Debate - how to mod, street or 4wheel?

[dust_101]

greetings folks, new poster here.

since there seems to be a large enough grouping here of people that have done modifications to their explorer for speed/street or lifts/offroad, i would see what arguments can be made for each.

i'm looking to modify my explorer, it is a 2000 XLT 4x4 with the 4.0 unless somehow someone swapped a v8 in there when i wasn't looking. she's already got the stock tinting, black paintjob with the grey two tone fender flare/bumpers.

what i'm looking for, is to figure out what will be the path i end up on for modifications. should i look at putting on some 20's and lowering kit, supercharger, etc and keep her on the street only, or go after a lift kit etc to take her trail running? if you have gone down one of these paths, how difficult was it looking back from stock? did you do the work yourself or was a garage's help needed? how much money have you put into your explorer and is it finished, did you get the end result you wanted (speed or climb up a mountain?).

...of course it all boils down to what you (i) want to do, but i'm curious to the reasons why people went the way they did and what the end result was like. personally i was sick of a 4cyl import and enjoy running over things most cars freak about, snow, flooded roads, pedestrians =)

so let's hear it, what did you do street or 4wheel, and why?

 

[CodePoet]

I went offroad because I enjoy trails and offroad in general. I have less than 1000 invested right now including tires. However, i'll be lifting again sooner than later, I'm either going to cut and turn my beams w/ d44 outers or an sas in order to fit 35"-36" tires. I've done all the work myself and am planning on continuing to do so, maybe with the exception of some welding if I cut and turn my beams. Either way my truck will never be "done" .

Later
cp

 

[rydinhigh]

Going for the off road look is easier and alot cheaper than street/speed especially since you have the 4.0 which will cost alot of money to make fast. For alot less than what my supercharger is costing me you could easily do a 2" suspension lift 3" body lift and fit 33's

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

I went streeter because my Explorer is a 2 wheel drive. Since you have a 4 wheel drive, that is probably the direction you may want to consider the hardest. But which ever direction you go, chances are you will always wonder "what if". Sometimes I wished mine was a 4 wheel drive so I could off-road and then again, yada yada yada, LOL. So I may consider getting me a 5.0 4 wheel drive later down the road for some off roading. But who knows. It's a money pit either way you go. But don't change engines, change vehicles before you go through that merry-go-round. It would be allot cheaper and easier to trade your truck in on a 5.0 than to do the costly motor swap, especially if your 4.0 runs good right now. Just my 0.02 cents worth.

 

[dust_101]

so it sounds that logically having the 5.0 is preferred to get milk a solid amount of bhp at the wheels, i've seen that yes there are SCs for the 4.0 but again, is that worth the $$? oh and yeah BBQ there is NO WAY i would do a swap for an explorer, only swap i'm planning in the near future is putting a 407 into my Cadillac, trying that on an explorer just sounds painful.

thus far the 4.0 in mine runs with no real issues, it is just getting near time to get new tires and have the suspension looked at, so if something needs to be replaced, might as well make it better! ...and going off-road does sound like some fun.

the 4.0 already feels like it's got some a$$ behind it, does the 5.0 move that much better, and after it's been mod'd how much hp can be achieved, at what rpm?

 

[Alec]

I did both:

Had a 2wd with 33s and other offroad mods also with the BBK s/c and nitrous. The offroad way was far cheaper and easier, as the performance mods cost much more in time, money, and reliability. But if you have a 2wd, don't plan on doing serious wheeling.

I had fun with both aspects of the truck, but I wouldn't do it that way again (I was in HS/college and could only have 1 vehicle). When I get out of school I'll probably have 2 or 3 vehicles.

 

[MONMIX]

I went street mainly because in my mind it would be a nice way to maintain the value of the truck longer ( yeah what was I thinking ? )
Yeah it is a costly pretty much nonproductive route.
I mean it is a 3,000+ lb 4WD SUV how quick can it really go for a resonale dollar ?
Given the choice again, I would stick with street.
I am just too obsessive at taking good care of my vehicle.

 

[Critical_Level2]

I was street all last summer but then I raised it in the winter. I now have kept it raised because 1. When you go fast down a bumpy road, being lowered means you will possibly scrape or bottom out easily and 2. I have the tendancy to vere off the road if I notice a big mud puddle on the side or a new constriution area that is full of dirt and mud. If I had two trucks then I would do both but since it was fourwheel drive I could not lower it to frame scraping levels, but I can lift it to new heights.

 

[boominXplorer]

C'mon down to fredericksburg and I'll give you a ride in a lifted (explorer) and lowered (mountaineer) for you to choose

 

[X~FACTOR]

Street because its a daily driver that don't see dirt road at all. My commute to work has a couple of winding road. On stock height I used to slow down when approaching this road. Being lowered, this part of the commute becomes the fun part.

Cost? Well, not much. Street Trucks don't have to cost you your life savings. You mod as your budget allows it.

Someday I will have a lifted truck just to see what the fuzz is about.

 

[j602]

I'm 2wd but I chose the offroad path. I just think lifted trucks with big tires look badass. I also think lowered street trucks look sweet but just not as much as lifted ones. I also just like having the option to do some mild off roading, just having a litttle fun, and seeing what my 2wd X can do. So far it has impressed me and my friends. But, I do plan on doing more performance mods also. I love what Alec did with his. He took it and made it look awesome and be off road worthy but made it fast as crap at the same time. Anyway, good luck with your decision. Whichever it is, I'm sure it'll turn out great. Later.

 

[rfuree11]

i went offroad because i was alrady doing trails when i first got it and i had too much fun with it, so there was no way i was gonna sacrifice that to have a lowered truck, so i went up and im never coming back (with this one, at least)

 

[Crazy5711]

Lowered:
Good: Nice looking, fast, bling bling
Bad: be careful on dirt roads and speed bumps
Ugly: Gotta deal with ricers wanting to check out your ride and rice jokes

Lifted:
Good: High vantage point, fun trail rides, suprising offroad ability
Bad: Easier to roll, less handling ability, hours washing mud from the undercarriage, lower gas mileage
Ugly: Dents, scrapes, and broken everything you can imagine, if it doesn't get battle scars, you're not trying hard enough

 

[NaplesBill]

I have always done street. I like lifted trucks but only when they're somebody elses. I use to go wheeling with friends trucks and it was a lot of fun. The sad part is that eventually you will mess up and your truck will pay for it. If I had a used X with 4x4 and got it cheap enough I wouldn't care but I'm not about to take a new truck off road and possibly mess it up. If that's something that wouldn't bother you then go for the lift.

 

[general x]

You know i have to say off road, prolly cuz thats what my X is and i love it. If you do go off road dont go thinkin "O i need to save for the big lift kit and tires and ill do it all at once". Sure thats really nice and yes your truck will probobly turn out great but doing that just gets you wondering what its going to look like in the end. My explorer has 12 inch wide wagon wheel rims and thats it. I love it and the best thing about buying these rims was that it gave me somthing to go on. My next mod is a body lift and ill take it from there

My friends got a lowered 4x4 blazer and its cool too so go either way

 

[Brandon4AU]

Like Alec, I did both:
Lifted, , new wheels, 33s, billet grill, clear corners, monotone paint scheme (mostly), system.

Price: 400 total for lift/wheels/tires labor done by me and a few friends; billet $66; clears $30; paint $35 I did myself; system $105 lol

I am really happy with it so far but have much more planned.

If you want to see pics then click on the cardomain link.

 

[MONMIX]

Lowered:
Good: Nice looking, fast, bling bling
Bad: be careful on dirt roads and speed bumps
Ugly: Gotta deal with ricers wanting to check out your ride and rice jokes

Lifted:
Good: High vantage point, fun trail rides, suprising offroad ability
Bad: Easier to roll, less handling ability, hours washing mud from the undercarriage, lower gas mileage
Ugly: Dents, scrapes, and broken everything you can imagine, if it doesn't get battle scars, you're not trying hard enough

You forgot
Lifted Bad :
When short poeple like me bust their a$$ falling trying to get in and out of these things

 

[Brandon4AU]

lifted-
good: watching hot girls try to get in and out of them!

 

[Critical_Level2]

Lifted-
Good: Helping those hot girls get in and out (may need a little push )

 

[general x]

Lowered Bad- Bonk head on hood every time (Learned that today!)