Body Roll

[caretaker383]

What's up guys? This is my frst explorer so I'm still learning here. It seems like I've got alot of body roll. Say I go over a speed bump and I don't hit it squarely on the front tires it rocks me all over the place. It's a bone stock '92 XLT. Recently replaced shocks on all four corners. Just seems excessive to me. Now, I'm not ASE certified or anything but I have had a crank shaft or two in my hands before. I was just wondering if this is a normal explorer thing or if I need to start replaceing parts. If I do have to replace parts they will be stock. Thanks.

 

[boggs1227]

i would inspect the sway bar bushings...see if they are cracked and worn and also the rab bushings ( radius arms ) only two of them ,if yours a 92 then i bet they will most likelly need to be replaced ...they always fail .

 

[Fabbed4d88]

If the bushings are bad replace them with some polyeurathane ones. Probably wouldn't hurt to get some new shocks.

 

[Dannyboy]

Recently replaced shocks on all four corners. .

Probably wouldn't hurt to get some new shocks.

:scratch:



Check sway bar bushings
Check shock bushings, make sure shocks are tight.

Front shouldn't happen because it is a stud on top, but make sure rear shocks are not upside down, the oil will drain and lose dampening effect.

 

[nitro71]

Did you install the shocks correctly? Cylinders down?

 

[Masterd]

I did front swaybar bushings, and shocks all around, and it still has more slop in it than I'd like.

You should look at the condition of your springs.

 

[Fabbed4d88]

Good call Dannyboy, my reading comprehension skills aren't what they use to be.

 

[Anime]

Along with the new shocks, all new polyurethane bushings make a HUGE handling difference.

Energy suspension makes a full kit for the first gens. Just over $100 for a BIG improvement over stock, and an even bigger improvement over old and worn out rubber.


The body movement from going over speed bumps isn't body roll, though. That's just because of the axle designs, nothing you can do about that, but the new shocks should control the body/suspension movement better than that.

 

[kqresq]

So how do I know if my radius arm bushings are bad? What are the symptoms?

 

[DeRocha]

So how do I know if my radius arm bushings are bad? What are the symptoms?

Most notably you will hear a thunk noise when going over bumps and you will feel a thump under the front driver and/or passenger feat where the Radius arm bushings are located. The Passenger side usually goes 1st do to being weakened from heat from the Catalytic converter.

 

[caretaker383]

Thanks for all the good info guys! Sorry for the delayed response but I'm in the National Guard and I got called to do flood duty for the past few weeks. I'll definately look into the poly bushings...and the shocks are right side up and plenty tight. I'm good at making sure things are tight...sometimes too good. Sway bar bushings at this point, to me, seem a likely suspect. Thanks again fellas.

 

[deamon3]

You do know that it's a first gen explorer right? The car that made suv's famous for rolling over? Mine does it too , sways all about , it's just not designed very well is all. lol. When I was a kid I had a 91 ex as a farm truck and it swayed all over the place as well.

 

[caretaker383]

You do know that it's a first gen explorer right? The car that made suv's famous for rolling over?

I may be a little spoiled too. I have a '90 S-10 Blazer with 9 inches of lift and 33x12.50 tires. We beefed up that suspension and it handles really well.

 

[Ronin8002]

Sorry about the hijack but I have some suspension parts in the for sale forum that might be helpful to you, to include the above mentioned Poly bushings. I had the EE swaybars installed (now up for sale) and those alone made a big improvement.

I'm willing to flex a bit on the prices so take a look and let me know if you're interested.

James

 

[jhclance]

mine sways so dam much it almost rolled over the other day avoiding a kid on a bicycle getting all new shocks and bushings next week

 

[Joe Dirt]

Wow- are you guys driving these things like Maybach's or something?!?! I can't say- even in avodance moves- that my Ex ever felt like it was going to roll...

Regarding the poly bushings- is there a noticeable degeneration of ride- mainly like you're feeling every crack in the pavement? I'm going to be replacing all of mine shortly, and don't want to feel every bump due to poly bushings if that's what they'll do...

 

[jhclance]

my 96 four door does not feel that way just the 91 sport gonna fix that this weekend new radius arm bushings and different shocks first the we will see what else it wants

 

[doonze]

my 96 four door does not feel that way just the 91 sport gonna fix that this weekend new radius arm bushings and different shocks first the we will see what else it wants

i'm pretty sure my shocks are the stock 93 ones! When I go over a bump, it's still dealing with it seconds later. What I call "floating". However I have NEVER felt like the truck was tippy at all! I bet this is more a bushing issue then shocks. From building my 82 Trans Am for autox, I can tell you that sway bars can make a car handle like a totally different vehicle. It went from rolling into the corners with the stock setup, to feeling like it was on rails in corners with just a GTA swaybar and poly bushings all around the front.

 

[Masterd]

The biggest difference will come from fresh shocks, and fresh RAB's.

Also, stiffer springs wouldn't be out of the question.

I went with poly bushings on my front sway bar, and it didnt change much at all.

 

[beauboy]

I'm with Joe Dirt. I've replaced all my bushings with the polyurethane ones from Energy Suspension and replaced my shocks numerous times on my '91. I still feel every crack in the road. Seems I've spent all my money for naught. I even replaced my front springs and my rear leaf springs. When that didn't help, I added air bags in the rear. I don't get a "roll over" feel, but my Ex has ridden like crap for about the past seven years.