AWD X Offroad?

[Mr.Moore]

I have a '97 explorer 5.0 and AWD. I want to put a small lift fon it, so I can play abound with it, but I was wondering how well it will do off road? I would not be doing any rock crawling or anything like that. Mostly sand, snow and occasionally mud. Oh and probably some mild trail stuff...oabviousely not anything that requires low range!

 

[410Fortune]

the 5.0L AWD Explorer sends 65% of the power to the rear wheels, 35% up front, it works pretty good on and off road but its not a true 50/50 split transfer case

I say if you are going to lift your truck, get a real transfer case
The 4406 conversion can pay for itself in gas mileage, you will put more power to the ground in 2wd (more fun with V8), you will save your frint tires (AWD eats tires) AND you will have 4hi and 4low if you want it

Best mod I have done to my Explorer, it makes it a completely different truck and I fill it up about half as much these days

 

[MountaineerGreen]

^^^ What he said x2 ^^^^

 

[Mr.Moore]

thanks for the input. Approx what am I looking at $ wise if I were to do the swap?

 

[410Fortune]

its different for everyone, you wont know until you price out the parts, could be $200 could be $1000

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I'd guess, assuming you can find the stuff you need, the swap would cost $500-$700. You can sell your AWD case and front DS fairly easily on here to help recover some of your costs.

 

[JIGAWHAAT]

I have a '97 explorer 5.0 and AWD. I want to put a small lift fon it, so I can play abound with it, but I was wondering how well it will do off road? I would not be doing any rock crawling or anything like that. Mostly sand, snow and occasionally mud. Oh and probably some mild trail stuff...oabviousely not anything that requires low range!

I wheel a couple times a week in my 97 xlt 5.0 AWD (on 33's) and it does just fine for me. By the sound of the type of wheeling your talking about I would say you will be fine with the awd setup you have now.

 

[JIGAWHAAT]

The 4406 conversion can pay for itself in gas mileage, you will put more power to the ground in 2wd (more fun with V8), you will save your frint tires (AWD eats tires) AND you will have 4hi and 4low if you want it




I agree with that 100%. I have been thinking about making the swap because of gas mileage issues. But for me as for saving the front tires. I got a feeling with that setup I would be roasting A few sets of rear tires

 

[Mr.Moore]

thanks for all of the input! You guys have been a great help. I think for what I want to do with it, I will probably leave teh AWD case in it for now and crank the torsion bars down and build some shakles for the rear and put son 31s on it.

Thanks again,
Scott

 

[410Fortune]

You will be happy with that setup.
It can still take a beating thats for sure
when the AWD case goes you could consider the manual low range case
Parts I feel are going to be harder and harder to find for this conversion in coming years.
I am still trying to figure out why Ford didnt make them this way hahaha it seriously feels like a different truck
Either way its fun to drive, the AWD definatley got me up some dirt roads

 

[Cobra01]

I happen to have a similar X, and use it in the way you would like to. It is very capable in mud, sand, and snow. The one thing that would help mine out the most is traction. I would like to get an Auburn ECTED for the front and any good locker for the rear(or another ECTED). The lack of a low range will hurt you on the rocks, but in my opinion gears and lockers would help out for you particular situation. Mine's on 32X11.50 BFG A/T's and has impressed friends with it's scrappyness. Wheeling with a 94 F-250 TD on 33's and a 96 Dodge 1500 on 38's; the faithful grocery getter performed admirably. I did end up in a muddy ditch once, but that was more lack of ground clearance. Time to start saving for a good lift. Good Luck!

 

[Mr.Moore]

All of you guys on these forums are awsome. I really apreciate everyone's input, it has given me the info I need to make my decision much easier! thanks again!

Scott

 

[nssj2]

I have no problem taking my 97 5.0 through the mountains. Not too extreme. But ive pulled many F150s outta ditches, so from the sounds of what you should be doing, youll be just fine!
P.S. Thanks 410fortune for the tcase info. I feel mine is on its last leg, so i might replace it soon. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being a pain in the a$$, how bad is it to install an automatic 4406 tcase?

 

[MountaineerGreen]

An electric shift 4406 conversion thread-

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97181

4406 Manual conversion threads-

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166605

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166726

 

[410Fortune]

install on a scale of 1-10 would be a 5

mine was an 8 because I had to convert the tailhousing of my $200, 300 miles 2001 Transfer case to the 98 style output for my speed sensor


Not too bad if you have a 16# sledge hammer to take care of the gas tank bracket

Good time for a new/better/urethane transmission mount, mine is completely toasted after only a couple months with the huge 4406 t case


Honestly it bolts in, pulling the center console, seats, and carpet back was the hardest part, oh that and bench pressing a 4406 in place yourself with no jack