Bob Swaters
New Member
- Joined
- July 13, 2017
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Waxahachie, Tx
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2000 Explorer 4x4 XLS
When I bought this truck, the suspension was all messed up. The front torsion bars were cranked all the way up, the rear was lifted with air shocks, there were 4 different tires on it, and it rode TERRIBLE. When I hit a rough stretch of road (there are plenty of these down here in Texas) the truck would start to pitch and buck and rock side to side like I was breakin' a wild horse. This would happen at speeds over 65 mph or so.
First thing I did was put 4 tires the same size on it. Helped a little. Then I put new shocks all around, all 5.(Monroe Matics). Helped a lot, but it would still do the buckin' bronc routine. Also, without those air shocks, the back end looked like I had a full load on all the time.
Well, I remembered what I did to my old Bronco II and went looking for some springs. I just happened to have an old Suburban in the back pasture, so I pulled the springs off it and measured--same length(56"), same length from front eye to center bolt,(well, maybe 1/4" difference) so they bolted on with no modification.
What a difference it made! This thing rides like a totally different truck. Stable, solid. No pitching or bucking. Just solid and smooth. You might think that with 2000lb springs, it would ride like a log wagon, but it rides very smooth. I got about 3 inches of lift with it. The rear sits about an inch higher in the back than the front,though I did crank the front torsion bars down a bit, too.
Now I happened to have a donor vehicle, but junkyard springs around here can be had for as little as $25 at the pull-your-parts yards. I know that any early 80's suburban or chevy half ton pickup will work, but there may be others. Just check the length.
If you do a spring swap, I suggest you set the truck on the ground on its wheels before you tighten the eye bolts so there is no torsional load on the eye bolt bushings. They will last longer.
First thing I did was put 4 tires the same size on it. Helped a little. Then I put new shocks all around, all 5.(Monroe Matics). Helped a lot, but it would still do the buckin' bronc routine. Also, without those air shocks, the back end looked like I had a full load on all the time.
Well, I remembered what I did to my old Bronco II and went looking for some springs. I just happened to have an old Suburban in the back pasture, so I pulled the springs off it and measured--same length(56"), same length from front eye to center bolt,(well, maybe 1/4" difference) so they bolted on with no modification.
What a difference it made! This thing rides like a totally different truck. Stable, solid. No pitching or bucking. Just solid and smooth. You might think that with 2000lb springs, it would ride like a log wagon, but it rides very smooth. I got about 3 inches of lift with it. The rear sits about an inch higher in the back than the front,though I did crank the front torsion bars down a bit, too.
Now I happened to have a donor vehicle, but junkyard springs around here can be had for as little as $25 at the pull-your-parts yards. I know that any early 80's suburban or chevy half ton pickup will work, but there may be others. Just check the length.
If you do a spring swap, I suggest you set the truck on the ground on its wheels before you tighten the eye bolts so there is no torsional load on the eye bolt bushings. They will last longer.
