Alternatives for bringing the rear end up for street riding

[jremington59]

The 99 I bought has got to have the saggiest ass end of any Explorer I have ever owned. It's a 2 wd 5.0 and will be used for nothing other then street driving. At the moment it has 4 leafs that have outgrown their time.

I know some of you have a lot of knowledge in this. I want to get it up about 3 to 4 inches and I want it to be safe. I know coil overs are going to give some lift, but I'm doubting that much. Can some of you guys give me some ideas's of what you've done?

 

[corkey]

the options are a bit endless in a way,,

build a new pack out of junkyard parts,
buy a pack off another Explorer from Craigslist,
buy new leafs from a parts store,
add the Monroe coilover shocks,( i did they work good, )
get a custom shop to make a set ,

depends on what you have to spend and what you want to end up with,

 

[Gadget X]

You could also go with air adjustable rear shocks. They run about $75 a set iirc.

 

[jdtractor]

man set it up for airbags then you can just hit a button to make it drag the dirt for the ladies then hit a button and ride back factory just kidding lol. i thing to level mine out im going to try and buy the lift shackles and see if it will even it out

 

[jd4242]

Safest way is to replace the packs with new ones.anything else is just a bandaid in your case, fix the main issue before trying to add anything. A worn out pack can crack, break or just going to sag more and more.rock auto has replacements and not bad pricing for new packs

 

[my98nnj]

Toss a set of Monroe coil helper shocks in the back and be done with it.
Cheap, easy fix and they ride good to.

 

[pbnj22]

The 99 I bought has got to have the saggiest ass end of any Explorer I have ever owned. It's a 2 wd 5.0 and will be used for nothing other then street driving. At the moment it has 4 leafs that have outgrown their time.

I know some of you have a lot of knowledge in this. I want to get it up about 3 to 4 inches and I want it to be safe. I know coil overs are going to give some lift, but I'm doubting that much. Can some of you guys give me some ideas's of what you've done?

thinking outside the box here.. how about lowering the front to match lol you could do the TT the opposite way and lower it.. afterall its a 2wd street truck lol

 

[swshawaii]

how about lowering the front to match lol you could do the TT the opposite way and lower it.

Very unlikely, even by doing a torsion key flip and and losing all travel.

I want to get it up about 3 to 4 inches and I want it to be safe.

 

[jremington59]

How much did the coil overs bring up your back end?

What's everyone's thoughts on these 2 inch spacers you can get for under the leafs? I hate to spend 400 dollars on a new pair of 4 leaf when I don't even know if that will bring it up at all. My other two have the 5 leaf towing packages so I don't know but it's sitting the way it's supposed to.

Toss a set of Monroe coil helper shocks in the back and be done with it.
Cheap, easy fix and they ride good to.

 

[jd4242]

How much did the coil overs bring up your back end?

What's everyone's thoughts on these 2 inch spacers you can get for under the leafs? I hate to spend 400 dollars on a new pair of 4 leaf when I don't even know if that will bring it up at all. My other two have the 5 leaf towing packages so I don't know but it's sitting the way it's supposed to.

2 inch spacers will lower it.you have sua

 

[koda2000]

2 inch spacers will lower it.you have sua

as the rear axle mounts under the leaf springs, 2" spacers will raise it.

 

[jd4242]

as the rear axle mounts under the leaf springs, 2" spacers will raise it.

If its stock, the leaves mount UNDER the axle, it will raise the axle towards the frame inturn lowering the truck..blocks only raise a truck when the leaves mounts ontop the axle..(SOA)

 

[colintrax]

as the rear axle mounts under the leaf springs, 2" spacers will raise it.

Koda you been hanging with jack daniels?

 

[koda2000]

Koda you been hanging with jack daniels?

often on trucks the axle mounts below the spring. yesterday i told the OP to check to see if his axle was over or under the spring stack. i thought he told me the axle was under the spring. i just re-read his reply and he said it was on top... my bad. i didn't check mine as it was raining here yesterday. i just did and you are correct, the axle is on top of the spring so the blocks will lower rather than raise it.

 

[jd4242]

Also with saggy leaves you get spring wrap and a bad ride.if you add coil overs or shackles this does nothing for spring wrap.spring wrap breaks springs, pretty important on a street truck.given the 5.0 gets bad wrap to begine with, (why it comes stock with track bars) I would highly suggest either getting new leaves or look into mix matching used (better) leaves to be "safe" as you mention as one of your needs.if that doesnt give you your lift your after, which it should, then look into adding lift.like cheap shackles.

 

[jremington59]

I gave Koda the wrong info. I told him the coils were on top when they are on the bottom. I mis read which was on top of what, lol.

I look at how the most of the explorers here look and I guess I'm just used to having the 5 leafs. My 5 leaf trucks have almost 9 in from the top of the tire to the inside wheel well. This one has a little over 5.

What's the "add a leaf" deal consist of?

 

[jd4242]

I gave Koda the wrong info. I told him the coils were on top when they are on the bottom. I mis read which was on top of what, lol.

I look at how the most of the explorers here look and I guess I'm just used to having the 5 leafs. My 5 leaf trucks have almost 9 in from the top of the tire to the inside wheel well. This one has a little over 5.

What's the "add a leaf" deal consist of?

Taking the leaf out, clamp them together, cuttin the old bolt, releasing the clamps, adding the add a aal, clamp, new bolt and reinstall. .

This will wear out in time though. .in my truck I have SOA and saggy leafs.I added a add a leaf, it wore out in couple months.then added two inch blocks and now my leafs are inverted and cracked..I wasted so much time and money bandaid it that I regret not buying new leafs to start with.I wasnt concerned at the time as I wanted a flexy ride as its offroad only.

.but when I did my ranger I got new leafs and added adjustable shackles, rides perfect and I can adjust the height. Its a street truck.

 

[colintrax]

Taking the leaf out, clamp them together, cuttin the old bolt, releasing the clamps, adding the add a aal, clamp, new bolt and reinstall. .

This will wear out in time though. .in my truck I have SOA and saggy leafs.I added a add a leaf, it wore out in couple months.then added two inch blocks and now my leafs are inverted and cracked..I wasted so much time and money bandaid it that I regret not buying new leafs to start with.I wasnt concerned at the time as I wanted a flexy ride as its offroad only.

.but when I did my ranger I got new leafs and added adjustable shackles, rides perfect and I can adjust the height. Its a street truck.

Just ditch the leafs and go linked

 

[jd4242]

Just ditch the leafs and go linked

When properly set up,a leaf setup can preform ""just""as well with half the cost.maybe someday but now you know where those funds are going

 

[jremington59]

Does anyone know the best place to buy a set of Warrior shackles. I went to a spring shop today and they told me the leaf springs are fine, it's just they are the 4 leaf set and they are what they are. So I was considering adding the warrior shackles with coil overs. The 5 leaf set new would run close to a grand.