Anyone with the Zimmerman mod?

[TravisC]

I'm purchasing an Explorer this week and it's already got a 4" Skyjacker lift on it and 33's. I've been reading some on here about the Zimmerman mod and I was just wondering how it works exactly. I get the concept of the smaller Ranger leaf on top giving you more flew but does it actually give you more of a lift? I'm new at this stuff but I was wondering if anyone has done it and how it looks and performs.

Thanks

 

[Jason_25]

Yeah you'll end up with about 4.5-5" of lift if you take the overload leaf out ( you should).

 

[94EBexplorer]

i wouldnt recomend doing this mod... not to many members who have done it are pleased.

 

[Alec]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...d=227584&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

mmmmm, search feature gooooood......

 

[Crankcase]

Originally posted by Alec
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...d=227584&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

mmmmm, search feature gooooood......

What does it taste like Alec?LOL.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Travis,
Yeah, I remember Id50 in particular, was worried about the Ranger leafs bending over time......

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by 94EBexplorer
i wouldnt recomend doing this mod... not to many members who have done it are pleased.

Just curious what problems you have encountered. Worked fine for me and I know a bunch of folks who have it and love it.

 

[TwoToneX]

Mattadams had his leaf's wrap on him while using the mod. I don't know the exacts about it, but maybe he'll chime in here with a post. I thought about using it as well and he was the only one to respond about how he didn't like it...

 

[Rick]

I had mine wrap and bend with $800 National Springs... 13 leafs per pack. It happens when you wheel hard without traction bars.

 

[94EBexplorer]

the ranger leaf pack up top is to thin i would think... i have seen 3 wrap..... not including matts.... im not saying there is no benifits to this mod.... but i dont think id trust it with anything over a 33" tire....

 

[ld50]

I don`t think I like mine, it seemed great at first.
The Ranger leafs seem to be getting a little out of whack with the rest of them. By that I mean if I have one end of the leaf exactly aligned with the rest of my leafs then the opposite end doesn`t line up.

I swear I may have bent them a little from lateral movement of my axle. It is worst on the pass. side, and it is pushing one of my shackles at an angle.
I did use some older Ranger leafs with a questionable history, so maybe they were too fatigued to begin with.
They were cheap though, and I wanted to try it before OME springs.

 

[JoshC]

Just out of curioustity, do ranger leafs have the same arch and design as the explorer leafs?

Happy trails!!

 

[ld50]

They are very similiar, except they are thinner (but still as wide as the Ex ones), which gives you that droop when they separate from your other leafs.

I seen a post where they discussed the idea of keeping your main leaf and using the rest of the Ranger leafs, while keeping them all unbound. I guess the idea was that it would help with stuff AND droop? (since the Ranger leafs are all thinner?)
And it would keep them from wrapping on you I guess.

 

[TravisC]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think this is something I'm going to stay away from right now. I guess I'll have to live with a 4" lift with my 33's .

Thanks

 

[Rick]

You have to install a U-bolt on the spring pack to keep the leaves in line other wise they will twist.

Look at the photos of my National Spring, the clamps keep the leaves in alignment even though I removed the bolts through the top to allow for more travel.

If you want to get rid of axle wrap which leads to bent springs then get a traction bar like this:

 

[ld50]

I tried something a wee bit different to keep my leafs in line Dead Link Removed. It worked pretty good, but they can still splay a little bit. I should have made them longer, but they don`t move far enough to worry. Yet.