Beginner Mods

[SSabo9155]

Hello,
I am new to this forum and owning an explorer. I am looking for some fairly basic and cheap mods/tips that I can do to my 1993 Explorer XLT? I want to make this into a nice beginner off-road truck. Does anyone have a few pointers?

Thanks, Sean

 

[Freshmeat]

Very first step is to arrange recovery points front and rear. In a bind you can wrap a choker strap around the frame behind the bumper but it's best to have some sort of easily-accessible hooks. If you have a trailer ball on your rear bumper that is typically sufficient.

In the beginning you will get strapped a lot- proper recovery points will make it a quicker process and less of a hassle for the guys taking their time to pull you out.

 

[Bruces expo]

body lift is somewhat cheap and easy

 

[Freshmeat]

A body lift is like a drunk girl at a bar- just because you CAN do it doesn't mean you SHOULD.

 

[YBCold]

i got a police siren from deal extreme it was easy to install. maybe a CB radio. and some offroad lights

 

[ahodges]

Are you talking looks/ offroad capibilities or performance?

 

[ericautopart]

Recovery points and tires. Done. I don't see how a police siren will get you anywhere off road.

 

[SSabo9155]

I have a CB radio already. I am debating a lift, but I am going to go with a 31x10.5 tires. I just want something that I can do some off-roading and is reliable and that's not extreme.

 

[Freshmeat]

I'd imagine you can clear those on your stock wheels with no lift, then add a 2" coil and add-a-leaf when finances allow... but again, be sure you figure out recovery points front and rear ASAP. It'll save you (and the guys you're riding with) a lot of headache when the time comes.

 

[ericautopart]

A lift will do you no good w/o tires.

 

[4x4junkie]

A lift will do you no good w/o tires.

Why not? Certainly the added clearance and wheel travel must offer something... (of course it might look a little weird though)

Stock out of the box, Explorers of that year are pretty capable offroaders. Not a whole lot should be needed outside of the suspension lift, tires, and if you really want to get into some rugged terrain, differential lockers.

One thing you will want to do right away however is ditch the automatic locking hubs (if it has them) and throw on a set of manual hubs.

 

[tom_mcmullen006]

What I have done to my 92 xlt is WARN manual locking hubs, I got those from LMC. I also surfed craigslist and bought some tires that were 98 percent tread. I got them for 300, theres always deals on there. I put flowmaster super 44 exhaust and a custom air intake. Im going to build a snorkel for it which is always good incase your hood goes underwater. those are just a few mods ive done.

 

[SSabo9155]

For the automatic locking hubs I'm going to wait until they go on me. Tires are a must right now, I'm looking at the 31x10.5 BFG KOs. Now how much on average does a nice complete 3 inch lift cost?

 

[Freshmeat]

3 inch lifts are somewhat rare. Usually they're 2" or 4". You can do a complete 2" lift for about $350. It'll be about three times that for 4"+ because you'll need drop brackets for anything over 2".

I am running the Skyjacker 132S coils from Summit Racing, as well as a set of cheap Procomp shocks. It's a great combo for the money. From there, you can get an add-a-leaf (AAL- around $100 or so) that will pick up the rear level with the front.

There are cheaper ways to do it, like F150 coil spacers in the front and longer shackles in the back, but those give you lift over where you are NOW. They do nothing to enhance the current equipment like you'd get from replacing the coils or adding a leaf.