95 explorer - spring over axle conversion

[camfritter]

Hey folks. how hard will it be to do this? right now my X is squatting pretty good. i was reading up on shackles and don't think i can get enough lift out of them unless i custom fab. some myself. but then there is the issue of if they are safe or not. anyone with more wisdom than me - please expound!!?

 

[steventadams]

Welcome aboard
How much lift are you looking to get? If you're just trying to level out the rear end the SOA (spring over axle) will be a little excessive.

 

[camfritter]

it was squatting bout an inch, i was also messing around with the tortion bars and can easily get 2 inches out of them. i was hoping to get the back end up maybe an inch higher than the front, just so it has a little dive to it.

so i guess about 4 inches.

 

[steventadams]

The SOA will net you about 5"-6" from where you start. So that would put the rear at about 4 or 5 inches over the front (which is still at stock height). Then lift up the front with the torsion bars for 1.5-2 inches and you'll have about a 2 inch difference.

Another option to get a similar effect is to swap in a leaf pack from an F-150 which are a little stiffer, then do an add-a-leaf, and some lift shackles. This will give about 4 inches in the rear depending on shackles (shackles can be made custom by getting some steel and having a shop punch holes for you, theres more info on that if you do a search). That puts you at 3 inches over the stock front height, and then a 2" TT will give you that desired slope -- with a lot less work than an SOA and for around $100 + an alignment.

 

[camfritter]

so just switching w/ an f150 leaf pack won't give me any lift?

what i'm asking is do i have to add a leaf to the f150 leaf pack before i'll be any higher?

or why not add a leaf to the stock leaf pack?

 

[steventadams]

You can add the leaf to the pack you have now but youll get less lift as the pack is already sagging. The F-150 pack is stiffer and if you get a good pack from the yard or a new pack you'll probably sit at stock height again and gain that inch back.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

The f-150 leaf mod is a good mod, if you don't mind getting in there and changing leafs a few times, you can get it just like you want. I am using the f150 springs and shackles under mine now, in conjunction with some shackles, it nearly matches my 4" superlift in the front.