'02 Explorer beats Range Rover!!!

[Mile-Up-EXP]

Ok, well that's what I want.

So, what can I do to make an '02 Explorer 3rd Gen 4 door into an off-road machine capable of keeping up with the Land Rovers. I own a 1970 IHC Scout 800A that will beat anything off-road, but it's not a suitable "family" vehicle in the mountains of Colorado.

My '02 is an XLS with 5 speed manual tranny. The rear end is a limited slip 3.73. The clutch goes first (I'm going to replace the OE with a Centerforce so I can tow.)

Any suspension upgrades/lifts for the IFS/IRS?

Best wheel sizes/tires treads (16s with M/Ts?)

Or should I just get rid of it and get something like an Xterra? ;-)

Thanks in advance,

Jason

 

[F14CRAZY]

An '02 four door stick? For sure sell it and get the Xterra. I'll be flying into the nearest airport in a few hours. Meet me there

 

[briwayjones]

If you want to tow with it I would put 4.10 gears in it. Ford didn't setup the manuals very well to tow with. To make it good for off road you would somehow have to put solid axles under it probably. As far as I know there's not much made for the 3rd gens right now.

 

[hiridin]

buy a 3" body lift from a ranger... fab up some bumper brackets and put some 33" bfg mud terrains. get some 4.10 or even better some 4.56's and lock the rear. that would work pretty good right there. or if u don't want to do any custom work jus get the xterra put a 3" body lift a 2.5" suspesnion lift and some 32" bfg mud terrains... gear it to 4.10's and lock the rear.

 

[ExplorerDMB]

range rovers are pretty heavy duty. I doubt you'll be able to keep up in your newer explorer. The market for the 3rd gen Explorer is slim. There isn't much out there to even try and compete with the range rovers. You will need to either to fab some stuff up, or be an engineer and design your own suspension for it. Solid Axles would be the best way, but that would take a lot of time and money. I believe a front solid axle swamp takes about 40-50 hours and can cost anywhere from 2000 to 10,000. Just depends how nice of a set up you want. There is a kit being made for the 3rd gen thats still on the "drawing boards" and is a proto-type. Xterras are nice, but if you want something for offroad -- get a vehicle with solid axles. If you want to go through the muddiest of terrains, get a super duty with a good size lift on it. If you want to craw rocks, get a jeep.

-Drew