3rd Generation Explorers

[chrisrbarrow]

Well I hate to say it, but I don't think the suspension lifts for the 3rd Generation Explorers will ever hit the market. I know that kw suspensions is coming out with a coilover which will raise the Ex 2.0 inches. I think the reason that it is not available to the public yet, is that they ran into a lot of problems? I talked with Daystar, which at one time they had spring spacers that would give a lift of 2 inches for the 3rd generations but took them off the market due to!!!!!!!!
To much stress on the control arms and ball joints, in other words after about 4 months of normal street driving, the control arms and ball-joints would just fall apart (shattered) so now you have yourself some major repair problems. I have checked every where for different control arms for the 3rd Ex's and cannot find them and or different ball joints, any input about now from any one would be nice!! You do have to remember the 3rd Ex's you see at Sema shows are show Vehicles and are not driven everyday such as I do just to go to work!
I did find out one thing! You can put a body lift on, I have been in contact with a suspension shop, they took a look at my 03 XLT and said yes it can be done. (Thats the good News) !
Now I am trying to convince Daystar to release some spring spacers to me under a no liability clause so that the suspension shop can see what they can do with my control arms and ball-joints! Any info that any one could give me would be appreciated!
I do know one thing, if this takes much longer I will consider raising my Ford Winstar Mini van, as it sits stock i think it has more ground clearance than my 03 XLT.
Think I will take up

 

[Rick]

Here, this will make you drool

I'm not sure what you could do about the ball joints, but the arms could be beefed up by plating them. That is box in all of the "open" areas of the stamped A-arms with steel.

 

[chrisrbarrow]

I have seen this Ex and have been in contact with Douglas Motor Sports and they are not giving up any secrets !
That Ex was in the 425 Parker race and race rules state that no modifications can be done to the suspension except shocks!!
http://www.off-road.com/race/2004bitd/news/douglas_parker.html

 

[CodePoet]

I thought that the shocks they used raised it like 2", since they are coil overs I dont' think it's out of the question. Then a body lift and alot of creative sawzall work alowed them to fit the 35"s? I honestly dont' know alot about the 3rd gens, before I saw this truck I totally had written them off as viable offroaders (even though desert racing is much different than the offroading around here). We all know that when offroading you break stuff...could daystar just be trying to distance themselves from bad press that would follow problems with the explorer? I dont' know...talking out my butt

Later
cp

 

[Rick]

I'll be seeing them in 2 weeks. I'm covering the Vegas to Reno race for FST. I'll try to get as many detail shots as I can.

BTW, I took the above photos at the Vegas to Reno race last year.

 

[chrisrbarrow]

Codepoet, Those shocks do raise the Ex, They are made by DMS Rancho prototype and we ( the public) can't get them, Yet!
http://www.off-road.com/race/2004bitd/news/douglas_parker.html
Go this site and read about it!
Hey Rick, I would appreciate all the help I can get!

 

[GIJOE]

It looks like all they have on that explorer are adjustable coil-overs.
So all you would really need is to get some adjustable coil-overs with the right spring rate alot of coil-over companies will help you out with this I know King helps people. And then you would just need to get some tabs weld in there so you can mount the coil-overs. It looks like thats all they did on that explorer. But this is just me talking here.

And you can use a body lift on the 3rd gens because it also looks like they used a body lift on that explorer also. Just look close at where I have circled in the picture.

 

[Rick]

Go to www.bitd.com They have the rules there. The pure stock class allows NO modifications to the control arms so they were running... pure stock as the name suggests. That to me is just freaking amazing. What's more amazing is that he beat the Jeep Speed guys

 

[chrisrbarrow]

What I wonder is Rick, how often do they race that Ex, and how many times have they replaced Ball-joints and or control arms?

 

[Rick]

Every race? I'll try to get something out of them at the races.

 

[chrisrbarrow]

Rick, if they don't give you any information just LOWER Scott Douglas's Ex and bring those coil/overs back to me (he he)! Or ask him when is he going to start selling off road parts so he can help support his off road hobbies
Any way hope you have a safe and great time there at the races!

 

[unclemeat]

Why not keep the gen III stock and get a gen I to lift and wheel. It will be a lot cheaper.

 

[chrisrbarrow]

Actually Unclemeat, I have considered selling my Ex and getting a F-150 4x4 with higher ground clearance!