockers on and some 33"s and up on.

 

[01sporttracc]

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/631662/2001-ford-explorer-sport-trac
this guy has the look i'm going for.
i had a silverado lifted and its so much more simpler than the st haha but i think i'm finally getting the idea of what needs to be done. y'all are alot of help

 

[OffTrac]

At least its easier to lift a 2wd. He has the setup I was describing above with the lift spindles.

 

[01STrunner]

I wouldn't go spindle with 35s just because of the smaller brakes you'd have to run. Hoping to see another ST join the 35 club! Sorry I don't have more insight but Offtrac and Lono pretty much covered it.

 

[OffTrac]

I wouldn't go spindle with 35s just because of the smaller brakes you'd have to run. Hoping to see another ST join the 35 club! Sorry I don't have more insight but Offtrac and Lono pretty much covered it.

I'd be really worried about that too. Forgot to mention that. You really only need about 4.5" to fit 35s.

 

[shooterdude199]

Well to add. The problem is if you ran 35's on 2wd it puts strain on the snouts of the spindle. Putting a spacer on makes it a gazillion times worse. There are pictures online that show the snouts bending or even breaking off under normal driving conditions. Aftermarket lift spindles also don't cure this. Some Aftermarket snouts aren't even as strong as the stock ones if not that same strength. Some people have good luck with them. Some don't. I personally would not run spacers period just because of that. 33's would be a pretty stout tire for our 2wds. 35's is pushing it

 

[vconnell]

Okay I finally have everything together to do my lift. I decided on 3in body and 1.5in tt with 33s and Maybe later get into the 35s. The thing that still has my confused is the backspacing on the wheel. I found some 18x9 wheels with a 4.5 backspacing. Will this work?

 

[OffTrac]

Maybe. What width will the 33s be? An 11.5" wide tire would make it much more likely to fit alright at 4.5" backspacing. A 33x12.5 may be pulled too far in. Just a guess.

Who do you use? Duncan Tire?

Are you doing the body lift yourself or having a shop put it on? If a shop, who? I'm still kind of new to Dublin and don't know if there are any reputable 4x4 shops...or any kind of shops for that matter.