Doing SOA need longer driveshaft? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Doing SOA need longer driveshaft?

macker123

Well-Known Member
Joined
December 3, 2002
Messages
166
Reaction score
0
City, State
victoria, bc
Year, Model & Trim Level
97 Explorer Sport 4.0 OHV
I am going to be doing the soa in the rear for about 5.5" lift and will match it with longer bolts for my torsion bars in the front 4.5" or so.

Will I need to get my driveshaft lengthened for this? I have a 2wd 97 Sport.

Is there anything else I need to worry about as I hope to put my shackles back on and put Spindles on the front after I do this also.

Thanks
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





SOA does not need a lengthened DS, unless you have gobs of flex.
 






You can TT that much lift with longer bolts? is that safe? Does it effect reliability?
 






Other members have had DS problems with the SOA, some haven't. At least have enough in your budget in case you need a new or lengthened one.

About the huge TT. With longer bolts you can do it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Get the 2wd 3" lift spindles for most of the lift in front.
 






Originally posted by Alec
Other members have had DS problems with the SOA, some haven't. At least have enough in your budget in case you need a new or lengthened one.

About the huge TT. With longer bolts you can do it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Get the 2wd 3" lift spindles for most of the lift in front.

Well right now my torsion bars are jacked up 3"s. I am just going to buy longer bolts to add an extra 1.5" lift for a total of 4.5".

Many other members have done this and I have not heard anything bad.
 






Your ride and downtravel will suffer. Just letting you know.
 






Originally posted by Alec
Your ride and downtravel will suffer. Just letting you know.

No problem fully aware of that and will be buying spindles a little later, just don't want to outlay all of the money right away.

Is there anything I need to be worried about besides my driveshaft when I start raising the truck? I am 2wd. I am eventually hoping to have shackles and the soa in the rear with the torsion bars jacked and the spindles in the front.
 






With both shackles and SOA in the rear you will most likely need a new shaft. In the front, you might be stressing your Tbars a lot, and the adjuster, bars, and bolts may be more prone to breakage.
 






I've wheeled a ton with not making my drive shaft longer and have had good luck, until Saturday. I lost the shaft out of the slip yoke. It is only about a hundred bucks to lengthen it correctly. Not only will it not slip out, but the spline contact will be much better. If you only have about the outer half inch of splines meshing up they are much weaker than being all of the way in.
 






Originally posted by macker123
Well right now my torsion bars are jacked up 3"s. I am just going to buy longer bolts to add an extra 1.5" lift for a total of 4.5".

Many other members have done this and I have not heard anything bad.

I'd like to see this... I'm not doubting that it's possible. Maybe I'm just out of the loop on the 2nd Gens... but I don't remember tons of other members raising their trucks to 4.5in in the front on a torsion twist alone. Personally, I wouldn't do it. I'd wait for the spindles...
 






Exactly... but that 400 bucks would put a nice dent in my doin a 4x4 conversion w/ a solid front axle.
And a jacked up 2x isn't going to get me anything but a few looks from dumb chicks.... which my girl would go ninja on. I really just want to be able to drive my mountain bike up some wicked **** so I can ride down, and repeat.
 






I have riden in a '98 Ranger with TBs tweeked up about 4". Rode like a BRICK! You wouldn't have known their was any type of suspension under the truck at all. The owner of that truck immediately dropped it back down to about 2". It simply isn't worth it.

Jeffseal (I think it was him) did an SOA on a 2nd gen 2WD. If I remember right, his driveshaft was about to fall apart and he had to get it lengthened.

Robb
 






haha yeah i did the soa, I havnt had it lengthened becuase i am doing SAS 4x4 convertion next week. it is very cose to comming out. i have been told that you can use a 2wd ext cab ranger shaft.
here is a pic of my drive shaft and tranny.
Dead Link Removed

your other alternative is the spindles with an inch of torsion bar twist and 4 inch super lift springs. That is what i had before the soa, didnt have a problem with my driveshaft then.

hope this helps
 






Back
Top