am i biting off more than i can chew

[binary]

i have an almost all stock 93 sport 2door 2wd 4.0 with low miles(70k). the only thing i have done to it is have a locking differental put in it and new shocks, brakes and such. i am thinking of putting a v8 (302 or 351) in it and making it 4x4. how much of a pain in my butt would this be? is there a ford something that i could rape all the needed parts from and slap on mine. i know i will need a whole new drive train. i am not worried about keeping it "street legal" as it is registered in montana and there are next to no laws covering modifications. i dont want the ultimate 4x4, just something that can hold its own while having fun camping whether in the mountains or the desert.

 

[mdrut]

A 2wd Explorer is a very capable vehicle..If you are just looking for a camping rig, keep the 2wd add a body or small suspension lift, some 31s and you are set..If you must have a 4wd, sell the 2wd and find yourself a nice 91-94 4wd and get started..The time and money spent on the 4wd conversion would be better spent on mods for a first generation 4wd..

 

[TDG]

If you were considering stripping the 4wd system from another explorer you might as well sell what you got and go buy one. But since you are considering a V8 conversion you might well go all out and do the solid axle on the front, if you go and buy a stock 4wd and you do the V8 thing to it you are probably going to want at least a D44 sooner or later. My 92 is 2wd and like Mdrut said 2wd explorers are very capable, 4wd doesn't mean you wont get stuck, it just means that you will get stuck farther away from where someone can get you unstuck. On the other hand I want a 4wd explorer and since I cant sell my 92 2wd (I could probably pay somebody to take it, like the pick-ur-part man) I'm considering doing a solid axle on it and getting all the stuff I want put on it, rather than buying a 4wd one and modifying (destroying) it. Basically if you are going to put all the time and energy into a V8 conversion you might as well keep on going cause chances are you wont be happy with the stock running gear under a V8. Just my .02.

 

[91XJ4ltr]

If you're not worried about keeping it Street legal, and you have another vehicle to drive daily then go ahead and turn that into a 4wd Monster! Instead of wasting time/money on buying a 4wd, go ahead and keep your 2wd. First step is to locate an Early Ford Bronco with the D44 front and Ford 9" rear axle. Have them both re-geared and might as well install a Locker in each one while the gears are apart. Second is to torch out all of that IFS Non-sense under your current rig, and fabricate a mounting point for the Radius Arms. Next up is a call to Advanced Adapters to order an Atlas II transfer case (which I believe they now make one that bolts right up to your stock Tranny). After both Axles are sitting under your Rig, and the Atlas is bolted up you will need to measure for driveshaft length/angle so you can go down to your Friendly neighborhood Driveshaft shop and order up a pair of shiny new Driveshafts. You'll need to get new wheels as your current 5-4.5" wheels will not fit the 5-5.5" pattern of the Early Bronco's. By the way with these mods your Explorer should go just about EVERYwhere you would even THINK about taking it And one more thing, no need to get the V8 if you gear it low enough! with 4.56 or 4.88 you should turn 33" or 35" tires with ease!