1995 - Dora the explorer SAS | Page 6 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1995 - Dora the explorer SAS

Hey guys... this is humbling to be able register here. I know that there are like 4 guys going to register very soon.
lizardtrac, morrisey0, FMExplorer, muskrat, jeffseal... i know there are others, but these are the guys who have helped me out in so many ways. not to mention coryl - the guy is an inspiration.

Started with 1995 XLT with 170,000 on the ticker and a tax refund check! (thanks uncle Sam)

I had torn up 2 sets of wheel bearings in the past year, needed to replace control arms, ball joints, my fourth cv axle... in all it was going to be nearly $1k in parts to replace parts that were just worn out... so the old noggin started working. wife got her a new/used car for her and gave me the go ahead to tackle this project.

Ill detail everything in the days to come and am willing to answer and questions, but ill tell like everyone else - do a search first and/or start with this thread
right now i have a High Pinion dana 30 axle out of a 1992 YJ (jeep wrangler) this was a steal of a deal and i snagged it from a fellow i work with. I was attracted to it since it is reverse cut gears, parts are easy to find and gnerally inexpensive, the axle was in excellent condition, the bolt pattern would remain the same, and i got it, with springs, and steering linkage for $250.

the springs were from a 70s wagoneer.

to achieve lift I relocated springs over the axle.

i gotta cut this short since im at work but ill update as soon as i can.
 



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Originally posted by BUCHVILLEMAN
...and the balding 40 year old guy with an eddie bauer looks at you with a tear in his eye and salutes as you give him a head nod.


Right now I am that 40 year old guy... :D
 



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Right now I am that 40 year old guy...
i salute you! im the 27 year old balding guy (i get better reception now that there isnt so much hair up there)

xplorer kid,
i dont think there is an active plan going on right now but so far this year there has been a run almost every other weekend. we will have one in the next month or so down your way im sure.

yomie,
i had the stock lengthened. i had the stock one with the double u-joint on one end... cost $50 at local machine shop for him to put in longer tube and balance it. my front end is always engage now and TBH i cant tell the shaft is always spinning.
 






Originally posted by BUCHVILLEMAN

yomie,
i had the stock lengthened. i had the stock one with the double u-joint on one end... cost $50 at local machine shop for him to put in longer tube and balance it. my front end is always engage now and TBH i cant tell the shaft is always spinning.

Ah yes, you have a '95 with the DC front, i wasn't fortunate enough. I'm stilll looking around, i have been quoted $400 so far for a new front shaft, DC long spline. I have moly shafts and my front end always turns also. If you happen to run across one of thoes DC fronts gimme a holler (odainels@bellsouth.net)

I'm finally getting used to driving this thing on the interstates and have pretty much everything worked out, with the 36's and 4.88's. i have a couple of run's i'm trying to make, but i'm seriously hoping by the end of this summer, i will be out that way, probably to a run somewhere in central FL.
 






there are a few other vehicles that use that style driveshaft with same ujoint size. i know for a fact that my 3/4 ton dodge uses the DC driveshaft and it is a d44 front. the d44 and d30 (as i have been told) use the same size ujoint.

also i think - not sure will confirm in a few - that the YJs and TJs use the same style.

what about early explorers? what kind of shaft did they use?

also is it possible to buy just the DC yoke and slap it on the end of a rugular driveshaft?
 






All JP D30 front axles use a 1310 U-joint yoke as well as most D44s.

The early Exploders have a DC front driveshaft. As long as your T/C front output is a flange, you can bolt up any style you want. If it's a fixed yoke then you'll have to have it ground to fit the double cardin. Any driveline shop can get the DCs in any size.

I kept the same size u-joint in both driveshafts for two reasons. #1, only need one trail spare. #2, keeps the fuse in the u-joint and not an axle or the driveshaft itself. You are only as strong as your weekest link. The u-joint is the easiest to replace.
 






The early Exploders have a DC front driveshaft. As long as your T/C front output is a flange, you can bolt up any style you want.

thats interesting as mine is DC but fixed yoke. IMO they shoudl use flange for everything even on axles as it seems so much stronger than yoke with dinky straps or whatever...
anyone know if they make a flange to replace the yoke at the pinion?


yomie - just talked to my friend whose dad owns the machine shop that i got mine lengthened at. he said there is a nearby driveline shop that will build one from scratch for $250. its a place that specializes in semitrucks and logging equipment so i dont doubt that it would be stout. might check with someone local in your area that does the same thing.
 






Originally posted by BUCHVILLEMAN
thats interesting as mine is DC but fixed yoke. IMO they shoudl use flange for everything even on axles as it seems so much stronger than yoke with dinky straps or whatever...
anyone know if they make a flange to replace the yoke at the pinion?

As long as you have the DC yoke then you are fine. I like the flanges myself. Actually I was wrong on my last post. The rear output is a fixed flange. The front is a fixed DC flange. I was still thinking about my custom made rear driveshaft, not the front. Sorry for any confustion. It's still a 1310 u-joint.
 






i carry a spare front and spare rear ujoint - its doesnt seem like the cap is any bigger just the actual width of the cross.

what did you have done to your rear DS?
 






I had a DC rear driveshaft made and lengthed at the same time.
 






very nice! what did they have to change? seems like you could just bolt in a DC in line or does it adapt differently to the end of the shaft? you prolly have no driveline vibration. im envious. ive thought about approaching this as well.
 






The DC has to be welded in. I had the whole thing built brand new from flange to flange, including new splines for about $400. I don't have an ounce of vibration even above 80mph. That is including my 17x10" rims and 35" tires, 8" of lift, and a SAS. I belive it was worth every penny. You can have a DC built onto your stock driveshaft, the lift needs a longer shaft anyway. My splines were not in good shape and now I have a trail spare.
 






that sounds liek the bomb setup. i have the stock driveshaft out of my 3/4ton dodge (currently under knife to become full on trail buggy) and thought about having it shortened and DC added for the ex and keep current as spare since it is dented all over the place from first couple of rockcrawling adventures. i figure its bound to go sooner than later.
 






Yes, i also got a new rear shaft. DC 1330 joints.

Yes my front shaft will probably be 1310 joints. the front of m tcase is a 6 bolt flange, but i already have an adaptor to go from 6 bolt to the standard 4 bolt. i just need to gett off my butt and get a shaft made
 






Why did you end up not using the yj leaf springs and going with the waggy ones?
 






the YJ leafs (stock) are not strong enough. i think that is what robb's truck had on for the very first test and they flattened out. the lift springs for the YJ will work fine. The waggy ones - IMO - were more attractive since they would have a stock softness to them and yet still hold the front of the explorer up with no issues as well as flex very well.
 






That's not 100% true. The Explorer is much heavier than the YJ so it must be compensated as such. YJ springs are softer so a set of adjustable shocks are a must. Also, the YJ springs will settle more then waggy springs but I love my ride with the YJ springs and I don't have any issues with the springs flatening out or kicking the shackles.

Robb's issues were due to the design and fabricator.
 






Robb's issues were due to the design and fabricator.

:D you killing me! poor old robb had to deal with that crappy fab work of some guy called coryl! LOL ;)
 






Now there ya go, opening that can of worms. ;) He was running 4" RubiconExpress springs with 2 add-a-leaves. Robb also had issues with the steering. A bent drag link just doesn't work either.

I'm not an engineer but I believe the rear shackle placement is critical.

IF you want stock springs, then waggy is the way to go. You'll have to ask the other guys how they ride as I don't know. Taxman loves his.

I'll be doing two other 1st Gen SAS's this summer so I guess I can experiment with springs then. Wish I had more time and money to do that with mine.
 






i thought taxxman had coil spring front with wildhorses or duff springs?

i like the waggy springs. they are smoother softer ride than torsion bar shizm.

never had a reverse shackle set up but the few peeps that ive riden with both jeeps, that had them both had issues. front works for me so im leaving it that way for now. wouldnt mind exploring putting revolver shackles front and rear. saw that on a cherokee with FJ-40 springs up front and it flexed like a mug.:eek:
 



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If your shackles are on the front, you might want to think twice about putting on revolver shackles. When going up hill the weight of the truck is shifting to the rear and unloading the front suspension. When the front suspension unloads, the shackles open up allowing the frame to lift above the axle even more causeing a roll over. There have been several JPs that rolled at MOAB for that same reason. The JPs with the shackle reversal and revolver shackles never had an issue.
 






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