Advice Needed

[91xplorerman]

Hi guys new member here. Ok so let me give you the rundown and all. Im 17 years old, I have a 1991 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4x4, I have a decent paying job for my age $700 a month. Well anyway i bought my explorer from my dad on my 16th birthday a year and 2 months ago for $2800 straight up, i pulled out a loan and finish paying the car and loan off next month on the 8th. Also this truck has 162,000 miles on the engine and it runs good when it is running....problems i have are low idling around 500rpms or lower but thats after a drop off from 700rpms and let me add this isnt a low idle this is a rough idle and also my power steering just starting leaking havent really pinpointed which hose or valve yet but i will, and plus that is normal for ford explorers so im not too worried.

Here is what my plans are for my truck/suv/whatever you prefer to call it. (But in the same time would like the advice of an older/wiser person who knows and has experience in the subject and would be nice enough to stop me from making a bad choice or going down the wrong road.) Ok heres what i want to do: Put a 4" Suspension Lift from rough country or rancho(not sure yet),a 3" body lift from proformance accesories,33" Thornbird tires (not sure if anyone is familiar with them), Flowmaster 40 series dual exhaust, new pacesetter catalytic converter(for the added performance and flow i will be adding with the "flows, plus there is a hole in my current one which makes my X sound like **** and a half), 4 Rancho 9000 or RS5000 shock because i dont like the ones included in the Rough Country package with the suspension lift, a K&N air filter, and some time down the road a new rebuilt motor(advice on good makers with good prices welcome) but i am thumbs down to jaspers.

Goals: well since i just paid off my truck and have about 2500 saved up i would like to start on this project which im hoping wont consume more than 5000 dollars (again im young and neive and this might not be realistic) but i would like something that isnt hardcore offroading but something that can hang on and offroad to an extent.

Thanks a lot and please flood in the adivice because i need it!
Again thanks

 

[Mbrooks420]

The plan sounds pretty good, except for the Thornbirds. Bias tires suck for anything but pure off road. There are better tires for the price that will give a better ride on the road.

 

[VAHAM]

Pretty good plan

I am an old man ( 40+) so, excuse the practicality of my thinking:

Your plan is a good one. I think everyone should invest the time and energy to have at least one car/truck/suv project that they have invested time, blood, sweat, and their own money into. It doesn't matter whether it is a 9-second mustang, a '49 pan-head on a springer, or a or a maxi-flex, rock-crawling 1st-gen "X".

I think the life lessons learned from such projects are irreplacable, so dream big and work hard to achieve your dreams.

However, do not let this passion become obsession and control every aspect of your life. It is vital to keep your perspective. Automobiles are only steel, plastic, and glass, and one minor mistake by a third party can result in all of your hard work going up in flames (literally). If there is nothing else in your life at that time, then you are in big trouble.

Learn to temper your passion with common sense and a plan for your future that extends beyond the next set of mudders, or the next 4" of lift.

Remember and plan for your eternal security, education, home and family as well.

Learning the fine point on which to balance all of that is a mystery, that, if you haven't learned it by the time you reach my age, may elude you until eternity.

Learning that early in life leads to true happiness, as will staying away from bias-ply tires if you do much highway driving.

Be well

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

Welcome to the site, now that was deep ^^ but very well worded I like the steel, plastic, and glass analogy, thats easliy forgotten.

 

[91xplorerman]

Any suggestions on better tires that are good on highway but also offroading that will fit the look?

 

[ExplorerSportNu]

BFG A/T KO's thats what I'm runnin and they are great all round tire - for everything

 

[glfredrick]

I agree about the thorn"turds". Almost any tire is better than that one unless you plan on spending almost all of your time in cactus filled desert conditions, and even then I expect that they suck...

If you are really planning on wheeling the truck, you can't go wrong with something like BGF MT's or the cheaper, but as effective Kuhmo Venture MT's. The Truxus MT's are also a good tire as are the Pro-Comp MT's.

I have personal experience with all the above tires (am currently running Pro-Comp MT's on the 92 Ex and have the Kuhmo MT's on the Ranger) and I like the Kuhmo's the best. They outperform the BGF's at about 50% less cost per tire, and they stick better than the Pro-Comps. The Truxus are great in mud and adequate on rock - and they are quiet on the highway. I would take them before the BFG's.

 

[91xplorerman]

Thanks a lot you guys i was really looking into the BFGs because i know quite a few people with lifted rigs that have them, so getting the Kumhos would be cool because one i would be different,and two i would save money oh yeah! thanks again. Any suggestions on a NICE 4" suspension lift that costs 1100 or less... i was thinking rancho,superlift, or skyjacker.

 

[glfredrick]

For the front suspension, I like BDS. They have a nice set of brackets that are quite strong and are warrantied forever - no questions asked, as are their springs, but they don't make a lift for the rear of the Ex. I have spoken with the owner of that company and let him know the need, and he is looking into it right now - and may make a spring over kit as well.

For the rear, you can shackle and AAL or replace the spring pack. Springing over will net you about 5 1/2 inches - a bit much for what you want.

Perhaps someone will chime in with a rear spring suggestion.

http://www.bds-suspension.com/suspensionsystems_1ford.html

 

[appx91]

Alright good start. I am 19 years old. I started with stock 1991 eddie bauer. I bought the 4 inch RC kit. Installed it cost me around 1200. I love the kit. I also installed a 3 inch PA. It ran around 350 installed. I am running 35's no prob. That is with 3.55 gears as well. I also have JD front bumper. Around 425 installed. With Yakima rack, Surco rack, lights, sound systems etc. I have spend around 7000 after all is said and done. That includes 2 sets of rims and 3 sets of tires and thats 5 to a set. For a student thats a lot of money. Truthfully man I would save your money and go with a SAS. You would be much happier with that. I am getting ready to put a HP D 44 in the front with chromolly shafts and replace the rear shafts as well. It is going to end up giving me around 13 inches with the body lift. The whole thing is going to run me around 4000 for everything installed. That is spring over rear, axles, gears, drives shafts f&r, steering, front springs and control arms. That price includes me getting the D 44 for 400. That is everything. I would save up and go straight axle man. Building up at TTB is a true waste if you are going to wheel it. I have done it trust me.

 

[Con Seann3ry]

hey man, your plans sound good, but I would not do this all at the same time and blow your entire stash - if you're still on your original tranny you should expect it to go out sometime soon, it might not, but there is definately the risk - are you going to be installing these yourself? As far as what appx said, if you're not hardcore wheeling this a SAS wouldn't make any sense, but I think your plans sound reasonable and good - besides the tires. If I were you go with an A/T - muds go quick and for mostly street driving it's not too realistic. So if you don't get anything else out of this, just pace yourself on the mods.

 

[appx91]

I am not a hardcore wheeler. I wheel moderate to difficult trials. The things is running 35's on the dana 35 TTB is rough. I haven't broken anything, but have heard plenty of people that have. It you want it to last do the SAS. I have done all of my mods over about 2 years. I have told myself that I need to be done by the end of my Soph. year in college and I am a first semester fresh. So yes pace yourself and be smart with your mods. Good tires are a good investment. Get something that will last. Swamper TSL SX are some good tires.