A Few Questions from a new guy

[GreatSouthernTrendkill]

Hi I'm new here and haven't yet bought an Explorer (93 or 94 is what I am looking at). I am wanting to build a strictly offroad vehicle built for rockcrawling/trails/muddin'. I have built an 81' Bronco with Rockwells & 44's & thought about the same for an explorer (the smaller body appeals to me a little more). I do have a few questions before I get started though:

1. I read a thread here on the 2 1/2 ton axle swap that a member named Burns was trying to accomplish. What I want to know is has anyone?
2. If they have competed the swap (or anyone who is running a 40" tire or bigger) is there enough power from the 4.0 V6 to turn the tires?
3. Has anyone been able to fit a 40" tire and still had room for flex?
4. Would it be possible to go with leaf springs all the way around or would a four link be better?

Let me end this by saying if I do go on with this project, I will have no doors on the vehicle, have an exo-cage built that will eliminate the most front fenders as well as most of the rear fenders, custom front & rear tube bumpers that will connect to the cage & have built-in sliders and I will gut most of the interior & just keep it as plain & simple as possible. Please let me know if the 2 and 1/2 ton axle swap is possible or should I just go with a 60/9 inch combo? Thanks in advance.

-Grant

 

[cgriffin_5139]

First off welcome to the site Grant!

 

[cgriffin_5139]

Check this truck out!


http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150408

 

[GreatSouthernTrendkill]

Those pics are pretty killer but it looks like they are planing on keeping it somewhat street legal (which would be nice but I don't think it'll be realistic). I hadn't really planned to go as big as 46's (44's was going to be my limit) but I wouldn't mind going with the 47" Interco LTBs. I 'm just worried that the V6 won't be able to handle it.

 

[FROADER]

arsoul's is like what you want yours to look like I think, but it's an f-250 frame with the explorer body on it.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41314

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Keep in mind that changing the tire size will throw off your shift points (OD, and TCC), cruise control, and speedometer without changing the gear on the VSS. I guess since it's only for offroading it doesn't make a difference.

 

[GreatSouthernTrendkill]

I do like arsoul's but I am wanting the vehicle to be more stripped down than that and if at all possible I would like to do the project without undertaking the monumental task of transferring the body from one said vehicle to the frame of another.

As far as speedometer, I'm not really that concerned for it but I did read somewhere in here that there is a speed calibrator (I may have been mistaken) or something to correct this. In any event, it would be nice but once again its not really a necessity.

PS: Your guys' rigs look great.

 

[BrooklynBay]

The speed calibration is only on the later models. The older models need to replace the gear.

 

[FROADER]

Ok then how about this?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184290

 

[GreatSouthernTrendkill]

Thats more of what I am leaning towards as far as this project would be. I notice that not many go with a dana 60 & most with 37" tires or better go with 3 or 4 link coiled rear ends. Do leaf springs not work as well or do they not allow enough flex on Explorers?

*By the way you guys are effin' quick-draw-McGraw on the replies, thanks.

 

[FROADER]

Leaf springs can work just fine when set up correctly. I think they all go to link suspension because, why not when you're already cutting the **** out of your truck?

Most have the D44 because of the price of the D60s, and the D44s have proven to be pretty good for the application. Those 38s on the last truck I linked to is the biggest tire anyone on this site uses that actually wheels hard. That truck is also a lot lighter than any other with all of the body gone. More people are wanting to switch to the D60, but the availability and price are almost half the price of completing the whole SAS with a D44.

 

[GreatSouthernTrendkill]

Ahh, I see about the linked rears now. I like the Rockwells (2 and 1/2 ton axles) but I don't think on such a light vehicle to start with & only a V6 that it will be too practical now that we've talked about this (I've only done Broncos & F-250/350s so I'm used to bigger trucks). Will the D44 handle 40" tires all right (I mean pretty hardcore offroading too)? I also don't want much weight to start off with because I will be adding a lot of metal tubing (exo-cage, bumpers, fenders, etc) which shouldn't add much of any weight (might even lower the weight a bit) but then like I've said before I don't know much about Ford Explorers, thats why I am asking all of these questions well before I even find a vehicle to purchase. I don't go into these things blindly, it costs too much money when things go wrong that I don't have!

 

[FROADER]

Flipper350 on pirate has exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6483845&postcount=821

 

[FROADER]

a couple more pics...

 

[GreatSouthernTrendkill]

Thats what the hell I am talking about. Good lookin' out! Thats where I would like to go with the vehichle. Are those 44" Boggers? I used to have 'em on my old Bronco I had.