3rd gen Explorer Coilovers

[SUL73NAZ]

This is gonna turn out so sikk! I wish I could do this set up. For now I will just settle for my BTF Uniball UCA's Rancho Quick Lifts and I just ordered a set of 1.25" spacers to combine with my quicklifts.

 

[rangermidtn]

keeping an eye on this, as it may stir me to get a newer Explorer if it can be done on all 4 corners,,

Corkey, I think doing the back will not be to bad. Ronin correct me if I am wrong but I think coils should bolt right in to the stock rear control arm. You would just need to make a upper mount.

 

[Ronin8002]

This is gonna turn out so sikk! I wish I could do this set up. For now I will just settle for my BTF Uniball UCA's Rancho Quick Lifts and I just ordered a set of 1.25" spacers to combine with my quicklifts.

The quicklifts are a good upgrade over stock. They have 4" of travel and the stock struts have about 2.5". Other than a bit more travel, the big benefit of the coilovers will be the ability to adjust ride height as well as swap out coil springs to select different spring rates.

 

[SUL73NAZ]

Yeah the quicklifts are nice. I was gonna prototype a set of IVD coilovers for the 3rd and 4th gen expos but there was not enough of a demand so it never happened.

 

[Ronin8002]

Corkey, I think doing the back will not be to bad. Ronin correct me if I am wrong but I think coils should bolt right in to the stock rear control arm. You would just need to make a upper mount.

Honestly haven't thought about the rear. Stock rear struts have almost 6" of travel and ultimately you are limited in lift/travel by the frame holes. Though you could probably do a 6.5" travel coilover back there. Might be worth looking into but I don't see the rear suspension getting as much benefit as the front.

 

[corkey]

the biggest benefit i can see is the ride,, my Fox coilovers ride so much nicer than any other shock i have had on my Ex so far,, i was just thinking if that was available on all 4 corners the ride would be like a cloud, with control,,
my front ones work so good i took off the sway bar and the mounts for them, and noticed no difference ,,

 

[Ronin8002]

the biggest benefit i can see is the ride,, my Fox coilovers ride so much nicer than any other shock i have had on my Ex so far,, i was just thinking if that was available on all 4 corners the ride would be like a cloud, with control,,
my front ones work so good i took off the sway bar and the mounts for them, and noticed no difference ,,

Good point. Of course the 3rd/4th gen rear struts came standard with progressive rate coils AFAIK so not sure if a constant rate coilover would be better or not. If the spring rate and valving were right then it could be a lot better than stock (which I think rides pretty well as far as the rear suspension goes)

 

[corkey]

but what i think will happen is the higher quality front will show that the back is far lacking , and the valving on the stock is set, can't be changed to match the front,,

dual adjustable coilovers like the QA1's would be the best, that way you can set them any way you want,
the Fox have to be disassembled to change the valvings,, but once set perform flawlessly,

 

[FIND]

Well Corkey, as far as your second gen goes... A guy might be able to do a three link back there if they aren't looking for more travel than the factory leaf springs, use some newer wrangler coil buckets and mount a set of fox shocks outboard of the frame. Box the back half of the frame, and it should be plenty strong enough... Though, I can't really picture in my head whether there would ACTUALLY be enough room back there to fit everything. Though... I guess a guy could go with a fuel tank that mounts behind the axle and have plenty of room for a 4 link.

Though, it might be cheaper to get a 4th gen if improving ride quality is the goal.

EDIT: Scratch what I was just thinking. I was thinking about something COMPLETELY different than the rear suspension of a 3rd or 4th gen.

 

[corkey]

looks easier to do the back of a 4th gen than the front, but i believe it will be about the same really,,

 

[Ronin8002]

That looks to be a 3rd gen rear suspension, but the 4th gen is similar (upper and lower control arms are a bit different). The brackets needed would be like the front, as you said.

Once I get my front setup done and installed I'm going to see how it rides and assess if the rear coilovers are needed.

The whole valving thing is something I need to get a better handle on....not really sure how to figure out what the truck needs from the standard setup the shocks come with.

Been reading the "Coilover Bible" parts I and II over at Pirate 4x4, that's been a big help and I've learned a lot from it.

looks easier to do the back of a 4th gen than the front, but i believe it will be about the same really,,

 

[rangermidtn]

Got everything in to start this finally. Right now I trying to figure out what way to get the tabs on the lower arm. This is giving me more trouble than I thought it would. My problem is were I need to put the tabs the arm is not even. As you can see in the pic one side is higher than the other. I am thinking about cutting it out and welding in a flat piece of 3/16"(same as the arm). I'll put some gussets on the bottom to help strengthing it. What do you all think?

 

[corkey]

but the bolt holes are even,
why not just use them?

and use spacers to keep the end of the shock in the middle, ?

 

[rangermidtn]

but the bolt holes are even,
why not just use them?

and use spacers to keep the end of the shock in the middle, ?

If I do that I will have clearance problems with CV and the arm. I tested this and I was rubbing on both of them. I am just going to fill the hole on top, and then I will adjust my mounting tabs to fit the curve of the arm.

 

[Ronin8002]

If I do that I will have clearance problems with CV and the arm. I tested this and I was rubbing on both of them. I am just going to fill the hole on top, and then I will adjust my mounting tabs to fit the curve of the arm.

Might have to cut and weld like you said in your other post.

 

[rangermidtn]

Might have to cut and weld like you said in your other post.

Thats what it looks like to me too, when I get home today I will take a little better look at the arms and see if I can figure out anything else.

 

[Ronin8002]

Decided to change my order to 750lb coils after doing some more reading around here on other people's experiences with the 2nd gen coilover conversion. I don't want to have to preload the springs much to get the lifted ride height I'm going for. Should still be a little softer than the 800lb coils some guys have been using.

 

[rangermidtn]

Alright after some testing, I am just going to fill the hole, than that's were I will be able to put my tabs. Hopefully get one arm ready tomorrow.

 

[rangermidtn]

I worked on one arm today, got the hole filled in. Will work on the tabs next. I 'll have to cut one down to keep them even. I measuring from the orginal holes to keep them even. Still need to grind a little more before doing the tabs.

 

[Ronin8002]

looking good