Can someone explain what I need for a SOA conversion?

[Flex_Chris]

Ok so here is the deal... I have done a search on this but haven't been able to find a real definitive answer so I am wondering if you guys could help me out on what exactly I will need for a SOA in the rear of my 92 Explorer 4WD.

I have noticed that some people when doing SOA conversions are using a welder to weld new mounting points for the shocks onto the axle but I would honestly prefer nto to go that route as I do nto intend to do any hardcore 4x4ing probably just a little on the weekends every once in a while. Anyhow I have noticed that instead of welding some people are using something called Warrior Shackles? I believe that is what they are called atleast. This is my first Explorer ever so I am very new to lifting trucks.

My next question is this... How much lift will it add if I do a SOA in the rear of my Explorer? I going to be buying the Superlift 5.5" front lift (with the Supperunner linkage) so I am hoping that the SOA in the rear will yield close to 5.5" in the rear. If it does not I am assuming I will have to do something like get a body lift in the rear or is there another way to make the lift higher in just the front or the rear?

Next and final question... Why would someone want to do a SOA in the rear and get a lift kit for the front when they could just buy something like the Superunner 5.5" lift kit that comes with the rear axle relocation kit? Guess I am just a little confused here on why someone just wouldn't buy the complete Superunner kit.

Take into mind that I am not some extreme hardcore 4x4 guy... I will be 4x4ing the truch in the mud and off road every once in a while but I am not trying to build some rock crawler here so I don't need the biggest and the best of everything.

Thanks for all the help and sorry for all the questions,
Chris

 

[j602]

Basically, all you need are spring perches for the rear to do a Spring Over Axle. Most guys here just weld on new ones. However, ff you buy the full Superlift kit, it will already come with an axle relocation kit like you mentioned, which requires no welding, as the new perches bolt on to the old ones. Warrior shackles are just longer shackles, and having nothing to do with a spring over axle. They lift the rear of the truck about 1.5". Also, the Superlift bolt on perches have a place to mount the shocks, so you don't need to worry about welding on new mounts. You can bolt them in the upper swaybar bolt hole if needed though. SOA will provide about 5.5 - 6" of lift, which should match the front Superlift perfectly.

 

[Flex_Chris]

Perfect, just what I needed to know. So I followed your thread with all the pictures about what you had done to your Explorer and what not and I am just curious what setup you are running as far as suspension goes? From what I read in your thread you were running Skyjacker 6" in the front and something in the rear but I am not sure what. Anyhow your car looks awesome though! Question... Once I lift the car should I try to find longer sway bar extensions or do you think it would be easier to just remove my sway bars completley? I don't want to roll the thing but at the same time I don't want a sway bar if it is going to get in the way of me 4x4'ing. So in the end for someone like me it would probably be easier/better to just go with the complete Superlift 5.5 kit right?

 

[Infragate]

Well, running swaybars is something you need to decide, the superlift will come with longer links for the rear and brackets that will lower the front to be able to use it. I recommend using the front swaybar otherwise when driving on the road it will be a scary ride, when you wheel just disconnect it and tie it up out of the way. What i have done is taken out my rear sway as i don't really need it, i don't sway in the rear, but the front is used unless i wheel then i disconnect it for the better articulation.

 

[FireZapper]

I have the superlift kit. What ever you do check the drive shaft length. Mine was short by 2 1/4". It slipped out under severe braking. Had to get one modified locally. If you use the superlift kit, check the passenger side shock. Mine was contacting the heat shield so I had to cut it a little.


I don't run either swaybar. No problems at all with being scary! The new front springs are stiffer then stock and not really an issue.

 

[mitch]

if you are concerned with body lean than you could always make yourself some quick disconnects, many people on here have done that including me. It takes about 10 min.
http://www.4x4ord.com/html/QuickD.htm

 

[410Fortune]

The Superlift rear axle spring over axle re-location kit works okay, however it is not the preffered method to perform a SOA.
There are a couple of reasons why, the Superlift kit does not change the pinion angle for the rear driveshaft, anytime you add lift, in this case 4" or so, the pinion angle must change. Welding on $25 spring perches allows you to adjust the pinion angle to match the new lift.

The Superlift kit also relys on bolts to hold everythig together, the tension of the U bolts keep the spring pads in place, they are spaced off of the stock spring pads which are now under the axle, to me this is alot of un necessary stuff bolted on to the axle, and more things to fail down the road. Welding on spring perches is not hard, it only takes a shop a few minutes to run the beads once everything has been measured, and in the end it will be cheaper, stronger, and cleaner then the SOA kit from Superlift. You have a few options for shock mounting.

When you perform a SOA conversion, tjhe parts you use are not determined by how much off roading you will be doing, shocks need to be mounted properly for both on and off road driving, and personally I would be more worried about a Superlift perch slipping or coming loose on the highway then I would be on the trail.

 

[rookieshooter]

What 410 says about the pinion angle is so true. I would not have gone thru all the above work with $25.00 weld on perches if the pinion angle was not that important. That round thing you see is magnetic angle finder. I used it on the transfer case and the diff housing set on the same plane as the pinion shaft. I tried to get the pinion angle going up as close to the transfer case going down. There are probably other ways to set the angle but this has worked for me.

 

[Creager]

why couldnt you weld the superlift perch/shockmount to the axle tube?

even though that would be kinda sloppy...

 

[410Fortune]

you can buy them at any 4x4 shop for far cheaper.

 

[Flex_Chris]

So if I do decide I just want to weld on spring perches in the rear I just have to go to a 4x4 shop and ask for any spring perches or is there something specific I should be asking for? I just want to know so if I do end up going this route I get the right perches. So if I do it this way do you think someplace like a local Meineke shop could find the perfect angle and weld the perches up for me? Does the axle have to be off the car to weld the perches on or can it still be bolted to the car. My final question is this... What different options to I have for mounting the shocks to the rear axle? I have seen some people mount them to the sway bar mounts after they remove their sway bars but if you look at j602's Explorer here...

He has his shocks mounted to some nice looking brackets that appear to just bolt on and I am curious what exactly those are.

Anyhow if I go this route for the SOA and end up welding the perches I could just buy the Superlift 5.5" lift for the front only right? I am assuming I could continue to use my stock rear leaf springs or do I need the Superlift ones? Anyone have any idea how much it is for the Superlift 5.5 for just the front? Can you even buy it that way?

 

[Jefe]

The important dimensions for the spring perches are, 2.5" wide spring with a 3.25"(?) diameter tube (though you can grind 3" perches to fit).

Yes it is necesary to remove the axle, otherwise the stock U-bolts will be in the way of welding.

The pic posted above is using the stock spring plates, upside-down and backwards and reconnecting the shocks to them. I would think that you would bottom out the shock with them mounted that high though.

As for pinion angle, if your driveshaft is a u-joint driveshaft (as opposed to CV/Double cardan) you should not have to change the angle of the perches from stock. Simply place them parallel, above the axle.

 

[Flex_Chris]

Just out of curiosity was there split years that came with the different driveshafts? I have checked out underneath my car and it is definitely no CV driveshaft so I think that should make it even simpler if I do not have to change the angles. I to would think that the shocks would bottom out in that picture above so hopefully Josh will chime in here soon and let us know how it rides with the shocks mounted like that. As oppose to that setup what are other options for shock mounting and will I need the Superlift rear leaf springs for this or can I just use my stock ones?

 

[Flex_Chris]

Also... Could you not just take the stock spring perches and reuse them? I havent taken the axle apart yet so I don't know if there is a reason that wouldn't work but it seems like it would.

 

[Jefe]

You want to use the stock springs. Just by putting them over the axle you will end up with the 6" of lift you're looking for.

I mounted my shocks to the sway bar mount. Works great with the stock length shocks.

The stock spring perch is welded to the axle, so it would be rather difficult to remove and then reuse.

 

[Flex_Chris]

Ahh I didnt know it was welded, that answers my question. So do the shocks just bolt into the stock sway bar mounts or does that require some welding as well?

I was checking out this site...

http://www.4wheelparts.com/4wp/prod...cat=TUB&prodline=320&catName=Tubular&man=WARR

As you can see they have a few different spring perches that they make. You said that I should be looking for something that is 2.5" but it doesn't appear that they make an application like that... Well atleast not Warrior. Would one of those perches work or should I just keep looking for a 2.5"?

Thanks for answering all my questions, I have this whole thing almost all figured out now and once I can locate all the parts I will be doing this SOA... I will also need to find either a 6" Skyjacker front lift or a 5.5" Superlift front lift so hopefully I can find one of those for a good price!

 

[rookieshooter]

Flex when I put my SOA I left the bottom spring pad on, I set it up with an angle finder. After reading what Jefe said, I went out and measured them they are very close to being parallel maybe no more then a 1/1 6" but this in on a B11. I have 3 shocks per side. Like Jefe you can see where I used the sway bar mount. the one in front I cut off an old shock bracket off an old rear and rewelded it to the 8.8 The top u-bolt clamp is the old bottom clamp, I cut off the shock bracket. I like the shocks to be lower then if I used the top one that I cut off. They are about 8" lower then if I used the top one. The 3rd shock is an outboard shock mounted to my traction bar system. And the top of that one is allmost hitting the top of the wheel well. Nothing is written in stone on how to do this. There are companies that sell universal shock mounts that u weld on. Note also that they are not hanging way down.

 

[Flex_Chris]

Why do you have 3 shocks? I take it you are doing some hardcore 4x4'ing? I think perhaps I will just end up turning the stock shock mounts upside down like Josh did and try that for a while, if that gives me problems I will just mount them to the sway bar brackets. Now I just need to find the right spring perches...

 

[Flex_Chris]

As for pinion angle, if your driveshaft is a u-joint driveshaft (as opposed to CV/Double cardan) you should not have to change the angle of the perches from stock. Simply place them parallel, above the axle.

Was there a specific year that they switched to one another? Just curious because my rig is a 92 Explorer Sport 4WD and I just want to make sure which driveshaft it has so I know if I am going to have change the angle or not. Just need to know how I determine one driveshaft from another.

 

[rookieshooter]

Flex read the line of my signature backwards. HA HA . Not a lot of hard core, mostly trails, and just wanted to build a tuff little chopped top B11. A mans Toy truck